I think I can't, I think I can't...

You know that feeling you get when you’re about to tackle something big, something scary, something completely outside of your comfort zone? That “I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this” feeling? Often accompanied by hyperventilation and a frantic search for the exits?

Thing is, once you decide to follow God with abandon, to take up your cross daily, He is going to call you to some seriously terrifying things. Based on my studies of the giants of Old Testament faith I’m also willing to bet many of those calls to action will be in area’s far far outside of your comfort zone. “my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Chorintians 12:9).

Your daily, sometimes hourly, decision to follow God means you’re different than you were before! And your abandon to Him means He can do incredible, mind blowing, life changing things both in and through you.

In recent months my God has been directing me to step out in faith in some area’s that I find absolutely terrifying. These things that He is giving me the opportunity to serve Him in would most likely not be particularly hyperventilation worthy for the average person. However, for me, terrifying. I find myself telling Him over and over and over “I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this”. You know what He says back to me “No honey, you sure can’t”.

Woohoo and a big hallelujah!

Those may not seem like encouraging words but when Father speaks them into my soul it is the weight of the world lifting off of my shoulders. You see, I keep trying to will myself to be faithful enough, to grit my teeth hard enough, to be ‘good’ enough.

I am so thankful that our dear Father does not lose patience with my thick head. Instead, He reminds me, “my power is made perfect in weakness”. The Spirit moves within me and brings to mind the story of the earthy father who when his child’s life hung in the balance confessed to Jesus “help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). How awesome is it that we can even ask Him to give us faith in Him! He is the author and perfector of my faith (Hebrews 1:2). Which means when I submit to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and He casts Satan out of my life and destroys the deceivers strong-holds I must then every minute of every day choose to FILL MYSELF WITH JESUS (Matthew 12:43-45). Not only so that I will not again be caught in Satan’s snares but also so that I can be a conduit for the power of God!

God will give you every iota of everything you need to accomplish whatever task He has prepared for you to do!

2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

He will NOT abandon you

Hebrews 13:5-6 "Never will I leave you;
 never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
 What can mere mortals do to me?"

Do not try to grit your teeth and be ‘good enough’ give it all to Him and He will turn it into His glory!

Too Filthy For God...Rahab

Joshua 2:1-21, 6:17, 22-23, 25

Rahab…Have you ever actually thought about the fact that Rahab was a prostitute. If you’ve spent much time in Gods word you’ve heard this fact mentioned, maybe even to the point that it means little to you. Please let this fact fall on you afresh.

In our current culture so many have bought wholly into Satan’s lie that sex is a purely physical act, that it is something we deserve and most disturbingly that it is something good that God is selfishly keeping from us. Allow me to point out the fact that this was Satan’s original lie to Eve.

Genesis: 2: 4 The serpent told the Woman, "You won't die. 5 God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil."

He likes this one and he keeps using it. While the point that sex is something God has set apart for specific relationships is important and true it is not the one I am trying to make at the moment.

So, what is my point? It is simply this; more likely than not in some season of your tenure on this earth you bought that lie and you have experienced the devastating consequences. No, most likely you did not experience an unexpected pregnancy at 16 (though someone has). No, you may not have an incurable STD (though someone does). But if you’ve given yourself over in this manner you have felt the stinging shame, the ripping of your heart and the crying out of your soul (whether you admit it or not). If you are feeling a stab of reproach in these words I beg you to push away from your computer screen, sink to your knees, put your face on your carpet and experience the full forgiveness of your Savior and your God. Have a nice long talk with Him. We’ll be here when you get back.

All of that digging up of emotions you’d prefer stayed buried was to say this. Rahab was a prostitute. Can you even begin to imagine the pain, shame and self-reproach she must have felt?

Yet (don’t you just love the Godly ‘yet’?) when she heard of the mighty acts of Yahweh she ALONE in all of Jericho had faith enough to be saved!!! And, precious child of God do not miss this point, God honored her faith. She and all her family were saved when Jericho was leveled by God and his Israelite army. Praise God!!! He used this broken hurting woman who offered up her tiny mustard seed of faith to protect his people, he saved her from death and here comes the beautiful part, she became an ancestor of Jesus.

Rahab, the prostitute, was taken as the wife of an Isrealite man, Salmon. She became the mother of Boaz. Boaz, was a man of the highest character. He was the type of man who came to the rescue of a helpless foreign woman (see the book of Ruth). How I love the stories of men like these!!! God was the inventor of that white horse you’ve been waiting on. The direct descendant of Boaz, the child of the former prostitute, was Joseph, as in Mary and Joseph (Matt 1:5-16). Wow God!

So, here’s the thing. God, who breathed every word of scripture into being, did not omit Rahab’s profession from His record in either the Old (Josh 2:1 among others) or the New Testament (Heb 11:31). He certainly could have. He could have made the entire Israelite nation forget she ever was a prostitute. Or, if he were like us, He could have chosen a nice upstanding young woman to hide the spies and to become the ancestor of Christ. Praise God He is not like me. He chose the heart of His woman. I want to yell ‘YAY’ but my babies are asleep so I’ll just shout for joy in my heart!

Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is your name in all of the earth!!! (Ps 8:9)

You see, you are not too bad for God. Take it from Rahab and this former pit dweller.

Too Filthy For God...Moses

So, Moses…you’re probably either picturing Charlton Hesston or a VBS poster of a man who would make an incredibly convincing Santa stand-in, arms raised, staff in hand, red sea parted.

Moses gets 6 verses dedicated to his faith in Hebrews 11. He is a permanent figure in the Christian faith, after-all, he lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He faced down Pharaoh (Ex chapters 5-11). He parted a sea (14:26). He saw God’s glory (24:15ff, 33:11)!! God the Father buried Moses’ body himself when he passed on to Glory (Deut 34:5). “Wow” comes to mind.

Moses did some seriously incredible things…but he didn’t start out that way.

Did you know that Moses, who would be greatly used of God, committed pre-meditated murder? Oh, yes.

Exodus 2:12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

When he realized people knew what he had done he ran away (Ex 2:14), that’s why he was tending sheep in the desert when God spoke to him out of the famous burning bush (3:1ff). Furthermore, he argued with God (repeatedly, 3:11,13, 4:1, 10, 13) despite God’s assurances that His provision would be more than sufficient. My favorite of Moses’ statements is “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else”. My, oh my! Has that ever been the cry of my heart in times of rebellion. I can almost hear the 2 year old screeching “but I don’t waaaannnnaaaa!” can you? He was such a coward that only after God consented to grant the assistance of Moses’ big brother did he finally begin his journey back to Egypt as God had commanded.

I am by no means celebrating or condoning Moses’ shortcomings. I do, however, celebrate my Father who allowed that they be recorded for me to read thousands of years later, that they may serve as evidence of His unending grace.

How do we reconcile the man God celebrates in Hebrews 11 with the chicken of the early chapters of Exodus? Easy, Moses didn’t become a giant of the faith by buckling down and trying harder to be a good Israelite. God does not exhort Moses for “being good” he revels in Moses’ faith!!

Moses, the murderer, the chicken, the simple shepherd lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and even more amazingly, spoke with God face to face! Praise God, I am not a lost cause.

So, what’s the point? Simple, you’re not too bad for God. You’re not too lost. You’re not too deep, too vile, to dirty. Why does Satan fight tooth and nail to keep sinning filthy pit dwellers in that pit? Because once God redeems that sinning pit dweller he or she can not be shut up. Once you realize that no sin you have committed is to bad for God, that your faith in him, your love for him allows him to redeem you, you are a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness. You will shout of His love from the rooftops. "I'VE BEEN REDEEMED" Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and he is lying to you now. Faith, choose to believe.