God of the Second Chances

But forget all that-it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. -Isaiah 43:18-19

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. -Proverbs 13:12

I had a boyhood dream. It was to be a left-handed pitcher in the major leagues. My whole childhood was swallowed up by this obsession. Sure, it was unrealistic and far-fetched, but it was my dream and it gave me hope. From elementary school through college, I carried this ambition inside of me, practicing year-round and seeking out special coaches to hone my skill. My dream led me to junior college with the plan of gaining tons of playing time while adding muscle mass to my still scrawny frame.  Then I'd get an athletic scholarship to a four-year school and catch the attention of those talent scouts. I wasn't much of a strategist back then, but this was my well laid plan. You would have thought I'd have a plan B, but I didn't. 

I recall a pivotal moment during my sophomore year of junior college. Now captain of our baseball team, I had devoted every waking hour to honing my skills and strengthening my form, and it was time to get some honest feedback. I decided to ask my coach what the odds were of realizing my boyhood dream. So I mustered up the courage to ask the question; "Hey coach, do I have what it takes? Do you think I have a shot at getting drafted?"

Coach looked at me with a smile and kindly responded, "AJ, you're going to have a wonderful college career, enjoy it."

And that was it. Plan A suddenly collapsed like a house of cards leaving me 20 years old and a failure, without a purpose or a plan. I didn't know it yet, but this was the greatest moment of my life. Because this disappointment would open me up to God's redemptive purposes as I looked to Him.

God speaks these words through the prophet Jeremiah in Isaiah 55:8, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord.  "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

I've discovered that my plan, my goals, and my ambitions were not necessarily His purposes for me. Sometimes a boyhood dream needs to go up in smoke before a God-born vision can be revealed. One of my favorite things about Jesus is that He is the great Redeemer of our lives, mistakes and all. 

He is the God of the second chances.

On the other side of my failure I surrendered my life to Jesus at 21 years old, all alone in my bedroom. On the other side of my failure I began to pay attention to the artistic gifts that had been inside me all along. On the other side of my failure I began a new journey of becoming an artist, one that was being completely ignored up until that point.

Why am I telling you all this? Because God knows you. Because God has plans for you. Because you need to know that sometimes the greatest doorway to discovery in God is a good honest failure. And because living out your true purpose in God brings hope and fulfillment more than any other ambition we could achieve.

I want to bless you with this special verse from Isaiah 43:18-19 that has meant so much to me this new year. I believe God is doing a new thing our lives, and as we partner with Him in our First 20, giving the first fruits of our day to Jesus and listening to His voice, He births His purposes in us, originating from His thoughts about us, not our own. 

The best is yet to come!

 Our God Hears,
AJ Picard

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Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

“For this is what the high and exalted One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’” (Isaiah 57:15)

Jesus pronounces blessings that no earthly king would consider. He offers mortal man eternal rights. He takes the last and makes them first. His blessings are an inheritance given to the children of God.

Who among us has not been brought low by the circumstances of life? How is it a blessing to find ourselves humbled before others? How is it a blessing when the things we hold dear are stripped away? How can we be called blessed when we count ourselves the least among others?

Matthew Henry suggests, “This poverty of spirit is a gracious disposition of soul, by which we are emptied of self, in order to be filled with Jesus Christ.”

Paul was poor in spirit, the least among the apostles — nothing in his own account — and yet rich in the gifts and graces of the Spirit.

To be poor in spirit is to be contentedly poor, willing to be emptied of worldly wealth and esteem, and acknowledge the wisdom of God in all things. To be poor in spirit is to be usefully rich. If rich by worldly standards (which most of us in America are), we must be poor in spirit by sympathizing with and esteeming the poor, the weak and the insignificant among us, and feeling their infirmities. 

Are you poor in Spirit? Yours is the Kingdom of God. For as you have humbled yourself, God has esteemed you in Heaven. As you have considered yourself least among men, God has prepared a favored place for you. As you have had mercy on the least significant in society, God has poured out his riches on you.

May you walk in the light of your inheritance today! 

Our God hears,
Mark Petersen

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Mining for Gold

“The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most — is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His temple.” —Psalm 27:4

“I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.” — Psalm 63:6

“Study this book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” —Joshua 1:8

God’s Word is the DNA for an abundant life. As we read His Word — meditate on it — chew it up — digest it — we are allowing its vital nutrients to nourish and grow our spirit, soul and body.

I love to study the Word of God. It turns into a treasure hunt for me. If you’ve never embarked on a study of His Word, I invite you to give it a try. There are many ways to search for the treasure, but always begin by asking Holy Spirit to guide the way.

Here are several suggestions for how to begin your search: First, choose a passage of Scripture you want to study, and read it in several versions. Listen with your heart to what is being said. Take time to meditate.

Another way is to take a verse and cross-reference it. You’ll need a Bible with middle column references to do so. Cross-referencing gives additional insight into an important idea from the verse, or it might lead you to a parallel passage or indicate where Scripture is quoting Scripture. Take time to meditate.

One other way to mine for the gold in Scripture is to take a word that is jumping out at you and look up the definition. If you want to dig even deeper, do a word study by looking up the Hebrew or Greek word used and its definition. Take time to meditate.

         I leave you with this blessing for the New Year:

         May you be blessed to find treasure in the Word of God. 

         May you be blessed as you meditate on each nugget.

         May you be blessed to prosper and succeed in all you do.

- Karen Sergey

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Finding Joy

“But the angel said to them. Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause joy for all people.” —Luke 2:10

Joy is promised for all who are in Christ, yet it is not automatic. It requires our participation. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus reminds the lukewarm church that He is always seeking relationship, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.” 

To maintain fellowship with God, we need to listen for His voice and respond. As we grow in fellowship with God, we will grow in our desire to know Him. We will pray and declare as the apostle Paul did In Philippians 3:10-11, “I want to know Christ — yes to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings. Becoming like Him in His death and somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Paul said he considered his former life that had been filled with prestige and the honor of men to be garbage compared to the value of knowing Christ. He left us an example of finding joy. He gave everything for the One who gave everything for him.

Listen for His knock, respond to His voice, lay down your life, and rejoice.

Merry Christmas!

- Joe Halpin

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I KNOW THE KING!

Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people. He is a Light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel" –Luke 2:28-32

Simeon was an old man devout in his faith. He had been waiting for the prophecies of a coming Messiah to be fulfilled, along with Anna, a godly woman. Both are in the Temple when Mary and Joseph come and present their baby to the Lord. They were overjoyed when they recognized that the babe in arms is the Messiah, the hope to the nations and salvation to all who believe. (Luke 2:25-38) They faithfully held on to the hope shared in the prophecies written hundreds of years before in the book of Isaiah.

What happens, though, when promises seem distant and hope begins to fade or simply gets squashed by grief and the struggles of life? How does Jesus come to renew our hope and restore our trust? He comes and calls us by name ….

This past fall, some very dear friends of mine lost their son to suicide. With a broken heart, I asked the Lord to help me minister to the family. How could hope be renewed? The Scriptures about Mary Magdalene came to mind. Mary was delivered by Jesus from demons, and her life was in tatters, but Jesus shared the truth that set her free. Mary followed and supported the ministry of Jesus (Luke 8:1-3) before watching her Savior suffer relentlessly on the cross, hope being squashed out of her with each breath. The following morning, Mary ran to the tomb, only to find it empty. 

Heartbroken and overcome with emotion, Mary pleaded with the gardener, "If you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go get him." She didn't realize that the gardener was actually her Savior — the King of Kings — until He responded calling her by name, "Mary." 

In an instant, she recognized Jesus, and hope was stirred with joy overflowing. Mary may not have had answers to her "why’s," but she chose to believe what her Savior said and went to the 12 disciples, sharing, “Jesus is alive!” (John 20:11-18)

The truth is, amid life’s struggles, our hope can be renewed because Jesus meets us in broken places. I woke up the other morning with these words ringing in my ears, "I know the King!" 

With this truth, no matter how downcast you may feel or how faded your hope may seem, you can say, "I KNOW THE KING!" 

- Lucy Houghton

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The Promise of His Peace

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” —Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

“… He leads me beside the still waters.” —Psalm 23:2 (NKJV)

“Be still, and know that I am God…” —Psalm 46:10 (NKJV)

Yahweh Shalom — “the Lord Is Peace” (Judges 6:24) — revealed in Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), has provided a path of peace for us. By the shed blood of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Jesus reconciled us with our heavenly Father. Our Good Shepherd promises to lead us beside still waters to drink in His peace. However, He leaves the choice with us to obediently follow Him there.

“Still,” a recently released song by country music artist Hillary Scott, helps to draw my spirit into that secret place of inner stillness. The lyrics speak of resting in His promises and being still before the God who answers our prayers even before we ask. 

Jesus spent daily solitary time with His Father and realized that He needed total dependence on the Father for continual refreshment. When we delight daily in quiet moments of solitude with Immanuel — “God With Us” (Matthew 1:23) — He awakens within us His abiding presence and speaks His peace over us. Stormy seasons are inevitable in life, even as Christ-followers. Yet, Jesus has the power to rescue us by speaking, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39)

Lately, I’ve been heavily burdened to be on my knees in prayer for loved ones who are going through difficult days. Knowing He is God alone and that He profoundly cares for me and my loved ones has calmed my spirit. To help me keep my eyes fixed on Him, I stop for selahs with my Savior throughout each day. Having seen His goodness and faithfulness throughout my life, I’m able to entrust every detail to Him through prayer. Finally stilled, resting in His presence, having completely relinquished my burdens to Him with unshaken confidence, I’m able to listen to the still, small whispers of His grace and enjoy His promise to keep me in His perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3)

Using the Apostle Paul’s words, my Christmas prayer for you is, “Now may the LORD of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The LORD be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Our God Hears,
Barb Wibling

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Prayer Changes Everything

Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” –Mark 8:34

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. –Colossians 3:12-14

“Oh God, get my eyes off me and let me see the earth as my responsibility. As an intercessor and ambassador, give me compassion and clarity.” –Misty Edwards, Worship Leader and Co-Founder of International House of Prayer, Kansas City, MO

Prayer changes everything. It offers us the opportunity to sit at God’s feet, receive His love and be increasingly molded into His image. Prayer opens hearts and creates opportunities for us to bring God’s image — which is love — to a dying world. Prayer pulls the resources of Heaven down to cause broken hearts to look up and doors to open for grace to rest on people who don’t even know they are in need of it. 

Prayer heals our eyes, so that, where we once saw only sin, we can now see desperate need. Where we once saw only hopelessness, we now see God’s compassionate heart looking for prayers to pour through. I’ve heard sayings like: “Prayer changes things.” “Prayer changes people.” “People change things.” But the one I like best is, “Prayer changes everything.”

Each of us is called to pray. With Holy Spirit’s help, we can grow and mature in prayer. Now is the time to focus on God, see His love revealed and cry out for His will to be done.

Our God Hears,
Joe Halpin

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Passionately Pursuing Prayer

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit … I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing … If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples … These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 11 (ESV)

After devastating Hurricane Matthew swept through our southeastern states last month, the buzzing of chain saws resounded. Pruning of broken trees was needed to restore them so they would thrive again. Our Father, the vinedresser, wants to see each of His branches thrive. He loves us so much that He is always seeking our best. Pruning those He loves is His way of making more room in our lives for what matters most. We’ve been chosen for a life of significance for Him. The deeper we desire our relationship in Jesus to grow, the more He gives us, and the greater our impact is for His Kingdom.

Unbroken abiding changes the way we pray and with it comes a promise of answered prayer. The true vine is our great High Priest. Seated at the right hand of the throne of our vinedresser, Jesus is interceding for us. When we choose to become one with Him as He is one with the Father, we yield to the power of His Spirit within us. So whatever we ask in Jesus name, He answers our prayers. Nothing pleases our Father more than when we ask for what He wants to give us. Abiding in Christ is the secret of effective prayer and is always answered.

Susanna Wesley was a pastor’s wife and mother of 19 children, including John and Charles, key leaders of the Evangelical Revival of the eighteenth century. Amazingly, she remained committed to spending time alone with Jesus. Daily, she set aside an hour of prayer and devotions in the morning and evening and often during the noonday too! Susanna’s children learned that when she pulled her apron over her head to be alone in prayer, she was not to be disturbed! Her prayers, written in a devotional journal, are a legacy left of her abiding relationship with Jesus. Even in the midst of great challenges and the busyness of life, her passionate prayers reveal her wholehearted submission to Christ and resulted in her joy overflowing.

Pursuing unbroken abiding in Christ changes you from the inside out, and the result is that you’ll become more like Jesus. As you intentionally draw near to God in prayer, your love for the Lord will deepen, and your love for one another will grow. This is how to reach the highest potential for fruitfulness, and to glorify God. Choose to remain connected to the vine, and receive His abounding joy.

Our God Hears,
Barb Wibling

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