There is a hole to be filled. Like drug addicts, people do more and more to gain temporary satisfaction. Once that satisfaction runs out they look to a new place or spend more money. There is a hole inside that needs to be filled, but everything being put in is just seeping through. Nothing is a perfect match for what they need The conclusion naturally follows that this is just how life is, and the new mental norm is created. The gaping hole that is in need of being filled is called ‘normal.’ The constant  quest for temporary satisfaction is now normal and people are left with tons of worldly toys, junk, gadgets and memories but no happiness or lasting satisfaction.

But what if… what if we had what they need? What if we had what fills the hole, the missing piece to the puzzle? What if we had a million dollars that never ran out? Would we share it with anyone and everyone at any given chance or would we keep it for ourselves? Would we give into social pressure and contemplate what someone might think about us if we talk about it? What if they think that I’m weird or dumb? What if?

What if I reached out and touched someone, helped someone? What if I reached out and gave that person what they’ve desired for 20, 40, maybe even 60 years? What if I gave freely what has been freely given to me? What if a life was changed and then they changed a life and then more and more lives were changed? What if  5 minutes of wholehearted witnessing saved 5 million lives? What if I put the ‘re’s back in ‘prioritize’ and evaluated and refocused the lens of my life on what was important?

What if I hit the streets and a holy ghost fire was started? What if God spilled out of my words and conversations and people began getting tears in their eyes and that hole in their hearts began to take notice? What if I prayed for some and they began to cry and drop to their knees and speak in unknown tongues?  What if, instead of watching the waters  and analyzing them every day, I stepped out of the boat and began to walk on water with Jesus? What if God had his way in my life? What If?

This concept can be applied to any person and any walk of life.  It deals with the source we derive our joy and happiness from.  It’s said in this book that there is “a profound difference between happiness and joy.  A person cannot be happy all the time, but he can always be joyful.  Happiness is derived and removed by external factors. Joy springs from within, and therefore cannot be lessened or increased by forces outside us. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit — an invisible power that transcends all volleys against it.” To restate this, don’t wait for the things outside your control to change so that you can live a joyful fulfilled life. Instead, realize that God wants you to be joyful and has given you the power to do so within you through His Holy Spirit.

So if joy is a Fruit of the Spirit, it will be developed in us as the Spirit of God does it work in us.  But then where do we derive this inner joy from? When we receive the Holy Spirit we find that we have been ‘endued with power from on high.’ This is the power to look beyond our present circumstances to the God who is greater than our problems. It gives us a chance to rise above every obstacle that can be put in our way.  We don’t have to be brought down by anything, because God is on our side and gives us the strength we need to carry on.  We can be excited because our joy needn’t come from our external circumstances, but it comes from the power of the Almighty God living in you!

It reminds me of someone I know who has found that recently they have been more overcome with joy, not only because of where their focus lies while in prayer, but also where their focus lies in life. For a while they weren’t focused on and studying the word and seeking in their daily life. They were on fire at church, but less than enthusiastic when they were outside its four walls or not in a special service.  Now that they have allowed their daily life to be filled with thoughts of God, the joy I have written about has been realized in their life.

So I challenge you this week to look beyond your circumstances to the God (Jesus) who is bigger than your problems. Focus your eyes on Him and watch as all else fades into the background. Go in joy, not because your external circumstances have improved, but because you have been empowered to live a joyful life through Jesus Christ. Again, joy is not some mystical object or idea that can’t be attained, but a Fruit of the Spirit that will develop in us as we stay in Christ and focus on Him.

For the past month I’ve been pondering what to write about. Usually I know well in advance, and my thoughts have clear direction. However, this entire month I struggled with what God wanted me to say—what He was trying to teach me. I would land on a subject only to change my mind soon after. Spiritually, I felt pulled in a thousand different directions, which was probably because my heart has been heavy. It wasn’t until last night that I received my breakthrough.

One ten in the morning. I decide to take the emotional plunge and wade through what’s been ailing my heart—what’s been keeping me from the joy I find in Jesus everyday. I think about the last couple of weeks. Though I had been showered with amazing preaching, though I was fed the word of God and wrapped in praise and worship, I still ended up at the altar, crying my eyes out. And though I should have been rejoicing, I found myself heavy and couldn’t understand why. Ah, the ever-present question of why. Why? Why, God? But instead of asking why, I decide to think about what. What? The memories come flooding to me. Tears fill my eyes, as the weight in my heart grows.

I ask God, when I am able to speak, “Lord, what do I do? I realize now it’s been me all along carrying this weight. I’m letting it go. I’m giving it to you. I’m letting you take control again. But, Jesus, what do I do? What happens when I try and try, but no matter what I do, nothing changes? What do I do when I’ve tried to maintain relationships with people but they fall apart? What do I do when someone hurts me by hurting You? What do I do when differences can’t be reconciled? I know You’re in control, and I trust You. I won’t worry, but is there anything humanly possible that I can do? Search my heart, Lord, is there something that I missed? Is there something I need to say? Is there something I should do? What do I do?”

I feel the Lord’s arms wrap around me as He warmly tells me, “You love them.”

“That’s it?”

“You love them.”

“Really?”

“Really. Love each and every one like I do. And remember how much I love you. You might find the weight lighter. Never did I say that I expected you to be perfect. That’s My job.”

God’s Love. Could it really be that simple? I wipe the tears from my eyes. I think about every situation that weighs on me. I add God’s love to the equation. Suddenly, every issue fades to gray. My heart begins to feel lighter. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.”

If any of you are like me, we all go through times when everything in our lives seems to fall apart. We all go through rumble strips—periods where God will bring you through a trial to teach you. Note that I said bring you. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in all of our problems that we forget that God will bring us through. We get so busy that we forget that He is always with us; we are never alone. In the meantime, what can we do? We can love. Even when we feel that we’ve been wronged and that people should love us, we can still love others. In Matthew 7:12 Jesus clearly states, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Similarly Luke 10:27 says, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” And again this concept is stated in Luke 6:31.

Never should we find an excuse not to love our neighbors. It sounds so simple, but it’s something we forget to do sometimes. The important thing is, it’s not about us—it’s about Jesus. It’s about His sacrifice, His love, His commandments. God truly loves us, so what reason do we have not to love others? Do you have enemies? Love them. Do you have friends? Love them. Do you have co-workers? Love them. We are commanded by God to love. The more you let God take control, the more you love, and the more you do unto others as you would have them do unto you—the more true, God-given joy you will feel.

So it’s simple: how many people have you loved today?

But consider how God describes Himself: all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent, not bound by the laws of time or space, without equal or superior to limit Him. He is totally unrestrained except by His own character. Anything He wants to do will instantly become possible. If we anger Him, only His mercy can save us from destruction. If we please Him, it’s because He enabled us to do so.

God is completely beyond our control. He is consistent, though sometimes He is unpredictable and that can scare us. And in the minds of many, God is not safe. It calls to mind this exchange from Volume 1 of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, where Lucy inquires about the great lion, Aslan:

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Power is always dangerous. That’s practically the definition. If a thing doesn’t carry the danger of changing what’s around it, then it’s probably not very powerful. The more powerful something is, the more dangerous it is, and we must exercise more caution in using it. Think of tools as an example: if you’re not careful, you can cut yourself when using a hand saw. But if you’re careless with a power saw, you can do far more damage in a shorter amount of time. Alternatively, a power saw could help you build a house quicker. Greater power carries greater risk.

So when we consider God, who holds all power, it’s understandable that some people are frightened by the thought. “Then He isn’t safe?” they ask. “I thought God was loving and kind. What’s this talk about danger and risk?” And the answer is just as Mr. Beaver told Lucy: of course He isn’t safe. Maybe we can fool ourselves a good portion of the time, but the truth is that there is an inherent risk in involving yourself with the Almighty.

Doesn’t sound encouraging so far, does it? But there’s more to the answer! God is not safe – but He is good. You see, what we usually mean when we ask “is it safe?” is a different question entirely. What we really want to know is, “can I control what happens?” With God the only option is to give up control. His design is to change your life, and that wouldn’t happen if you were controlling it. But God is limited by His character. When we give up trying to control what He does, that doesn’t leave Him undirected: He already knew what He was doing! Maybe it’s uncomfortable sometimes, or even frightening, but based on His character we know that God can be trusted… even though He isn’t safe.

There are many different dimensions of being led by God, but to get to any of them you need one essential valuable substance in your life: a daily walk with God. This isn’t just for the “elite” — God isn’t a respecter of persons. It’s a process, and to begin, we need to learn to recognize God’s voice for ourselves. Indulging in reading and learning God’s Word helps us to do that. The Bible is God’s thoughts to us. It’s His love letter, it’s our history, it is His principles on how he expects things to be done. It shows us the meaning of true love, and it gives us new hope on a life that can be dreary.

Fellowshipping with God is also important. We can’t learn to listen to Him if we never stop and give Him attention. He inhabits our praise, and that’s how we can learn to feel the presence of God. Being aware of his presence in every situation will help us to perceive a greater amount of things.

When you start making time for God, don’t be surprised if He starts ‘whispering’ to you. A good friend of mine called the voice of God “the whispers of God.” He doesn’t speak in a booming announcer voice. Elijah saw this when he was hiding in the cave. He had to go past the fire and the rain to listen to the “still small voice,” that voice of assurance that sweeps into your mind and breathes into your soul. A strong foundation of being with Him daily will begin to let you recognize and hear His whispers in your every day life.

Spending time with God, falling in love with Him more, can’t help but affect your attitude. Maybe you are more fervent when you pray or praise. Maybe you are more outgoing when it comes to proclaiming your dedication to Jesus. A daily decision to listen those whispers will transform into something greater. You will start to notice that you have words to say — things that may sound silly to you but are meaningful when spoken into someone else’s life. Maybe you just go on a rant and when you are done you don’t even know how you said so much about a subject. Those whispers can grow stronger as you obey them. The more you seek, the more He’ll speak. Every step closer to God will be evident to those around you.

I’ve heard so many miraculous stories from men and women of God who listen to His voice. I’ve caught myself mistakenly believing that God only speaks to them. I’ve seen prophets speak into people’s lives not knowing anything about their situation. I’ve heard about preachers praying to know which restaurant to go to, and God answering them, and then they know specifically which waiter or waitress they would get. I’ve heard of prayers answered on the spot. It’s exciting to think that I can experience those things for myself, too! I can have such a strong relationship in God that I’ll be able to speak and act out exactly what he desires. It just takes one step at a time.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God”  — I John 3:1

Many of us in the United States celebrated Father’s Day recently. As a nation we honor our Dads with gifts, cards, and cookouts. I hope you had the chance to spend some time with a father figure in your life this weekend and thank him for his influence in your life. But as we thank our fathers, we should take time to focus on our Heavenly Father.

One thing I have been working on lately is seeing God as my father. I don’t know about you, but when I think about God, I tend to picture the vast expanse of the night sky, the microscopic complexities hidden within the cells of a human body, or how He can measure the waters of all the oceans in the palm of His hand. Now, while the majesty and power of God are things we need to stand in awe of, here in the wake of Father’s Day is an excellent time to dwell on some of God’s other characteristics.

God is not only the absolute ruler of the universe, he also notices when a single sparrow falls. God is to be feared and respected as the King of Kings, but He is not an untouchable monarch: he is as close as the mention of his name. Though he is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, he is also Abba Father, who loves giving good gifts to his children.

Like every good father, God cares about the smallest details of our lives. He never sleeps or takes his eyes of his children; he has every hair on their head numbered. He knows what we need before we ask, and yet he wants us to share all our needs with him, as well as our troubles and joys. God is not a distant cosmic being who is too preoccupied with running the universe to listen to the cries of humanity. He is a loving father who delights in His children.

One man had been watching the entire ordeal. He ran down the street the opposite way of Jesus. As he ran He thought, “if this Jesus can heal others, why couldn’t he heal my friend back home?” He grabbed one of his friends who was heading toward Jesus. “Come help me get my friend so we can bring him to Jesus as well!” As they dashed down the road together, more and more people were arriving. How would they get to Jesus now!? As they ran inside their friend looked at them like crazy people. “What are you two doing?” You see, this man was lame and bed ridden for the rest of his life. His friends didn’t care about this, however. They grabbed his bed and ran out the door as fast as their feet could carry them. As they neared the house where Jesus was speaking they were obviously getting very weary, but there was also a need to push through the crowd. They just couldn’t make it through. Then they saw stairs leading to the roof.

As they scraped away at the roof tiles, blood flowing from their hands, all they could think about was getting their friend to Jesus. When they were finally finished they lowered him slowly, landing right in front of Jesus. I can just imagine the man’s reaction to this — I would have been terrified! But Jesus, in all His love, looked down at him and said “thy sins are forgiven thee… Arise, take up thy bed, and go your way to your house.”

This story always seemed to amaze me, but this time as I read it something struck home. So many times I’ve heard that we have to be the ones to push through to Jesus — which is completely true — but sometimes we have to be carried. Sometimes our brother or sister or friend has to be the one to lift us up and lower us down in front of Jesus when we are “spiritually paralyzed.” Our friends can be the ones to lift us up in prayer. They can stand in the gap, or intercede, on our behalf. If I am too weak, I know I’d love for one of my friends to come along and bring me to Jesus. When I am strong enough, I’ll push through on my own. But if I’m not, then I know that I need a friend to carry me to Jesus. It’s just like the song says, “I will carry you to Jesus.”

So I challenge you: if one of your friends is spiritually paralyzed, don’t be afraid to carry them to Jesus. You might be the one who keeps them from becoming spiritually dead.

There are a few points I’d like to address, the first being: why would you listen to the lies that our minds and our adversary feed to us? Lies like “I’m not usable” or “I’m not smart enough” start this train of thought. Those lies are made to stop us and cheat us out of the ministry that God has planned for us there. We have to get beyond ourselves and in a way “just do it”. God has made us for such a time as this and equipped us to be able to speak into situations even without realizing it. You can be effective and make a difference in someone else’s life, and even without consciously doing it for your benefit you are benefiting yourself. You are becoming more involved and making your life available as a way for God to flow through you — which brings me to my second point: How is God going to flow through you and to speak to others if you never open your mouth?

For a long time I thought I had to be directly inspired and have every word planned out, all the while feeling this tingling sensation creep up and down my spine to say something anointed and effective. I really like how one of my friends put it; he said that “we start with a simple truth to get going and then God can anoint us and direct us from there.” We have to open our mouths in order for God to speak through us. He won’t force us to open our mouths, so we must put forth that effort. By not following this simple advice, I’ve cheated myself out of many times where I would be able to say “a word fitly spoken” (Proverbs 25:11) which could have helped someone I knew through a hard time, or even spoken truth about a topic or a standard, revealing to others and solidifying in me the convictions that I hold onto. You see, when we speak and let God flow through us it is not only beneficial to the person that we speak to, but also to ourselves as it makes us more sure of what we believe on that topic.

So when God gives you something to speak, speak it. It’s a simple and effective truth. As I continue to learn to allow God to speak through me, I pray you will do the same.

Some find patriotism to be offensive, a relic of the ignorant past and the mark of fools. What fools they must be, then, that give their all in service to a flag and the republic for which it stands. Maybe there are sociopolitical moorings to such skepticism, however those are beside the point of this article. And a more likely explanation is that the skeptics and scoffers do not understand patriotism because they do not understand commitment. Abraham Lincoln expressed it well in his famous Gettysburg address: “from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” Contrary to the dictionary definition, true patriotism is not devotion to a country, but rather it is utmost commitment to a cause. In their homes and farms and families, the men and women we commemorate today found a cause worth committing their all to defend.

“And David said, What now have I done? Is there not a cause?”  — I Samuel 17:29

David found a cause worth committing all to defend. After hour upon hour spent in the field communing with God, David had an understanding of God’s jealousy and His power. Israel, the chosen nation, the light to the world, was in trouble. No man of the Israelite army was willing to face the challenger in the valley, but David was riled by the arrogance of this opponent. It was untenable to let an affront to the Living God go unchecked, so he must do what no one else would. David was committed to the cause.

Commitment is a dangerous thing: it is a vow that should not be taken lightly. It is a fearful thing to be bound to a single anchoring truth and thus torn away from the changing landscape of life. A cause does not relent. It does not turn back. It does not change for fashion, for acceptance, for admiration or opposition. When you tie yourself to a cause, there is no way of telling how far you will need to go in order to keep your commitment. Hebrews 11:35-38 speaks of many whose commitment led them down paths dark and painful, all for the cause and the calling of Christ. Commitment is more than a heart-flutter at the anthem’s crescendo. It is a force that drives us to the edge of possibility—and sometimes beyond—in the service of our calling. D’Aubigne wrote that “a religious movement almost always exceeds a just moderation. In order that human nature may make one step in advance, its pioneers must take many.” Commitment drives us far beyond moderation and polite enthusiasm into the realm of life-changing, earth-shaking impact on our world.

As you remember those who made your life and lifestyle possible by giving up their own, I challenge you to consider your own commitments. Have you secured your life to truths that are eternal? Are you bound to causes that will envelop you and enrich the world as a whole? Or have you pulled back and chosen to pursue things that please you alone? Today is a testimony to the power of a commitment well-placed and faithfully fulfilled. My prayer is that you can find or renew your commitment to the cause of Christ.

The Bible talks about the importance of our thought life. Jesus taught in Matthew that if a man was to look at a woman in order to think a lustful thought, he had committed adultery with her in his heart. Is a mere thought a big deal? Yes. It is of the utmost importance to be pure in our hearts and thoughts. In Matthew 15 Jesus taught that the words we speak proceed out of the heart; and those words can defile us. Then He added evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, all sexual sins, robberies, false witnesses, and blasphemies to the list. All of these proceed out of our heart. This is confirmed by Proverbs 23:7, which teaches that “as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Our thought life is crucial to our purity.

If we are to take the proverb literally, then our identity is defined by our thought life. The enemy has an opportunity to take us out if he can influence the way we think. One of his greatest weapons is his voice. The Bible calls the devil the “father of lies” and “accuser of our brethren.” Because we have the Holy Ghost we have authority over the devil, yet he still finds ways to influence our thinking. For instance, in the Garden of Eden, God reigned supreme. He was the Creator of this beautiful new world, and He had given his greatest creation, man, dominion over the Garden (including serpents). Because the serpent had no authority, he had one tactic to use: his voice. He lied to Eve, and she believed him. Because Eve believed the lie and let it influence her thinking, the entire human race fell into sin. Whenever you believe the lies of the devil you give him access and authority to steal from you. What did Eve do next? She disobeyed God, or sinned, by eating the fruit. All this is because she allowed the serpent — who she had been given dominion over — to influence her thinking. It is out of the heart that sin proceeds.

Now, this is not as scary as it sounds. The devil can’t just drop thoughts into our minds and instantly defeat us. We must fellowship with it, and then accept it. Have you ever been praying and had some ridiculous thought distract you? Well, usually you can’t stop a bug from getting in your house, but it’s up to you to kill it once it gets in. This is how we must treat the devil and his clever mind games. He will use all sorts of tactics, like twisting people’s words, actions and even motives to cause us to mistrust one another. Thoughts of doubt, fear, and worry will try to steal us of our shield of faith. If our thoughts do not agree with the word of God then we must squash them like a pesky mosquito. If we allow them to gain a foothold in our minds, then we may begin to believe them and that would grant the enemy authority which he otherwise does not have.

Whether it’s the roars of a lion or the hisses of a snake, the enemy will try to influence our thinking. But we have authority over him: we have the authority to tell him and his lies to get lost. I expect him to try to influence me, and I won’t feel condemned when he tries, but I will exercise my dominion power and take on the mind of Christ.