Rise^Level^ - 1st Edition

    When we wake up to our alarm clocks every day, get dressed and head out into the world, we need to put our best selves forward and make an impact in the world around us.  Isn’t that the whole point of being the light in the darkness?  Let me start out first by explaining where the title of this blog is coming from.  Rise^Level^ is due to be the title for the published book that I came up with about a year ago.  When I found out that the theme for our church this year is – The year of the Next Level, I felt convicted that it was time to put pen to the page and get going – seasonally fitting eh?  Rise up Level up is about Christians in business and the challenges to maintaining our ethics, morality, and sanity as we navigate through the world.  There was a season where I was home with my kids, but I felt the draw to go back to work.  Talk about feeling out of place as a Christian, unsure of where my safe bubble was - like I felt at home or with my church family; I began to realize that working in the world is way more than going out to be the light in the darkness. It’s also about knowing our identity, walking in love, spiritual warfare, and coming home and fixing the chinks in our armor so that the next day we can go out and be even more victorious than the day before.  I’ve had this message on my heart for at least a year now.  Overwhelmed with the intentions of making this into a book, I’ve delayed writing.  Excuses of being in school full time, working full time, parenting two teenagers full time, being a wife full time…  all these things have consumed my attention, but today; a message came out of my pastors' mouth that resonated me and told me that it was time to release what’s been inside of me.  My pastor said – “if you’re not sharing what you’ve gone through with the body – how are you making an impact and helping people to go to the next level”?  I knew in that moment that I needed to skip worrying about the end goal of a book and just start getting this out to those of you around me who also need that boost.  Rise up level up is a group of testimonies of the little victories that I’ve had in my business journey and how I’ve navigated through them.  The battles I’ve won from spiritual warfare, the advancements I’ve made by furthering my education, essentially the good, the bad and the ugly of navigating through the journey that I’m on. I hope what you read challenges you and encourages you to rise up to the challenge that God has called you to in your life.

    Even though I work in the world of manufacturing, where pressure, anger, tight deadlines and urgency flow like the Niagara Falls, I can’t be more thankful that there is a time to go home at the end of the day where I can decompress, remember that I’m loved, and rest.  This world doesn’t relent; we can either swim or be swallowed up by the tide.  Ok ok, so I’ve described the dark – but what good has come out of this season of my life? Strength!  More strength and growth that I never knew could exist within me. For this very reason alone is why this message has been on my heart to share.  I think the season has accelerated the need to release this and help build up those around me who may be struggling to grow in the same situation. 

    Growing up, I had no idea who I wanted to be when I was older. Now that I am, I’m more focused and on a path of my own that God has laid out for me.  I went to college right out of high school to start working on my associates.  I didn’t finish until years later when I determined within myself that I would pick it back up and get my degree.  In 2013, while working full time, going through a divorce and raising my kids, I did it.  I completed my associates degree online.  Being in churches where higher education wasn’t as important as being the light in the darkness, kept me blind to the fact that the world likes degrees. Naively thinking that I could truly take over things that I had no skill for, forced me to take a second look at what I needed to succeed.  Listening to Lance Wallnau teach on the seven mountains made me realize that If I truly wanted to impact the world around me, I needed to decide what it is that I needed to be doing, and go after it with everything I got.  I’m very business minded and knew that the light I wanted to be was in the business world.  Determined to run a company of my own, I set forth on the path of Business management. Getting a degree and working in the world is one skill that is a benefit to have.  

The Bible explains to us many times that knowledge and wisdom are the keys to success.  We can’t simply be like Solomon and pray for wisdom and expect to be given boatloads of money, a title, and a solid life to enjoy.  Solomon was raised to be a king from the time he was born.  Solomon was groomed for greatness, and that’s why getting a higher education is so key to becoming a leader in our society.  There are many great leaders in our Christian world, that have a great level of education.  Heidi Baker, who runs Iris Global Ministries and is a total powerhouse for the Kingdom, has her Masters degree.  Keith Moore and Kenneth Copeland are also two powerhouses who I admire that went on to higher education and look at the lives they’re leading and the droves of people they’re changing in their ministries.  Another great in my book is Doctor Cindy Trimm, a woman who went from absolute poverty as a child to a multi-millionaire and ridiculously successful businesswoman as an adult.  Of course we see examples of people who didn’t finish college and say to ourselves – "if they can do it without a degree, so can I".  Unless you’re as innovative as Steve Jobs who created Apple, or Henry Ford with Ford motor company, you really might want to consider going to college to give yourself the solid skill level that employers are looking for.  It’s not just the degree that they want, it’s the skills within the work you’ve dedicated yourself to throughout your schooling that sets you apart.  Recently at a security summit in Las Vegas, the director of homeland security Steve Albritton was there talking about the key things that are needed to set you apart and make you successful in his field in particular.  One of the things that Albritton said that stuck with me is that you not only need to show your degree but demonstrate how you’re going to use it to make a difference in your field.  You need to be able to take your ideas and promote them and justify the reasoning behind them to help earn your credibility.  CEO’s get this tactic.  Praying for God to give you the words to speak is nothing like having been trained by those who know to speak to kings already.  Just as Solomon, Moses, David, etc. knew how to speak to kings, we will need to learn that skill if we want to be influential in our fields.  Let’s take Esther for instance.

    Esther is a woman who truly learned to Rise up and Level up. This woman came from the invisibility of society and became the most influential woman in the kingdom.  Esther didn’t do this overnight; she had to learn to rise up.  In Esther 2, we see the contest for the queen.  Esther enters in, and after spending a year in preparation, it’s go time. Now mind you, this contest wasn’t like a standard beauty pageant.  The king sent out a decree commanding young virgins to be brought to him, he wasn’t afraid to put people to death, and this was no exception.  Whether or not Esther and the king had sex that night is up for debate, and not part of what I’m discussing here.  What I am talking about is the fact that Esther, who was orphaned by her parents and raised by her uncle, was a woman who was probably used to talking to and being talked to strongly by men.  Mordecai was a man who grew used to battle.  Mordecai’s own father was carried off in battle and became a prisoner of war.  Honoring his family meant that when Esther’s parents died, Mordecai stepped up to the plate and took her in as his own child.  Being orphaned as a child, probably forced Esther into maturity. Honoring the king, forced her into worldly kingdom life, after spending life privately as a persecuted Jew.  When Mordecai learns of Haman's plot to sell the Jews into destruction, He petitions Esther for her help.  Knowing that the king isn’t afraid to put to death, anyone who approaches his kingdom without his petition, Esther naturally becomes scared. Even as her husband, The King isn’t the warm and loving husband that many of us are accustomed to.  A womanizer at best, He and Esther didn’t spend a whole lot of time together.  Sure, she was queen, but He was the one who ruled.  Afraid to approach the King, Esther calls for a fast and uses that time to find her courage.  “Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes (her identity) and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house… So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand.  Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.”  Esther 5:1,2.  For Esther, it took a communal period of fasting for her to find her identity as a true queen and go into the inner courts boldy to approach the king.  Her boldness attracted his favor.  Esther was then able to request a banquet with the king and Haman.  When the king decides to put Haman to death, only a portion of the situation was over. Time is running short and, Esther starts to panic.  This time, Esther doesn’t wait for the king to hand the scepter to her.  She falls at his feet in a puddle of tears crying and pleading for the king to withdraw his decree to kill the Jews.   Would you go to your VP like this?  In an out of character move, the king holds the scepter out to Esther as if to tell her – Get it together woman – look who you’re talking to.  And this is perhaps the most beautiful part of the entire story.  Esther comes to herself and remembers who she is.  She’s not a crying little helpless girl, Esther is a Queen!  Esther 8:4 says “So Esther arose and stood before the king.”  Esther arose and spoke to the king as a king desires to be spoken to. Esther tells the king the problem, and she proposes a solution.  The king not only grants her request, he also gives her and Mordecai the full authority to write the decree themselves, hands off his signet ring as if to sign the letter himself.  Seriously! This is power at its finest! Ladies, we read in the story of Joseph how he was sold into slavery and then appointed to be the executive assistant to the king – this is no less amazing!  Esther went from obscurity to tactical military strategist, running a kingdom.  So how do we have our own stories of impact?  How do we go from today to changing the world through business?  One of the most prominent foundations that we need to have as believers is the same thread that keeps recurring in the story of Esther, and truly throughout the bible as a whole… Identity.  We are never going to impact the world without being rooted in the identity that only comes from remaining in Christ.

    Over and over again in my career, the problems I’ve had and the willingness to press forward when I’ve wanted to quit, all come down to my identity and remaining solid in the foundation of who HE says that I am. I’ve had my days where I’ve been victorious and powerful like Esther, I’ve had days when I’ve fallen apart and ran to the bathroom crying, I’ve had days where I’ve had to reach out to a mentor to get help understanding the situation, and then there are those days where, after seeing the scepter held out to me, I wipe my tears, pull myself together and boldly go back into the ring to accomplish victoriously all that I need to do.  Before I was blessed with a wonderful mentor who is also the CEO of a local company and one of the godliest and powerful women I know, I struggled to navigate this world of business on my own.  If you find yourself struggling – not wanting to go to the next level because where you are is hard, let me encourage you-you're not alone.  You were never meant to do this life alone or to be alone in the dark as you try to shed your light.  We need to do life together.  We need to do community.  The military doesn’t conquer cities one man at a time, why do we think we can overcome the working world on our own?  All in all, the heart of what I want to get across to everyone is to stop quitting what was started.  How many times have you or someone you know quit their job because people were mean or the job was hard?  The Bible tells us that we are victorious and conquerors, isn’t it time to live out who God says that we are by stepping into that identity?  Keep with me on this journey as I tell you about some personal victories I’ve had.  Perhaps that office ogre will finally leave If you press into your spiritual authority, or maybe that situation will get better if you start using the skills you learn on a Sunday for the rest of your work week.  Together we can conquer any battle because two can put ten thousand to flight better than the one alone.

    Further on, I will be discussing topics such as Identity, love, spiritual warfare and working with Honor.  If you have any topics you’d like to see here or questions or comments to add, let me know.  May this article find you blessed and encouraged, and looking forward to more messages.  Shine bright as you go forth with your day and know – you CAN do all things through Christ who gives you strength, you CAN win at your workplace, and you ARE successful – because you care enough to want to be in His plan for your life.  Don’t quit warrior – you’ve just hit the next level!

Erika Collins

Mary Without Chaos... Adapting

I started pondering Mary recently.  Mary was a young woman; willing to be used by God and able to handle the unknown.   My pondering wasn’t so much on why she said yes, it was more on how she handled all that life threw at her.  I got to thinking – What kind of life did she live that she was so adaptable to what was happening with her.  I’m a working mom and wife with three daughters, an amazing husband, a house and a crazy puppy.  Sometimes I don’t roll with the punches so well.  My head sinks into the worry of control instead of putting my needs in the box marked “Jesus takes care of this one”.  So back to Mary – what was with her and how did she do life with such grace?

            I started out by asking about her home life.  Was Mary well to do or not so much, and what I found out was that – Mary’s family was actually in the lineage of King David.  Due to the long period of time that the Israelites were in captivity, the status and the wealth of their family reduced them to poverty.  Mary's family were still devout Jews however; Training up in the Holy Scriptures.  Somewhere along the line, they had also taught Mary.  I imagine the family sitting around, Dad reading scripture to his children, and Mary soaking in every detail.  Hearing of the hope of the coming King, she ponders these prophecies in her heart – hoping to be part of the story someday.  A virgin mother will bring forth the birth of the savior of the world.  I can see it as my modern day Wonder Woman.  In the same way that we have people we look up to, Mary saw all this unfulfilled prophecy and dreamed of a time where she could be the instrument to help it come to pass.

            And then, enter the Angel of the Lord – Mary – God found favor in you and wants you to birth baby Jesus.  Without thought of the Jewish law, she says YES!  Being an unwed mother or having sex out of marriage would have meant being stoned to death for this innocent young woman.  But being a woman after God’s heart - she had blinders on for the one who had captivated her imaginations and thoughts.

            My next question then came – Why, after finding out from the Angel that she was pregnant did she rush off to take care of Elizabeth?  I pondered the Law – was she aware that she could be stoned to death?  Was she aware that Joseph had considered divorce?  I wondered, if she had known all this – perhaps did she have a chat with her mom and dad?  “Mom, Dad, An angel came and told me I’m pregnant with the savior of the world and well… I’m keeping Him – don’t hate me – I swear I didn’t do anything wrong… and by the way – Elizabeth is pregnant too so I’m running away… “But reading further into the Magnificat, we see a Mary who is completely in love and excited – so there was absolutely no fear within her about her upcoming motherhood, or the social stigma that could ensue.

Luke 1:46-55English Standard Version (ESV)

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

⁴⁶ And Mary said,  “My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Perfect love was growing within her womb – there was no place for fear or sorrow; no place for concern or worry – Just pure Love and Joy.

            I can only speculate and ponder the actual events that occurred during those nine months.  Researching why Mary went to visit Elizabeth, I pondered also – was it Jewish tradition for a woman to help another in their end stages of pregnancy?  Did Mary go to serve Elizabeth?  That would be something of a cultural norm I suppose.  Did you know that Zechariah was a priest?  During his time at the temple when he had the encounter with the Angel, he was serving for his time period of duty.  The angel foretold of his son John being filled with the Holy Spirit before birth (Luke 1:15).  Upon Mary’s arrival, this prophecy comes true, and Mary becomes the very first evangelist in history.  Mary enters Elizabeth’s home and baby John leaps within Elizabeth’s womb, being filled with the Holy Spirit.  Can you imagine the conversations that must have taken place in that home at that time?  Zechariah not being able to talk because the angel had shut up his mouth for doubting the word from the Lord, listening in on Mary as she excitedly talks about her angelic visitations and how they aligned with what the scriptures foretold – and then being told she was with child…  Can you imagine the joy and excitement as she was received with love because the Holy Spirit had already confirmed the great event that was unfolding in front of their lives?

            Joseph seemed to be the only one struggling with current events in this story.  How had Mary become pregnant when they hadn’t known each other – the great disappointment and sorrow – yet he loved her enough that he was going to take care of business with her in a way that would protect her.  Annnnnd then the angel shows up and is like – dude – she’s good – you still should marry her because she’s carrying God’s baby, she’s still a virgin and she’s really going to need you.  So Joseph changes his mind and gets in alignment with God’s plan.  What ensues is still vague to me – I’m not sure if when Mary returned from Elizabeth’s, if Joseph and Mary started living together or not – I’m assuming they did because Luke 2:4-5 says that when the time came for them to travel to Egypt for the Census, he went with Mary, his betrothed (He wouldn’t have considered divorce if they weren’t married).  Betrothed can also mean engaged, but in their day – it was a legal binding commitment.  Matthew 1:24 says also that when Joseph awoke from the angelic visitation – he “took” his wife.  I presume it fair to even think that because of this swift action, Mary possibly didn’t have to face the shame of being unwed and pregnant – she was covered by the protection of the Lord – I could be wrong.

The Joy of the Lord was her strength.

In this busy season of Christmas with all the planning and parties and shopping and getting, it can be overwhelming.   Mary – in her ninth month of pregnancy had to go to Egypt with Joseph for the Census that was taking place.  A long ride... on a donkey... when you’re already uncomfortable.  To boot, after arriving, she goes into labor.  Joseph had been looking for a place for them to stay to no avail, and now it’s seriously crunch time.  This is the part I’ve been pondering lately – With all that I have on my to-do list – I admit – I’ve let the stress get to me.  But the thought of being in the position where my baby is arriving and I don’t have a crib or car seat or any of the cute little things that go along with having a newborn, much less a hospital!!!  That would have been reason enough for a serious meltdown for me.  I honestly think I would have demanded something – thrown out the obvious – can’t you see I’m in labor?  I need a room and I need one NOW!  No ambulance to call, no hospital to comfortably go to with attending doctors and nurses – No – she ends up in a barn.  I mean seriously… I’m probably way too city girl to be compared to Mary.  Just the smell of cows and their remains is enough to make me want to gag – but to delivery my new baby there?  No wait – to even go in a barn when I’m not pregnant is not on top of my – let’s do this – list.  This story parallels the stories we hear occasionally of women who do those drive through births – yeah I sneezed and the baby came out, or – I didn’t make it to the hospital so he was delivered in the car…  Such an anomaly that the story of the birth alone is enough to bind every pregnant woman as close to a birthing center as possible.

So what’s the difference between our hustle and bustle to get it all done on a deadline?  What differentiates us from Mary?  She was so full of the presence of the living God, and as the word says – in his presence there is fullness of Joy, there is freedom.  The wealth of the kingdom travelled with her because of who she carried.  Really, we are no different – but it takes a choice.  It takes a choice to put God first in our day.  It takes a choice to commune with the Holy Spirit for our strength in the chaos of life.  It took a choice to say yes to God to carry His son, and it take a choice from us to say yes to God daily.  When the car repair bills come in, when bills are due but there’s no money left, when the deadline has come and we’re not ready – it takes a choice to put your foot forth and trust in the one who wrote every day of ours before one of them has ever come to pass (Psalms 139).  Mary wasn’t without the pain that we face in life.  Even as prophecies rolled in about their son Jesus, it was told to them that their son would cause them a soul wound.  (Luke 2:34-35)

The very thing that brought pain to Mary and Joseph brings healing to our souls.  The chasm of pain from lost loved ones can be filled by Jesus.  The peace from financial turmoil can be found in Jesus.  The rest from the hustle and bustle of life can be found in Jesus.  Mary put Jesus first above her own life.  What can you do to make him above all the other things that are calling for your attention?  Start by spending time with him – in his word.   We have a benefit available to us that can never be taken away.  Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord promised that he would never leave us or forget about us.  Accessing Him through spending time in his word, talking with him through prayer, or pressing into his presence in worship – it’s the only true way that we can be like Mary in a chaotic and busy life.  What a gift we have been given – to do life with the spirit of the living God within us.

“By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit”  1 John 4:13

Jesus we praise you for life that you give us in abundance.  Help me today to not be overwhelmed by the tasks and stresses that work to bog me down and keep me from the Joy of you.  Show me where I can take more time out to be with you.  Help me to rekindle more of a passion for your word and a great desire for your presence.  Thank you God for your examples of women in the bible that I can glean so much wisdom from.  Help me also God to cast every single care I have on you and to let it go.  In Jesus name Amen

 

I had fun researching for this blog – I listed the sites I referred from below – and of course used the bible for references – Luke 1 and Matthew 1&2

http://www.historyswomen.com/womenoffaith/mary.htm

http://www.stephanielandsem.com/2013/12/unwed-and-pregnant/

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15480a.htm

http://stempublishing.com/magazines/cf/1898/Marys-Visit-to-Elizabeth.html

http://www.catholic.com/blog/tim-staples/when-were-joseph-and-mary-married

 

A Marriage of Honor

Ok, ok so the “S” word has you thinking – what’s this article going to be about?  You guessed it – the subject of submission.  Now put away your torches and pitchforks because I want to explain it through, in a way that the Lord put on my heart.  I want to make it absolutely clear what submission is – and what submission is not.  I have been in unhealthy relationships that have tainted my perception of what submission was NOT supposed to be, but God has brought me to a place to understand what the definition is truly supposed to mean according to the word of God RIGHTLY divided.  (He really heals everything!)  You see – we have to come to the place where we stop taking scripture out of context.  Basic hermeneutics (rightly dividing scripture) will teach you how to interpret a text.  You can never just take a scripture and make a law out of it – how do you know if you’re interpreting it right?  It MUST have some history to go along with it, and supporting scriptures to back it up.  That’s precisely what this article is about;   Taking the sting out of submission.  Many abusive relationships have been born out of the submission issue.  God never intended submission to be used to hurt us ladies – it was meant to be a means to bless us with the desires of our hearts.  Seriously!  Read on...

 Honor Vs. Submission

The definition of Honor, according to Webster’s dictionary, is: Respect that is given to someone who is admired.  Submission is defined by Webster’s as a state of being obedient; accepting authority or control.  The Greek lexicon translates the word submit as Hupotasso and gives us a very similar definition of submitting as Webster’s.  When we merge honor with submission it will be easy to see how biblically, submission can be done without fear or angst, or wanting to live single the

rest of our lives.  When a man is fully submitted to God, he is able to lead a wife well – yes men – you are called to submission also!

We live in quite an advanced society where many women have had to step up and be in the role of both husband and wife, mother and father.  We as women have become strong and independent.  It was never God’s intention to have women play both roles.  Ephesians 5:25 says ”Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.  When you have a Godly husband who is willing to change and grow under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you have a husband that is easy to trust and admire (and husbands when you do obey the Lord your life will be more blessed!)  Submitting to his wants and desires becomes an act of love and not something done out of a religious spirit.  To give you an example, my husband and I recently bought our first home.  We’ve been busy putting it together and making it our own, and busy with volunteering for the different ministries we enjoy.  One weekend, there was a conference three hours away he wanted to attend but I just wanted to cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and enjoy the glow of the fireplace with a good book.  We could have gone two ways… 1. Me demanding my way or 2. Submitting to his desires out of love.  So what did I choose?  I chose to go.  What shocked me was how the Lord spoke to my heart that night for going, and the following day, I was blessed by someone asking for me to consider a leadership position.  And this is where I will dig in and get into scripture to show you how the Lord revealed to me that submission brings a great blessing.

For starters, God made eve out of the side of Adam, not his feet to be walked on.  Deuteronomy 28:13 says “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God.  God is our peace, I pray in your marriage that you can have the unity that He calls us to in Ephesians 2:14 “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself a new man in place of the two, so making peace.  When you got married, you became one.  When we are in Christ, we are one in Him.  Consider with me that being one in Christ as a married couple makes the both of you brides?  Yes he is a male – and your earthly husband – but he also becomes a bride along with the body when he receives Christ.  This revelation for me – took the fear out of submission – because knowing that we are equal partners – we willingly submit to each others desires.  Submission is not supposed to be about being controlled by a selfish tyrant who thinks his main role is to be served by you.  Submission is honoring one another above yourselves, thinking of the other person more highly than you think of yourself.  Your  wants and desires will be met when you decide that “love your neighbor as yourself” should be used in your own home.  So many times people go out into the world for the sake of having their hands in a “ministry” when they can’t even handle what they’ve got going on at home. 
Christ came to abolish the rules – and he succeeded, but that doesn’t mean that there aren't alignments that need to happen within our hearts, minds and homes.  I have been corrected and adjusted more times than I can count – because I have learned that submitting myself to the correction and discipline of the Lord brings better and greater rewards than when I try to accomplish something on my own.  The word of God tells us not to be unequally yoked with an unbeliever, yet so many women today compromise and allow your lives to be incredibly difficult by not waiting for God’s best.  In my single life, God was very strict with me about my purity.  And when my husband and I started dating we heard God warn that if we were intimate before marriage it would destroy us.  So we waited – it was soooo hard but we waited – because in that dating period, God was revealing some of our future to us.  Our vision for our future unified, and because of our obedience, now married, we are starting to see that vision come to fruition.  There is NO excuse you can make that will ever be good enough to God on why you refuse to obey him as your Lord.  He has nothing but the best of plans for you – blessings beyond your wildest dreams.  But it all starts with submission.  I know we all hate that word, but it’s really about love – not about being controlled or second place.  When we are in submission to God, he honors us – and scripture says that he makes us to be the head and not the tail.  Ephesians 2:6 reads that we were raised up with him and he seated us with him In the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  Grace has covered where we have fallen short, but it’s important to know that when we humble ourselves from the pride of our independence and allow

Jesus to be our King, we get blessed like a well kept wife.  It is our duty as men and women to come into alignment when we’ve been shown the truth, deciding to continue to disobey falls under the spirit of disobedience and rebellion, which are open doors to the enemy that bring curses upon your life.

I’m going to take a moment and put an aside here, abuse is NEVER the intent of the Lord.  If your spouse is physically, emotionally or financially harming you, you need to seek help.  Submission does not mean that you allow abuse to happen.  Your marriage is supposed to be reflecting the love of Christ, not the spirit of destruction.  Trusting in a husband, or people for that matter can be hard when you’ve been abused.  When you tuck yourself in the arms of the almighty, he will show you how to trust. 

Being a Christian is about freedom in Christ.  He died to set us free from the bondages that religion has kept us under.  If you don’t understand what I mean – look at a woman in a Burka.  She is submitting to her husband and to her religion.  Muslim women are without the freedoms that we have, but in their culture, it's - submit or be beaten… or worse. 

We are to be our husbands help meets, to compliment each other in life.  (Genesis 2:18)

The freedom that Christ gives us is that through our submission, we are blessed.  The desires of our hearts get met when we decide to lay our desires down to build up our spouse (men – I’m talking to you too).  God has a great call on marriages – He created them to be a representation of who he is to His bride.  What kind of steps can you take today to more completely align yourself into obedience with the Lord?  What has he asked of you that you may not have done yet?  He’s not asking to be a tyrant, He’s asking because he has a plan for your life, to prosper you (Jeremiah 29:11).  The more you decide to obey God, the more the blessings will chase you down. 

But what if we don’t agree?

I don’t always agree with my husband, and he doesn’t always agree with me!  Ok, so you have two paths to take here too.    #1.  I can argue with him and demand to have my way, or #2.  I can run to God and ask for clarity.  I like to enjoy a peaceful home, so what my husband and I do when we can’t agree on something is put it before the Lord.  When I’m wrong about something, God will explain why.  When I’m right about something, he will tell my husband .  When you can mutually respect and honor your spouse, peace will be the corner stone of your home.  Sometimes we’re both right but need to tweak the details in a loving and mature manner – and we do.  Once again – being humble and putting your spouse above yourself is going to save your marriage from the turmoil that being selfish brings.

Having a spouse who listens to the Lord is such a blessing worth waiting for.  When there is an attitude or a behavior that doesn’t line up with who you know that they’re supposed to be, go to God about it – don’t go complaining to anyone who will listen.  Maintain the honor in your marriage by protecting their reputation.  The world doesn’t need to hear about your issues, it will only taint others views of your spouse.  How can we be godly representatives of marriage when we’re tainting our spouses reputation in the city gates to be that of a horrible mate?  One of my favorite teachers of the word is Brother Kenneth Copeland - he puts marital submission this way -
Submission has to do with order—not subordination. In the spirit world, there is no difference between men and women. In the natural realm, however, God has established a rank of authority in order to maintain order and avoid confusion.
Ephesians 5:22 says, “For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” This is not elevation of the man above the woman in importance, power, anointing or revelation. It simply means that in the home, the husband is the leader.
The husband and wife should operate together in faith as one unit. This is the reason Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents...” instead of “Children, obey your father....” The woman has just as much spiritual authority as the man.
In the beginning, God placed the man and woman side by side, as equals. When Eve allowed Satan to use her, she fell to a subordinate position. However, Jesus changed all that! He brought the woman back to a position equal to the man. He raised them up together and made them sit in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). 

God, I pray for everyone reading this to be completely delivered from darkness and brought into the light of your truth.  I thank you God for their marriage and pray that their spouse will love you, and love them just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for us.  We are blessed to be a blessing when we obey.  Help us to trust you more and to walk in your paths, knowing that you are good, that you never lie God.  Thank you for being a perfect example of a loving husband, help us to reflect you through our marriage.  In Jesus name, AMEN!

Wimp or Warrior - Rise UP - Part 2

I have come to discover that there is a cycle of stages that warriors go through in trial.
1. Abiding                          
2. Building strength
3. Maintaining our armor
4. Going out for the fight

I recently had the shock of my mom passing to her eternal home.  (The trial).  The shock caused me to retreat to the only place where I know comfort is - abiding in Him.  I opened my bible for devotionals in the few days that followed only to discover that I didn't want to read the old words on the pages, what I really needed was His love to comfort me and rebuild me.  His love led me to pick up a book i've been slowly reading.  Integrity, by Sean Feucht.  Pouring through the pages, I read the words of Heidi Baker as God had perfectly planned out for me to study in at this moment; she writes,
"Without oil from God, we can never be more than a dark and empty house. Focus on his face. Discipline your heart. When your mind wanders, focus on his face. He is beyond worthy of your time, your undivided attention."... "When I return to the place of abiding quietly in his presence, I no longer feel the burden, only the faith and joyful anticipation. That is what it means to live in His love! To faithfully listen to His voice, despite everything!"
 Abiding in Him - It's the only answer.  Whe we are hidden with Christ in God, then our vision becomes clearer, we begin to see who we really are.  Truly loved by God  "For you died to this world and your new real life is hidden with Christ in God."  Colossians 3:3
I think Heidi explains abiding perfectly when she explains that by abiding in Him, all of our burdens fall away.  No they don't go away, but those moments of being in His presence build and encourage us to keep on going.
The purpose of abiding is to maintain our identity when we've been wounded.  "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.  God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in Him" 1 John 4:16  Feeling low, I asked God to help me with my emotions, I am a firm believer on bringing heaven to earth as much as I possibly can.  There is no grieving in heaven, and therefore, no grieving on earth.  I know my mother is in Heaven, but how I was feeling needed to change.  The Lord spoke to my heart that, the hardest part about death is losing the love you have received from that person - and that's why spending time with God is so important - because in Him, we are complete.  It's ok to miss a loved one, but he never wants us to feel loss of the love He has for us.  Hearing this from Him made a world of difference to me.  It wasn't a grieving I was going through - it was a loss of part of my identity - the loss of love.  By my abiding in Him and his speaking that to my heart was like medicine for my soul.  My spirit became refreshed and life came back to me.  Literally the sun came back out and I truly enjoyed the rest of my day.
If I hadn't taken that time to abide in Him, I don't know how long it would have taken me to feel better.  Psalm 25:12-13 says "Who is the man who fears the Lord?  Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.  His soul shall abide in well being, and his offspring shall inherit the land."
Building strength - His love repairs and rebuilds.  He is a master builder and knows exactly how to engineer our souls and minds.  Had I hardened my heart to Him and gotten angry for "taking" my mother, I would have been viewing him with the wrong philosophy.  Satan is the thief and liar and the only one who steals - God does not!  Knowing the word, builds your strength to know the truth.  When my mom got sick, the Lord very clearly told me that I had to let her go - and not to war for her - so I put my trust in Him and obeyed. 
It is imperative to guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23) - especially when emotions are running high.  In shock and trauma, people get defensive and emotional - we can't control how they are reacting, but we can control how we react to them.  Abiding in Him and deciding to walk in love no matter what is a responsibility that we as Christians have.  Many see death as a loss and grieve, but when we are in Christ, only the flesh has died; the spirit just crossed the threshold from flesh to being present with the Lord.  With Christ as our savior - we will be united once again.
In this time of rebuilding strength, remind yourself of your righteousness.  You are righteous because you are in Christ.  You are a co-heir with Christ, you have the mind of Christ, you are a son/daughter, and you are His bride!  There is NOTHING that can seperate you from the Love of God - NOTHING!   (Romans 8:38-39)
Maintain your Armor - Why do I say to maintain your armor?  Like any warrior who goes out to battle, we need to do a constant check of our armor when battles are thick.  Swords get swung, darts are shot, and sometimes its easy to get tired and let down our guard.  But we have got to stand firm until the end.  Forgive quickly and straighten your armor, apologize, and straighten your armor.  Remind yourself as frequently as you need of who you are and whose you are.
Going back out for the fight - Living life in abundance is a choice.  You can choose to let the weights of the world bog you down, or you can choose to abide in him and keep going.
How do I know this is possible, I look to Stephen as my example.  In the midst of preaching to a hardened group - Stephen maintained his charachter to the point of death as we see in Acts 7:51-60 ⁵¹ “You stubborn people! You are heathen^[l] at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! ⁵² Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. ⁵³ You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.” ⁵⁴ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.^{[m] 55} But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ⁵⁶ And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” ⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.^{[n] 59} As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
Now I certainly don't expect any of our drama to be quite so tragic - but some of the day to day stuff can certainly become overwhelming if we allow it to.  So how can we be victorious through trial?
Keep your tongue speaking the word of God... I found that whenever I was feeling stressed, and verbalized that I had stress or anxiety, it got worse.  But when I rebuked my words and declared - i'm not stressed, or I have no anxiety, my body would follow suit to how I spoke. 
Gods word is powerful and true.  It's ok to feel our emotions, God made us to have them.  But it's not ok to park our lives in the pits of depression or self pity, or any other negative place for that matter.

If you're going through a trial, or experiencing grief or depression.. first start by abiding in Him.  You are way too valuable to be taken out of the game.  That is why the bible says not to forsake the gathering of the saints (Hebrews 10:25).  I don't know what I would have done without my prayer warriors and the many that checked in with me to make sure my soul was doing ok.  Being independant of your brothers and sisters in the Lord is setting yourself up for failure.  It's ok to be transparent and let others know when you're not 100%.  We are all a part of the body of Christ - we can't afford to miss a limb (YOU).

Thank you God for my brother or sister reading this.  I declare over you peace and joy in the name of Jesus.  I call you into a greater purity and truth in Christ that roots and grounds you into a firmer foundation.  I praise God for you and declare complete soul wound healing and a spirit of forgiveness.  I ask you God to guide us into a complete walk of love for one another so that we can shine with the light you have put in us as brightly as possible.  Thank you for inviting us into your arms when we need rest.  Speak over us who we are in you.  In Jesus name Amen.



1 Corinthians 16:13 says "Be on Guard, Stand Firm in the faith, be strong, be courageous.

The Umbrella Theory

Laughing at your religion is all about taking doctrines that are causing oppression and bombing them with the truth of the word.  It’s called Hermaneutics…     Her-me-neu-tics; herme’n(y)oodiks/ noun; the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation, especially of the bible or literary texts.  When you’re reading scripture, there are basic questions you really need to be asking.  2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  So if there is a right way to interpret scripture, there is definitely a wrong way.  There are some basic questions you should ask yourself when reading the bible to make sure you’re interpreting the scripture the right way.

1. Let scripture interpret scripture, read the chapter before and after help you determine the definition.
2. Who is speaking?
3. Who are they talking to and what are they talking about?
4. 2 or 3 witnesses are needed to define a meaning – you cannot make a doctrine out of one scripture.
5. What is the culture of the people being spoken to – Who is the scripture being written about?
6. Are you reading the passage considering the finished works of the cross?

(Guidelines courtesy of Creflo Dollar – “Questions to ask when reading scripture”  http://www.creflodollarministries.org/Watch-and-Listen?slug=Questions-to-Ask-When-Reading-Scripture&returnUrl=%2FWatch-and-Listen%3Fslug%3DQuestions-to-Ask-When-Reading-Scripture-Part-2%26returnUrl%3D%252FWatch-and-Listen%26type%3DVideo%26page%3D1&type=Video&page=1 )

1 Corinthians 11:3 is one that has been an oppressive verse to wives for far too long.  “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

Let’s establish this first principle, that God’s words never change.  Matthew 24:35 says “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”  Understanding this is key.  In the beginning, we go back to the very creation of woman, and the blessing that God spoke over Adam and Eve.  Genesis 1:27-28 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  And God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

          Do you see that?  God said to both man and to woman – be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the earth.  This was God’s original plan for man and woman to be equal.  But then the fall came.  When Adam and Eve fell, God cursed the both of them saying “Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you” Genesis 3:16  So if God cursed man, then we can easily compare Genesis 3:16 to 1 Corinthians 11:3.  Because in these two comparisons, we are dealing with living under the curse.  Now to apply the questions to the scriptures as I outlined above, we need to look at several things.

1.   Allowing scripture to interpret scripture, we know the following things, Paul, the author of Corinthians is speaking to the Church of God that is in Corinth.  In the previous chapter, Paul warns against idolatry.  What is idolatry?  Putting anything in higher ranking than God.

2.   Paul, is a Jew.  Jewish tradition has over 100 laws against women.  In Jewish law, a husband was the head of household.  Women were very oppressed in Jewish law.  While the men were allowed to have many wives, they were allowed to divorce a woman if she didn’t please him.  Women were never allowed to divorce a husband in Jewish law or to even be educated. In the context of the Corinthian culture, Corinth was known as a city full of prostitution.  Corinth was located in Greece.  At the time, Greek mythology was the “religion” of the region.  Polytheism was the norm, and Greek goddesses ruled the land.  The basis for temple prostitutes, was because the goddesses ruled and taught within the temples.  When a man became good enough and earned status with the goddesses, they earned rights to sleep with the goddesses.  Shaving heads was a sign of a prostitute – so to continue on in 1 Corinthians 3 where it talks about covering your head, it was a time when Christianity was spreading in the region.  Covering of women’s heads was a way to reduce the judgement of the prostitutes so that all could hear the preaching of the word without judgement.  (On a side note – this is also why women were told not to speak in the temple – not only did they not want the wrong doctrine taught)

3.   We have a second witness for 1 Corinthians 11:3 by looking to Genesis 3:16.  Going for a third here, I am looking at the blessing of Abraham found in Deuteronomy 28:13 “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God.  Under the new covenant, the obedience is fulfilled by 1 John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”

4.   Reading these passages through the finished works of the cross, we need to understand that Jesus took every single curse upon himself.  1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”  Our righteousness is found in Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 1:30 “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”

So to rightly divide the scripture that puts women underneath the authority of the husband is wrong, and sets women up for unhealthy and very unsatisfying relationships. We were made to rule and reign with our husbands – to be the head and not the tail.  To have dominion over the earth together and to equally submit ourselves to our husband Jesus.  We as the church are his bride.  We are one in Christ.  When we are married, we become one flesh.  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become on flesh” Ephesians 5:31.  So if we are together one flesh – husband and wife, then the only husband we are under authority to, is Christ.

          This is the freedom that Christ came to bless us with – this is the freedom in Christ.  The oppression and pain women have lived under, trying to follow the twisted doctrine of being submitted to an authoritarian husband is not Gods original intent.  It’s time we all got a grasp of what the heart of God really is concerning marriage and allow our partners to be free.  Men don’t need the pressure of being the breadwinners – women – you are free to be educated and be an equal plowshare in your relationships.  There is no need for one to be above the other, when the two of you are happily submitted to the Lord.

 

Some other great resources out there for understanding womens rights throughout the bible are from Kris Vallotton

Fashioned to Reign, and The theory of empowering women.

 

Be blessed, thank you for reading, and please – leave some comments – we’d love to hear from you.

 

Overcoming Strongholds! Wimp or Warrior?!

1 Samuel 22:1-5New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Four Hundred Men

22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ² And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

³ Then David went from there to Mizpah of Moab; and he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and mother come here with you, till I know what God will do for me.” ⁴ So he brought them before the king of Moab, and they dwelt with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.⁵ Now the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

                Stronghold:  A stronghold, fortress, is used metaphorically in 2 Corinthians 10:4, one of those things in which mere human confidence is imposed.  Another definition of a stronghold is a mindset that is contrary to God’s word.

                Did you notice here that DAVID of all men was caught up in a stronghold?  Even mighty warriors who have slain giants can find themselves wrapped up within strongholds.  But as the prophets spoke to David, I am speaking to you now – “Do not stay in the stronghold”.

If David was told not to stay in the stronghold, then that means that we have the power to overcome whatever stronghold is against us.  Before we go into how to get out of a stronghold, what we need to first understand is how we got into them in the first place.

                In Luke 11:22, it explains how we get stuck in strongholds; 

But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

                1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

                John 10:10-11New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

                Take a moment and think on these verses, The devil is the one to snare us into the pit of a stronghold.  He does it through lies and deceptions, his main goal in life is to steal, kill and destroy.  But Jesus who is our Good shepherd has already given his life for us – the sheep.  Because he has already conquered Satan, we have to be mindful not to allow the taunts of Satan, become more powerful than the works of the cross.

But Jesus has overcome the world – and because of Him, so have we!

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 10:4New King James Version (NKJV)

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

Isaiah 40:29New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.

It’s time to change fortresses!

Psalm 91New King James Version (NKJV)

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.            (A contagious or infectious epidemic,  something  destructive)
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (A shield covering the WHOLE body)
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, (The lord has not given a spirit of fear, but power, love      and sound mind)
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,  (Things may be happening around you, but know – you’re
And ten thousand at your right hand;    (covered in his safety)
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

                Knowing the word of God, the Truth, brings us into freedom.  The word of God is saturated with stories of freedom.

                So what is it you need to overcome?

                In Mark 5:42 – we see a 12 year old girl overcoming the stronghold of death

                In Matthew 9 and Mark 5 – we read about the woman with the issue of blood, she illegally went into public, touched a man illegally, and she took her healing – and Jesus commended her for it.

                In Luke 8:38 – A touch from Jesus healed a man from demons who had terrorized the town

                The book of Job is a story of overcoming – Job’s fear allowed the devil to come in and steal everything he had in his sphere – but putting his trust and his faith in the Lord brought him to victory.

                Believing lies and having wrong theologies can become strongholds for us.  Not knowing the word of truth leads us into bondage.  Perceiving God wrong  is a stronghold, living in fear is a stronghold, sickness is a stronghold, negative mindsets are strongholds.

Some can be dealt with internally, and then there are some, like Davids, that need to be overcome first in the mind, and then physically.

                During Davids stronghold in the caves, he was hiding from Saul.  In the caves he met many that found him to be a leader.  During this period, he trained and built up others that he had discovered.  It is a beautiful image of what the Savior does for us daily.  He meets us in our darkest moments and builds and encourages us.

                In order to become our highest self, (referring here back to Genesis 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”)   We need to be careful not to get stuck with worrying about fulfilling everything that we feel we have lost; relationships, money, jobs, etc.  Because God who is our redeemer will restore everything that has been lost in following him.  Matthew 19:29

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

There is NOTHING that’s worth your destiny OR your salvation.

The Holy Spirit is our guide to getting out of strongholds.  Set your love on him and He will deliver you (Psalm 91:14)       

What part of the word do you need to believe for your victory?  Revelation 2:26 says “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.” 

Holy Spirit, speak to me, guide me into deliverance.  Reveal to me the root of my stronghold and rip it out.  Where there is forgiveness needed, I forgive, where there is healing needed, I am healed, where there is disobedience, help me to obey.  You God are my Lord, restore me to the fullness you have created me to be and show me how to overcome every challenge with a positive attitude and with the Joy of salvation.  Cleanse me with your healing oil God.  Thank you for your love that cast out all fear.  In Jesus name Amen.