Category Archives: brokenness

The Romans Challenge: The Patience of God

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“What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For many years, I struggled with the concept of the wrath of God. It seemed like God was an angry God, and that He was looking for the perfect opportunity to throw some lightening bolts toward us for messing up. What a lie I believed! God is a patient God!

In order to understand God’s patience, it is helpful to truly understand the nature of sin. Sin divides and separate us from God. This is because God is holy. He cannot have sin within Himself. Sin is like a spiritual cancer. It destroys our lives and will eventually kill us. Sin brings nothing but death, darkness, and destruction to our lives. God hates sin! This is because sin keeps us from being in a relationship that is close and connected to Him. God will eventually eradicate sin from our world when He comes in His judgement. He will end the pain and suffering sin has produced. He will make all things new. But for now He is patient in His longing to destroy evil. Why? Because He wants “to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy…”

He wants us to know Him. He has patiently waited for us to come to Him so He can have the opportunity to reveal Himself to us. God’s glory is the sum total of His attributes. It is who He is. He wants us to know—experience intimately— who He is. He wants us to know His perfect love. He wants us to experience His complete joy. He wants us to be intimately acquainted with His perfect peace.

We are the “objects of His mercy.” God’s mercy — His tenderness of His heart, His benevolence, His willingness to overlook our offenses (forgive) — is directed towards us! His plan for us is for us to know Him and through that knowledge, we will become like Him. We will display Him to those around us. We will make Him known. This is what God desires for us and intends for us. This is why He patiently waits for us to come!

God is continually holding out the opportunity for us to KNOW Him! Jesus provided all that we needed to be able to come close to God through His death, burial, and resurrection. God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of us so we can experience Him every moment of every day. God has given us His Word so we can learn about His character, His desires, and who He is. He patiently waits for us to come to Him and experience His glory — who He is!

Thank You Father for Your patience. We know Your desire is to end the suffering that sin has brought, and You wait patiently to execute your just judgements. This is because You desire for everyone to KNOW You! Help us to truly desire to know You more and to make You known to everyone You place in or path! In Jesus name!

Show Us The Father — Restorer of Mental Health

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Today is Mark 5:1-20.

Today’s reading is the account of a man possessed by demons, a whole legion of them. No matter what was tried he could not be subdued.

He ran around in a graveyard naked. He beat up anyone who tried to help him. “He was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” But deep within him, he wanted to be free. “..when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.”

Jesus did the impossible. He cast the demons out of the man. He set the man free! The people of the nearby city heard of what had happened. 

“And they came to Jesus and saw the demon possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there , clothed and in his right mind…” (verse 15)

Our Heavenly Father still sets the captives free and He is able to restore a person to “his right mind…” Depression, anxiety, anger issues, compulsions, addictions,etc. are not too big for Him!

In our society, it is almost taboo to make such a statement. But I can confidently say that I have experienced going from torment of mind to sitting close to Jesus and “in my right mind.” He set me free! He is not a respecter of persons. What He did for the demoniac in the Bible, and for me in a small Missouri town. He will do for you!

Jesus showed us the Father who restores and heals the troubled mind when He stepped out of the boat at Gerasenes.

He is able to show us that same God as we allow Him to step into our lives! The demoniac ran up to Jesus. May we run to Him as well!

New Beginnings in the Book of Acts — Too Good to Not Believe!

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“They said to her, “You are out of your mind.”” Acts 12:18 ESV

Today is Acts 12.

Things were looking pretty bleak… Herod the king, had James the brother of John, killed. He was one of the 12 disciples that followed Jesus during His earthly ministry. He was Peter’s friend. Then Herod decided to arrest Peter too. BUT, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”  (Verse 9)

Four squads of soldiers, chains, and the iron gates of the city are no match for God. An angel sent by God came to Peter and led him out of the prison and into the city. It was so incredible that Peter thought it was just a vision he was seeing until the angel left him, and he stood free in a street of a city.

When Peter arrived at Mary’s house, the servant girl who went to the door to answer his knocking was amazed and left him there outside. She reported the miracle to those inside, and they said, “You are out of our mind.”

God is a God of miracles! These miracles are “mind blowing”!  People who hear them may have a hard time believing that what has happened is true or could even occur. I have seen “mind blowing” miracles in my own life. God still works wonders that the world would tell you are impossible. For me, a woman held in the chains of a prison of anxiety — meds,  secular therapy, eastern meditation apps, mindfulness, you name it… I’ve probably tried it… has seen the chains drop off, walked passed the guards, and am standing totally free! Some may say, “you are out of your mind.” Because it doesn’t match the pattern of the world.  A person in prison should stay there… But God!

Earnest prayer was made on Peter’s behalf, and God answered! God is still the same! He answers prayer!

He is too good to not believe!

 

Slave to Sin… Caught in Anxieties Grip — WOW Devotion February 29, 2024

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“I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”  
Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

For several years, I lived my life subjected to the cruel taskmaster of anxiety. It ruled over my life. Anxiety dictated my daily routine: Get out of bed. Take your first anxiety pill of the day: Do your daily exercise of Eastern Meditation on Headspace. Now start your day. Throughout the day anxiety would exercise its control over my feelings and emotions. Time to do breathing techniques, practice mindfulness, engage in the 5,4,3,2,1 method, then repeat. Often, I could not shake the feelings of a tight throat and a tight chest. Then it was time for my evening anxiety pill. I crawled into bed. I hoped for a night free of an anxious awakening at 2 am, lying awake for hours, and experiencing what I did in the day. This scenario was repeated day after day, night after night. I was a slave to my sin of anxiety. I was subject to its control, and it was producing death, darkness, and destruction inside of me.

Our verses this week are once again about holiness. This holiness is a benefit as we live our lives as “slaves to righteousness.” It is a life of freedom from sin as we live our lives set apart for His sacred use – a life of love, faith, holiness, and prayer. In this life, we are “slaves to God,” under His control and His rule. This submission to Him is always for our benefit, because He is a good Lord and Master. Being His slave results in more than holiness. Through it we experience “eternal life.”

Three years ago, I learned that we were created to serve someone. The words of this verse were proved true in my life. I came to understand that I had a choice. I could continue to “offer the parts of my body in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness” that the sin of anxiety was producing, or I could become a “slave to God.” I would either serve an evil master of sin or our loving and Holy God. I could not serve them both. I had to choose. This is the truth for each and every one of us. To not choose God is to choose the enemy.

God is holy. He is perfectly and impeccably pure, completely immaculate, and uncompromisingly righteous and just. He desires for us to be in relationship with Him, but in order for us to be close to Him, we must be holy as He is holy. To do so, we must “offer ourselves as slaves to righteousness.” The benefit we receive is a pure heart and freedom from sin and sinful affections, conformed to the image of God. We will be holy and the “result will be eternal life” with Him.

As you have read the words above, have you become aware that you are a “slave to impurity?”  Is there an addiction or a sin that keeps you from experiencing a close relationship with God and the freedom from sin that He alone gives? God desires for us to live our lives surrendered to Him as a “slave to righteousness” that will lead to holiness. He desires us to be close to Him in a relationship of intimacy filled with His goodness, joy, peace, and love. We can only experience this when we live our lives fully surrendered to Him!

Our song this week is once again by Charity Gayle, “Because of Jesus.” Because of what Jesus has done, we can know that we are finally free of the sin that destroys! He has redeemed us and made us holy as He is holy. May our hearts desire to serve Him in complete obedience to His Word. May we live as His “slaves to righteousness” which leads to holiness – holiness in heart and in everything we do!

Love,

Janet

https://www.wowjcmo.com/

https://mailchi.mp/wowjcmo/wow-devotion-john-6219253?e=6c56f70e45

Trapped — Reflections on Proverbs 29

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”An evil man is ensnared in his transgression, but a righteous man sings and rejoices.” Proverbs 29:6 ESV

EVIL- corruption of heart, or disposition to commit wickedness; malignity. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,“ Romans 3:23 NIV

Everyone has sinned. We’ve all went our own ways. We have all had evil in our hearts- corruption, or a disposition to commit wickedness… sin.

Sin is a trap. I have felt the weight of being trapped by my sin. In that sin I felt like there was no escape. BUT Jesus has offered to us the way to be freedom! The one He sets free is free indeed. His freedom is reason for great rejoicing.

This morning I was reflecting on what Jesus has set me free from, and the freedom that I now stand in! It brought rejoicing to my heart. Because I am free!

We are warned in Proverbs about running from evil and its snares. We are told to pursue righteous living. We must choose between the two. It is a stubborn, stiff necked heart, that pursues its selfish sinful ways. That person will suddenly be destroyed. (Verse 1) We do not have to experience the destruction and entrapment of sin. We can live free!

The only way to freedom and joy is to live a righteous life surrendered to Jesus.

Noise Warfare

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A few months ago, I was praying. I heard the Holy Spirit tell me, “Janet, do you know that Satan uses noise warfare?” Since the term “noise warfare” was not exactly on my mind, I decided to do a google search. When I did, I found an article about Manuel Noriega. The implications of his story have been eye opening to me as one who has been subject to “noise warfare” for most of my life.

US Soldiers blaring rock and roll music in 1989

On Christmas Day 1989, The United States decided it was time to arrest and bring to justice General Manuel Noriega, the dictator of Panama. Indicted for drug trafficking charges, Mr. Noriega had holed himself up in the embassy of the Vatican in Panama. The US forces did not want to destroy buildings in order to accomplish a surrender of the surrounded General. So, they engaged in “noise warfare”. They surrounded the Embassy and with a flight of Humvees that were mounted with loudspeakers from which they blasted rock in roll music, nonstop for three days. Noriega, who loved classical music surrendered shortly after. As I read the news report of the events surrounding Noriega’s surrender, the truth set in. This is the exact type of spiritual warfare I have been engaged in most of my life.

Make no doubt about it. Our enemy, Satan, is a liar. Not only is he a liar, he takes great pleasure in repeating lies in our ears over and over and over again. His voice does not tire from spewing lies 24/7 that lead us to choose anxiety, anger, depression, hatred, bitterness, envy, selfishness, jealousy, etc. However, we do not have to be subject to the noise warfare going on within our heads.

About three years ago, I contacted my friend from college. In our conversation, I revealed to her that I was suffering from horrible anxiety. She told me something that to this day rings true, “Janet, you have the Holy Spirit living within you. You know His voice. All you have to do is listen.” It occurred to me that moment that I had listened to the lies of the enemy so long that I had forgotten what it was like to listen for the “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit. I had allowed Satan to shout in my ears and I had been internalizing his lies. It was time to draw a line in the sand and FIGHT!

Do you know that God has a victory plan for the “noise warfare” of our enemy? It is the praise of our glorious God! It silences Satan!

“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory
in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. “ Psalm 8:1-2 NIV

We must make a determined effort to use this weapon we have graciously been given. Satan knows this is true. So he once again will shout his lies, “That won’t work! You look like an idiot praising when you are who you are!” May I encourage you, tell him to “shut it!” and then get your praise on!

Even if the praise you struggle to get out starts with a feeble, “I praise you God, because you are good.” Build on those words with more and more praise. He cannot continue to blare his noise when the praises start! The truth of who God is as you praise Him with His Word will prevail! So, praise and then listen. You will hear His voice. It has been gently speaking all along. In Him is the Victory!

I have rediscovered the past few years how beautiful the sound of God’s voice is! I love it! What I did not know as I listened to the noise of the enemy is that God’s voice was speaking the whole time. Praise helped me to turn the channel of what was being broadcasted in my head. God’s voice is loving. His voice is peace. It is gentle, kind, patient, and good. And best of all, it can be heard! In fact, God longs for us to hear it! He wants us to know His voice and follow no other! Because He loves us and wants what is best for us!

We do not have to live under the constant barrage of the enemy’s lies and his “noise warfare”! We must immerse ourselves in the truth- God’s Word, the Bible, and lift up our voices in praise! Our God still breaks the chains of torment off of the minds of His children! Believe it is so!

“The King Has Set Me Free”

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“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”Psalms 40:1-3 NIV

I often find myself very aware of my ability to jump into a pit feet first, with no regard for the repercussions. I am keenly aware of all the times I’ve made poor decisions, bad choices, and willingly disregarded the truth of scripture in order to go my own way. The truth be known, I have been really good at ending up in a pit of sin. I have also been the queen of beating myself up for those bad choices for the rest of my life… Regret, guilt, and shame have known me well…

Recently I have been contemplating a series of poor choices I made during my early adult years. Today, I heard the Lord tell me, “Janet, you’re really good at concentrating on your power to get into a pit, and ignoring My power that has pulled you out!” How true that is!

This morning I am sitting on my East facing upper deck awaiting the sunrise. It hit me, I live in more blessings than my young adult mind could have ever conceived. Yes, I have lived many years dwelling in the pit of fear, anxiety, and torment. But today I am free! I don’t have to go back and revisit the pits I’ve willingly jumped into. I don’t need to try to figure out how I fell in, how deep the different pits were, and what all the long standing effects of dwelling there are. I simply need to sing the “new song of praise” He has put in my mouth.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 NIV

It is enough to rejoice in the freedom I now live in and leave all the chains behind! I’m free!

Yuck in Your Well : Mark 7:1-23

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What is coming up in your heart’s bucket?

The religious people of Jesus time were upset because His disciples weren’t following their man made religious rules. They had a lot of them: certain ways to wash your hands, certain things to eat, how to give gifts to others and classify their gifts.

Jesus told them:

“Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”” Mark 7:13 NIV

It wasn’t their observance of man made laws that God looked at. God looked at what came forth from their hearts.

I’ve heard it said that our hearts are like a well with a bucket. What is deep down inside of that well is what will come up out of that well and that bucketful of good or of “yuck” will splash all over us and the people we are around.

Here’s how Jesus put it:

“He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”” Mark 7:20-23 NIV

The question is, “What is inside of your well?” Are you full of anger, pride, bitterness, evil thoughts? That is the “yuck”of sin that will come up in your bucket. Make no mistake it will splash on everyone around you.

Or is your well in your heart full of Jesus? His Love, His Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Self-control….? That will come up in your bucket and it will splash on and be the influence of all those around you: your husband, your kids, your friends, your coworkers, your family. It will be refreshing to be near you as you pour out the Good God has put in you!

If it is “yuck” that comes up there is a solution to that, Jesus! Tell Him what is in your heart, ask Him to forgive you and change you. Ask Him to fill you with His good stuff, His love. He is in the business of cleaning out yucky wells, or evil hearts and making them new. That is good news!

Free and In My Right Mind! Mark 5:1-10

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I love this account of Jesus setting the man free from many demons that tormented him. This man lived away from his family in a graveyard and was deeply tormented. The people tried to subdue him but he broke the chains they used and was violent.

But NO Mental torment by the demonic is too big for Jesus. With a word Jesus cast them out. This is what I love about the story: 

“When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.” Mark 5:15 NIV

This man had a reputation for being CRAZY! But when Jesus stepped in he was freed from the demonic spirits that tormented him. He was in his right mind!

Around three years ago I was living a life tormented by anxiety and fear. I had been for years. I tried everything I could think of to fix it until I came to the end of me and my ways letting God do it. Jesus stepped in and He has set me free! Although I haven’t ran around a graveyard naked and cut myself with stones like this man(For that we can all thank God), I know what it felt like to have my mind out of control. Now I testify to you I know what it is like to sit at the feet of Jesus free from that torment and in my right mind! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He still changes us and sets us free from torment when we come to Him!

That is Good News!!!

“Hell lost another one! I am free!!”

Reflections on John 21: “Do you love me?”

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Have you ever made a conscientious decision to disobey God? I have. Have you ever made a choice to go and do things your way instead of His? I have. Have you ever found yourself sitting with Him after you have done one or both of these things feeling unworthy or unloveable? I have.

In today’s chapter Peter is sitting with Jesus face to face next to a breakfast that Jesus had prepared for him and the other disciples who were with Peter. Jesus always has His way of speaking to our hearts. “Simon son of John (Peter’s given name) do you love me?” Three times He asks Peter this question. Each time replying “Feed my lambs”, “Feed my sheep.” Ending the third time with “Follow me.”

I believe Jesus did this once for each time Peter denied Jesus as He was watching Jesus be tried and led to crucifixion. Jesus did not look at Peter and say, “You know Peter… you are a failure. I have no use for you.” He instead told Him to care for God’s flock, His church, and to follow Jesus for the rest of his days.

I stand in the same place as Peter faced with my willful choices to sin. I know the places it has led me. I know the pain of failure. Yet Jesus calls to me as well. In fact, we all do this. He wants us to let Him pick us up set us firmly on His rock and to use the things meant to destroy us to proclaim Jesus as Victor over all! Feed Jesus’s sheep with the truth of the Word and Follow Him!

Side note- Peter did just what Jesus said. He preached at Pentecost and 3000 Believed in Jesus! Think of what Jesus can do through you when you answer the question, “___________ do you love me?”