Undercover

I first heard the term "undercover" from John Bevere's book of the same title. John shares that we are to walk in submission to our spiritual authority(s) and about the blessings that come along with that submission. I've tried to be a person that walks under authority in most areas of my life; with the Lord, with my parents, with my boss, with the law, etc. But, as a wife in a "former" dysfunctional marriage, I had never really learned to be submissive to my husband. Recently, I've asked God for wisdom on this, and He has begun teaching me about spiritual authority, or submission, to my husband.

I am reminded back to when we first began the journey at Teen Challenge. I remember the feeling I felt just driving up the drive in Colfax. I felt safe; I felt love; I felt freedom! I knew that Teen Challenge was under God's authority and was bathed in prayers. I trusted in the fact that praying saints, many whom I have never met, were praying for my husband, for my family, and for me. I knew that my husband was standing under God's authority, as well as the authority of Teen Challenge. I felt the Lord's covering and I basked under it.

Now that we've moved on to Omaha, the feeling of being undercover I experience is very different, but much the same. The covering I now realize is not only the covering of prayers, not only the covering of Teen Challenge staff and leadership team, but the covering of my husband and his prayers!

As I was driving back home after one of our recent visits, God reminded me just how different things really were. I remember one of my first few Wives Weekends. The Wives were talking about fears we were facing of not being about to trust our husbands. I remember saying out loud, "I'm not able to trust my husband right now, but I trust in the God that lives in my husband." That is a true statement, and it's ok to feel that way. Now, after a few more months of growing through this, I'd like to add to that statement, "It is the God that lives in my husband, that is walking me through the healing process of learning to trust again!"




2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!


2 Corinthians 5:16-20 (The Message) Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

"Same Team"

When our son Christopher was 4-years old he played his first team sport, soccer. If you have never watched soccer at this age, you should know that all the players race towards the ball, regardless of which team they're on, or their position on the field. The idea of teamwork has not yet been grasped. Numerous times throughout the course of the game, the coaches would yell out, "Same team, same team!"

Many times during conversations with my husband, I am reminded of the "same team" principle. There have been instances that my husband will verbally say, "I am not the enemy". It is during these times, I am gently reminded of the Biblical truth that states that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spirtual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).

It is my earnest desire to encourage us to think about this principle the next time we're involved in a diverse conversation with our spouse, our kids, or any other Christian for that matter. We are all on the same team, let's play that way and be good to each other!

Brokenness

A few days ago, our son Boston was playing basketball with his brother, Christopher. In the heat of the game, he bumped his finger into Christopher's knee. At first we just thought it was jammed, but after seeing a doctor, who referred us to an orthipedic doctor, we were informed his finger was broken. While we were waiting at the doctor's office this morning, the Lord began to show me pictures about our son's broken finger versus our Christian walk.



First, at one time or another, we all have had broken pieces in our lives; broken relationships, broken trust, broken hearts, broken spirits.

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.


Second, sometimes we need to seek assistance from someone who knows how to help us put our brokenness back together.

Psalm 34:20 He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone; not even a finger gets broken.



Third, sometimes we need to be bound together with others for support through our brokenness. (In Boston's case, his broken finger needed to be taped to another finger, to provide the needed support.) In my life, I've been blessed to have friends come around me and hold me up during my broken times.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.


And last, through Jesus Christ, we are all anointed to preach good news, and to bind up the brokenhearted.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners



May we all find refuge in His arms today, strength in His Word and safety by His side! God bless us each and every one!

armed AND dangerous

Recently, I sat under teaching on Ephesians 6:13-15 and the following sentence from the Pastor's sermon struck me, "The enemy wants us to be armed, but not be dangerous!" I have been pondering that thought since I heard it. "The enemy wants...(do I care what the enemy wants)...armed, but not dangerous (is there such a thing)??"



I've really dissected that thought and now would agree that just being armed is NOT enough. Being armed isn't even a threat to the enemy, heck, the enemy knows first hand the weapons available to us. Much like wearing camoflauge doesn't instantly make us soilders, or wearing scrubs doesn't automatically make us nurses, it is the action behind what we put on. It's when the rubber meets the road, it's when we APPLY the armor AND we FIGHT the good fight!!



Today, it is my encouragement that first, we make a decision to get dressed in the armor if we haven't yet, and second, we DETERMINE to TAKE ACTION!! PRAYER is ACTION!! STANDING FIRM is ACTION! God's Word is our indespensible weapon!



Ephesians 6:13-15 (New International Version)

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.


Ephesians 6:13-15 (The Message)


13-18 Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.