From Test to Testimony

• Posted on October 31, 2019 at 5:43 pm

God will turn your test into a testimony
Teach you that your trials may be blessings in disguise
Your valleys He’ll be filling with the fragrance of the lily
‘Til on the mountain you can testify

When going through a trial, I’m sure the last thing on your mind is Thank You, Lord, for the testimony I will have after I come through this. But so many times, as I look back at the hard times that I never want to go through again, I can see that it is those trials that made me stronger, that drew me closer to the Lord at times when I might have walked away or begun to get cold in my walk with Him. Trials are what causes me to be more compassionate to others. And, yes, those trials have become a testimony of just how good God is.

Growing up, I was a happy child. One of our pastor’s wives called me Sunshine because she said that my smile lit up the room. When I was eight years old, my parents divorced, my mom married an abuser, and that smile left. When I look at pictures from that era, I am struck that, even though my lips were curved upward somewhat, my eyes displayed a lot of sadness.

As a teenager, I struggled. I cried a lot, I hated my stepfather, and I really didn’t like much about my life. But then my mom got genuinely saved, and our lives changed for the better.

When I think about everything that I have gone through, I am so thankful that God kept reaching out to me and that He kept me from becoming bitter. I had to work through the immense hatred that had built up through the years, and it took me a really long time to get over that, but praise the Lord, He was faithful to help me as I kept crying out to Him.

I don’t know at what point my joy returned but I can tell you that I am no longer that scared, lonely girl. God has blessed me with a family that loves me, and friends who seem to like me too. Most importantly, I have a Father who will never leave nor forsake me. When I am going through a difficult time, He wraps His arms around me and lets me know that He is here. He has a plan. I just have to trust Him. This is not always easy but, as He reminds me that He’s never let me down yet, I’m learning to trust that He never will.

I’ve had other trials as well, and some it took a long time to see even a glimmer of light but eventually God answered my prayer and restored my joy. Circumstances do not always change but my outlook does when I look to Him.

So you see? I don’t write the things I do because my life has been a bed of ease. I know that life can be hard. I know it can be discouraging to the point that you might wish to die. But I also know that this is a season. It may be a long season, but it’s just a season all the same. Don’t allow the enemy to win by getting your eyes off of the Lord. Instead, cling to Him like never before. Acknowledge that, although you don’t understand why you are going through this trial, and you don’t see what good can come of it, you will keep your eyes on Him and praise Him anyway. The more you do this, the more it will come to feel like a bad dream from which you will one day wake up and be able to thank Him for bringing you all the way through. Praise Him for turning your test into a testimony.

Opening lyrics from the song “Testimony” recorded by the Greenes.

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Are Your Prayers Being Heard?

• Posted on October 30, 2019 at 6:23 pm

Recently, someone was bemoaning the fact that God doesn’t answer her prayers. Therefore, she has decided that there must not be a God. I was dumbfounded as to how to answer her but, as I thought back over our conversation, I was aware of how often she talked about people who hurt her, making it clear that she has no good wishes toward them. In fact, that is an understatement.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear.  ~Isaiah 59:2 (emphasis added)

If God is not answering your prayers, the first thing you need to do is examine your heart. Is there sin which you have not confessed that you are hoping God will overlook and grant your request anyway? In the case of my friend, bitterness and unforgiveness flow from her in every conversation. But some sins are more subtle.

Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  ~John 9:31 (emphasis added)

I think this verse is key. Are you worshiping God, praising Him in the midst of adversity, and doing what God would have you do even when it is hard to do so? I am pondering this in my life as well. We live in a society that is big on not letting people walk all over you but what about humility, turning the other cheek, not letting the sun go down on anger? These things can hinder your prayers as well.

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. ~James 4:2-3

I confess that I have been guilty of selfish prayers, and I probably still fall into this more than I would like to admit. If I wrote my life’s script, I would never be sick, never have relational struggles. I would live in the bubble of a picture-perfect world. But that is not reality. My prayers may not always be for material gain (although I do pray for that at times too), but I often pray for what I want which is sometimes not what God has for me. You see, we can claim scriptures all day long about “Ask whatever you will, and it shall be done by my Father in Heaven” (John 15:7), while the key is in declaring, “Not my will but Yours be done.” As I draw closer to the Lord, my will surrenders to His will and then all these things are added unto me (Matthew 6:33).

Please don’t think that I am being harsh and judgmental. I am not meaning to throw anyone under the bus or to guilt trip those who are struggling. I am saying that God is not a genie in a bottle. He doesn’t have to answer anyone’s prayers, but He does listen, He cares, His hand is not too short. If you have been asking for something and have not received your answer, don’t give up. Ask God to show you if there is something in your life that is keeping your prayer from being heard. If you know that you are where you need to be with the Lord, then ask Him to make it clear if your request does not line up with His will and be willing to let go of that thing. Sometimes things do not make sense to us but God knows all, and we must trust Him. Do not let unanswered prayers cause you to wonder if there is a God. Draw near to Him like never before and ask Him to increase your faith and trust. I expect that is a prayer that He will answer.

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Are You Truly Secure?

• Posted on October 25, 2019 at 6:48 pm

I grew up hearing eternal security pushed to the point that we were told that, if we didn’t feel saved, it was the enemy trying to deceive us because if we prayed “the sinner’s prayer,” our names were in the Book of Life and no one can snuff them out. I heard a testimony of a young woman who did not see a transformation but, because she had “prayed the prayer,” the church leadership convinced her that she was saved (in spite of her continuing to do drugs and live her own life; praise the Lord that 20 or so years later, she did come to truly know the Savior). This happens every day in many churches across the country. They are eager to pray with someone to receive Christ but there is no discipleship, no accountability, no continual interaction to teach people exactly what salvation means.

He who walks with integrity walks securely …  ~Proverbs 10:9

As I read this verse in my Bible Promise Book this morning, I stopped. This is what people need to teach!

Dictionary.com defines “integrity” as “adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.” You can’t get those moral and ethical principles apart from the Bible and a close relationship with the Lord. If you want to know that you are eternally secure, this is your litmus test.

It is sometimes argued whether or not a person can ever know for sure that they are saved. I want to tell you unequivocally, Yes! You can know! If you don’t know, then you should examine why it is that you feel this way. I think for some, they know they have a secret sin or something that is blocking God’s presence and so they pass it off by saying, “I don’t know if I’m saved or not.” If that is you, find someone that you trust who will pray with you and hold you accountable so that you can flee that sin or addiction. Whatever you are holding on to is not worth it.

It’s not enough to pray, “God, save me from Hell and take me to Heaven so I can live with you.” It’s not even good enough to say, “God, I’m sorry for my sin.” That’s a start but there is a worldly sorrow that is sorry one is caught and there is a Godly sorrow where one hates their sin and desires to change. Scripture is full of sinners being told, not just to be sorry but to “Repent!” This means “to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one’s life for the better” (dictionary.com). You cannot remain as you are and think God will welcome you into Heaven anyway. God is righteous, and He desires that His children be righteous too.

So, what about you? Are you a person of integrity? Is that integrity due to the fact that you placed your faith in Christ and surrendered your life to Him? If so, then you can be truly secure.

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Lessons from Job

• Posted on October 20, 2019 at 4:23 pm

Last week, I received a phone call from a friend who has sunk lower than rock bottom. My friend is one whose trials have made her bitter so she is not open to things of the Lord. I find it fitting that I am reading through the book of Job right now. I’m sure my friend would echo his words:

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.” ~Job 3:3

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint; then You scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions: so that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than life.” ~Job 7:13-15

My soul is weary of my life. ~Job 10:1

I know a lot of people have hit that place of despair and hopelessness but I love Job’s response. Although he did give in to a bit of self-pity, he refused to curse God (Job 2:9-10), instead desiring to understand why he was going through these things. He begged God to answer him since he had been “a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

My heart breaks for those who have let their trials rob their joy. It is so easy to do when the focus is on ourselves and our circumstances but that is why Jesus told His disciples to “Look up and lift up your head, for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

Although they can be excruciating at times, the trials and heartaches and suffering that we experience on this earth are truly light and momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17). I would like to encourage you to stop looking down and start looking around you. Take a walk and intentionally notice God’s beautiful creation. Begin to think about the people that God has placed in your life who love you. Maybe you’ve pushed some away so that you could be alone and wallow in your misery. Invite them back into your life so that they can give you the encouragement you need.

Above all, draw near to the Lord. Let Him comfort you as only He can. Rest in His arms for He loves you so much! Being down is not a sin but you do not want to stay there. You will never understand why some things happen in this life but never doubt that you are here for a reason, and that reason is to serve the Lord. Keep pressing on, my friend, and if I can pray for you, please let me know.

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