Memorial Day: A New Appreciation

     This is the long weekend that we Americans mark as a time of remembrance and recognition of military service to our country. We have a long tradition in our nation's history of honoring those who have fought and died to secure our freedoms. Memorial Day originated in the years after the Civil War to honor the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in battle and was known as Decoration Day, when the graves of the dead were decorated with flowers. After World War I, however, the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, and graves are now decorated with American flags, and recognition of service is now extended to all our military, both living and deceased.
     I wanted to take the time this year to share my new perspective on this national holiday. As I've written before, I am the proud daughter of a World War II veteran, who enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17 (with parental consent) after Pearl Harbor. He served in the Pacific as a tail-gunner in the Lockheed PV Ventura, a low-level bomber. He was always proud of his service, though he didn't share any of his experiences; typical of that generation. I have always viewed Memorial Day as an opportunity to honor him and the men and women who have volunteered to serve in every war since.
    But this past year has brought newfound appreciation for what this day should mean to all of us. You see, this past year I had the honor to serve on a team with extraordinary women veterans as part of a Christian Warriors Retreat. These women included veterans from the Gulf War (Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm) and the ongoing War on Terror (Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom). The retreat involved older veterans mentoring younger veterans, and covered all branches of the military. While they shared an identity as combat veterans, these women were seeking a common bond in their identity as Daughters of Christ. And I witnessed both the struggles and the victories of that co-mingling of identities in my Sisters.
     As non-military (I served as a Team Leader and Assistant Spiritual Director), I could not relate to their military experiences, but I could sympathize with them as women. Everything that the Enemy of this world has crafted against women to kill, steal, or destroy the beauty and magnificence of who God created them to be is intensified in the military. I will not share specific testimonies, but I will tell you that although PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) has become a term relegated to the military, it is a spiritual attack on anyone who has suffered a traumatic event and is in need of Jesus's saving healing and deliverance. As one of our female veterans exclaimed, "Pain is pain is pain!" She was making the point that we all suffer from the devil's attacks on our lives and these women needed to recognize that they had a higher identity than their military service. That's not to say that they shouldn't be proud of [or acknowledged for] their service, but that whatever their life's history, inside or outside of the military, their identity as the Bride of Christ was a truer identity.
     I cannot tell you how my enduring relationships with these amazing women has changed my life. As I think about the people across this country celebrating Memorial Day, I honor these brave women who have done extraordinary things for our country, and I am blessed with the richness of their friendships, grounded in a Sisterhood of growing love and obedience to our Savior. And as I contemplate their impact on my life, I am struck by two concepts: the constant use of "remembrance" in the Bible; and the history of women warriors in the Bible that saved the nation of Israel. 
     The Hebrew word for "remembrance" is Zakar.  It means to "remember; think of; mention".  We see it in the Bible passages in the Old Testament: God remembered Noah.... God remembered Abraham... I (God) have remembered My covenant.... remember the Sabbath Day... remember His marvelous works.  Then there is the Hebrew word for memorial, which is Zikrown; a memorable thing, day, or writing. It should be obvious that remembering and memorials are important to God: for instance, after crossing the River Jordan into the Promised Land, God instructed the Israelites to build a memorial to what He had done for them. 
     Today and this weekend, it is important to remember what God has done in our lives; the people whom He has worked through in our lives; the experiences He has brought us through --- when these remembrances are shared among the brethren, it builds our faith, just as God intended those ancient memorials to do. And that is exactly what I have experienced this past year with my Sisterhood of women warriors.
     Just like the Biblical heroine Deborah, these women military veterans are leaders. Although Deborah is most often understood to have been a Judge among the nation of Israel, it didn't mean the same as it does now. In the Bible, a "judge" was a tribal leader who, in times of peace had the authority to settle disputes. And in times of war, they were the rallying point to gather the tribes and organize resistance. Judges were seen as "God's people" and their gender was unimportant.
     That is exactly how I see this Sisterhood of veterans. All these women walk in their authority as Disciples of Jesus. They walk as leaders who know their true identities, and they are growing into a viable rallying point in their families and communities to organize resistance against the devil. They know who their real Enemy is, and it is not in some foreign land. They also know whose Army they fight in, and under whose flag they march. Although I have never taken the oath of allegiance to our nation as they have, we have all taken an oath to serve our Mighty King and march behind the flag of Jehovah Nissi, the banner that is our rallying point for the power of God to destroy the Kingdom of darkness.
     So, this Memorial Day, I am reminded of the respect [I have always felt] for those who have fought in our nation's historical wars. I honor the sacrifices that have been made and I vow to always remember what my freedom in this world has cost the men and women who answered the call to serve. But this Memorial Day is different from last year's. This year, I have a newfound awareness of what the Biblical and heavenly perspective of this day has for me. I am deeply honored to be in the company of men and women who embody this world's identification of "soldier", but more importantly, they manifest the character, discipline, loyalty, and obedience of a spiritual warrior in God's army. Although I have centered this blog post around my experiences with these amazing female veterans, the founder of Christian Warrior's Retreat is a man that I greatly admire; he has a heart to serve God and share the restoration that the love of Christ brought to his life. Because of that saving grace of God in his life, I reaped the benefits of serving on the first female veteran retreat.
     So, I want to thank the Lord for creating these Divine appointments in my life. I am blessed and favored beyond description. And I have found a Sisterhood that lifts me, inspires me, supports me, teaches me, and loves me. I thank you all for your service to our nation and to God's Kingdom! 

To Nick and his wife Nicki; to Valerie, Molly, Cathy, Gloria, Mary, Dona, Sherrae, Louise, LaTisha, Liza, Nalleli, Maricruz, and Alissa; to Wanda, Debbie, Karalyn and Loretta; and to all the "team" -- it was a privilege to experience retreat with you and I bless each of you with continued service to our glorious God!

Psalm 103:2   Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness You’ve done for me?

Life Is In The Blood!

     Blood is a very important topic in the Bible. From the moment sin entered into the Garden, blood was shed to cover the effects of separation from God. YHWH took the skins of animals that He sacrificed in order to cover the nakedness that Adam and Eve experienced because of the shame and guilt caused by their sin of disobedience. In this sovereign act, God established the principle of blood sacrifice to atone [pay] for sin. One life had to be sacrificed to save another.
     And the Bible makes it clear that "in regard to the life of all flesh, its blood is [the same] as its life" (Leviticus 17:14). Furthermore, as part of the Law God established through His covenant with Moses, He stated, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life [which it represents]" (Leviticus 17:11). This principle is further upheld in Hebrews 9:22, which states "under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins". 
     By now, it should be clear that God required a blood sacrifice in return for the forgiveness of sin. Blood as the means of atonement for sin is then firmly established in the Mosaic Law. Once a year, the priest was to make an offering of the blood of animals on the altar of the temple for the sins of the people. But this was a blood offering that was limited in its effectiveness, which is why it had to be offered again and again. Plus, it was temporary until God could carry out His ultimate plan for the redemption of mankind. These animal sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the “once for all” sacrifice which Jesus offered on the cross. Once that sacrifice was made, there was no longer a need for the blood of bulls and goats. 

     When Jesus shed His blood on the Cross, He did away with the Old Covenant requirement for the continual sacrifices of animals. Their blood was simply not adequate to cover the sins of the people, except on a temporary basis, because sin against a Holy and Everlasting God requires a Holy and Everlasting sacrifice. The yearly sacrifices by the Priests of Israel served as a "reminder" of the nation's sins and their need for forgiveness, but they did not remove the sin, nor the consequences of the sin. The precious Blood of Christ removes our sin from before God forever, and once and for all, so that there is no more payment due from us. 
     Christ's willing sacrifice of Himself for us paid the price required by a Holy God, and gave us eternal redemption. We are not only forgiven of our sins, but we are free from the captivity [and bondage] that sin held us in.  We say that we are "washed by His Blood", meaning that we have been cleansed of our sinful nature, having received a new nature that is as pure as His. We can say we are "covered by His Blood" because we know that the shedding of Jesus's blood on the Cross protects us from the death penalty that our sins deserve. In point of fact, Jesus has us "covered". These are the results [or fruits] of accepting Jesus's substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf.
     But there is more! Not only does the Bible tell us that the Blood of Christ redeems us [we are free from blame]; it also atones for us [our debts were paid]; justifies us [declares us righteous in the sight of God]; and sanctifies us [sets us apart unto Him]. But Jesus's Blood also purifies our conscience from dead works to serve the living God! Remember the shame and guilt that Adam and Eve experienced after they willingly disobeyed God in the Garden? The Blood of Christ takes away the spirits of shame and guilt that plague our consciences from past sin, and cleanses our minds so that those memories can no longer condemn us. We are able to experience renewed minds that think thoughts that are in alignment with God's will on earth, and which serve His purposes.
     Furthermore, we are conquerors against the Accuser because we can trust in Jesus's righteousness that His Blood has afforded us. We know that we don't have to rest on the merits of our own deeds, and that it is the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony that will clear us of any charges the Enemy brings against us. Ponder upon these words by Charles Spurgeon, and the glorious benefits of our Savior's Blood: I know what the devil will say to you.  He will say to you, ‘You are a sinner!’ Tell him you know you are, but that for all that, you are justified.  He will tell you of the greatness of your sin.  Tell him of the greatness of Christ’s righteousness [which covers your sin].  He will tell you of all your mishaps and your backslidings, of your offenses and your wanderings.  Tell him, and tell your own conscience, that you know all that, but that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and that, although your sin be great, Christ is quite able to put it all away. And it was all accomplished by His selfless act of shedding His blood!
    So, I hope in this season of Passover and Easter, you are able to contemplate upon the momentous power and significance of the Cross and the Blood. We should never take them for granted, or lose sight of what they cost our Lord. In this day of Bible apps and "pre-packaged" Sermons, why not spend some time and take note of all that God has to say about these important issues. After all, Christ suffered greatly for us and we received immeasurable benefits from His agony. I, for one, want to honor all that He has done for me and all mankind. Happy Passover and a Blessed Easter!

Ephesians 1:7    "Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by His blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of His grace".

Being The Presence Of God

    I want to relate an experience that my husband and I had a couple of days before Christmas.  Although I posted a quick synopsis on Facebook, there is more depth to the story than I was able to express on that platform.  It is a stark reminder to me of how I need to be more focused on being the presence of God to another person.
     As millions of Americans did, Mark and I had to get out in the Christmas rush to buy household essentials, and I needed to return a rug I had bought on an impulse. Big mistake, I thought at the time.  I waited in the Return line at Walmart for over 30 minutes, my frustration beginning to mirror the poor woman trying to figure out how to send money orders around the world. But I kept myself in check, clinging to thoughts of the peace of this season. Finally, I was up next. I finished my return, we scrambled to find the other items we came for, got in another line to purchase them and were happy to be exiting the store.
     As we approached the exit, there was a woman ahead of me, obviously in pain, and moving very slowly. Although we were ready to get out of the rush, I got a clear prompting from the Holy Spirit ... "You are not going to walk past this woman."  Mark and I waited for her to clear the final door, and once in the parking lot, I approached her and asked if she was having trouble walking because of knee pain.  She told us that her right knee was swollen because she'd recently had that hip replaced. She was supposed to have the left hip replaced, too, but Hurricane Harvey caused a delay, and now she is displaced, waiting for her house to be repaired so she can move back in.  I asked her if we could pray for her knee pain, and she was enthusiastic in her approval, "Yes! I would love that!"
     I laid hands on her knee, prayed and asked if the pain was gone.  She said it was better, and we said, "Then, let's go after it again!" We continued to pray, laying hands on her, and releasing the power of the Holy Spirit against the spirit of pain in her knee.  We looked up and tears were running down her face.  Mark asked her why she was crying, and if those were tears of pain or joy.  She said, "Who are you people?"  We said, "Just followers of Jesus, doing what He has asked us to do, and what we are called to do".  She replied, "I have felt so distant from God for too long.  And He has sent me several people this week to remind me that He is still present in my life".  And the tears began flowing even more steadily.
     Mark asked her why she felt God was so far away, and she replied that she was the one who had pulled away.  So we held her hands and prayed that her relationship with Jesus would be restored and she would know how much He loves her and desires to rekindle the fire that once invaded her heart.  We asked her if she had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and she said she had; that she had received the gift of tongues, but had lost it. We asked if she wanted it back, and she said, "Oh, God, yes!" So Mark prayed over her, calling for more of the Holy Spirit, and she prayed along with us, but nothing happened.  We reassured her that if she wanted it, all she had to do was keep on asking for it.  It is the Father's desire to restore her to fullness.  She said, "I know this, y'all! I know this!  My daddy was a Pentecostal preacher and I should know this!"
     We asked what happened to her that she had abandoned her faith.  She struggled for an answer, finally saying that things had just happened in her life.  We asked who she needed to forgive, and the answer finally came out ... herself.  So we led her in a prayer asking Jesus to help her forgive herself, as He has forgiven her.  By this time, I became aware of the strange looks we were receiving ... two white people hugging and praying and laying hands on an infirmed black woman ... and none of us cared!  Our Sister in Christ, Tracy, was walking in less pain, smiling through her tears, and declaring to anyone who cared to listen, "This is what we are supposed to be doing! We are all the same! We are all God's children and we are supposed to care about each other!"  We walked her to her car, blessing her and reminding her that Jesus will never leave her.  It was such a blessed reminder that Jesus will give us unending opportunities to represent Him, if we will be present in our spirits.
     I tell you this story, not to point out mine and Mark's actions.  It's not about us!  Remember, I just wanted to get out of that store, and there is another detail to the story... I had noticed Tracy as we rushed around trying to grab our two small items after my long wait in the Return line. But I was so self-absorbed with my own needs and getting out of there as fast as I could, that I had walked past her. Then here she was in front of me as we were exiting the store. I am telling you this because I am ashamed that I wasn't listening to the Holy Spirit when I first saw her, and I am praising the Father for giving me another chance to walk in the identity that I am seeking. I now see that my wait in the Return line was by His design -- otherwise our paths would never have crossed at the end.
     Again, this is not about the work that we did that day, although I know that it ultimately pleased the Father. But, rather, it is a serious inspection of myself as to why the presence of the Holy Spirit is not continuously expressed in my actions, every single minute of every day.  I want to be a person that the Holy Spirit "rests upon", as He did Jesus throughout His time on earth. 

     I know the Spirit lives in me; my body is His Temple, and I am confident that I have been born again. But I have to honestly look at myself and ask, "Can I say that the Holy Spirit rests on me?"  To me it is as Bill Johnson explains, "The Holy Spirit is IN me for my sake, but He rests UPON me for the sake of another".  That means that I should be having an impact upon others because of His presence upon me, and I should be effecting the world around me. Does it happen occasionally? Yes! And I know when it does that it is not me who is affecting a person's spirit, but the Holy Spirit leading me "on paths of righteousness for His Name's sake".
     During this season of my walk with the Lord that's where I'm at -- I want more than anything else to facilitate an encounter with God for another human being; to be the vessel or pipeline, if you will, through which God reaches out and touches a human heart. But I am also very aware that my heart must be always open towards the Holy Spirit in order for that encounter to flow through me. And my experience at Walmart, two days before Christmas, shows me that I still have work to do. I want to be constantly engaged with the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus was.
     John the Baptist, when testifying to the validity of Jesus as the Son of God, says in John 1:32, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him [Jesus]. It means that for the rest of His earthly life, Jesus continued to position Himself to effect others, as the Holy Spirit directed Him. For me, it means I must direct my heart ever more towards God, so that I will be aware of every possible occasion or circumstance in which someone might encounter God through me.  I do not write this as a matter of self-deprecation, because I know I am a Daughter of the King.  Rather, I write it as a testament to my self-awareness, and to encourage others to walk with me as we seek to become more like Jesus. So, Father, I pray for more encounters like the one you blessed me and Mark with, and I pray that You will come to entrust me with more opportunities as I learn to recognize Your presence and share You and the Holy Spirit with others.  I want to cooperate with You more; fully representing You and what You are doing in the world. I ask all this so that my life may exalt my Lord and Savior. Amen!

Titus 3:5    He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  

God Is Changing Names, Identities, and Assignments

     I am writing this blog post on Wednesday night, on the eve of attending the first ever female military veteran Christian Warriors Retreat. In keeping with the mighty power of our God, I pray that as you are reading this, He is doing great things among the 14 women military veterans that I have the privilege of spending this weekend with.  I'm not able to tell you at this moment what, if any, new revelations they will be receiving from this retreat.  But I can tell you that as you are reading this early Saturday morning, they will have heard some of the most moving testimonies I have ever witnessed; declarations of Jesus's mercy in the lives of my fellow Sisters in Christ who share that military background with our Seekers.

     If the transformation in my Sisters' lives is any indication, the Seekers will be shedding their old identities with which the Enemy has labeled them, and receiving new names as they are restored to who God made them to be.  I expect to see new looks in their eyes, and new enthusiasm in their walks. I want them to see the lies they've been believing about who they are.  I hope to be able to say to them, "Stop calling yourself _____, and ask God, 'What do You call me' "? And then I want them to hear His answer ... "I call you blessed, prosperous, healed, whole, friend, beautiful, and Daughter.  I call you my beloved Child". I want them to see themselves as God and Jesus see them, and I want them to hear the Holy Spirit call them by their new names.  And I definitely want them to renounce the names the Accuser has been calling them.
     The other day, I listened to an inspiring podcast by Jennifer LeClaire, the news editor of Charisma Magazine. With a testimony of God's power to turn ashes into beauty, she shares her amazing story with women who need to understand the love and grace of God in a lost and dying world. And from my own life, and the lives that these female veterans have experienced, I know that message can be life-saving. But I also found it most interesting that Ms. LeClaire states she has received revelations from the Lord that we Believers are about to enter a season where we will receive new names, new identities, and new assignments.  That is exactly what I want to speak over our retreat Seekers!
     You see, I believe when God reveals our new names to us through the healing power of Jesus, it is often to let us know we are destined for a new mission in life.  It lets us know we are part of a Divine Plan and that God intends to fulfill His plan through us.  The perfect example is the father of our faith... God changed Abram's  name ("high father") to Abraham, "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5); and his wife's name from Sarai, “my princess,” to Sarah, “mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15–16).  Both name changes portray how God planned to use them.  Their names indicated their new identities and their new assignments as God began His plan to establish His Kingdom on earth.
     But what happens to people when they don't know their identity in Christ?  When life's experiences tell us we are a failure; or that others see us as someone to be used and discarded?  When our identity is defined by what others tell us about ourselves (including the devil), then the very foundation of our life can be shaky and unstable.  So think about the identities these female military veterans are carrying.  I'm sure I don't have to spell out the challenges of women co-existing in a warrior atmosphere. What would it be like for them to have an identity formed knowing they are someone whom God loves deeply and fiercely? How would that change the way they think of themselves and live their lives? What if they could see themselves as Ephesians 1 describes them ... "blessed with every spiritual blessing; holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight". What if they could take off those identities that have them wearing -- the "filthy rags" determined by what they've done, or had done to them, and put on a beautiful clean identity of having been chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, grace-lavished, and unconditionally loved and accepted. Just think of what it would be like for them to see themselves as pure, blameless and forgiven!
     Then they would be free to walk in the new assignment, and receive the resources, the time, and the anointing (blessing, protection, and empowerment) to carry out their new mission.  Think of the excitement and expectation this would bring to their lives! But let's not limit this new season to just my retreat Seekers. Are you ready for a name change? A new identity and a new assignment? Who among us would not be excited to think God looks at us as worthy of a new identity and deserving of a new calling to serve Him?
     So, while I am looking forward to telling you of the radical changes that will take place in the atmosphere of our retreat, and in the lives of our female veterans, I want to tell you that just like Jennifer LeClaire, I am discerning that God is about to give us all new and more powerful names as we accept our new identities and assignments in the rapidly approaching fulfillment of His Kingdom. I just can't wait for each of us to receive that "white stone with a new name engraved on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it." (Revelation 2:17).  Some theologians explain that white stones were sometimes used as tickets of admission to public assemblies. Here the white stone may symbolize admission to the Messiah’s banquet. That, to me, is a picture of the Bride!  And that's an identity and assignment that none of us will want to turn down!

Isaiah 62:2   "The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give".
   
   

An Invitation To Our Military Veterans

     Although Veteran's Day is still more than a week away, it is never too early to be focusing on honoring our nation's Military veterans.  Also, I have a very unique opportunity this coming weekend to serve as Assistant Spiritual Director for a Christian retreat for retired female military veterans.  I will be serving as a part of a team under the auspices of an organization called Christian Warriors Retreat. And I want to call attention to the need for our military to accept an invitation from Jesus to lay their burdens down.
     CWR is the brainchild of Nick "Doc" Lowry, the son of a career Navy man and a Vietnam era Marine grandfather. Not surprisingly, Doc grew up with a passion for the military and became a Marine corpsman. He was deployed to Iraq in 2003, and to Fallujah in 2004 during Operation Phantom Fury.  Like many military veterans, Doc came home with a lack of trust and the inability to relate to civilian life, which resulted in bouts of alcoholism.  It cost him two marriages; he couldn't keep a job, and his diagnosis of PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Disorder) left him feeling he had no hope.
     Long story short, Doc reunited with his best friend in high school, Nikki, who introduced him to Jesus, they married, and in 2008, he gave his life to Christ.  He has rededicated his life to helping other vets heal through a personal relationship with Jesus. That's where the Christian Warriors Retreat comes in.
     Through the 4-day retreat experience and discipleship, CWR initiates and sustains three levels of success for veterans:  They will understand their value in Christ; they will heal and improve vital relationships; and most importantly, they will find God's mission for which they were created.
     What an important mission for our veterans!  As the proud daughter of a WWII Navy veteran, my dad never discussed his experiences as a tailgunner over the Pacific.  But after having the honor of being on the Board of Directors of the Chris Kyle Memorial Foundation, and serving wounded warriors and their families at the Fisher Houses at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, I have seen the devastation to the flesh and spirits of our military veterans.

Doc Lowry

     Doc Lowry also knows firsthand the sacrifice made by his Veteran community.  And he is doing something about starting the healing process by working with Jesus.  But, the average civilian is unaware of some of the startling statistics that surround the veterans.  Let me share just a few of them with you:  Every 65 minutes, a military veteran commits suicide; 22 military veterans commit suicide every day; 31 of these suicides were veterans aged 49 and younger; Every month nearly 1,000 veterans attempt to take their own lives; That's more than one attempt every half hour; About 7-8% of the population will have PTSD at some point in their lives; The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is 10% -- this is higher than the national rate of 7.3%; More than 2 million American children have coped with a parent going to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; As many as one half million of those children may have become clinically depressed; The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports that 25% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans showed signs of substance abuse disorder; The divorce rate among military couples has increased 42 percent throughout the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

      Heard enough facts? Can you see the devil's tactics of "steal, kill, and destroy"? War should not be the natural state of man, if we are made in God's image.  So you can see where all this damage to our veterans is coming from, right?  They may have come home from some battlefield on earth, but there is a spiritual battle going on for their souls.  (I have written several articles on the spiritual war our veterans face, but this one seems particularly fitting considering my subject today).
     With Veteran's Day in another week and a half, I just wanted to put a spotlight on this organization who is trying to help our veterans by focusing on the healing powers of Jesus in their lives.  What a breath of fresh air from government-sponsored programs that do nothing about healing the inner wounds of our servicemen and women.  Only Jesus can do that! And I am anxious to see the new movie, Thank You For Your Service, in which the director, Jason Hall, likens it to a "spiritual sequel to American Sniper", saying, "[It's about] the return home of the warrior -- it's about home coming. It's about the return to self. And the warriors blessed with all the masculine gifts of heroism. And then the warrior has to turn inside. It's finding a way back into the light and that's what this movie is about".  Of course, we and Doc Lowry know how imperative it is that our warriors find their way into the Light of Jesus.  Through His Light they will be restored to a new life in Him. 
     And I am excited about being a part of the very first Female Veterans Retreat.  I think that oftentimes they are overlooked and no one is seeing to their healing.  But I am blessed to be a part of an amazing group of women leaders who will be ministering to these female veterans as they are restored and renewed through our support, and the unconditional love of Jesus.  So, I ask for your prayers beginning tomorrow and through Sunday, when we will see the results of this retreat.  Our goal is to let them meet Jesus and receive His forgiveness, His love, and the cleansing power of His Blood.  They may be arriving as spiritually wounded female veterans, but they will be leaving as healed and renewed Daughters of the King! 
     Give me a couple of days after returning home on Sunday to process all that Jesus will have done in the lives of these remarkable women, and then I will write about the experience. Also, if you make any comments, I won't be responding to them until Sunday night, but I will post them and give you my follow-up comments. I just want to leave you with this ... The very thought of how Jesus will revive the spirits of these women, heal their broken hearts, and redeem their souls fills me with such joy and anticipation!  Praise Him, all who love Him!

This Veteran's Day, let us renew our commitment to our veterans and pledge our efforts to begin a spiritual revival within their ranks.  Please check out www.christianwarriorsretreat and support this important effort to bring spiritual healing to the veterans of our nation. Consider sponsoring a veteran to attend the next retreat. Thank you!  
    
John 8:12    Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”       

That Which Has Been Is That Which Will Be

     Solomon was correct when he made that statement in Ecclesiastes 1:9.  He's better known for the last sentence in that verse ... So nothing is new under the sun ... and I found that out as I did some personal research into the history of my family's faith.  I hope you will indulge me as I share my discoveries, because I was surprised at how much I recognized in their experiences. What I found out in the life of the Church in my great-great-great grandfather's time is being mirrored in today's Body of Christ.
     I have long been interested in trying to figure out my family's disparate modes of faith.  Unlike many families who can look back on a long line of ancestors whose love of the Lord was passed down through the generations, there was no unified profession of faith in my childhood home. My mother was a Believer and from an early age, I knew about Jesus, as she somehow found a way to introduce Him to me and then send me and my siblings to Vacation Bible School programs.  She was a stay-at-home mom with no car and five young children to care for, so I'm not sure how we were transported, but she got us there.  My father was not a Believer, although he supported our exposure to Church, and, as the oldest of the five, he instructed me to watch out for my brother and sister as he dropped us off at Sunday School.  My Mom stayed home with the babies... not exactly a "family experience".

     My maternal grandmother was a strong and faithful woman, but she lived three states away, so the most influence she could have was giving me a Bible at the age of 12 (which I still have today).  I know she prayed for us. and I'm sure it was those prayers that finally bore fruit when I accepted Jesus as my Savior as an adult.  So, I knew my mother's side was certain of their faith.  But what about my father's side of the family?  And it is that research that led me to my interesting conclusion that Solomon was right.
      You see, my father loved searching our family's genealogy, and before his death, he sent me a copy of a microfiched 1870 article on my four times great-grandfather and his six sons.  The patriarch of the family was a man named John Dodgson, whom the article said "came over in a ship from England with a gang of boys in 1821" to settle on a farm in Illinois.  The article also said "If there is anything peculiar to the Dodgson family than another, it was their uniform piety and strong adherence to churches".  It was John's first son Thomas who would be my direct ancestor; Thomas's daughter Mary would marry a man from whom I received my maiden last name.  But it seems that Mary Dodgson's faith in God did not translate to her new husband's family, nor down the generations to my father.
     So I read, with fascination, about the consistency of faith in John Dodgson's family, and I marveled at the level of their devotion to God.  John was quoted as saying [regarding his conversion experience], "If the house in Old England were yet standing, he could still go and point within six inches of where the Lord, for Christ's sake, pardoned his sins!"  And it was "his great care and prayer" that all six of his sons would come to know and love the Lord as he had. He lived to see those prayers answered. But, it makes me sad that down through the generations, that family devoutness was diminished, and my father, John's great-great-great-grandson, was neither schooled nor encouraged to know Jesus.
     But what was as equally fascinating as my ancestors' piety, was the description of their faith.  Throughout the article there were references to "warm times in Wesleyan Methodism", and after some investigation, I discovered that warm referred to dramatic experiences of conversion, including what today is referred to as "being slain in the Spirit", or instances of fainting as the Holy Spirit comes upon a person.  And not surprisingly, there developed a schism within the Methodist Church, between those who believed this reaction was Biblical and those who accused them of being led astray.
     As I read further in the article that chronicled the faith of the Dodgson family, it was revealed that the religious differences within the local community resulted in a debate between Church leaders, the Rev. J.M. Peck and the Rev. Peter Hobson. Peck took a stance that "a little learning is a dangerous thing" and referred to the Believers who agreed with Hobson as infidels, and he feared that "a great many would be shaken in their faith and never find their way back".
     By the way, my ancestors concurred with Rev. Hobson, whom the article went on to call "a Boston Investigator" man in religion.  What did that mean?  Here's what I found out ... "In religion, it [a Boston Investigator[ is the fearless advocate of open and fair investigation, opposed to every species of coercion for the dissemination of opinions, and rejecting all theories as erroneous, that will not bear the test of reasonable examination, however strongly they may have entrenched themselves under the barriers of antiquated formulas, tributary customs, or a pretended divine revelation . . . . Our object is to call the attention of the public from the visionary dreams of superstition and fanaticism, which has too long infested the moral world, to things of known realities, or facts that may be known, which tend to promote the happiness of man in his present state of being, the only state of which we have any knowledge. We wish to not interfere with religion by any coercive means, or any legal enactments: but to leave it entirely to support itself, and to stand or fall upon its own foundation. Its kingdom is professedly not of this world then it should have nothing to do with worldly affairs; but let it be supported wholly by spiritual means, by argument, by persuasion, and not by law".
     Maybe, I'm misunderstanding what this is telling me, but it seems as if we are seeing the same old struggle in the Church here ... on one side is the group who oppose Believers seeking a greater knowledge of God and who prefer to hold to man's traditions and doctrines over any new revealed understanding of God through His Word -- and on the other side is the group who support the freedom to reasonably examine Scripture by being a good Berean (rejecting anything not backed up by Scripture); and seeking spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit as to God's revealed Truth.
     Furthermore, my research revealed there was another major division between these two groups: Peck took a stance in favor of strict predestination doctrine, while Hobson believed in God's gift of free will to accept or reject Him.  And it looks like for the better part of a century, my family fully and enthusiastically sought and accepted God. And within the next century, that faith had deteriorated to a rejection based on apathy.
     I don't know what all contributed to the lack of faith in the next three generations of my family.  But I think it is clear that one of satan's favorite schemes is to get the Church involved in endless debates over man's traditions and doctrines instead of truly seeking God.  He gets Christians to focus on each other, rather than our Savior, and encourages us to find fault; each thinking they have found the true path to Heaven's gates. None of that persuades the Unsaved to seek out the Church or to find hope in Jesus.
     I am just thankful and grateful that God never stopped pursuing me.  And it shows me that God can overcome generations of indifference and denial; that there exists in the heart of every man or woman the desire to know our Creator.  My great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Dodgson, didn't accept Jesus until he was 40 years old in 1837, and exactly 150 years later, my faith was established as an adult, too. What is ironic is that the schisms that were occurring in the Church prior to the Civil War are the same ones that the Church is experiencing today.  Satan's playbook never changes.  But he also has not achieved the complete victory he is seeking.  There will always be those in every generation who reject the devil's temptations and answer Jesus's knock at the door.
     But as Solomon expressed in his wisdom, the generations don't seem to remember what has occurred before them, and so are destined to repeat the futility of their struggles.  I thank God that He is patient and compassionate, and willing to wait on those of us who come to Him late. I am also grateful to have this history of my family's faith because it shows me that God truly desires to lose no one ... I am the evidence of that.

Psalm 71:18    "So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come".

Connecting The Dots: There Is Power In God's Grace

     I have been receiving a huge download from the Holy Spirit as I seek more understanding of God and His Nature and Character.  I admit that the thoughts are coming at such an accelerated speed that I find myself flipping from Scripture to Scripture to determine if what I am understanding is confirmed by God's Word.  And I want to make it perfectly clear ... what I am about to share with you is from my own study of God's Word.  This is my opinion, and by no means, should you accept what I say without doing your own study.  But I am also declaring to you that I believe it is inherent upon [and necessary for] every Believer to search out God for themselves.  He has given us His Word as a revelation of His Character and His Divine Nature, and far too many of us rely on our pastors, popular ministers, and online articles to define God for us.
       I have been convicted in my heart that there is so much of the basic foundation of God's qualities and character that we really haven't figured out for ourselves.  Oh, we know all the words and probably use them often in our attempts to explain our theology: Sanctification, Justification, Redemption, Salvation, Faith, Grace.  But, do we really know what they mean from God's perspective?  Or put another way, do we search the Scriptures to understand how they are to be applied to our relationship with Him; that they are not just doctrines, but real dispensations from God to be applied in growing towards Him?
     For instance, I can say that I am saved by the Grace of God.  But do I fully understand the implications of God's Grace?  If you are like me, you've always understood the accepted definition of Grace as God's unmerited favor.  Grace has been defined as the following: We have received forgiveness of our sins through Christ's death on the Cross, and there was nothing we did to deserve it.  Grace has been given to us out of God's love and mercy; it's a gift.  And that's usually as far as most Christians go with their understanding of Grace... it's a gift... and if you will allow me to apply a grammatical attribute, it's a noun.
     And here is the astounding revelation I received as I did a deeper study on the Hebrew (Old Testament) understanding of the word Grace, and the Greek (or New Testament) interpretation.  In the Old Testament, the word for Grace is the Hebrew word chên.  And, indeed, it is a noun, and it does mean a favor; whatever is pleasant and agreeable.  What's more, there is no alternative word for Grace in the Old Testament --- everywhere it is used, it has the same meaning.
     In the Old Testament, Grace is usually applied in terms of "give favor" -- But the Lord was with Joseph, and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer (Genesis 39:21); "obtain favor" --  I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; (Exodus 3:21), or "find favor" -- And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. (Genesis 6:8).
     The Hebrew word chên comes from the word chânan, which includes the meaning to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior. Strong's Concordance also says, "Generally, this word [grace] implies the extending of "favor", often when it is neither expected nor deserved".  So, this seems to tell me that the modern Church's understanding of Grace is in line with the Old Testament perception.
     But when I looked at how God applies the concept of Grace in the New Testament, I saw a dramatic change.  Grace becomes a verb! And just like in the Old Testament, there is no alternative word or meaning for God's Grace -- everywhere it is used it means the same thing.  And the Greek word for God's Grace is charis.  At its root it indicates an act of favor on the part of the giver, and thanks on the part of the receiver.  Charis is related to sins and the attribute of God's Grace that they evoke.  It is God's Mercy (the free gift of forgiveness of sins) and compassion that recognizes the misery that our sin brings us.  It is God's tender sense of our misery that displays itself in His efforts [Grace] to lessen and entirely remove our misery.  God's Grace is applied; it is bestowed; it is His power to equip us for ministry.  This is what is shown us in Hebrews 4:16 ... Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  God's grace is a weapon in our spiritual war with the devil.  It is help in time of need, which implies [to me] that God's power is behind it.

     And it is imperative [in our understanding of Grace] that we recognize it to be a way that we live our lives.  And we must agree that God has an ability we do not have -- to resist sin.  Therefore, living a righteous life is not from our own ability to resist sin, but God's ability to do a work in our heart that helps us to say no to the temptation.  Grace empowers us through our relationship with God.  Put simply, when we pray for God's Grace to never commit a particular sin again, it is His ability NOT to do it that invades our heart and enables and empowers us to stop the sin.
     What about our free will? When God activates His Grace in our heart (His ability to not commit the sin), our will has a choice --- continue in our pursuit of that sin, OR come into agreement with God and let His ability (power to resist the sin) become our motivation.  This is the true understanding of that oft-quoted Scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:9 ... but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. When God's Grace is activated in New Testament Believers, there you will find the power of Christ.
     Grace is the manifestation of God's ability in any situation!  When the Apostle Paul wrote, By the Grace of God, I am what I am, I believe he was saying that Grace was the Ability of God surging through his veins and empowering him to do the work he did.  Paul was plugged into God's Grace all the time. That's how he lived! And we can live that way, too!  Every time we come to a challenge, we should ask ourselves, "Do I want to tackle this with my own ability [my own strength, wisdom, power], or with Jesus's?"
     I find it interesting that the first and last use of the word Grace in the New Testament involve our Lord Jesus Christ: And the child continued to grow, and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him (Luke 2:40); and The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen (Revelation 22:21). In both instances, it is the power and ability of the Almighty God [exhibited through Jesus Christ] that is being manifested.  Let me be clear -- I accept the truth of God's unmerited favor in my life.  But I don't want to settle for only that portion of His Grace.  It want it all!  I want His ability to resist sin to invade my heart, and I want His power to be manifested in all the works I do for His Kingdom.  I recognize my own weakness and come into full agreement with Him; calling upon His Grace to be applied, to be bestowed, and to empower me to live a righteous life that pleases Him. That is what Jesus did, and He is Grace personified.

Acts 20:24   "But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God".