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Sometimes I think we walk through life with peripheral vision, focusing on the temporary—what's outside and around us, forgetting that what's within is eternal. Paul, knowing that even faith comes from God, prays that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened in order that we may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and the incredible greatness of God's power for those who are in Christ. God brings salvation to us, and once we receive His gift, He seals it with Himself. So many completely miss this. Even those of us who have given our heart to Him sometimes lack the ability to grasp the depth of His grace, and hold onto hope, especially in a world lost in chaos. See my last post, Peripheral Vision, on Ephesians 1:15-23 https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/peripheral-vision The book of Ephesians reiterates over and over again that we, who believe, are in Christ—and being in Him is so much more than simply believing in who He is, it's actually following in His footsteps. Although we fall short, a lot, His righteousness covers us and His love spurs us on. Having said that, you'll notice that Paul never mentions "doing" anything, at least not in the first half of his letter. God put on Paul's heart how important it is that we truly know God and our position in Him. I remember trying to grasp what it means to be in Christ. I still can't fully wrap my mind around it. I guess the only way to truly understand who we are in Him, we first have to realize who we were without Him. Paul begins chapter two with this—you were dead. Dead? As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV) Now obviously Paul didn't mean 'dead' dead, but spiritually dead. To be physically dead is to be separated from the body; to be spiritually dead is to be separated from God. Every lie, act of greed, selfish action, etc., Paul is saying that these things separated you from God. But in order to be raised from the dead, you must first be dead; and dead people, well, they don't have the ability to make themselves alive, especially when they don't even know they're dead. Paul is making the point that dead people can't make themselves righteous, nor can they save themselves, only God can raise the dead. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:3 NIV) Okay, let's go back to the beginning, Adam (and Eve) thought they knew better than God. They were convinced that they could become like God, thereby doing away with their need for Him. Sound familiar? Every human being begins his life by following in Adam's footsteps. When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. His sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (Romans 5:12 NLT). At some point each of us will face a fork in the road and we will have to make a choice. This is where the footstep following becomes evident, exposing wants and desires that have nothing to do with God and everything to do with self. When the focus is self, desires mount. The more desires met, the bigger the appetite—more becomes bigger, bigger becomes better, better becomes exhausting. God affords everyone choice just as He did Adam. Unfortunately, we minimize the choice, but the choice is extreme. It’s a choice between life and death. The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17 NLT) Adam brought death, Jesus brings life. Seems like a no brainer, but seriously, many choose Adam. The deception is the same, believing that man can become his own god. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV) God loves us. He saved us. He made us alive and placed us in Christ when we were dead, right in the middle of sinning against Him; providing the way to Him. He secured us by His great might and amazing grace. That is grace that we do not deserve. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (Ephesians 2:6 NIV) God raised us up all the way to heaven and seated with Jesus. We are simultaneously here and there at the same time. WOW, I mean really stop for a moment and ponder that thought. How could it be? Well, as I said before it's difficult to wrap our finite minds around such things as these. However, we know that we are in Christ and He sits outside of time, so when God raised Him, our true life and identity was in Him. While we may walk in this world, heaven is our true home. "When we understand our position, we will understand the power that's made available to us. Everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to us." ~Tony Evans Is there anything on earth—possession, power, success, person—worth seeking that compares to being seated with Jesus at God's right hand; while at the same time possessing the power that raised Him from the dead? When you really think about it, isn't it silly to spend time chasing things that hold no value, especially when the God who created everything calls you His? in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7 NIV) God did all this for us, but it goes much deeper than that; he had a plan. Out of all the beauty God created in the universe, He chose His prized creation, His bride, you and me, to display His grace and kindness for all to see, now and forever. I want to end today with the next few verses that I believe describe the pinnacle of the Gospel message, and we will pick up right here next time. In the meantime, rest in the truth that there is nothing you can do, or not do, that will ever change the love that God has for those who are in Christ Jesus. God saved you by grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.(Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT)

The young women move from curiosity to desire—pivoting from, "What is it about Him" to "Where may we find Him?" Once the bride moves past the emotion that plagued her, her eyes open to the truth. She knows exactly where to find Him—He is within her—She has Him fully and now He fully has her. The King expresses so beautifully His love for her. Those who turn their lives over to Jesus collectively form His bride; but each is individually His beloved, made righteous by His blood. Nothing can ever take that away. See my last post on Song of Songs 6:1-10 https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/we-will-follow-you-as-you-seek-after-him The [Woman]: “I went down into the orchard of nuts and out to the valley to see the springtime there, to see whether the grapevines were budding or the pomegranates were blossoming yet. Before I realized it, I was stricken with terrible homesickness and wanted to be back among my own people.”Songs 6:11-12 TLB It's springtime again—God makes all things—Mercy is new every morning Her desire shifts from her need to theirs. The Young Women of Jerusalem: “Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam. Come back, come back, that we may see you once again.” The [Woman]: “Why should you seek a mere Shulammite?” King Solomon: “Because you dance so beautifully.Songs 6:13 TLB Now fully His, she dances the dance of grace. Grace. It's so attractive. It's also, humanly speaking, rare, and oftentimes seemingly out of reach. Have you experienced it? You'd know. Have you ever extended it? If you have, I'd venture to say it probably wasn't easy. True grace is not earned, but freely given, and generally does not happen out of order. In other words, grace must first be received before it's sincerely given. The fullness of grace is in Jesus Christ and if you carry His name, He is within you. The Shulamite woman was not even aware she could dance, let alone dance the dance of grace. If you follow her story, you know it didn't start this way. Metaphorically, she had, as we all do, two left feet that stumble. As the King led, little by little, she began to feel the music, only to find herself apprehensive and afraid to dance. Nevertheless, knowing what a beautiful dancer she could become, He continued to reach for her hand. I'm watching someone I love with all my heart dance this dance so beautifully. Married over 20 years, they had their challenges. She started married life in a country not her own and with immediate family on two different continents, close friends became family. A few of years ago, a job led to a relocation. Again, finding herself in a place not her own, it was another difficult move, but to her delight God turned it into the sweetest time in their marriage. Unfortunately, six months later, he had a heart attack, followed by a stroke that led to many other complications, leaving him completely dependent on her. Thankfully, his mind and personality were left untouched. Words cannot express how difficult it has been for her to see her husband in such pain. She's described the oneness of their relationship in such a way that I imagine can only be found through this kind of suffering. I can remember her saying to me through tears, "I don't think I truly understood what God meant by two becoming one flesh until now—I physically feel his pain." Never leaving his side, she takes care of him in every way, with very little help. I have never, before now, witnessed this kind of hardship. Through the difficulties they face—and there are many—she never hesitates to give glory to God. The kind of grace I've witnessed in and through her is supernatural and I don't believe exists beyond the grace of God. Without a shadow of a doubt, God has called her to walk a difficult path. Little does she realize, as she walks forward in faith and battles exhaustion, weariness and moments of fear, those of us who love her look on in amazement at how beautifully she dances with her King. I'm sure she would have chosen differently if she could, but she has become a picture of the grace of God in my life. How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble daughter! Songs 7:1 ESV God entrusts few with this kind of suffering; it's a high calling. If you find yourself here, remember this, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed (Ps 34:18). I imagine that it is here He is most visible—to you—and through you.

King Solomon was on a quest to find meaning in life. He seemed to start out so well, yet toward the end of his life, he concluded that everything is meaningless? (Click here to read last post) Scripture says he had everything a man could want, denying himself nothing his eyes desired, and refused his heart no pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:10); and he had an abundance of unlimited resources to accomplish just that (1 Kings 3:13). Sound enticing? Well, I'm pretty sure, if we had the same, left to ourselves, we'd end up as miserable as he was. And I'm equally sure that we'd eventually find it all meaningless, empty, like chasing the wind. (Eccl. 1:14) It seems as though Solomon's understanding of God was either a spill over of his father's faith, or maybe it was simply an intellectual connection. Whichever the case, where he found himself was in a place of rebellion and rejecting God. By the time we hear from him in Ecclesiastes, he spends most of his time explaining his world view and the conclusions he came to during that long season of his life; conclusions about life on earth, or as he called it, life under the sun. Much of what he says is not only cynical, but as we'll see, his conclusions are based on human reasoning, with no eternal perspective. However, I believe that is exactly the point. It's almost as if he's writing in his journal. It's his perspective as he lives life apart from God and God is allowing him to give us a bird's eye view of exactly what that looks like. Having said all that, I will give you a necessary spoiler alert—in the end, when he's finished telling his story, he seems to finally tap into the wisdom God had given him and concludes that all should fear God and obey His commands (Eccl. 12:13). But for now, back to Solomon's skewed perspective. It would be impossible for me to express the wealth he had in every aspect of his life, so please check out the prosperity and wisdom of Solomon's reign for yourself in 1 Kings 4 and beyond. Remember, he had everything anyone could want or need, in ridiculous proportions, yet he found himself still empty. He was not a happy guy, nor did he exude much joy at all. I mean, maybe he did for a little while, but he spent most of his life chasing the wind! Although very few of us have even a fraction of Solomon's wealth, every one of us is in danger of falling prey to the notion that happiness and fulfillment come from the things of this world. Even you Christian; we know that an eternity awaits us that's far beyond what we could ask for or imagine, yet we spend much of our time and resources making sure of the here and now. It seems the more we have, the more we want, yet the unhappier we become. And the wind is chased to-and-fro. It's confusing and exhausting. Why do we get tangled up in such things? It's no wonder Solomon's natural follow-up question is one I'd venture to say we've all asked ourselves in one form or another— What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:3 NIV There it is, the million dollar question. What's it all for? Everyone eventually dies, so what's the point of it all? Is it to fatten up before we go? This was Solomon's dilemma, he spent his life doing exactly that—fattening up! As he views life, he acknowledges that time ticks on and we can do nothing to stop it. He declares that people come and go, but the earth lasts forever. Seasons repeat and the streams flow into the sea, only to return again and again (vs 1:4-7). There is this maple tree that sits outside my window. Just a few short weeks ago it's leaves changed to beautiful colors. Now, I'm in south Florida so that part was clearly God delighting me. But I digress, its leaves fell off just a few days later, as they do every year, leaving the tree looking bare and barren. But today, just like it always does at this time of year, it's leaves are back and it's lush and full of life. So Solomon was mostly right, people do come and go. So do seasons. And streams, they will continue to flow back and forth. However, the earth, that will not last forever, no matter what we do or don't do to try to make that happen; and it doesn't matter how many talking heads believe they can do exactly that. Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away, but it's God's Word that will last forever (Matt 24:35). He will make all things new (Rev 21:5). To Solomon's point, if everything keeps repeating, is there anything gained? After all, is there anything new under the sun? (vs 1:8-10) And generations, they come and go and people are forgotten (v 1:11). That's not meant to sound morbid, but it's true. I think of my great grandparents, I'm sure they labored under the sun and yet I know very little about them, if anything at all. Life does go on. None of us are that important to this world, but to God, His beloved mattered so much that He sacrificed Himself and conquered death to solidify eternity for her. Solomon began an experiment of sorts by applying his mind to study and explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens (v 1:12-13). He's trying desperately to prove that there is a way to fill the gaping hole in the human heart. Honestly, I'm really not sure how God is going to unpack all that He wants to reveal to us as we journey with Solomon, but what He has revealed so far is really important to tuck away in your heart. God has planted in each of us a longing for something that lasts and it's been proven over and over again that people will do just about anything to find it. So, the question on the table today is this— "Will your journey to lasting fruit be under the sun, or will it be under the Son? The choice is yours. It always has been. Choose wisely, your very life depends on it. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Have you ever wondered what life is supposed to be about? Not just your life, but life in general? It's so unpredictable. Everything is fine one minute, and the next, trouble sets in. Sometimes it's one blow after another. Life is full of ups and downs and dreams and desires, and the decisions we make to remedy and fulfill them; both good and bad. Through much time and prayer, I've landed in the book of Ecclesiastes. Our author is King Solomon. Curiously enough, he likens life under the sun to chasing the wind. Seems accurate. Perhaps we'll notice parallels to our own lives along the way. Maybe his shared experience will inspire us to learn from his mistakes. After all, each of us is on a path to a forever destination, and seeking it is the most important journey you'll ever take. I pray that God awakens the sleeping, and for those of you who are already awake, may you see all that God intends. I pray you have the privilege of being used by Him as a light in a dark world—a world headed for destruction. I'm not sure how much, or even if, you are aware of the rabid immorality in our midst. That may seem like a silly statement, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that many are not aware of it at all! So let us be careful not to throw caution to the wind. With how far and fast we've fallen, there is a real danger of becoming desensitized. Jesus's exhortation is to, "take heed that no one deceives you" (Matthew 24:4). When Solomon became king, he led his whole assembly to the place of worship. He went before the altar and sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings to the LORD. Later that evening, in a dream, God appeared to Solomon, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it. Though he could have asked for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead His people. (see 2 Chronicles 1:1-10) Think about that for a moment. His heart was in the right place; at least when he was a young man. I've often wondered what I would have asked for if I were Solomon, especially early in my walk with Jesus. I think it's safe to say, it probably would not have been wisdom. Though the longer I've walked with Him, and the more I seek His heart, the more my heart and perspective align with His. Having said that, I am very grateful I've never had all Solomon ended up acquiring. God responded to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. (2 Chronicles 1:11-12a ESV). Scripture says that Solomon became wiser than all men (1 Kings 4:31). I think we can be sure that this particular part of Scripture does not align in anyway with our current situation— Just saying! Though the condition of Solomon's heart did end up in a similar place. He had much wisdom, yet his heart was still corrupt. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jer 17:9) [The LORD continued] I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.” (vs12b ESV). Solomon had a hard time following his own wisdom. God gave him everything in order that he use it to serve His people. I guess it's not difficult to imagine how that kind of money and power can rule a person. Jesus made it clear that it's impossible to serve both God and money. Notice the word serve, it's not about having, it's about whatever is ruling your heart. Somewhere along the way Solomon's eyes shifted to earthly things causing his heart to turn from the LORD. He spent so many years focusing on the horizontal, there was no more room for the Vertical. Not much has changed in the human heart has it? We spend much too much time striving to fill every earthly desire we have—seeking ways to live longer, even forever. Worshipping self, each other, stuff, status, the planet, nature, even purpose—anything but the God who created everything. We have not only become the god of our own lives, but many are deceived into believing they can become God themselves. Think about it, we have decided just because we CAN do something, we ought to; but the Bible tells us the polar opposite. Paul wrote it this way, "Everything is permissible", but not everything is beneficial. (1 Cor 10:23) Despite the fact that we look as though we're getting smarter, it's just an illusion. We've defied every moral, logical, and scientific conclusion in every aspect of human life, taking God out of everything. And unfortunately, much of the Church has stood by silently, creating a new Jesus to fit the narrative, in the name of inclusion and tolerance. Solomon had it all but he let sin rule in his heart. He made many bad choices and toward the end of his life he questioned everything. He knew God existed but wrestled with whether or not following Him mattered much. So Solomon set out to discover if there is any purpose to life apart from God. As he laments, he begins— “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV To spite the obvious, I couldn't help but wonder what Solomon actually meant by meaningless? Other translations say vanity, pointless, or futile. The Hebrew word is hevel, which means, vapor or breath. That changes everything I thought he meant. He's not technically saying that life is meaningless, but rather it's empty; hard to grasp, like trying to grab hold of a mist or a vapor, it slips through your fingers. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (James 4:14b NKJV) Sounds pretty depressing doesn't it? Well, I guess if this is all there is, depressing would be an understatement. And that is precisely what Solomon is saying. It's all meaningless. Without God, it is all meaningless! If we allow ourselves, I believe we can learn a lot from Solomon. How did he go from wanting to please God by leading His people—to wanting to please himself by filling every desire he had? I think it will become clear. He sugarcoats nothing. I like that. Life is hard enough to grasp, let us not airbrush over any of it! It's essential we learn how to be honest with God as we wrestle things out before Him. Beloved, what are you striving for? Whom or what is ruling your heart? It's never too late to begin again. His mercies are new every morning. Paul nails it— "Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person. (1 Cor 10:23b-24 CSB)

Hi Friends. I hope you enjoyed the detour we took for Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, it's time for us to jump back into our study in Ephesians. It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything. My husband and I have been under the weather and for me, unfortunately, it brought brain fog, so its been extremely difficult to write. Before the holiday posts, we left off at Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. See The Power of 'Hupotasso' here: https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/the-power-of-hupotasso Paul finished Ephesians chapter 5 and half of chapter 6 discussing submission as it applies to Christian households and relationships, beginning with marriage. He continued with Children and Parents as well as Bondservants and Masters/Employers and Employees. Now please don't get your feathers in a ruffle. Paul was not condoning slavery, he was simply addressing the mindset of the day. He lived under Roman rule, they all did, and they had no power to change any of it. However, as Christians, Paul taught mutual respect and submission to one another; beginning with submitting to Christ. That friend changes everything within a household. (see Ephesians 5:22-6:9) I launched this series in Ephesians with a post on the delicate, yet beautiful subject of submission in relationships. If you haven't read it, please do before moving on; and if you have, you can refresh your memory. See Imitate God here: https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/imitate-god Today, we're picking it up in Ephesians 6:10-24 with Paul's final instruction. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Ephesians 6:10 NIV Finally, Paul says. Finally, once you know who you are in Christ, and how to walk in it, be careful that you don't rely on your own strength; there is no power in that. Instead, strengthen yourself in the Lord, relying on His mighty power. Remember Paul dedicated the first half of his letter (chapters 1-3) presenting to us who God is—what He has done for us—and who we are in Christ. In these chapters, Paul's objective was not for us to do anything, but instead for us to bask in the reality and declarations of God's love. I know for me, it's not always easy to bask in that reality. Although it doesn't make God's love any less real, seasons of life can be so overwhelming that it feels as though He is miles away. When I'm going through something difficult, I have a tendency to isolate myself and instead of drawing my strength from Him, I spend much of my time licking my wounds or trying to busy my mind so I don't have to think about the pain. I know it's me who moves away from God and not the other way around, but I believe He knew that we'd struggle there; that's why He gave us chapters like these. It's never a one and done. It's been said that we need to preach the gospel to ourselves everyday because we forget it everyday. God never forces His way in, but He never ceases to lift my eyes to His. Love always empowers and motivates. The strength and power to do what chapters 4-6 call us to, come from God. They are only possible with a true understanding of our position in Him—which is found in chapters 1-3. Paul prayed in the first chapter for the understanding of the incredible greatness of God's power for those who believe in Him (see vs 19). And in chapter three, he prayed that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (see vs16). Once we lean into God's love with an understanding of our position, Paul says, Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:11-12 NIV Before Esther would stand before King Xerxes, she asked that all the Jews of Susa fast with her for three days. I believe she was sitting before the Lord and suiting up with His Armor. She knew she was fighting against evil and needed the strength and power of God to stand. Although many would pray for her, she would have to stand before the King on her own. That was the defining moment of her life. (Esther 3-4) We talk a lot here about standing; about fighting against evil. Unfortunately, I can get lost in what's happening in what seems like a world gone mad and easily lose sight of who I'm actually fighting against. Oftentimes it looks as though our enemy is in human flesh, but our true enemy is the devil. He has come to steal, kill and destroy. God gave dominion to Adam and the devil usurped it from him; thereby giving him power and authority. He hates God, so he also hates us, because we are made in God's image. He whispers that God's mercy and grace don't actually exist. He is a liar; a thief; a murderer. He is our accuser. He is the one who sows division in the hearts of people. He overwhelms them with a desire for power, money and position. He convinces people that a baby is not a baby while in the womb, and that God made a mistake on marriage, and gender, and especially salvation. And the list goes on and on. We need to be aware of these things in order to stand against him. Christian, we need to band together in fighting our common enemy. And that beloved, begins first in you. Your strength is not your own, it's God's strength in you. And your armor, well, Paul didn't say Jena put on your armor, he said to put on the full armor of God. I think we miss that. So many of us are trying to operate in our own strength leaving us weak and frail and reaching for an armor that is completely powerless. David Guzik wrote in his commentary on these verses, "If you take a weak man who can barely stand, and put the best armor on him he will still be an ineffective soldier. He will be easily beaten. So equipping for Christian combat must begin with the principle, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." What does 'standing firm' look like to you?

Solomon says that there is a time for Everything and that God has a plan for all people. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. This, as you can probably imagine because of control issues, is very difficult for me to just let be. Timing is so important but most important is God’s timing. Most important indeed, but proves to be Most Difficult for me to wait for. Now I know that to discover God’s perfect timing is to discover the secret to peace. And to rebel or move ahead in our own timing will, well, bring eventual despair. My life has always been about seeing something I want and going for it. I mean, this is what I’ve learned. See it, set a goal, work toward it, and go get it. Sounds logical right? Yes, in a worldly way and until now, my way.  I know Jesus is saying Jena, "Seek My Will in all you do and I will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:6) But what do I do? What I think most of us probably do. When something we want gets our attention, we will find every reason to convince ourselves that God must have put it there. Maybe He did. But maybe not for the reasons we think. What we tend to do is go full force toward it, blinding ourselves to what He may be teaching, because our focus is on the end result. Maybe if we can open our eyes to all that is around us, we can learn and grow from every experience. Sometimes God’s end result is very different than ours. Sometimes unanswered prayers are God’s blessings (and His perfect answer). And sometimes the answer is “not now” because we have too much to learn. In any case, His timing will always prove to be perfect. I have tried to control every outcome in my life my way. All that has done is exhaust me. I need to learn to say and mean, YOUR WILL not mine and then I WILL find my peace and joy in Him, regardless of the outcome. Let all that I am wait quietly before You God, for my hope is in You. You alone are my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from You alone. You are my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. (Psalm 62:5-7)

Faith is a shield against our bad thinking, against our tendency toward self reliance, against the world's indoctrination, and against the devil's schemes and flaming darts that he's constantly hurling at us. We need a strategy of protection against the enemy's fiery darts. Paul exhorts us to take up the shield of faith. Faith begins where the will of God is known, so you can't have faith where you don't know what God has said. See my last post, Part 2, on Ephesians 6:16 https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/take-up-the-whole-armor-part-2 We've previously established that a soldier puts on his armor in a particular order. The armor was strategically placed to physically protect him from harm or even death. Paul describes putting on spiritual armor in the same way, as a protection against the schemes of the devil. So far, we're suited with the belt (of truth), the breastplate (of righteousness), and the shoes (of the Gospel of peace). We've taken up the shield (of faith); now the helmet, the sword, and prayer. and take the helmet of salvation, Ephesians 6:17a NKJV Before battle, this was the last piece of the armor to go on. The soldier would take up the helmet, fit it on his head in order to protect it from the blows of the enemy. Spiritually, the helmet of salvation protects the mind in much the same way. Paul was not talking about salvation here as the act of being saved, but instead he was speaking to those who were already saved, exhorting them to live from the lens of a saved person. Although salvation is a one and done, taking up the helmet is not. Knowing you're saved protects your mind from the devil's deception of discouragement, doubt, temptation, defeat—and instead sets it on the Hope of victory. I don't know about you, but it's not always that simple for me. I know I'm saved because my heart belongs to Jesus yet the battle for my mind is real. One thing I know is that trying to win these battles myself proves to be defeating, only God can win them for me. O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. Psalm 140:7 ESV I think we either learn to ignore these thoughts (or medicate them), so much so that we become numb to them; or we go in the opposite direction and chastise ourselves into believing that we must think more positive thoughts, or say more positive mantras, or pick random scripture saying them over and over again. Be very careful beloved, I believe this is all part of the devil's scheme to keep you away from seeking the only One who can stop the madness. I've learned, or rather I'm learning, that the exercise of putting on my helmet is actually refocusing my eyes on Jesus. Remember we may have battles, but we ultimately win the war over evil. Hope sustains you in the fight. Set your mind on Christ. and [take up] the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17b NKJV Along with the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation, we take up the sword of the Spirit, the rhema (spoken) word of God. The sword is the only part of the armor that is offensive, everything else is defensive. The belt protects by holding everything together; the breastplate protects the heart; the shoes protect the feet in standing ready and firm; the shield protects against the fiery darts; the helmet protects the head against the constant blows of the enemy. But the sword, now that is all together different. It is used not only to defend, but to fight. The sword is from the Spirit of God and He is more than willing to assist in using it. It's imperative that we take up the sword of God's word in order that we may use it to dispel the enemy's lies with truth. However, we can only speak it if we know it. This is very different from cherry picking random scripture and repeating it over and over again. It's using God's word as Jesus did in the wilderness (see Matthew 4). Each time the devil approached Him, He used His sword (God's word) to defeat the enemy's temptations and lies. The devil won't stop trying to trip you up so keep sharpening your sword—never stop seeking God through His word and listen to His Spirit as He continues to deepen your understanding of Him. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 5:18 NIV Prayer connects all the parts of the armor. I believe we are in end times. The Lord is coming soon I'm sure of it. We may not know the day or the hour but we are surely in the fight of our lives against evil. Perhaps every generation could've said the same thing but ours is the closest to what we see in Revelation. We should have constant thought prayer. Most of us don't have to armor up physically, but ALL of us should suit up spiritually. Evil is tangible. We can no longer turn a blind eye because it's easier than seeing. Or choose apathy or silence or relevance. The time to wake up is now. How could we not? We need to decipher the truth through the lens of God's word. He calls each of us to bring it to the ends of the earth in order that many be saved. He's not slow in coming, He is patient, but His patience won't last forever—at least not on this side of heaven. In His mercy, He is giving everyone an opportunity to turn away from sin and toward Him (2 Peter 3:9). Many are blinded to true freedom! Paul, who was in chains, ends His letter asking for prayer to be able to fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (v.19-20). He sent encouragement (v. 21-22), asking God to pour out His peace, His love, and His grace on all who love Jesus. (v. 23-24) I hope you enjoyed our journey through Ephesians. My prayer is that you find yourself wanting more—more of Jesus. I'd like to end kind of where we started. Maybe it's just me but I see a bit of a theme here. God used Paul to lay out our redemption story in this letter. In wisdom he split it in two. The first three chapters drive into the believer who Jesus is and who we are in Him; and only after we truly understand our position do we have the power to walk forward in our calling represented in the last three chapters. Now to the armor, it seems to mirror the same concept. For the believer, the first three pieces of God's armor are already in place, put on at salvation (God's truth, the righteousness of Christ, and readiness of the gospel of peace.) It is only from the security of these pieces do the last three (faith, confidence of salvation, and the spoken word of God through you) have the power to stand against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Bask in your position—walk worthy of your calling—and for all that is holy, put on (and take up) the full armor of God, pray, and take your stand. I'm not sure where God is leading us next. If you feel so led, please pray as I seek His direction.

I’ve been thinking about Elijah a lot lately. How he witnessed so many miracles of God, yet still found himself running for his life, believing a lie that he was the “only one” left willing to stand no matter what. In life’s LONG trials it’s so easy to believe the lie that you are the “only one” suffering. So today, God reminds me, like Elijah, that there are 7000 others. (see 1 Kings 19) As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you Oh God. My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God (Psalm 42:1-2). Lloyd Ogilvie writes regarding this scripture, “Whatever God allows in our lives is to bring us closer to that basic prayer.” I must remind myself daily that although God is good, it doesn’t mean He will shelter us from everything, nor does it mean He will allow only good in our lives. I do this often because one moment I find myself saying, “I love You Jesus with all my heart, and I know you love me.” But my very next thought is “The longer I suffer, the harder it is for me to see Your love through my circumstances.” If you’ve ever been in a season where all you can see are the mountains around you, and your heart begs for the faith to see them move, then we have much in common. Wouldn’t it be awesome if faith grew in comfort; in the pleasures of life instead of the trials? If I had a dollar for every time I've reminded myself of how a pearl becomes a pearl, well let’s just say I’d have a lot of dollars. We live in a performance-based world, so performance is our natural bent. Let’s think about the human condition for a moment. Our greatest goal is happiness, comfort and security. It may look different to each person, but the goal is the same. Whether things are good or bad, dependence falls on self and circumstance. So, the question before us is, “Am I willing to go through whatever it takes to be transformed into the likeness of Christ?” This is such a hard question. I want to say yes and amen, but the truth is, I don’t always feel that way. Some days I just want to feeling better. We were created to bring glory to God by becoming more like His Son, so it’s probably safe to say that pain is the road set before us. We would never choose suffering on our own, but Jesus did. 7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the One who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. (Hebrews 5:7-9) Emphasis mine. Jesus chose suffering. He submitted to the will of His Father, knowing that His suffering was for our greater good. Ogilvie continues to write, “It’s only as we come to know “life’s smoothness turned rough” that we will find a deeper reason for our existence.” It is difficult, in the middle of the pain, to trust that whatever we face is to fulfill God’s purpose. For most of us, trust will only come from a complete surrendered despair. I suppose it would be easier to walk in the pain if we knew what the greater good was on the other side, but I guess that wouldn’t require true surrender. In Luke’s gospel he tells us that Simon answered and said to Him, “Master we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” Through my surrendered despair, today I choose to say, "Master I’ve suffered so much; nevertheless, at Your word I will walk forward trusting that you have a greater good that I can not see—yet." God says that “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me on high places.” (2 Samuel 22:34) May God give each of us the strength to grieve our suffering with hope. If you're willing to share, what would your 'nevertheless' be?

In the shadow of the beauty of His love, she can't help but wonder if she falls short. She has never known a love like this before. He steps back and waits for her to choose Him. As He moves toward her, she recognizes His voice and longs for Him to meet her in the places she hides. See my last post on Song of Songs 2:1-9 https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/do-not-disturb-my-love-until-she-is-ready The [Woman]: “My beloved said to me, ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. Songs 2:10-11 TLB He speaks life into her, offering His hand as His love begins to renew her mind. Jesus does for us what we could never do for ourselves. In seasons of doubt, I have a tendency to hide. It's difficult for me to see the beauty around me when I'm fearful of what's ahead. I've never been one to like change very much at all; nor do I naturally enjoy the journey. I remember as a child I loved the warm weather, but I grew up in a place where it didn't last very long. I loved the vibrant colors of the Fall (and miss them terribly), but Autumn was always a shadow of the coming Winter, so I especially loved the Spring. Spring meant that the captivity of winter was ending. The curtains blew in the wind as we opened the windows to let the fresh air in. Beautiful flowers were in bloom and the warmth of the sun was on my skin. Now I live in a place where there are virtually no seasons at all and everything is always green. The older I get, not only do I miss the physical change in season, I also realize that change can bring excitement, even hope; something to look forward to. But as I said, I normally don't like change. It's like God is teaching me that I have to walk through, rather than around the seasons in my life. It's not always easy for me to recognize the beauty in change—but change isn't necessarily a bad thing—like when God turns barren winter into fruitful spring or when He gives beauty for ashes. Spring symbolizes new life; the difficulty is wading through the winter where everything seems as though it has died. God, in spring, gives a visual that He makes all things new. He sometimes asks us to walk a difficult path. If you find yourself in winter, rest assured, new life is bursting forth, spring is coming. The leaves are coming out, and the grapevines are in blossom. How delicious they smell! Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.’ “My dove is hiding behind some rocks, behind an outcrop of the cliff. Call to me and let me hear your lovely voice and see your handsome face. Songs 2:13-14 TLB She seems hesitant. He reminds her that He's chosen her and again calls for her to arise and come. He's inviting her to run with Him to the beauty of being together; where He can lavish her with His love. We have all we need in Jesus, yet we hesitate don't we? It's easy to say, Jesus is all I need, but is He? Do you find yourself trying to fill what's empty? He's come to hide you with Him in God. “The little foxes are ruining the vineyards. Catch them, for the grapes are all in blossom. Songs 2:15 TLB Sin can cause us to run away from God, but God, in His grace, never stops pursuing us. However, until we are honest about the fact that we do run from Him, we can't really know Him personally." Is there a part of your heart that you haven't given to Jesus? What is it that gets in the way of your ability to experience Him fully? “My beloved is mine and I am his. He is feeding among the lilies! Before the dawn comes and the shadows flee away, come to me, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.” Song 2:16-17 TLB Was she allowing fears of separation to set it? Have you ever doubted God's love for you? His protection? Your worthiness of it? When difficulty comes, He's aware doubt can follow. Transparency with the Lover of your soul brings freedom. God is bigger than your doubts and He wants to demolish the walls you've erected. He can move mountains, but until you're ready, He waits for you. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 NLT

To be physically dead is to be separated from the body; to be spiritually dead is to be separated from God. Every lie, act of greed, selfish action, etc., Paul is saying that these things separated you from God. But in order to be raised from the dead, you must first be dead; and dead people, well, they don't have the ability to make themselves alive, especially when they don't even know they're dead. Dead people can't make themselves righteous, nor can they save themselves, only God can raise the dead. At some point each of us will face a fork in the road and we will have to make a choice. God affords everyone choice just as He did Adam. Unfortunately, we minimize it, but the choice is extreme. It's a choice between life and death. See my last post, The Power of Choice, on Ephesians 2:1-7 https://www.jenarainonesmith.com/post/the-power-of-choice The Prophet Isaiah said that the natural way of man is to wander— "All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; This is the state of every human being apart from the Lord. The Good News is in the second half of the same verse— But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him (Isaiah 53:6 NASB) Paul echoed these very words, in a sense, by reiterating at the beginning of Ephesians chapter 2, that God, in His mercy and great love, even when we were dead in our sin, made us alive together with Christ and it is by grace we have been saved (vs.4-5) Although he seems to only lay the foundation of salvation in verse 5, he comes back to build in verses 8-10— God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (NLT) God's masterpiece, that was the very first verse I read after I said yes to Jesus. I loved it. I memorized it. But I didn't read around it, not for a while anyway. When I did, I remember thinking, "saved by grace, that's pretty cool and seems right." I definitely needed saving because I was sad, and empty, and I felt like I was lost. And I was, but then I wasn't, at least I didn't feel lost anymore. But what that meant, I wasn't sure. And so my journey began, believing I was saved because God said I was, but not really understanding the magnitude of it all. It was, and still is many times, difficult to imagine that salvation is by grace alone and I didn't have to do anything to earn it or keep it. It's not in our human nature to think that way. We live in a world that rewards good and penalizes bad. I'd venture to say that each of us, if asked, would have an opinion about who deserves heaven or who deserves hell. The funny thing is, the standard of good and bad varies in every person and can change with each season. God's standard is the only standard that doesn't change. Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He did all the work and paid the penalty we deserved. In John 9, he tells us the story about Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth. When the man was brought before the Pharisees they refused to believe any of it. When he told them Who healed him they demanded to know how. They even called in his parents to confirm that he was born blind. When they asked the man again how this happed, he said, "One thing I know, I was blind but now I see" (vs 25b). We are born blind to our need for a Savior. Born into sin, we don't see it with natural eyes. Jesus has to remove the scales to our need for Him. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Oh how we would boast if we had any part of saving ourselves. We didn't need to be told we'd boast but God put it in His Word just to be sure. He saved you by grace when you believed, it's a gift, not a reward. It's free to you, but it cost Jesus His life. God's Masterpiece—Workmanship—Poiema, His Poetry—saved by grace and created new in Christ Jesus to do the good works that He planned in advance for us to do. He set paths ahead of time for us to take. Saved from sin, for service. Think of Mary Magdalene, after she met Jesus, do you think she did good works and followed His lead because she had to, or because she got to? Like Mary, Jesus saved me from the illusion that I ruled my own life. Most of us live in this disillusionment until something out of our control happens, like the death of a loved one, a natural disaster, a bad report from the doctor, or maybe, I don't know, a pandemic that throws the world into a downward spiral. One thing we have in common is that we'll all eventually die. The world as we know it will come to an end. There is more than here you know, more than this broken fallen place. We come into the world blinded. Our natural inclination isn’t surrender to God; the Bible confirms it or you can just look out your window. But God, He patiently waits and continues to seek to save the lost. Faith, like grace, is a gift, and like grace it must be received. Now the Lord is not slow about enacting His promise—slow is how some people want to characterize it—no, He is not slow but patient and merciful to you, not wanting anyone to be destroyed, but wanting everyone to turn away from following his own path and to turn toward God’s. ( 2 Peter 3:9 VOICE) Saved by grace, through faith, from sin, death, and destruction by a God who would take it all upon Himself so you didn't have to. I often wonder why many will say no to Him. One thing I know for sure is that your Creator awaits His masterpiece. We spend a lifetime painting ourselves to look good but when you become His, you become His masterpiece. Is it possible that something is preventing you from believing that?

THE VALLEY Re-release I would have released a new blog post this day, however, it just was not possible as I've had an extremely difficult week in my health journey. As I was reading some notes this morning, God in His mercy, led me to a previous blog that I had written a few years ago. He used it to bless me today and I hope if you are led to read it, He will use it to bless you as well. Also, if you have read my blog over the last several months, you'll notice that the verses from the book of Acts below have been growing in my heart, as God has led me there over and over again ~Jena Here in the valley, I fight fear and loneliness. As I am writing this my first thought is Jesus is with me and so are the people who love me. But in the middle of eight years of chronic illness and insomnia, countless doctors without answers, and feeling like a prisoner in my own body who is many times chained to my house, the battle is real and some days I lose miserably. And in this valley, in the middle of these eight years, I saw firsthand what disease can do. I walked alongside my friend watching as cancer first claimed her body, then her life. As I saw her take her last breath and imagined her slipping into the arms of Jesus where she is whole and free of the disease that tormented her, my emotions spread far and wide. I had relief and joy for her, but a deep numbing sadness filled me, and a new fear began. A lingering fear that took root a tiny bit each week while sitting in a chemo unit. A fear I stuffed and ignored. Fear, a thorn I can’t seem to escape. As my health declines, I’m finding it more difficult to focus my eyes on God. I fight old feelings of abandonment that cause me to question my faith. These days I feel more faithless than faithful. I know the truth. I know that God has never left me, but my heart wrestles. I know that in the struggle, God is bringing me into a deeper relationship with Him, a new level of knowing Him and trusting Him and leaning on Him, but my heart wrestles. I know that my life struggles expose my secondary desires for healing, for haunting memories to fade, for courage to trample fear, but still my heart wrestles. It wrestles because I also know that my core desire is for God and my pain stems from the wrestle in my heart. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 God is perfect. God is love. And there is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear. And the one who fears (me) is not perfected in love. But God says, I have this love, this perfect love. But the valley of fear and loneliness expose my doubt and unbelief. And doubt and unbelief expose my fear and my fear exposes the lesser desires I seek instead of seeking the God who loves me with a perfect love. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 So today, while still in the valley, a friend suggested I look back and remember the times I’ve seen the Hand of God on me. As I write them down and read aloud, I pray they help me gain new hope to fly high on wings like eagles. And maybe, just maybe, He’ll send a gentle wind to help me fly right out of this place! In the meantime, as hard of a prayer as this is to pray, I want to learn all there is to learn here. How sad it would be for this time to be wasted on only fleshly desires. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:24-26,28 Are you in your own valley today? I pray encouragement finds you there and remembering the Hand of God on your life helps you to fly. Father, I’ve asked many times for healing and deliverance from this valley. And my flesh believes that that is my deepest desire. But my spirit knows that my deepest desire is You. You put that desire in all of us. Help us to know, especially in and through the valleys of life, that Your love is real no matter what our eyes may see. We can’t do it without you. Please help our unbelief.

As we approach the week of Thanksgiving, may we embrace the beauty of our freedom and inalienable rights that God has bestowed upon each of us who live in these United States of America. 'DRIVEN BY THE HOPE OF GOD' is a special Thanksgiving message I wrote last year. It's a timeless message of God's grace and man's desire to worship Him. Whether this is your first read, or you've read it before, I hope you listen closely as God speaks directly to your heart ~Jena __________________________________________________________________________________ In the Fall of 1620, 102 passengers boarded a small ship leaving Plymouth England. With a dream of freedom and liberty in tow, they traveled an extremely difficult and even treacherous sixty six day journey to a new world. Half of them were Pilgrims/believers in Jesus Christ. The Mayflower headed for Virginia, but the winds blew them north, eventually landing in what would later be called Plymouth Massachusetts. Over the next few months they faced many difficulties as they were exposed to a brutal winter, disease and hunger. That spring, a Native American named Squanto taught the Pilgrims several survival skills including how to cultivate corn. After the Autumn harvest of 1621, a day was set aside for feasting and prayer to show gratitude to almighty God for His provision. We've come to know this day as America's first Thanksgiving. I grew up in New England. As a child we visited Plymouth Rock on school field trips each year of elementary school. Unfortunately, I was too young and uninterested to appreciate the significance of any of it. I can honestly say that I took much of American history for granted—until now. I guess it's true what they say, whoever 'they' are, "We don't really appreciate something until we're at risk of losing it." God has awakened my heart afresh to appreciate the history of this country. With that, I've also become aware of His weaving together of heaven and earth. Stick with me here for a moment. Scripture says, "From one man he made every nation of man, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. . . . "Acts 17:26-27 So if that's the case, then can we not conclude that what we do here (earth) is pretty significant to there (heaven)? I admire the courage and dedication of the believing Pilgrims. They were willing to sacrifice everything, even their very lives, and many did, to fulfill a desire to worship the God of the Bible freely; and to secure the inalienable rights given to them by Him. God blessed their endeavor, as well as their trust in Him. In addition to that He blessed their ability to think. They did not get off that boat until they drew up a covenant of laws and a governmental agreement that honored God. They called it the Mayflower Compact. God determined the time set for them and the places where they should live. Driven by the hope of God, they remained thankful as they stepped into their temporary earthly assignment"for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith" (taken from the Mayflower Compact). God has also determined the time set for you and for me, and the places where we should live. America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. We've been through a lot but we have much to be thankful for. America's foundation was built on Godly values and she is a beacon of hope for freedom and liberty. May we not stand by, as fellow believers with the Pilgrims, and watch her crumble! Last year was the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the one and only Christian holy day that is celebrated uniquely in the United States. Unfortunately, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is being reduced to Friendsgiving, just as Merry Christmas is being reduced to Happy Holidays. Passivism is a lie that goes all the way back to the Garden. We have been deceived into believing that life should be easy and everything free. However, nothing worth having is free. Christian, are you willing to step into your God given earthly assignment, no matter the difficulty, for the furtherance of the Gospel, for the glory of God? This Thanksgiving, as you give thanks, never forget that Jesus laid down His life and defeated death in order to give life to all who believe (John 3:16). And remember the Pilgrim's faith, courage, hard work and dedication; because we too are pilgrims. We're not of this world; our citizenship is in heaven. However, God has placed us here, in America, for such a time as this. I pray that each of us have the same measure of courage to follow Jesus wherever He may lead. And if you haven't already, please take the time to read the Mayflower Compact. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

I'd like to take a short hiatus from our series in Ephesians in honor of Thanksgiving. My Pastor gave a Thanksgiving message and I'd like to share a bit, along with some thoughts of my own. In the Fall of 1620, 102 passengers boarded a small ship leaving Plymouth England. With a dream of freedom and liberty in tow, they traveled an extremely difficult and even treacherous sixty six day journey to a new world. Half of them were Pilgrims/believers in Jesus Christ. The Mayflower headed for Virginia, but the winds blew them north, eventually landing in what would later be called Plymouth Massachusetts. Over the next few months they faced many difficulties as they were exposed to a brutal winter, disease and hunger. That spring, a Native American called Squanto taught the Pilgrims several survival skills including how to cultivate corn. After the Autumn harvest of 1621, a day was set aside for feasting and prayer to show gratitude to almighty God for His provision. We've come to know this day as America's first Thanksgiving. I grew up in New England. As a child we visited Plymouth Rock on school field trips each year of elementary school. Unfortunately, I was too young and uninterested to appreciate the significance of any of it. I can honestly say that I took much of American history for granted—until now. I guess it's true what they say, whoever 'they' are, "We don't really appreciate something until we're at risk of losing it." God has awakened my heart afresh to appreciate the history of this country. With that, I've also become aware of His weaving together of heaven and earth. Stick with me here for a moment. Scripture says, "From one man he made every nation of man, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. . . . "Acts 17:26-27 So if that's the case, then can we not conclude that what we do here (earth) is pretty significant to there (heaven)? I admire the courage and dedication of the believing Pilgrims. They were willing to sacrifice everything, even their very lives, and many did, to fulfill a desire to worship the God of the Bible freely; and to secure the inalienable rights given to them by Him. God blessed their endeavor, as well as their trust in Him. In addition to that He blessed their ability to think. They did not get off that boat until they drew up a covenant of laws and a governmental agreement that honored God. They called it the Mayflower Compact. God determined the time set for them and the places where they should live. Driven by the hope of God, they remained thankful as they stepped into their temporary earthly assignment"for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith" (taken from the Mayflower Compact). God has also determined the time set for you and for me, and the places where we should live. America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. We've been through a lot but we have much to be thankful for. America's foundation was built on Godly values and she is a beacon of hope for freedom and liberty. May we not stand by, as fellow believers with the Pilgrims, and watch her crumble! 2021 is the 400th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the one and only Christian holy day that is celebrated uniquely in the United States. Unfortunately, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is being reduced to Friendsgiving, just as Merry Christmas is being reduced to Happy Holidays. Passivism is a lie that goes all the way back to the Garden. We have been deceived into believing that life should be easy and everything free. However, nothing worth having is free. Christian, are you willing to step into your God given earthly assignment, no matter the difficulty, for the furtherance of the Gospel, for the glory of God? This Thanksgiving, as you give thanks, never forget that Jesus laid down His life and defeated death in order to give life to all who believe (John 3:16). Call to mind the Pilgrim's faith, courage, hard work and dedication because we too are pilgrims. We're not of this world; our citizenship is in heaven, however, God has placed us here, in America, for such a time as this. I pray that each of us have the same measure of courage to follow Jesus wherever He may lead. And if you haven't already, please take the time to read the Mayflower Compact. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

We spend so much time trying to pour our lives into a mold of our own making; a mold that makes sense to us. As we walk through life we are literally gathering information about ourselves and storing it so we can use it to make life work. Our culture says, "Live and let live." Sounds good, right? Follow your heart. No boundaries. No morality. Just do whatever makes you happy today. But what about tomorrow? What if you feel differently tomorrow? What then? If making up the rules as you go and aiming to fulfill every appetite you have is supposed to make you happy and free, then why are we so sad and angry and lost and medicated? Why do we, even as believers, make happiness our goal? It's such a low bar. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1(a) NIV Is He; building the house I mean? Ask yourself, what are you aiming for and what are you willing to give up to get it? It's a sobering question. I, personally, have been trying to pour myself into a mold of comfort for years. It's so futile and as far away from what I was created for as I can get. We have a tendency to mold ourselves into something that's either desirable to us or to others who see us. What we build is temporary, like a sandcastle on the beach made to be beautiful one day and it's washed away the next. It's evident by the looks of things that we were never meant to make ourselves happy, nor were we meant to fill ourselves with hope. It's logical to conclude that an inventor knows best how to operate his invention, yet when it comes to us, we think we know better than our Creator. This unattainable desire to be happy has caused us to grow weary and lose focus. We spin our wheels trying to make sure that we, and our loved ones, have everything we want and whatever we think we need—as if our very lives depend on it. What are we doing? “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut. . . ." Isa 51:1 CSB [Jesus said] For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:38, 40 NKJV Jesus came so we don't have to try to build our own house over and over again. We've spent the past few weeks in the first part of Peter's letter to God's chosen people. He unpacked for us what it means to have real hope, a living hope that's set fully on His grace. A priceless inheritance; salvation. And trials, yes trials, they cause us to have genuine faith and through them we are being transformed into His likeness. That beloved brings joy. And happiness, well, that can't hold a candle to the joy of the Lord. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:2-3 CSB Before I met Jesus, I never even thought of opening a Bible. It meant nothing to me. Now I crave God's word. I love the ebb and flow of the dance; He leads, we follow. It's a beautiful dance that moves us toward oneness with Him. As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. 1 Peter 2:4-8 CSB God is not looking for those He has to force to follow Him. Pastor Lloyd Ogilvie once wrote, "God continues to work with His world, allowing freedom, but persistently seeking to accomplish His perfect will among those who would respond and will to do His will." So what does God's desire for you? Surrender. Fall on Him in repentance and allow Him to reshape you into a living stone; immovable, unshakable, and perfectly molded to fit into His castle. A castle built on Rock, not sand—in a Kingdom that can never be destroyed. We are being built, not to seek happiness, but to offer ourselves fully to God; allowing Him to align our will with His. Think of the wonders of what He will do with a people who seek to know and do His will. Are you like a sandcastle, being eroded and washed away by the waves of life? Maybe it's time to look to the Rock? "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand. . ." ~Edward Mote

A new birth into a living hope is a gift from God through Jesus Christ—the perfect gift with a priceless inheritance—that is salvation. In this we greatly rejoice even in the face of various trials because trials test the genuineness of our faith in the One who saves. A grace even the prophets longed to know more about and the angels desire to look into. (see 1 Peter 1:3-12) Therefore, in light of this, Peter says to prepare your mind. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, 1 Peter 1:13(a) ESV I think it's fair to say that a mind, left to itself, is easily swayed. We may not want to admit it, but most of the time we think like the world. Our thoughts and even solutions to problems are generally built around worldly thinking. If we actually believe we can escape the pull, especially now when the devil continues to rev things up, we're fooling ourselves. He seeks after the one who seeks after Jesus. He's not able to snatch a true believer from the hand of God, but he'll never stop trying. And, let us be careful that we think that following Jesus is a halfway kind of thing. You are either with him or you're against Him (see Matt 12:30). We are in danger of being duped into forgetting what it truly means to be free from the mastery of Satan. He is so cunning that he's even dumbed down his existence in order to keep people asleep. He's aware if he has your mind he can control you so he has no issue trying to take it bit by bit. It's a game for him. Although compromise is hard to see in a world gone mad, the enemy's agenda has always been, and still is, to cause the follower of Christ to either lower his standards or believe he needs to work his way to God. He tried both with Jesus in the desert and he extends the same invitations to us. Stay with me here for a minute. In the latter, I think each of us has wrestled with the notion that we must do something in order to earn salvation or at least to remain in God's grace. Though we know we are saved by grace through faith (see Eph 2:8), it's not a difficult leap to works, since any reward we receive on this planet is earned. We need to be careful lest we believe a lie that discounts what Jesus did for us, as well as rob us of the joy of our salvation. Now, what about the former? If you find yourself believing the rhetoric of the culture that stands directly against God's word—whether it's the lie that it's loving to compromise for the sake of peace and others or because you feel the need to fit in, please take the time to ask the Spirit of God to open your eyes afresh. Okay, let's get back to Peter as he exhorts us to prepare our minds for action. What is the action he mentions? set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13(b) ESV If we fail to set our eyes on what's before us in Christ, we will find ourselves ill prepared for what's coming; persecution—a coming against—a hatred for following Jesus. It's already happening, don't you see it? It shouldn't be a surprise to any one of us considering that Jesus has always been wildly unpopular with those who don't know Him. His way is an extreme contrast to the world's way, so they hate Him, and so you by extension. Consequently, how should we respond? As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16 I know, you're probably thinking the same thing that I'm thinking; Holy? Holy as He is holy? Is that even possible for us? Well, as it turns out it is! Holy, not as moral perfection, but as set apart, separate, different. Peter is saying to get rid of the junk! Be careful not to fall backwards. If anyone knows, it's Peter, it's me, and most likely you, how easy it is to slip back into old patterns of behavior, especially when we're treated badly. You, however, were chosen according to the purpose of God the Father and were made holy by His Spirit, to obey Jesus and be purified by his blood (see 1 Peter 1:2). Did you catch that? Chosen, made holy, to obey and be purified. It's a forward progression. You obey because you were chosen and made holy. Obedience doesn't come naturally and it most assuredly doesn't come first. It is by the power of the Spirit of God in you, you have the ability to do something different—to look different—be different—because you are different. "All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness ( . . . ) based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification." ~Oswald Chambers If you call on Him as Father, conduct yourself as His child. He rescued you. You were ransomed by the precious blood of Jesus. The magnificence of Christ is that He chose to offer Himself long before the world began, knowing full well we'd fall. Now, by His Spirit in you, love as you have been loved (see 1 Peter 1:17-22). For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:23-25 Peter's message is a message of hope. What we face here is temporary but God's word remains forever. Imagine taking such a gift for granted, or even worse, saying no; yet many do. You have a choice set before you. Considering that each of us is the grass and the flowers that wither and fade, wouldn't you say that figuring out who we're following is worth seeking? Are you following the world or are you following Christ?

Last time we discovered where hope lives. Peter, in his letter to believers, gives a clear indication of God's great mercy. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has given His beloved a new birth into a living hope with a priceless inheritance that's pure, undefiled, beyond perishing and reserved in heaven (see 1 Peter 1:1-5). In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials 1 Peter 1:6 NKJV We need not hold tightly more than when trials come. Peter's intent is to encourage us with the hope of heaven. The people he was addressing at the time were suffering in ways we can hardly comprehend and he knew that without the security of knowing Jesus fully, the difficulty of the trials they faced would sink them. It's the same today, there is a living hope that is needed to endure the trials we will inevitably face. If we put our hope in a false Jesus, when floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, the house will collapse. God does not allow difficulties and trials for no reason. There will be a benefit, but we must shift our eyes from the temporary to the eternal with full surrender. It's been said that suffering is simply a fact of life—I suppose there is some truth to that, however, suffering with the notion that it's just part of life is suffering in vain isn't it? I mean what's the point of it all? I believe God has something entirely different in mind; opening the eyes of the blind and growing the faith of the one who clearly sees Him. These [trials] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:7 NIV I think of John the Baptist. He was in prison, and eventually beheaded for speaking the truth (Matt 14). To say that what John walked through was difficult is an understatement. Although he was the forerunner of Jesus, he still struggled with his circumstances. He went as far as to send his disciples to Jesus to ask Him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:3). This was a faith building trial for sure. God knows how much dross must come off the gold that eventually perishes in order to purify it, how much more our faith which never perishes? Even so, do we expect to know only part of Jesus and still have the faith needed to sustain us in a chaotic fallen world? Impossible. John knew that people needed all of Jesus and he didn't let the fear stop him from telling the truth. He seemed to know that Jesus would say, and He did, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first"(John 15:18). After watching a world in sheer chaos, I really am astonished at how we continue with the notion of silence, especially when we have the truth. Somehow we've been convinced that this is what love looks like. How can it? How can we turn a blind eye to something that we know is hurting someone down to the core of their very soul and call that love? Furthermore, how can we continue to support establishments that openly fund evil, saying, "It is what it is; where else would we go?" I'm aware we've given up most of the public square but isn't that the very problem? Shouldn't we, at the very least, make an effort to bring our business elsewhere? If we don't have the guts to stand against such things, do we actually believe what we say we believe? Understand, I'm challenging myself here too! John did not compromise and neither did Jesus. Jesus of course loved people, but He never separated truth and love. When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus did not sit back and in a loving way wait for her to realize her sin. No, He loved her by telling her the truth—because telling her the truth was loving her (John 8). By today's standards, we'd be called a Pharisee, accused of having a critical spirit, or worse, full of hate if we did the same. I wonder if we think we know how to love better than Jesus loved. Now, on the other hand, am I suggesting that we go around pounding the truth into people? No, of course not, Jesus didn't do that either. However our goal should never be that people simply know where we stand. Our goal is to align our hearts with His; and His heart was always that the blind see; not in part, but in full. So what does that look like practically? Well, love people, and continually pray for Him to work through you. God chose us; what an amazing privilege it is to be used by Him. And by the way, Jesus didn't look like everyone else and neither should we. Jesus sent a message back to John that said, "And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Matthew 11:6 ESV If we are offended, how much more them? When we understand the fullness of Christ, trials are not in vain. Like gold in the fire, the fire loosens the dross, the dross then rises to the top. The more removed, the higher the value. Our natural tendency is to react to the fire, not the refining. Of course it is! However, after the fire does it's work, the treasure can be found— Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV Shouldn't everyone have the opportunity to know Jesus? I pray we never again see suffering as wasteful; nor be deceived about truth. Thankfully, Jesus is fully truth and fully love; therefore, we can't have or preach one without the other. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 AMP Truth, in love, brings healing in every way. May we be the bearers of the good news that Jesus died and resurrected, giving everyone a chance to experience a new birth into a living hope that sustains; even and especially in the most difficult of circumstances. Do you know this living hope? If you do, you are inevitably in, just coming out of, or about to go into the refiner's fire. Are you able see the benefit, or do you find yourself suffering in vain? If you have read my blog, you know that I've been suffering with insomnia and other health issues for over a decade. The dross that God has removed has filled buckets, with many more to go I'm sure. I know how hard it is, but I think maybe, just maybe, I can see a couple of very small shiny spots. Only God knows. I don't like the process very much at all, but I am choosing to trust Him through it. How about you? Share if you dare, your story just may bless someone else.

In my last post (see here) I discussed how offensive God's word has become, not only in the public square but sadly enough in many churches. Some of the push back I received was of course bashing Christianity and the Church by those who essentially know nothing of either; but also from some inside the church who claim that teaching sin should be avoided in order not to offend. And that, dear reader, was exactly the point of the post. Just as 'everyone gets a trophy' has destroyed a desire to succeed in our culture, ignoring what God says about sin is destroying our desire for Him in the Church. For obvious reasons to me, Satan wants us to ignore sin. If there is no sin, there is no need for a Savior. What makes me sad about this—well, a lot makes me sad—but mostly I'm sad because if we don't realize how we utterly fall short of the glory of God then we are in danger of missing the beauty of what Jesus did for His beloved. You see, we have been groomed to believe that talking about sin is a bad thing, but God says otherwise. In Mark's Gospel we are introduced to a rich young ruler who knelt before Jesus and asked Him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus said to him. . . . You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”Mark 10:19 Jesus quoted the second half of the ten commandments; the commands that have to do with horizontal relationship, none of which have to do with a relationship with God. He was getting to the heart of the matter. The Ten Commandments begin with submission to God. The longer I walk with Jesus, the easier it is for me to understand how impossible it is to flesh out the horizontal commands without first surrendering to the vertical; God. And even then I fail. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, dug even deeper into these commands by saying things like this, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! (Matt 5:21-22). I see no denial of truth here. What I see is Jesus, in His love, pointing out a measure we can not satisfy on our own. We need to be reminded of this continuously! Now, not all of us have committed murder, thankfully, but I think it's safe to say that each of us has been angry. What Jesus is essentially saying is that if you've been angry with someone, you've committed murder in your heart. The Gospel says that we are all sinners doomed for Hell—But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). He conquered death (Rev 1:18) so we can live. Turning from sin, to Jesus saved me, AND knowing that I am still in this sinful flesh pushes me to Him every minute of every day; moment by moment. And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Mark 10:20-22 NKJV This, I guarantee, did not look like love to this man. Oh but it was. Jesus was exposing his heart. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21). Wealth was his first love, not God. Was it his success that deceived him? Was it pride that blinded him and told him that his eternal life depended on something he'd do? How about you? What's holding you back from surrendering to Jesus? And if you already have, is there something else that you've allowed to take first place in your heart? I believe one of our greatest challenges is to understand the contrast between heaven and earth. Since we spend so much time striving to get somewhere, to be somebody, it's difficult for us to grasp the concept of grace. In the natural, it's all about striving, but in the supernatural it's all about Jesus. This man needed the truth and Love gave it to him. You see, we can not separate truth and love. They are not mutually exclusive, they are one; two sides of the same coin so to speak. Truth without love is condemning. Love without truth has no value. Holding back the truth is not love at all. Paul said, "It [love] does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out" 1 Corinthians 13:6 NLT. God is love and His love is truth and Jesus never watered them down. He always spoke the truth in love and unfortunately in this case, as in many cases today, the young man walked away. Notice that Jesus didn't chase after him; not because he didn’t love him, but because He did. He gave him the whole counsel of God wrapped in love; love always requires a choice. God is not about forcing obedience, He's after the heart. He knows if He has it, all else will follow, including obedience. Truth allows for relationship; without it, do we really have one? There is no step by step guide to eternal life, there is Jesus only. This young man rejected His invitation. He was so laser focused on perfecting horizontal instructions that he missed the perfect One sitting right in front of him. Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 NIV How can we walk not, stand not, and sit not, if we know not? God's Truth does not hinder, it brings freedom. Delight in it. Meditate on it. You will find you have roots that grow down into God's love and keep you strong; as strong as a tree planted by the water. Ignore it and you may be in danger of being blown away by a wind as small as a breeze. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:4-6 NIV Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NLT Truth and Love aka Grace and Truth—Do you find yourself leaning toward one side or the other?

God created a perfect world and man in His image. We, in our need for independence, messed it all up.  He knew from the beginning that we would sin. We'd fall away from him and in doing so, we would need a Savior, so He had His plan in place to become our Savior. But part of our salvation  includes the Law. God’s law is a reflection of who He is and He is perfect. So that tells us that in order to be in God’s presence we must be perfect. Remember though, "no one is righteous, no not one"  (Romans 3:10). The law points out our sin and places the responsibility for it squarely on our shoulders. Everyone must fulfill the law perfectly to be with God. Is that possible? No, of course not. That’s why He came here to do it Himself. He needed to be one of us, in order to save us! Someone needed to fulfill the Law perfectly. On judgment day, without Jesus standing between you and God, God sees you. In other words, if I haven't turned my life over to Jesus and received His forgiveness, then when God looks at me He will see Jena and everything I’ve ever done. And because He is perfect, My sin will separate me from Him eternally. And eternal separation from God and Heaven is Hell (both figuratively and literally). But because Jesus is my Savior—He will stand in front of me so when God looks at Jena, He’ll see Jesus—Perfection. Sinless. Fulfill-er of the Law. In Romans 5 Paul says, 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. Why do we need the Law? Because when we raise up the Law...we are immediately reminded that we are in need of a Savior and it  pushes us to Jesus!