Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Hump Day … middle of the week. I love Wednesdays! Grab your coffee and your Red Strand of Faith and let’s go rewind to remind us of the sacrifices we’ve learned about so far before we wrap up the Sacrifice of Righteousness.
There are seven sacrifices required of us in the course of our faith walk! The first one we uncovered was the Sacrifice of Praise. To praise Him in the storm is considered a sacrifice. We don’t necessarily have to praise Him for the storm but we are asked to praise Him in the storm. Do you see the difference? Just like it’s easy to love those we know love us, it’s also easy to praise Him and be thankful when things are going well. But our faith is put to the test when stormy circumstances crash into our lives and beckon our praise and we lift it up above the crashing waves.
The second sacrifice to joy is the Sacrifice of Righteousness, and we have covered a lot of ground on this subject by giving a few examples of what is considered a Sacrifice of Righteousness, including the ground of forgiveness!
Remember, righteousness translates to doing what is right in the sight of God, even when you feel wronged! Since righteousness constitutes a spiritual sacrifice, it stands to reason that it will cost us something. Doing what is right many times carries a genuine price tag.

A great way to walk towards a Sacrifice of Righteousness is by taking a step back. This allows Him to move forward. I was reminded of this after a heated telephone conversation just the other day. Oh, how I love this truth: His word gently but lovingly teaches me while chastising me at the same time! Romans 12:18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men (others).”

Do you see the beginning part, if it is possible? Those words do not denote a permission slip to retaliate; rather, they relieve me of the burden of trying to get the other person to see things my way, or for the other person to be nice! Only what is possible with me! It is not reasonable to expect healthy words and/or actions from unhealthy hurting people! As I write this particular blog, our God is doing all He will to teach me a balance of friendship vs. ministry, and let me tell you, it’s a tough line to figure out. Sometimes, I find myself so passionately involved that it becomes contradictory to ministry and ministering. Did you know you can actually do ministry without God?

Coffee Hour Friend, I so understand how hard it is to just first step back, and not move forward until you can let go and let God! We must become determined to learn this lesson of offering up a sacrifice of righteousness, a lesson that is so multi-faceted; each facet shining through the different form of righteousness and adding depth and solidarity to my joy.

So when we began this particular sacrifice, I had an opportunity to offer Him up a sacrifice of righteousness by being silent after feeling attacked and ridiculed by someone I love in front of someone I love. I failed in that test and the very thing I was teaching someone not to do, I DID!
But God’s not done!
It seems lately that every opportunity to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness involves the same principle but with a bit more depth, and while I’m usually taken off guard when the circumstance happens, I am now more prepared to step back before moving forward in deed and in words.
I’m so thankful that God loves us enough to grant us do-overs, to give us as many second chances as we need to learn how and when to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness.  Trust me when I say He loves us too much to not grant us opportunity after opportunity to offer up a sacrifice of righteousness. In fact, I can almost bet you will have at least one to three opportunities to do just that. And when you get stopped in your tracks by someone else’s meanness, sarcasm, or any kind of act that is intended to hurt you or maybe not intended to but it does, think on the ultimate example of Christ as He hung on a cross so that we could become righteous: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do?”
Yes, each do-over is a form of refining and God’s refining fire is so painfully brilliant at times it throws me to my face in humility and causes me to beg for the water of His Word. Yes, humility is a necessary pool to bathe in, especially as I prepare to go into the trenches with others who are struggling with wounds, weaknesses, and worries. I must not forget where I came from and how I came to Who I came!
There are so many mini downloads, as I call them, for the recent lessons He has been faithful to teach me about offering up a Sacrifice of Righteousness, but the loudest one echoing in the nooks of my heart and gushing out into my whole being is found in 1^st Peter 5:6: “Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time”: in other words, when I feel others have wronged me, I don’t need to be the teacher of the lesson I think they need to learn. The cost is too great! Think about it like this: When a fire starts, do I add a match, or walk away and thus let it go out?
I love what He promises in 1^st Peter 5:7 when we do just that: “casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.” After all, if I am a Christian who does not love the unlovable, then I am without the greatest gift, love which grows joy!
Oh, friends, He is so good to hold us accountable and I am not quite giggling as I realize He’s done just that: held me accountable to the very thing I share with others on so many occasions in ministry: Just because someone verbally slaps us with their perceptions, doesn’t give us permission to slap them back with ours. There is no unity in that. In fact, love is the framework for unity and truly listening adds shades of beauty to beautiful to describe but seldom seen. If all I am able to do is concentrate on defending what’s being said, then I am not focused with a heavenly perspective of unity. Rather, I have missed what’s not being said and forgotten about the One who will defend me when it’s all said and done.
Having a heavenly perspective in an earthly battle will keep us from stepping out of the bigger picture, which is unity in and for the Bride of Christ, the ultimate Kingdom of which we are headed. Oh, to be a kingdom builder and not a building destroyer.
Ask yourself: Can I agree to disagree, in love, for the greater good of Him?
Whew, I better let you go and tomorrow we’ll wrap up this sacrifice … for sure, and move on to the third of seven!
Love,

 Evinda

Seven Sacrifices to Joy

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Welcome to our Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power. Today we are going to return to the series I started a while back, The Seven Sacrifices to Joy. Grab your coffee and your Red Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knots as we learn more about the sacrifices of righteousness, one of the seven which ultimately leads to joy.
Oh, speaking of joy, I had an experience that was all about this one tiny but gigantic word so let me share that with you.
I was sitting in class listening to the professor talk about the spiritual discipline of silence! Immediately the ears of my heart pricked into high gear and he began to talk about the power of prayer, only not the way we think of prayer where we talk to God, maybe give Him a list of things to do, wait to hear His voice and when we don’t we get up and give up. Have you ever experienced such moments? I know I’ve been truly convicted lately about spending more time in contemplative prayer, especially since my honey’s home and often up shortly after I get up, which leaves me little time, or so I’ve bought into that lie for a while. Oops, let’s return to the classroom.
Anyway, he gave us an assignment right then and there: Think of one word to focus on and sit with Jesus. The professor even went as far as to say, “Sit in His lap,” or “Imagine Him sitting next to you.” Focus on this one word and sit in silence for five minutes.
Sounds simple, huh? IT’S NOT! Especially if your mind has been running ahead of your body all day, every day for too many days! But as the seconds turned into the first minute, I began to relax and the word I heard was joy! I began to just say with my heart, “Father, be my joy, stir up my joy, grant me joy. You are the source of my joy.” The first minute turned into the next and then the next and as I sat there silently – and no, I didn’t sit in His lap :) – my mind emptied and I began to experience His presence … it was then that I heard: “You are a joy to me.”
The tears began to slowly trickle down my face. I was flabbergasted! How could that be? Lately I had been feeling like a whiny baby who was constantly saying “Father, Father, Fatherrrrrrrr, are you sure? Father, do I have to? Father, can I quit?”
That simple sacrifice to be still for five minutes was one that I know I need to slow down enough to practice not just daily, but at least twice a day! Oh, the joy of being still and knowing that He is God! (Psalm 46:10)
What about you; can you slow down enough to practice this spiritual discipline of sitting still and hanging out with Jesus for just five minutes? I believe that you can; the better question is will you? And if not, why not? This can also be accounted as a sacrifice of righteousness. How can we get fueled up and filled up if the engine is always running?
Oh, Coffee Hour friend, take time to make time to be still with Him. Join me tomorrow for a quick recap of the sacrifices thus far and the conclusion to the sacrifice of righteousness.
Love,

 Evinda

Jenn's Journey from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Welcome back to Monday and Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power. Monday’s come around fast, don't they? I don’t know about you, but the weekend passed in a blur, especially because this was a special one. Hopefully, we all had some time to reflect on the story of Easter and what that means to our lives! Let's take a few minutes to talk about stories.
 This week we started a new Transform Class with Chicklit Power Ministries and Trench Classes United. This class promises to be another growth experience, while exposing the roots that cause our wounds, weaknesses and worries.
It's no small feat to get in the trenches, as Evinda calls it, and begin digging out those stubborn roots. In order to do this, a person has to be willing to look back, to look at his/her story, and understand what seeds were planted and how those roots began to grow. As I listen to the song "Need You Now" by Plumb, the opening lines resonated with me:"Well, everybody's got a story to tell, and everybody's got a wound to be healed."
In our first class, we talked a lot about being transparent. It's a safe place where we can share our stories to listening ears with no judgment. It feels good to be able to do that, and for me, it is a place where I can finally really move toward healing. It got me thinking. Why is it so hard to find a safe place to do this? Why do so many of us walk around wounded, yet trying to hide it and look perfect on the outside?
I am sure there are many reasons that play into why we hide ourselves and our stories from others. But, that keeps us stuck and often those stories get played out again and again. When I got divorced, and realized that I had been in an emotionally abusive marriage for ten years, I swore to myself that I would never repeat that situation again. I wanted to close myself off to relationships and love to insure I didn't repeat it. Instead, God has led me on a journey of self-discovery and healing led by and through His love.
Through my desperate searching of how and why I got into that bad of a marriage in the first place, God has shown me the places in my heart and mind that I have to let Him into. He has not only brought me to this class, He has given me someone to love and who loves me back, who is also willing to share his story and allow God to bring healing.
What is your story? Have you really looked back at it? Have you shared it with safe people? I want to encourage you to do so if you haven't; find a place where you can do that. Jesus came to this earth to be part of the story... and He did it so we can live freely and abundantly. Let Him into your story. I promise He'll bring a happy ending.
Until next week, be blessed.

 Jenn

Faith Filled Fridays From Croley’s Corner of Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
Good morning! Welcome to Faith filled Friday. I felt I needed to take a quick break from our gardening. Next week I’m hoping to conclude “A call to Sow”. We’re going to find an example in God’s Word of a couple who experienced seasons of waiting. And through their waiting and might I add a time of even questioning God… a seed produced...called Isaac, the Son of promise. Since it is Good Friday, I wanted to share with you today a different word from my heart...so grab your favorite drink and join me as we find in God’s Word the greatest act of love we can do for others.
I can’t help but go to the scriptures found in John 13 where Jesus knew that His hour was near; that He was close to departing from this world to return to His Father. The scene: Jesus is seated with His disciples and He begins to call them His friends, no longer servants. He goes on to tell them they were chosen and appointed to go and bear fruit. He then moved to the feet of each disciple, and began washing their feet. Here again, we find yet another act of love; it was not the final act love, nonetheless, an act of humility and complete humbleness of Jesus’ love.
When we’ve spent the day with our grandchildren and it’s time to go home, I find myself surrounded by their hugs and endless kisses. I figured to ease our departure I would kiss their little faces, their arms, their heads… and then say to them, “Now you have enough kisses to last you the week and when you need a kiss, well, just touch your face, your arms, your head and remember those kisses I gave you before I left.”
And as we drive away their voices can be heard, “We love you to infinity and beyond.” What a wonderful expression of their unselfish love towards us.
Jesus gave Himself selflessly to many while ministering here on earth. His is the greatest love that anyone could ever demonstrate toward mankind. He also knew that we could never fulfill the act of dying physically; however, He tells us that we are to give ourselves up for one another.
What could He be asking of you or requiring from you today? As we go into this Easter celebration, let us be reminded that His love towards us is as far as infinity and beyond.
My prayer for you is to ask Him to show you someone you could exchange in the act of washing their feet, and in doing so know it can and will release healing, forgiveness and reestablishing love.
Make this prayer personal as you pray with me: “Father, I am so thankful for Your undeserved love. Your love is limitless, merciful and full of grace towards me. Forgive me for my busy times that I have forgotten to look at those I call friends and love them even unto the washing of their feet. But then to do these things is also obedience done unto You as that example of love. You have taught me in Your Word to love greatly, to be obedient, and that I would be reminded of Your infinite love towards not only me but to others that you hold dear to Your own heart. You laid aside the privileges of deity and willingly to lay Your life down for me. Such an act of love goes beyond anything that I could ever do in return for you. So whenever I am tempted to doubt God's love for me, let me take a long, hard look at the greatest selfless act of love… of dying on the cross; therefore, our hope is that you have risen and are coming for a spotless Bride. Here I am, Lord; here I am!
Easter blessings

Love, Debbie

He Showed His Power by Restraining His Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thank you for joining me for our Coffee Hour and for some thoughts on what is only part, albeit a significant part, of the Salvation Story: His death and resurrection, His ultimate display of power revealed through a restraint of power. Grab your coffee, and your Strand of Faith, and let’s pick up where we left off and hopefully conclude this series … just in time for Good Friday tomorrow!
Have I told you I am back in school for my Bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies? Oh, how I love learning! Well, this past week, we talked about power, the types of power, and multiple definitions for power, how it is used in the church, and out. One of the definitions for “power” is “The potential to influence others.” We were then asked to think of people in positional power, and that included pastors! Then we learned about the types of power, which is positional versus personal and the difference is that positional power is based on a title or a position and personal power is based on relationship.
Then there are the styles of power: Coercive power. Oooh, did I feel a bit of remorse after hearing about this one. The example the professor gave was about parenting, but I saw myself in the beginning of this ministry and even up to a year ago as a coercive type of leader, talking people into things that they really didn’t want to do. There’s the style of utility power, which is a type of compliance for a benefit. And then finally, there is legitimate power where others follow due to a belief in the leader and this type of power generates commitment. Oh, how I long to be this type of leader with this type of power.
Let’s broaden the lens of the scope now to The One who is most powerful, He who has all the power; the time and place: right before His ultimate surrender of power.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)

Do you see the beauty of His legitimate power shining through the prophecies?
I don’t know about you, but I read those words and I am filled with this sense of wonder, awe, and covetousness. What an incredible restraint of power, to not defend yourself when being attacked!
You may be saying, “Well, why would I not want to defend myself?” or “Does Jesus expect us to be doormats?”
Let me answer the first one first and I’m sorry to put it this way, but I must answer the question with a question: Why do you need to defend yourself? The more I learn about His character, the more I yearn to be like Him and the closer I am to Him, the less I need to defend myself. If there is any twinge at all, any division of the heart, could that be fueling the need to defend ourselves in time of conflict? Here’s another way to put it: Does/will defending myself bring eternal value? When it all comes down to it, He knows our hearts and the more we restrain our power over others, the more power we will have.
And to answer the second question: Does Jesus expect us to be doormats? No. Not only no, but heck no! No one can wipe their feet on us unless we let them, and when we “turn our back” we leave them nowhere to stomp!
But Jesus hung there, surrendering His power that we might walk in/with His power, dying that we might live, giving that we might take … any and every opportunity we can to not let His pain go in vain!
See, the Easter story is only part of the story for His power lives in each one of us who have confessed that He is Lord for one day, because of His surrender of power, His ultimate legitimate power will be revealed as every knee bows and every tongue confesses …
Oh, Coffee Hour Friend, may we each allow His surrender of power to empower us, His pain to be our gain …

Evinda


P.S. Join us tomorrow for a beautiful Good Friday word of encouragement from Debbie Croley @ Croley’s corner of Chicklit Power!

He Showed His Power by Restraining His Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks so much for stopping by to have coffee with me and for more of this series that has everything to do with Easter, which is only a part of the Salvation Story. Grab your Red Strand of Faith and your coffee, and let’s go chat about more of the facts that prove His power was demonstrated in His restraint of power.
Many of us are aware of what the prophets foretold of His sufferings and I have read many of them, and more than once. However, I was not able to imagine even an inch of the depth of His suffering and how much all the events leading up to His crucifixion cost Him … until I watched The Passion of the Christ.
I remember watching it as if it were just a few days ago. We went with a church group, like one big family. I had heard it was pretty tough to watch, but I had no idea what I was in for. There were so many times I gripped my honey’s arm, or pulled at his shirt and even squeezed the blood to the surface of his hands as I dared to sit through it. But there were also times where I turned my head away, unable to watch such infliction, especially as I realized, and continue to realize that I was, and unintentionally at times continue to be, part of reason for that affliction.
“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed”… (Isaiah 53:5)
I don’t know about you, but I am more of a visual, hands-on kind of learner. I need to see what I’m hearing, reading, learning; but oh, my goodness isn’t it hard to imagine all of that physical pain? We need to understand that though the physical pain was immeasurable, it wasn’t just physical; it was emotional and very spiritual! He took that emotional pain that we could, that we would have emotional and spiritual healing … eternally!
Why? Why would God allow such pain and sacrifice? I have come to the truth that God’s plan all along was about relationship with each one of us, now and eternally. He doesn’t need us; He WANTS us! His restraint of power continues to show His power!
Let’s look at the very first restraint of power in Genesis after the temptation and fall of man: “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the Garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’”
Picture this: the very first sin has been committed. SIN has entered all of us. God is still pursuing man despite man! He could have screamed, yelled, beaten, even killed them but instead, His first response to the sin … a restraint of power!
Let’s bring that in a little closer to home: When someone sins against you, what is your first reaction? If it is someone that God has allowed you to be over in the sense of responsibility, or someone that God has called you to lead, i.e. parent, in ministry, as a mentor or accountability partner, what kind of power do you demonstrate when you are hurt by their actions?
I don’t know about you, but my heart yearns for that meekness, that power in control that allows me to love despite being unloved, to offer healing despite being hurt, to repay evil with kindness, to forgive though not forgiven by them.
Could it be that power is best displayed by surrendering to His power?
Join me tomorrow for the conclusion.
Holding on to His power and gripped by His grace

Evinda

He Showed His Power by Restraining His Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy spring time! I still can’t believe that it is already here! With spring comes one of the most important holidays, at least for the Christian, the celebration of Easter! Grab your coffee and your Strand of Faith and let’s go talk about this part of the salvation story.
When you hear the word Easter, what do you think of? Is it chocolate bunnies, baskets and bundles of brightly-colored eggs? Is it family gatherings around a great meal? Is it all about the kids, their Easter baskets and joyful Easter-egg hunts, the giggles and exclamations of discovery when they find an egg, and even when they look inside?
For some, it’s that one time when they are moved into a church service; in fact, Easter is known to be one of the highest-attended services of any church. I know for me, whenever I think of Easter, I experience a myriad of emotions and they mix together in a beautiful blend. The best way to describe them is bittersweet. Why bitter, you ask?
Well, it’s hard to think of my Jesus enduring all that He did up to and through the crucifixion. One can’t help but look at these things as Easter approaches, and yet many prophets foretold of some of the sufferings He would endure for you and me.
Did you know He sat through six trials? I didn’t either. I can handle being falsely accused here and there; I can’t even imagine trial after trial! And during those trials, He gave His back to those who struck Him, willingly. He did as He commanded us to do and turned His cheeks to those who plucked out His beard. Not once did He cover His face from the humiliation and the spitting and scream stop! (Isaiah 50:6) This was and continues to be the most amazing restraint of power in the history of all mankind!
He, the all-powerful, all-knowing Son of God could have acquitted Himself, struck each of the accusers down, struck those who hit Him back, twisted the arms of those who dared to pluck at His beard. He could have defended Himself to each of the presiding judges who spat humiliating accusations at Him. Instead, He chose to restrain His power and as a result of restraining His power, here we are over 2000 years later celebrating the reality of this Man, the necessity of His grace, the sovereignty of His power.
Many of us have a hard time staring pain in the face, let alone allowing our thoughts to go down that path. But how can we not remember these things as the day of their actual occurrences approaches? Why is it that just about any resource we look to about information surrounding this holiday all have the same facts: He was accused, endured beatings that rendered Him unrecognizable, suffered other forms of abuse, was mocked, carried His own cross, was pierced … several times, nailed to the cross, and lifted for all to see … why?
The simple answer: because His Father said so. He was aware of His Father’s will and because He was aware, He intentionally died that we may have life.
Awareness is the key to intentionality!
Every year, this time of year becomes even more significant. Why? Because the more I learn about this Man who suffered so much, the more I discover facets of His character that humble me. What I am learning now has me begging Him to entwine my heart with His that I might really be just an “inth” like Him. It’s not any coincidence that I just happen to be back in school for my Bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies, and the first class I am taking is on servant leadership and in order to understand servant leadership, we must have a grasp on the truths about power.
I can’t wait to share with you the truths I’m discovering and how they tie into this part of the Salvation Story and are turning the bitter into sweet!
Join me tomorrow for more,

Evinda