Practice Jump

About a year ago, I came clean with my prayer partners. I told them I’d gone outside and did a “practice jump” to see what it was going to feel like when I was raptured! 🤣 Of course, they laughed hysterically and haven’t let me live it down. How do you practice for the rapture??  You don’t.  

For those who don’t know, the Bible says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16-17. This is speaking of the “rapture”—a word which isn’t used in the Bible but is a Latin translation of the Greek word “harpazo”—to snatch up or to be caught up. Some day soon, Jesus will come and take every follower of His (those who’ve died and those who are alive) to be with Him in heaven.  There will be millions of people left on earth who are confused and distraught because of the chaos which will ensue.  

Just like I don’t have to “practice jump” for the rapture, I don’t have to work at getting saved. Becoming a follower of Jesus is just that!  You have to repent of your sin—acknowledge you’ve sinned against a holy God and turn from sin with a broken heart. Recognize there’s nothing you can DO to make it to heaven on your own. The Bible then says, “Believe (adhere to, stick to like glue) on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” You come to Jesus by FAITH. You believe He’s the only way to heaven. You give Him your complete allegiance and follow Him with all of your heart. You were going one way and now you’ve stopped and are going the other way—you’re chasing after Jesus!  It doesn’t mean you’ll never sin again…you will.  But you never quit following.  There’s no way to practice this—you just do it with all of your heart. Give Jesus all of you.  ALL.  

And then some day soon—you’ll shoot up into the sky and be with Jesus forever.  The Bible says it all happens “in the twinkling of an eye!” Don’t be one of those left behind—please!!

I wonder how many of you will secretly “practice jump” now??  🤣

Perspective

I received a copy of “Voice of the Martyrs” in the mail yesterday.  I read the first story in the magazine about Pastor Jon in the Middle East who has prepared his church for martyrdom. In fact, 20 al-Qaida fighters stormed his church and people were screaming—when Pastor Jon had a vision of heaven and yelled to his people, “God is welcoming us! Be at peace! We are going to heaven!” A hush fell over the church which unsettled the Islamists. They ransacked the church…but didn’t kill one person. 

I haven’t been able to get this story out of my mind. The difference between the culture of that church and ours in the USA is night and day. Pastors here are afraid to ask people to be faithful. If families take their children out of church to play sports week after week, we say nothing. We’re afraid to rock the boat. Or if there is blatant sin in the church, we remain silent because we’re afraid we’ll be seen as intolerant. We have people who come to church every Sunday but never open their Bibles during the week. We expect nothing…and our people are completely unprepared. 

Lives are at stake in both churches!! The physical lives are at stake in the Middle East and the spiritual lives of our children and their parents are at stake here in the US. 

I had to ask myself…what am I willing to risk?

 https://www.persecution.com/

The Hedge

There was a strong hedge around Job. God had put it there to protect him. God brought Job to the attention of Satan and asked, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” Satan replied that God had put a hedge around Job—not only making him inaccessible, but indulging him. “No wonder he worships you,” he retorted!

God removed the hedge and allowed Satan to attack Job. He lost everything—including his health. Job was distraught and wishing he’d died at birth when he said, “Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?”

How they each saw the hedge:

1. God saw it as protective. 

2. Satan saw it as preventive. 

3. Job saw it as restrictive. 

How they each saw Job:

1. God saw him as righteous. 

2. Satan saw him as pampered. 

3. Job saw himself as abandoned. 

The story of Job proves we don’t see things the way God sees them. We assume we know…but we don’t.  God calls it presumption. And he called Job out on it.  I’m certainly not casting stones at Job—oh no!  I am Job.  

We will never truly know all God knows. But instead of presuming he’s restricted us and prevented us from finding our way, just maybe we need to ask for truth and come up a little higher. We need to ask for God’s perspective.  

We may not be fenced in or we may not have lost our way…God may be protecting us because we’re precious to Him.  

Now Isn’t the Time to Stop!

Have these things happened to you?

1. The Enemy has gotten angry. 
2. The Enemy has mocked you. 
3. The Enemy has increased its size by joining forces with evil doers.  
4. The Enemy has gossiped. 
5. The Enemy has declared your work to be worthless. 
6. The Enemy has grown furious. 
7. The Enemy has created confusion. 
8. The Enemy has plotted to blindside you.  
9. The Enemy has created a growing fear. 
10. The Enemy has told your friends that you are doomed.  

Then it’s time to do what Nehemiah did. 

1. Tell God what your Enemy is doing. 
2. Set a watch. Be alert and on the lookout.  
3. Listen to the reports of your friends. 
4. Position armed warriors (know who will pray). 
5. Remind each other to trust God and be fearless!
6. KEEP WORKING!!!!
7. Never lay down your weapon.  
8. Sound the alarm when the Enemy comes.  
9. Assign half to work and half to keep watch. 
10. Stay armed. Never put your sword down.  

When you do…the work will be completed.  

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow anddestruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments andtheories and reasonings and every proud andlofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

II Corinthians 10:3-5

Nehemiah’s Wall

Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer in Persia. He’d been taken captive from Israel to Persia during the Babylonian exile. When he heard of the broken state of Jerusalem and of those who had returned after their exile, he wept and petitioned the king for permission to return and repair the walls. He boldly asked for money and materials for the work—which he was granted. 

When Nehemiah arrived, he surveyed the condition of Jerusalem alone and at night—and then gathered the officials and told them of his plan to repair the walls. Their reply was, “Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 

The people divided up the work according to where they lived in the city. Nehemiah 3 records those who did the work. As you read it and look at the map, you can see where each family constructed their part of the wall. They couldn’t just build any old wall—it had to be uniform, stable, strong, and precise. In other words, they had to plan and work together. It only took 52 days to build the wall!

As I read this account, one thing stood out to me. Verse 5. “Next to them, the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.” Throughout the chapter, we’re told of unlikely people who helped: goldsmiths, perfumers, daughters, and priests. People who probably knew very little about building—but who were willing to help.  Everyone except for these nobles.  

What is the work of the Lord today? Telling people about Jesus, discipling, prayer—building the Church.  If God were to record those who were helping with the construction, would our names be on that list?

A Letter for the Hurting

Dearest Friend,

I may not know you nor even your particular set of circumstances.  But I’ve been where you are. Something so shocking, so painful has happened—it’s been a GUT PUNCH!!  You’re dizzy from the news. You’ve lost your equilibrium and don’t know where to even look. Your natural response is to get alone. And that’s good.  It’s where you’ll find God and hear His words of comfort, truth, and healing. 

Just be careful.  It’s also where Satan wants you. He’ll terrorize you with thoughts of what’s happened and that there’s probably more to come. He’ll tell you that there’s no hope and no way out.  He’ll tell you that this is the biggest scandal since the Garden of Eden and that everyone is gossiping about it and has turned against you. He’ll tell you that there’s no hope for your future or for your children’s future.  He’ll tell you that all of your friends have turned against you—or would if they knew the whole truth!! Every word he whispers is vile, traumatizing, and hopeless.  

But here’s the truth. MANY of us have been where you are. We’ve had horrible things said about us. It’s true that there are people who want to talk about you and tear you apart.  But it’s just as true that there are those of us who want to love you, tell you the truth of God’s faithfulness, compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love!!  He’s waiting for you with open arms. Get alone with him and pour out your heart to him. Be honest about everything. Let him take away the pain, guilt, and shame. Open your heart to him for his abundant healing and words of life and affirmation.  Listen closely…in faith. Believe that God only wants his very best for you and your family.  

And then open your heart to those who care. Let them walk with you side-by-side. They want to encourage you and lift you up!  They’ve been there…or know they could be there. They know your pain.  They are life-givers and want to help carry your burden. They are God’s friends. They will point you to God and his great love. They will cover you. Oh…the goodness of that kind of covering…and the goodness of that kind of love. Lock your arm in theirs. 

Come into the Light. Hold your head up high. God loves you and has gone before you. He knows the way out. Trust him. There is LIFE ahead and it’s full of HOPE!

—Becky Dietz

When Chaos Reigns

As I read the last chapter of II Chronicles today, I was struck with how two younger brothers became king before their older brothers did—when it was common for the firstborn to become king when his father died. And one of these kings was an 8-year-old!  And of the 8-year-old, it says, “Jehoiachin was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and 10 days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD.” How much evil can an 8-year old do?  Enough. 

As I pondered on this chapter, I asked God, “Why did the younger brothers become king first? And how can an 8-year-old do the kind of evil that would cause You to cut him off in 100 days?

Here’s what I heard God speak to my heart: 

When a nation, city, school, church, or family turns away from me, chaos reigns. There is no order. And if an 8-year-old is only surrounded by evil, taught evil, and embraces evil…he makes evil choices…even at 8-years-old. 

God, help us!!

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 

 II Chronicles 7:14