Lori Stanley Roeleveld's Blog, page 47

No One Wants the Life Jesus Promised

Jesus came to give us life to the full but no one really wants that.

Think about it. Jesus had life to the full and so did His followers. There was companionship, laughter, and joy. There were miracles, healings, and the dead raised from the grave. Cowards found courage. The cold-hearted learned to love and apostles sometimes transported from one place to another in an instant.

But there was also rejection, suffering, and the pain of hard choices. Apostles were driven from cities, caught in storms at sea, and stoned. They were separated from loved ones and confronted by unfriendly spirits. There were beatings, imprisonment, and crucifixions. Death preceded every resurrection.

This was a full life. This was not the small living many of us experience today. These were great stories unfolding from deep lives willing to open themselves up to the full life of Christ.

I once heard a group of sincere, godly women proclaim that they want the life they’ve read in Acts. I agreed with them at the time but when I drew apart with God, He called me on it. Do you really want this Acts existence or are you only scanning the apostolic trailer, the highlights reel, the headlines of what it means to follow Me? True disciples follow Jesus into the valley of death, into the prison cell of suffering, and into the shipwreck of the self, denied. You dream of the Acts life but those who follow Me bury their dreams in the dirt like mustard seeds and there they wait in the dark while I do My work within them.

Yes, the life that springs forth from them is like a mighty tree that bears fruit in its time. But first, there is darkness, damp earth, and death.

Jesus drank deeply from the full cup of God’s plan for Him and it cost Him everything. The day between the crucifixion and the resurrection is a yearly reminder the we must be buried with Him to rise with Him. Most of us are willing to settle for only a tiny percent of the full life Jesus came to bring. Think about that.

I’ve seen a trailer for a movie called Lucy. In it, Morgan Freeman describes the main character who is undergoing a chemically-induced transformation so she’s able to use an increasing amount of her brain. Most of us only use about 10%. Not Lucy. In the trailer, Freeman’s character says this about her: At 24%, she can control the cells in her body. At 40%, she can control matter. At 62%, she can control other people. What happens when she reaches 100%? No one knows.

Jesus calls us to the full life. An Acts life. And if we could hear Him inviting us deeper into this life, I think we would hear Him say something similar to Morgan Freeman’s Lucy speech. Most of you Christians are only experiencing 10% of the full life. If you follow Me, at 24% you can control your thoughts and attitudes. At 40%, you can be content in any circumstance. At 62%, you stop trying to control people and experience the freedom to love them sacrificially. What happens at 100%? Follow me. I’ll show you. I’m there.

Follow Him where? Into death. Death of self. Because death precedes every resurrection.

Do I want life to the full? I want to want it. I’m praying for the courage to receive it. I don’t want to remain stuck in the small story of my small mind, my stunted soul, my lesser life. I want to follow Jesus into His great story; my mind transformed, my soul expanded, my life lived to the full. What about you? Do you want to remain trapped in your small story? Operating from a lesser calling? Or are you willing to follow Him to live the true fullness of the Jesus life?

I think we should worry less about being small-minded and concern ourselves with avoiding the smallness of soul that keeps us from following Jesus whereever He wants to lead us.

Today, of all days, is the best one for asking Him – what does this look like in my life, Lord? I want to go where you go. Take me with you.

No One Wants the Life Jesus Promised https://t.co/OLnfxTlvVM let me tell you why . . . #HolySaturday #Easter #amwriting #RESURRECTION #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 26, 2016

Warrior Friendly Worship

I’m looking for a warrior friendly worship service. Does anyone else feel that need?

Many churches have seeker friendly services, motivated by a love for those who have yet to know Jesus. It’s good to reduce barriers and make it welcoming for those God is calling to His Son. Church should be a place where we encourage questions and the lost can come as they are, as we all have, to discover Christ’s truth, forgiveness, mercy, and grace that leads to repentance and salvation. Amen?

But, when the people of God meet to worship, it’s a more than a place for seekers. Much more. Church is a gathering of warriors, of poets and priests, of God-explorers, of seed-sowers and harvesters, of kingdom pioneers staking outposts of glory, of the royal family seeking face-time with their father-king. Did you think you were just going to church? Oh no, loved ones, that’s a pale title for a rich and powerful convocation.

Warriors for Christ have spent the week in battle – some from behind closed doors, others behind prison walls or sitting with shattered families or holding vigil hospital bedside or in shelters, on the streets, in the schools, on the mission field, or in their own backyard. Fighting for the lost and broken, doing the work of reconciliation and mediation, sweating out the struggle to stay married, stay faithful, stay clean and sober, stay patient with small children, stay believing, stay sane. These warriors drag their battered souls into the worship assembly parched for the Living Water, famished for the meat of a solid Word from Christ, in need of fortification, strengthening, encouragement, and a repair of their armor. This is what I long to find as I stagger in from the frontlines.

Poets and priests arrive for worship yearning for the beauty of the kingdom to be lifted up. They come craving the stained glass, the banners and candles, the harmonious melodious strains , a taste of the bread, a sip of the wine, an escape into the reality of the mystery and holiness of the Most High God. The poets and priests long for others to share in the wonder they’ve contemplated in the week apart from the rest. They long to say Amen together with the corporate Body of Jesus Christ, our Lord. The singing souls want to hear their part in the great chorus and know the music of the spheres.

The God-explorers have spent the week reading His Word and putting it into practice. They’ve been exploring what it means to love their neighbor, to show hospitality, to be slow to anger, to pray for those who persecute, and to give sacrificially with varying levels of success. They want to hear what other explorers have tried, they want guidance, correction, and encouragement. They want to share the joy of what went well and celebrate the experience of knowing there is still more to discover even when the seekers have found the Living God.

The seed-sowers and harvesters, like hard-working farmers, are hoping for a place of quiet contemplation, of Sabbath rest, of refreshment like water from a deep spring-fed well. They want to know if others have been watching the skies and seeing the same signs. They want to hear what others are doing to tend and protect the tender seedlings peeking through the soil or what methods are most effective for pruning an unruly vine. They are not showy in their worship but they are faithful and watchful week after week after patient, enduring week.

The kingdom pioneers staking outposts for glory arrive for worship with their lungs full of oxygen from beyond the veil. They need the gathering, the energy of assembly, the glory songs and the revelation of God’s Word proclaimed. They need prayers for their efforts on behalf of the kingdom and confirmation of new territory they’ve noticed where God’s Kingdom needs to come. They need the crowd because they have God’s heart for the crowd to grow and they need to inventory who is still missing. They need the touch base with the seed-sowers and harvesters so their feet continue to touch the ground as they reach their holy hands to the sky. And the crowd needs them because without their vision, we perish.

And all of us, royal-family, children of the High King, who have spent the week knocking our crowns askew, our robes dusty from our common walk, and our manners affected by negative feedback and pressure from those raised outside the kingdom walls, need our memories revived. We need to hear the story of our adoption through Christ into the family of the High King. We need the reminder of how a royal child conducts him or herself even when away from the family. We need to wash our hands and feet in the basin of the servant Christ and remember who we are. We need a refresher of the hope of home, the truth of what awaits us when Jesus returns and we gather at the royal table and step into the realization of our restored glory, of the day when our story is no longer by faith alone but by everlasting sight. We need a weekly family reunion and a reminder of our family name.

So, it’s wonderful that we attempt to be seeker friendly but worship must also be warrior welcoming, poet and priest inspiring, God-explorer affirming, seed-sower and harvester refreshing, kingdom pioneering outposts of glory grounding, and children of the king restorative and revisioning.

This kind of worship cannot be accomplished by a small team of professionals and all the planning on earth. This kind of worship is organic and living and occurs when the Body of Christ gathers knowing the power of congressing in the presence of the Living God knowing who we are in Christ and recognizing that that service isn’t some common event known as church.

No, the act of worship is a fist raised against the brutal foul forces at work in this world. It’s a flare sent up from the outpost. It’s a campfire set in the wilderness. It’s a well in the desert. It’s a family reunion. It’s a vision summit. It’s the bread and the wine and the blood and the risen Christ, our Head, infusing His Spirit throughout the entire body making what has been dispersed over the days one. We do not have to wait for our church leaders to create this kind of worship or for our fellow worshipers to “get it.” This worship doesn’t come in a workshop or a weekend or a movement. This worship is the reality of what is occurring and we just need for God to open our eyes to it this week.

So cry out, loved ones, Open our eyes, Lord. Let us see this gathering as You see it. Let us know the power of our own corporate gathering in Your presence. We remember now. We are not church-goers. We are warriors, poets, priests, God-explorers, seed-sowers, harvesters, pioneers in outposts of glory, and children of the most High King. And this is true on every Sunday as true as it is on Resurrection Easter Sunday.

You see it now, too, don’t you? Take heart, loved ones, it’s almost time to gather again.

Warrior Friendly Worship https://t.co/N7LmrVs7cw What really happens when we worship #HolyWeek #HolyThursday #Easter #worship #amwriting

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 24, 2016

The Power of Angry Christians

Recent headlines are full of angry Christians.

Anger is a natural emotion. It’s often not the first emotion we feel in a string of responses but the force of anger usually overshadows the initial reaction that inspired it.

Anger is like the alert system on the Starship Enterprise – when a threat appears on the radar screen, alarms sound, shields are raised, and the weapons system goes on standby. This is what anger does on the bridge of one’s emotional starship.

It’s our natural defense system. Our self-protective factor. Anger is our soul’s armor and personal nuclear missile. In each of our lives, it can be just as destructive as the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Here’s the dilemma for Christians: God is our protector. God is our deliverer. God has provided us with armor and it’s not our own anger but His truth, His righteousness, His salvation, His Word. When we surrender our lives to Christ, we must also surrender our personal weapons system and our right to push our own nuclear button.

It’s a highly uncomfortable process. When we let go of anger, we’re left with the initiator of the anger – embarrassment, fear, hurt, injustice, shame, panic, powerlessness, sorrow, insignificance, or discomfort. Fear is the shield and cover for these other feelings, feelings that leave us vulnerable, transparent, and exposed. Feelings that make us aware of our weakness, at the mercy of a Higher Power. Feelings that remind us we are sheep in a wolf-run world.

It’s understandable when we clutch at anger to wrap around us like chainmail. It’s understandable when we seek to feel powerful to cover our own awareness of our vulnerability. It’s understandable, but it’s not God’s will.

God’s will is this: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:19-21

As believers, God calls us away from the temptation of self-protection. He doesn’t call us to be a pack of wolves but a flock of sheep. He calls us to stand aware of those vulnerable feelings – our helplessness against evil, our vulnerability in the face of injustice, our weakness against worldly powers – and call on Him, rely on Him, trust Him completely to come to our defense.

Anger is a weapon of this world. The Christian is called to fight on a higher plane. The Christian is called to fight from a position that appears weak so that the glory of God is revealed.

Anger works – on one level. Like a fireworks display makes a mighty show of power. It produces an impressive amount of light and noise for a time but that’s all. It’s just a display. It is power completely unchanneled and useless in any practical endeavor.

Electricity directed through proper, unimpressive channels of cable, circuits, and wire makes no show of itself but can power a city.

God also has anger at His disposal but chooses to restrain it. “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7 Are we not called to be like Him?

The proliferation of angry Christians is indicative of a rampant departure from obedience to God’s Word. It is armies of believers going “off book.” It is mobs of Christians saying “we have grown impatient waiting on our God to deliver, so we will rise up and deliver ourselves.” Show me the scriptural defense for this and I will join you but you won’t find it in God’s Word.

Anger feels powerful just as a fireworks display feels impressive but both are largely just flashy show. More impressive, more powerful, and in the end, more effective is an army of sheep – fully aware of their vulnerability and limitations, who have meekly accepted the Word of Christ in their lives and have chosen to rely on Him for protection, for defense, for deliverance, and not on themselves or any worldly power.

The power of angry Christians is a lie, it’s a deceptive trap, it is no power beyond this world, this kingdom. We serve a kingdom come. The power of submitted, obedient Christians who embrace the meekness of the gospel of Christ can power the City of God for all eternity.

What about you? Are you choosing to don the armor of the enemy or are you willing to follow Jesus into battle on His terms? Your choice will make all the difference – in your life, in the lives of those you are here to serve, in this kingdom, and in the kingdom come.

Do you seek a powerful leader, loved ones? Read Psalm 104. There is your leader and He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, laid down His life in what looked like supreme weakness only to rise to everlasting life and eternal reign. There is your leader. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Power of Angry Christians https://t.co/cqFcp4V1IJ #Trump2016 #evangelicals #amwriting #presidentialelection Christian response to power

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 20, 2016

It’s Time for Christians to Grow Up

Certain voices speaking for the church these days annoy me. This week I figured out why.

It’s because they remind me of those kids in high school who were just a little older than we were, you remember them, right? The ones who knew it all.

They were the ones who sneered at the freshman because we still covered our books and worried about getting to class on time. The ones who leaned against lockers and told us to “grow up.” The ones who smelled of Marlboros and hairspray who scoffed at our naiveté. The ones who told us growing up meant being laid back about things like homework and grades, that growing up meant taking a casual approach to class attendance, that growing up meant to stop being afraid of pot, of second base, and of staying out past curfew. That growing up meant making our own choices not what our parents counseled. Following rules was for babies.

There are voices like that speaking for the church and they really bug me.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in growth, in change, in living counter-culturally, in transformation. I believe in understanding the times and expressing ancient truth in fresh ways. But, there are loud voices saying that Christian maturity means forgetting about “the rules,” rejecting anything those who came before us believed, and focusing on a laid-back, tolerant, come-as-you-are-remain-as-you-are approach to faith.

To hang with these cool church voices, I have to know to nod at the other “cool kids” and shrug when anyone mentions concepts like sin, repentance, hell, or costly discipleship. Jesus was a hit at parties, don’t you know, so why should Christians be such a killjoys? It’s the lighten up, crowd. The Pharisee behind every exhortation, crowd. The be-so-afraid-of-throwing-stones-you-never-open-your-mouth-about-sin crowd.

The crowd I’m not in crowd.

Of course, on the other side of the hall, back in school, were the Dudley and Debbie Do-Rights. The ones who believed a position on student council might lead directly to the White House. The ones who knew the rules so well teachers assigned them to rat on the rest of us. The ones who believed there was a map, a checklist, a timeline, and a gift registry for maturity and that any deviation might cause the entire system to implode. They had resumes before we left middle school. People took a backseat to priorities and the rules were the reason we live.

There are voices like this speaking for the church today, too, and they bug me, as well. In the hit single known as the counterfeit church, this is the song on the B side. These are the voices appearing on hate posters at parades or in little mean coffee klatches to which we aren’t invited. Following Jesus isn’t a life focused on rules or judgement or condemning others. It’s not a life of sin-counting or endless self-recrimination. Following Jesus is a life full of life – redemption, song, story, transformation, forgiveness, and healing. When we enter the doorway by admitting we’re sinners in need of saving, we don’t suddenly find ourselves deputized to finger other sinners. Jesus didn’t die so we could be slaves to endless judgement.

He set us free.

It’s hard to follow Jesus, for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest is that there are counterfeit Christians fogging up the mirror in the morning. The fakers, the posers, and the self-deceived are a fact of the times, tares planted by the enemy in my Father’s fields. People who would abscond with my family identity, commit crimes in my family name, and muddy the waters on which Jesus walked.

But, God tells me to pay them no nevermind. If I get into weeding His fields before the harvest, who knows what tender seedlings I might uproot. Instead, when I hear their voices and feel the annoyance rise, I remember to pay attention to the only voice that matters – Jesus, the Shepherd.

The answer isn’t to claim that every annoying voice is from a counterfeit Christian. It’s way above our pay grade to decide who’s saved and who isn’t. Besides, not every voice that gets it wrong or annoys us is lost. Sometimes they’re just still in process like the rest of us.

The answer is to remain so close to an authentic Jesus life that we aren’t tempted by the cool kids in the hall, nor bullied by the rule-worshipers waiting in the alley. The answer is to remind ourselves and others that there is a phantom church that has nothing to do with Jesus. And it’s on us to live like Jesus, to teach like Jesus, and to love like Jesus so increasingly well that outsiders can spot the genuine from the fake if what they’re seeking is Jesus.

Peter knew something about living for Jesus. He said to be effective and fruitful in our faith we should have these qualities in increasing measure – faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. When I find people who follow Jesus and exhibit these qualities, I know I have company surviving the hallway of public discourse on faith.

It is time for everyone who follows Jesus to grow up. That doesn’t mean abandoning the rules and neither does it mean being enslaved to the rules. What it means is following the One who fulfilled the rules and promises daily to give us everything we need for life and godliness – Jesus.

Don’t take the bait from the cool kids and don’t be bullied by the junior Pharisees. There’s another voice calling – the voice of the Shepherd. Follow Him. You hear Him, don’t you?

It is time for Christians to grow up https://t.co/8TFLepotZv #amwriting #evangelicals #livingforJesus #lovingthechurch

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 15, 2016

We Aren’t Dead Yet, But Thanks for Asking . . .

Dear Shea Watts and all your friends at the Huffington Post,

How blithely you speak of the death of my faith! How cultured you sound as you articulate the position you’ve cultivated about me based on connections fabricated by the media and politicos of the day. In your expansive wisdom you’ve spared me your compassion and simply informed me that the time has come for me to fall like the autumn leaves and become compost for the new life you see emerging for America. A new life that requires my death, a sort of religious euthanasia, really, as if you expect me to express gratitude that you’re ending my life before it’s natural conclusion out of your great kindness. Spare me.

Your keen insight seems based on observations of the Republican party which you assume everyone knows represents my faith, as an American Christian. I’ll have you know this is a false construct. My soul has no political affiliation. My love for Christ transcends any one political candidate. It crosses national borders, and bridges divisions greater than the congressional aisle. Followers of Jesus Christ, from the birth of the church until now, have lived from hearts of service, compassion, reconciliation, and redemption. We love because He loves us and we live our love in every corner of the planet.

As an American Christian, I welcome the recognition of an erupting pluralistic society. It was in the midst of another pluralistic society that Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again. The same pluralistic society was the cradle of the early church. Have no fear, pluralistic neighbors will not consume nor bury the church of Christ but fuel the fire of our faith.

There’s nothing natural about death. Death is the enemy but because of Jesus, death is a defeated enemy. I don’t fear death. The church of Jesus has never derived its life from popularity or polls but solely from Jesus so don’t be so hasty to declare our demise. He faced and conquered death so those of us who follow Him can do the same.

You say “Imagine what this type of Christianity might look like: A Christianity of the future is not about right thinking; rather, it is about acting rightly, justly.” I have to mention the obvious that right acting is born from right thinking.

You seem to have a view of Christians derived from soundbites, media clips, and late night monologues, not from a deep experience with actual

Christians. We’re not a perfect bunch, but we’re the first to confess this. What needs to die is the caricature of Christians perpetuated by the loudest voices of our times. I am not an editorial cartoon or a wacky supporting character on a sitcom. I am a living, breathing, American woman with a deep abiding faith in Jesus Christ that I cherish and that drives me to acts of love, sacrifice, and service to my neighbor. That’s not something you want to cheer on to death unless you’re a culture that celebrates death. As for me, I will continue to celebrate life.

Sometimes when an entity is crushed, pressed, and appears smaller, it’s true worth and power is revealed. This is what will happen with the church of Christ in America and in the world.

Thank you for listening, not dead yet,

In response to your blog in The Huffington Post

We Aren't Dead Yet, But Thanks for Asking . . . https://t.co/TKTUPUVh07 #SheaWatts #HuffingtonPost #amwriting #amwritingfaith

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 11, 2016

Discomfort Ye My People – Or Why Guitar Players Make Effective Christians

My development as a guitar player is seriously arrested.

I am a guitar player. I own one. In fact, I own two – a six-string acoustic and a twelve-string. I’ve played on church music teams. I can pick it up, finger some basic chords, and strum. By sixth grade, I could play simple worship songs and John Denver tunes (Don’t judge me; it was the seventies).

Here’s the trouble. I still play the way I did in sixth grade. The ten basic chords I learned from Ms. Basillion, my music instructor, remain, nearly fifty years later, the extent of my guitar playing ability. I suffer from arrested acoustic development.

There’s a simple reason why this is true: to grow as a guitarist I must endure discomfort.

I figured out my own hampered picking method in sixth grade but it’s not a flexible hand position and doesn’t work with many tunes. Several times through the years, someone has tried to help me correct this but it didn’t take long for me to see it would take hours of finger-numbing practice to overcome the improper positioning. Proper hand positioning felt strange, unnatural, and downright uncomfortable. It wasn’t intuitive because at this point, my improper positioning is what felt right and strong.

Also, I’ve never learned bar chords. My fingers are short and stubby so I use that as an excuse but I know the reality is that my fingers are not an insurmountable barrier. Turns out, my unwillingness to endure discomfort is. If I committed myself to the work and to repeatedly instructing my brain that the discomfort signal it was receiving was actually the pathway to success, I would become a more effective and fruitful guitarist. Now, I’m not dead yet so I could still correct my guitar playing (but you suspect already this post isn’t about musical accomplishment).

A similar situation happened when I started karate in my forties. I had never done a push-up but they were a required element of the workout. I worked hard at them for months and proudly demonstrated fifteen in a row to my instructor. He wasted no time in explaining that my fifteen push-ups were completely ineffective because I didn’t have the proper positioning. (No wonder they came so easily.) In order to pass the test for black belt, I would have to execute 70 of these babies correctly. There was no way forward except to endure the extreme discomfort of relearning and building my way back up or remain a white belt forever.

This happens often in the church.

A brother or sister quietly mentions that they’ve given up reading the Bible because they don’t get it. They hear other people speaking about the Bible like a fount of comfort and insight but that’s not what happens when they read. So silently they’ve closed theirs and endure a sense of isolation to which they’ve become accustomed. Speaking up requires a level of discomfort, so does learning a new way.

Another brother or sister states that they doubt God hears them because they tried praying, sometimes they still try, but nothing ever happens. Not like what happens to others. Again, the situation crops up with sharing our faith, engaging in fellowship with other Christians, speaking hard truths, or worshiping in a new style. We take a stab at an aspect of the Christian life and settle for learning and practicing what is most comfortable even when we suspect (or are told) there is a pathway to greater effect and fruitfulness. The reason? To take that pathway requires us to endure extended periods of discomfort.

I’ve settled on my guitar playing because life is short and there are other things in which I choose to excel. I worked at the push-ups because I wanted (and eventually earned) that black belt. I push through great discomfort to write for Jesus and I continue to experience sometimes unbearable periods of discomfort in order to grow up in Him.

It’s popular for Christians to say they’ve chosen a church or way to live because “I just feel a peace about it. This feels right so it must be from God.” There is a peace that comes from God but it often comes in the midst of doing things that don’t feel “right” at all. They feel hard, gritty, uncomfortable, and awkward – at first.

There are days I want to avoid God’s Word the way I avoid photos of myself or 360 mirrors – I’m not always up for the truth it reveals. There are times I want to believe that a simple five-minute prayer muttered over my day is sufficient and if stuff happens to me or to loved ones well, that was God’s will and there’s nothing I could have done about it. When the truth is that partnering with God in prayer moves forces in heaven and earth that affect us all. As uncomfortable as it is and as time-consuming as it is, prayer is a weapon against the darkness. What discomfort would you endure in order to protect your loved ones?

We’re shy about encouraging one another to grow in Christ. We don’t want to sound like we’re judging. But, other guitar players aren’t judging me when they tell me if I work hard to overcome my bad habits, I can improve my playing. My karate instructor wasn’t trying to discourage me, he was interested in my getting an actual benefit for my hard work. And mature believers aren’t saying we aren’t Christians or we aren’t loved by Jesus when they tell us there is a way things work and if we endure the discomfort of learning that way, we will be effective and fruitful in our knowledge of Jesus.

There is a way things work.

If we study under a master guitarist or an advanced degree martial artist, we expect to have to keep working, sweating, and enduring uncomfortable things for as long as we engage in the art. We have been embraced by the Master of the Universe willing to instruct us on the art of living and loving like Jesus. How much more willing should we be to endure discomfort in order to grow up in our faith?

Are you uncomfortable now? I hope so.

Discomfort Ye My People – or Why Guitar Players make Effective Christians https://t.co/z2P2UymZcy #spiritualgrowth #amwriting #prayer #Jesus

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 5, 2016

I Want What You Have – a Story from the Dragon Files

I want what you have.

It’s bad enough I don’t have it but when I see you enjoying it, the dragon appears. This dragon was already whispering to me that I should have what you have, that I should find some way to get it for myself. When I noticed you have what I want, the dragon went into overdrive.

He whispered things to me. Things that made me feel lesser because you have what I want. Words that helped me see that if you have what I want and I don’t, somehow you win. Somehow that puts you ahead of me or above me or more loved than I or more powerful. The dragon’s words are very convincing.

In fact, even though I loved you, now I despise you. I want what you have so much I’m willing to destroy you, even though that won’t get me what you have. You can’t see what’s happening because I’m still smiling, wishing you well with my words, my expression, and my stance but in my eyes, there’s a fire-breathing dragon and he has us both in his sights. He loves this sword because it slices us both with a single glance.

I’m mentally picking your life apart looking for the holes, creating some when I can’t find them. The dragon suggests there are probably a thousand ways I’m better than you are and right now, I’m determined to find them. I recite them to myself – things real, rumored, or imagined, and though you don’t feel any smaller, I’m deconstructing you with my thoughts, wrapping myself in your failings like a warm blanket against the chill.

You have the figure I want, sure, but I’ll bet you’re miserable to live with so your marriage is probably struggling behind closed doors. Your family has the money I desire but I’ll bet your kids aren’t as perfect as they appear. You’re more talented and successful than I, but what worldly compromises did you have to make to achieve that? Hmph, I bet faith-wise you’re a fraud.

At this point, I no longer care who you are. Best friend. Sister or brother in the faith. Family. Coworker. Spiritual leader. Small group member. Total stranger. There are no boundaries when the dragon breaths fire into my mind. You have what I want and that makes you fair game. I don’t care if it separates us, diminishes my love and compassion, or even causes you pain. You have what I want, you see, so comfort yourself with that.

The dragon is artfully persuasive because he’s been having this conversation for a very long time. Abel had God’s approval for his sacrifice, which was a good thing. Unfortunately Cain wanted God’s approval and didn’t receive it. The dragon convinced Cain the best recourse would be to destroy Abel.

Sarah wanted a baby, the baby promised her by God. When her plan to fulfill His promise for Him resulted in her maidservant delivering Abraham’s child, the dragon incited Sarah to abuse the very girl she’d employed for the job. The Middle East is still reeling from the blows.

Rachel and Leah wanted babies, too. When Leah appeared to enjoy unending fertility, it sparked a rivalry that planted seeds of enmity affecting family dynamics and making Jacob’s love a sparse commodity among his sons.

Young Joseph had his father’s love. A father’s love is a good thing until someone else has it. His older brothers despised Joseph for having what they wanted. Things worsened when God gave Joseph a dream portending leadership in Joseph’s path. He shared the dream and this inspired his brothers’ dragons to conspire. The Bible records the moment with these ominous words, “So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” Genesis 37:8b.

The dragon was still whispering when Jesus walked the earth. Pilate tried to get the crowds to call for Jesus’ release because “he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up.” Mark 15:10

So, when I smile at you, thinking thoughts that tear you down for what you have that I do not, I am actually gestating death. James warns us, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:14-15

If envy flares like a flame or flits through my thoughts like a hummingbird, it confirms my humanity. If I allow envy to tarry, if I stoke its appetite with the pure oxygen of my own desires, I invite the dragon. The dragon is a sore loser. He has lost to Jesus so now, he is after us, making war against God’s people until He comes. We often become weapons against one another.

God always provides a way out of temptation and sin. The way out of envy is to take every thought captive. Confess the temptation. Submit to Jesus. Resist the devil. Ask for God’s heart for the one envied. Pray for that person for hours, for days, for months, until God’s love for him or her occupies your thoughts and fills your spirit leaving no room for envy.

Attune your ear to God’s voice. Silence every other. Especially the dragon. Entertain just a few strains of his song and it won’t be long before you’re singing his venomous tune. Envy is one of the dragon’s favorite weapons because with it, he destroys both the object of the envy and the one foolish enough to give envy a foothold.

How about you? Have you been visited by the dragon? Beware the double-edged sword you hear being sharpened even now in his lair. One edge has your name on it, my friend.

I Want What You Have – a Story from the Dragon Files https://t.co/GQQXGsRyzx #envy #antidotetoenvy #amwriting #spiritualwarfare

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) March 2, 2016

The Thing I Really Fear – and It’s Not Named Donald or Hilary

There’s something wrong with me.

If you know me, you’ve probably started a list (comment below with your add-ons), but one thing I’ll admit that’s wrong with me is that I fear the wrong things. Well, at least if I’m to identify as an evangelical Christian in America. Specifically, I’m not afraid of who will become the next president. God sets up kings and deposes them. (Daniel 2:21). He puts the governing powers in place. (Romans 13:1)

I don’t trust the American voters as far as I can throw a tantrum but I trust God completely. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. He has the first and last word on my life – not Barak Obama, Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton, not even Dr. Ben Carson.

I study the issues and watch the debates. I form opinions. I vote. But, honestly, doesn’t it feel some days as if we’ve been blindfolded and told to choose a prom dress from a selection at the dollar store? Voting in the days of spin and social media takes the discernment of Solomon. I certainly don’t want to judge other believers based on which horse they back in this race.

Listen, intercede for America. Speak absolute truth in public arenas. Share the biblical standard for leadership. However, those of us who follow a God who commands us not to fear shouldn’t give in to fear nor foster it in others. The Bible is true and Jesus is present in countries where dictators rule as well as in countries where democracy is in place. My soul cannot be in a state of unrest or at ease depending on who sits in the Oval Office but only at who sits on the throne of my life.

You’ve heard it told that the command not to fear appears something like 366 times in the Bible. Okay, that’s true, but God’s our Father so, just like earthly parents, it’s not so much that He wants us to be completely unafraid as Him wanting us to fear the right things.

Fear of the Lord is healthy and good for the soul. You know how I know? Red letters. Jesus said, “’I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!’” Luke 12:4-5

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses instructed Joshua to teach the people not to fear their enemy but to learn to fear the Lord. I taught my children not to fear monsters under the bed or people who judged them based on their clothing but I wanted them to fear running into the street and running afoul of the Lord’s commands.

So yes, I do have fears.

I fear losing connection with the head of the Body of Christ, Jesus. I’ve seen a chicken body flapping frantically around a farmyard without its head. Not a pretty sight.

I fear lapsing into disobedience by allowing my own selfish desires to blind me to the right choice.

I fear underestimating the power of prayer and under-utilizing it when the world could be a much different place if only I hadn’t chosen an extra hour of television or Facebook over an extra hour on my knees.

I fear losing my hunger and thirst for righteousness.

I fear caving into the pressure of the world, compromising truth, or choosing boldness over meekness, hardness over love, self-protection over forgiveness, and greed over sacrificial giving.

I fear falling prey to false teaching and leading others astray by repeating it.

I fear the slow paralyzing creep of spiritual sloth affecting my time in His Word and the power of His Spirit within me.

I fear being the cause of disunity among brothers and sisters in Christ and thus disrupting our witness to the world.

I fear that my love will grow cold in these times.

I take these fears to the Lord. They’re not crippling feelings but goads toward spiritual maturity. They are guardrails. They are a shepherd’s rod and staff. These are the fears of a daughter who lives in dangerous times and knows to stick close to her Father, to rely on His counsel, to follow His lead, to seek His face. These are fears that motivate me to keep my head in the game, to stay alert, to remain in God’s Word, in the Spirit, and in obedience body, mind, and strength.

These are fears that rule lesser fears. These fears send earthly fears running for the shadows. I’m not a brave woman but when my fears are properly ordered, I can live courageously. In Christ, courage is mine.

During these days of candidates shouting and pundits spouting, pay attention, loved ones but don’t allow the headlines to dictate the state of your mind or soul. Don’t let the talking heads determine your agenda.

There were eternal headlines set in place in ancient times that still rule those who walk by faith. Jesus engaged with opponents publicly but He never allowed them to set the agenda or determine His response. We follow Him.

I leave you with these words from Isaiah: “For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.” Isaiah 8:11-15

Can I get an Amen?

The Thing I Really Fear and It's Not Named Donald or Hilary https://t.co/7M8MJqR8xv #amwriting #DonaldTrump #evangelicals #Presidentialrace

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) February 27, 2016

Why Should I Go On A Bear Hunt? – Guest Post by Nan Jones

**Welcome to fellow LPC author, Nan Jones! I loved this post she wrote so much I asked if I could share it here. Go deeper with Jesus, loved ones! See you next post.

Like the frigid water tumbling over the polished stones, my thoughts tumbled and gurgled angrily against the obstacles in my mind. Distractions. Financial crisis. Heartbreak induced fibro flares. 

Real obstacles in a very real world.

But we’re not supposed to be of this world, even though we are in it.

I stood still on the creek bank and listened to the water as it moved along. A tall reed next to me swayed in the breeze. I could hear the birds of winter chattering in the Juniper tree behind me. Standing still is a good thing. Pondering the things of God is also a good thing.

I knew I needed to pray. Right then. At that very moment.

Lord, I don’t know how to get past this gigantic wall I’ve hit! Please, please help me.

I promise this is what dropped into my spirit:

You can’t go over it. You can’t go under it. You can’t go around it. You have to go through it!

I laughed out loud at God’s humor. Do you recall “Going on a Bear Hunt” from your childhood? That’s exactly what the Lord was speaking in my spirit! Every single obstacle the kids had as they searched for the bear was met with a decision: “We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. We can’t go around it. We’ll have to go through it!” Remember? Are you laughing now too? I used to love that little ditty. I didn’t realize until now that it held such deep biblical truth.

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, Pharaoh sent his armies to hunt them down and bring the people back into slavery. God’s people found themselves on the banks of the Red Sea with nowhere to go. Pharaoh’s armies were within earshot, the hooves of a thousand horses pounding against the sand. What were they to do? Their journey to freedom was blocked by the Red Sea.

They couldn’t go over it. They couldn’t go under it. They couldn’t go around it. They had to go through it.

Moses stood on the Word of God, raised his staff, stretched out his hand over the sea and it parted. Because of God’s faithfulness and Moses’ obedience, the children of God crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground and their enemies were swallowed up by the angry waves.

Joshua did much the same. He was leading the children of Israel into their promised land. After leaving Jericho, they came as far as the banks of the Jordan River and could go no farther. The land of their dreams was in sight. A place to call home was just across the river. But what could they do?

They couldn’t go over it. They couldn’t go under it. They couldn’t go around it. They had to go right through the middle of the Jordan River.

And once again God was faithful.

God told Joshua to tell the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go for it” (Joshua 3:3). The ark of the covenant was God’s dwelling place among the people as they journeyed through the wilderness. He would go before them to part the waters so they could reach their promised land.

Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and [the distractions and your financial crisis and your heartbreak creating such a fierce fibro flare]” paraphrased.

I opened my eyes to see not the gurgling and upset caused by obstacles to the flowing water. Instead, I saw polished stones, stones with no rough places, stones that glimmered against the water’s force.

I sensed the Lord stirring in my spirit again:

My Child, do you not know that I am with you? I am by your side to strengthen and guide. But you must take hold and trust Me. I have called you by your name – you are Mine. I have called you with wings of fire to melt the hearts of stone that have been wounded. But you must get over yourself. You must leave the past behind and move forward with Me, neither looking to the right nor the left. Listen for my directives and then do them. Do not hesitate. Do not make excuses. As you step out, strength and energy will meet you there. You will have all you need to accomplish the task I have given you. Trust Me, my child. Trust Me. Your hopes and dreams are unfolding before you, but you must trust and obey.

God’s Word would say to those of us who face an uncertain future, who feel like they’ve hit a brick wall, who don’t have the strength to take one more step:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” ~ Isaiah 43:1-3

Sweet friend, we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it. We can’t even go around it. We have to – yes, we must – go through it to the other side holding fast to the One who is faithful.

 

Nan Jones is an author/speaker who uses the words of her heart to assist fellow Christians in discovering the Presence of God in their darkest hour. She is thrilled to announce her debut book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife released June 30, 2015 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When Nan isn’t writing, she enjoys leading prayer retreats, bible studies or sharing God’s love as keynote speaker for special events. She is becoming known by her brand: “Even so, I walk in the Presence of the Lord” as she teaches her audience to go beyond the veil to find God’s Presence. You may visit Nan at her website: www.NanJones.com or her devotional blog, Morning Glory: http://morningglorylights.blogspot.com/.

Why Should I Go on a Bear Hunt? Welcome fellow LPC author Nan Jones guest posting! https://t.co/OrXB4Ds5JJ #amwriting #endurancetraining

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) February 25, 2016

And the Chariot You Rode in On, Sir!

If I was in a war, I would want a horse. Just sayin’.

In the movies, the warriors with the most power in battle, the ones who make it out alive – these guys are the ones on horseback. I would want a large, well-trained, battle-tested horse that was committed to me and could run like the wind. I’m not even that into horses but if I was in a war, I would want a horse.

and a chariot.

Or, the modern equivalent of a chariot. What would that be? Maybe an armored Humvee. Okay, I couldn’t take my horse on my Humvee, but the point is I would want the advantage over, not only the enemy, but also my own chances of being one of those on my side who makes it out alive. The horse would give me that advantage.

Except, that’s not what God says.

God says, “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.” Psalm 33:17 What? It’s like God hasn’t even seen Braveheart! Seriously, Your Holiness, horses rock the battlefield on this side of glory. In fact, I want to be issued an appropriate horse for every situation in my life. I want to be surrounded by an army of help. I want to feel strength course through my veins, superhuman strength, wall-scaling, head-busting, face-anything from anyone anywhere kind of God-infused strength.

But God counters my desire with this: “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.” Psalm 33: 16 What? Who wrote this Psalm? Sister Mary hide behind the garden walls and sing hymns all day? Nope. David. Goliath-slayer. Warrior extraordinaire. Battle-tested God lover. King.

And that single Psalm isn’t a fluke. Psalm 147:10 says this: “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;” So, apparently, even if I found my own horse, that wouldn’t impress God. Even if I manufactured my own strength, He wouldn’t be bowled over and want to favor me in battle. What’s up with that?

It’s because, I believe, God is the only Hero necessary on the battlefield. I mean, we’re there, too, partnering with Him, but our role is not to take His role. Our role is to bear witness to what He does, to follow both His lead and His instructions, and to enjoy the adventure. Even our ability to do that is powered by the light emanating from Him.

How do I know this? Psalm 147:11 says, “the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 33:18 says, “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,” And David, who feared(revered) God and put his hope in God’s unfailing love, wrote this in Psalm 20:7-8: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”

So, don’t come at me with your horses (or politicians or anti-politicians or popes or policies or polls) or your latest trend or your three-step solutions or your abracadabra life fixes. Just back right out the door, you and the chariot you rode in on.

I ride into battle with Jesus Christ.  I place my confidence in Him – not in any world leader or religious leader or even my own precious self. I intend to know victory so I delight in the Lord., trust in His name, and rise at His Word. Partnering with Jesus on the battlefield is a thing to behold, I tell you, a thing to behold.

Join me at 8pm EST Monday, 2.22.16, on my author page on Facebook for a discussion of the first five chapters of Running from a Crazy Man!

http://loriroeleveld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Crazy-Man-Invite.mp4

And the Chariot You Rode in on, Sir! https://t.co/BV3C0y0wla the best battle plans . . . #PresidentialElection #amwriting #spiritualwarfare

— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) February 21, 2016