Tag: #iheartbirds

Aman

by Angela K. Crow

A Greek word meaning: to believe. The verb denotes trust. An action decision to believe in the trustworthiness of a person. It can also signify an ongoing state of belief and the action associated with faith. (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, Greek glossary section).

Last week, I lost someone that had only been in my life a short time. But during this time, he made a great impact on my life. My new boss of only 78 days died at a very young age. Although at times, especially early on, the days could be challenging, God used him to help me use my voice to speak up and set some needed boundaries on my time.

My first thought was that I did not know what he believed. I did not have time to share any of my personal testimony with him or ask him anything about himself. But God is now using his death for a purpose in my life- to fuel the fire God placed in my belly to share the truth of Jesus Christ with others. I do not want his death to be in vain. I was deeply saddened over this loss and grieve the shortness of a life with such potential, but will use it to fan into the flames of the gifts God gave me, tell my story, share my testimony with anyone God places in my life that needs to hear it.

God gave me peace with the loss and I know he is in a better place, but it also reminded me of the urgency of telling everyone I love about the intimate relationship that is available to us and what a difference it made in my life. We are all called to share the gospel. We need to be good stewards of our gifts, talents, time, and treasure. If we are unsure of your gifts, let us ask God. Then stop talking and lean in to listen to what He has to say. “For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened,” (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007 Matthew 7:8).

We are called to be fishers of people. (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, Mark 1:17). Jesus’ last commandment was to go out and make disciples- The Great Commission. (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, Matthew 28:19). Life is short, who do you love enough to share the truth? Ask the tough questions, take risks for the sake of the Kingdom. Give God all the glory. Be grateful. Share your faith in love. Galatians 5:3 says, “What is important is faith expressing itself in love.” John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world so much He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. This brings new life. Do you believe this? Do you believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what that means for us?

It is not enough just to believe, but we must put our faith into action and follow Christ wholeheartedly. Stop straddling the proverbial fence and go all in. If you are lukewarm, He will spew you out of His mouth. Jesus calls His followers to believe in Him, but also to trust, love and obey Him. Sometimes we have trouble with that word ‘obey’, but it is not the authoritative tyrant kind of obedience He calls us to. It is the type of obedience that a loving Father knows what is best for his little children. He says choose you this day whom you will serve. We can not serve two masters. We have a free will to choose, but there are always consequences to our choices.

When our time is up, do you we want to be found following this world, which is temporary? What do we have to show for our efforts when this world is gone? It is my hope that you choose Jesus because what He offers is an eternity of joy and peace. We are to lay up our treasures in Heaven, (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, Matthew 6:20) People like to skirt around the truth and make everyone feel better about the choices they make, but the truth is written in God’s word for us to follow. It is a guide called the Bible. It tells us there will be a judgement day for the choices we make in our lives, but there is redemption through the blood of Jesus, who died for our sins so we can be saved and spend an eternity with Him in glory.

This Good News is be shared – It is my hope that you know Christ as your personal Savior, but if you have any questions about how to accept Jesus in your life or desire an intimate relationship with Him and not sure how or where to start, please reach out to me at angela@faith-ealk-ministries.org.

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord,” (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, 2 Timothy 1:6-8)

(V9) “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did not do this because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time- to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.”

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously and He will give you everything you need.” (New Living Translation, 1996,2004,2007, Matthew 6:33)

Do You Believe in Miracles?

by Angela K. Crow

The debate of the legitimacy of miracles is nothing new. The word itself is overly used, by many, in the wrong context and it is hard for us to grasp the occurrence of real miracles. In reality, no one completely understands God’s natural process either, we are not meant to fully understand. In explaining the verses in Amos 5:8-9, the NLT study Bible denotes that, “the Lord understands and controls natural processes that seem mysterious to humans.” If we do not understand natural processes how can we understand supernatural events?

If we understood everything perfectly, we would not need to rely on God. His intentions are for us to come to Him for understanding and wisdom. We will not know or understand perfectly until we are with Him in eternity. In all manner of speaking our very existence is a miracle. We weaken its stature when we throw it around in everyday conversation. For instance, we could remark what a miracle it was that we passed an exam. The God we want to portray, in all His glory and power, gives us reason to attest a true miracle comes from divine intervention, although unbelievers will argue otherwise. Some claim they are natural occurrences or hallucinations.

I agree that not all claims of miracles are miracles, but in contrast, the sentiment, “it’s a miracle” has echoed through time on the lips of those whose loved ones survived chronic illness or tragedy. To the ones who experience it firsthand it is nothing short of a miracle and serves as a reminder of God’s love and divine intervention in our lives.

Some find it hard to accept Jesus’ resurrection as reality or even take the Bible seriously and question the legitimacy of it. Let us explore another event in history for a moment. We learned about the Civil War throughout our childhood. We were not there, but we believe it because of the testimony and eyewitness facts from people who were. We may even have family members from previous generations that fought in it or lost loved ones to it, therefore we take the stories past down to us as factual. Not only that, be we know great care was taken in the preserving of these historical events and were written form eyewitness testimonies shortly after their occurrences.

Then why not compare the accounts in the Bible as a historical document that commemorates the life of Jesus, just as we do other historical accounts? In the same regard, there were eyewitnesses to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is not likely the disciples made up the story because they were not expecting Him to die and be risen in the first place. We see in Luke 9:44-45 Jesus telling them once again about His forthcoming death, but they did not know what He meant. They could not understand it and were too afraid to ask. The gospels were consistently representing the disciples as misunderstanding Jesus.

There were also accounts after Jesus’ resurrection, such as improbable disciples who underwent a profound transformation after encountering the risen Jesus. Take Apostle Paul for instance, in Acts 9:1-28, we see the story unfold of a ruthless man with a personal agenda to kill Christians. Literally dragging them out of their homes until Jesus appeared to him. We can see the transformation he went through as he immediately began to preach the gospel. What causes a person to undergo such a transformation or lay his life on the line without a divine intervention?

There were hundreds of other accounts from people who were previously skeptics, who proclaimed to see the resurrected Jesus. The historical reliability of the biblical accounts of Jesus’ resurrection can also be supported by the fact there was an empty tomb. By opening a window to the possibilities that Jesus performed miracles and indeed was resurrected leads to the kind of faith God calls us to have and points to the power of the Kingdom. (Matthew 12:28)

The NLT study Bible also encourages us in Acts 8:5-8, that miracles remind us of the truth that, “nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37). Our faith leads us to believe these events happened which in turn aids us in believing in miracles. Hebrews 11, the hall of faith, if you will, serves as an overview and reminder of the many faithful servants of Christ, whose faith and obedience led to many miracles.

The Puzzle

by Angela K. Crow

Like pieces of a puzzle we can’t see the whole picture of our lives while God is still working on it. He’s always working on us. He sees the bigger picture and knows what is best for us. We are to trust and believe. Some days that is hard.

It’s like me not wearing my glasses. The words are fuzzy and out of focus. I strain to see but only see in part. But when I put on my glasses, I can see all the words clearly and it makes more sense. When God brings us through whatever we are going through, and we can begin to see more clearly the bigger picture then it makes more sense to us.

We just need to do our part each day, one day at a time, knowing some day it will all come together. We are not alone during the waiting season. God hears our cries and is answering our prayers even when we think He isn’t. It may not look like what we think it should but that is where faith comes in. He is a trusted Father who loves us and wants the very best for us. Our pint size dreams and plans for ourselves are no comparison to what He is working on for us.

Our story is not over, it’s just beginning, and it’s a beautiful journey. We can’t be in every room of the house at the same time. Rest assured God is there waiting for us when His timing is right.

Do you feel like your life is in a holding pattern right now? Rest and wait for the next door to open. When all the pieces are in place God will reveal His plan and your path will become clear. We just need to show up and be willing to listen and obey through trust and obedience.

He has proven from our past experiences that He is the ultimate friend and trustworthy to follow. He has our best interest at heart now and forever.

Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophesy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. I Corinthians 13:9

(v12) Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All I know is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

The Precious Gift

by Angela K. Crow

Can you imagine what it would have been like to encounter Jesus in the flesh and receive immediate forgiveness? Bear with me as I take you on a journey (with a few liberties) to share a new take on an old story through the eyes of Mary Magdalene and what might have been her perspective.

Mary had never experienced compassion before. Her life had been marked by ridicule and shame. She had no idea she could ever feel the kind of love Jesus offered. Unconditional, relentless, and not dependent on anything she could do for him.

Her life up to this point had been that of a shameful disgrace to her family. She lived out of fear and regrets but did not know how to make changes in her life. Giving herself away to disrespectful men was the only life she knew. Hateful men who made her feel like a piece of meat or a display they could discard after each use; until they yearned for her body and what it offered them.

Yes, the little money she made paid the rent and put food on the table, but at what cost? Her inner thoughts swirled around in her head, making her dizzy, as she stared at the night sky, making a wish on a fallen star, she threw out a question to the listening universe, “how could anybody love me after what I’ve done?” She could not escape these mindful traps or see herself in any way besides filthy in the sight of God.

She had heard of a man, named Jesus, who traveled and preformed miracles. She could not imagine in her wildest dreams that he would have anything to do with her. Albeit an impossible feat, she occasionally allowed herself to imagine a life without shame. These thoughts did not linger as she knew her fate. Then, on one the darkest nights, in the middle of one of the most despicable acts of perverted pleasure, she heard a whisper. “Mary, come with me. You don’t have to live like this.” A cold shiver creased her brow and moved downward through her body, causing a knee jerk reaction, the man on top of her did not see coming. In one lighting sweep, with power like she had never felt, she shoved him off onto the floor and grabbed a blanket to cover herself. She felt as though God himself was standing before her. Through squinting eyes, she tried to focus on the images in front of her. But the room too dark.

She told the man to leave as she handed back the money, knowing he would cause a scene if she kept it. The money was the last thing on her mind. She got dressed and wandered outside to get some air. The cool breeze felt light and airy on her dark skin. Whose voice had she heard? Could it be the man she had been hearing stories about? Her thoughts raced as she tried to sleep. But there was something about that voice; the words he spoke to be more specific, that she could not get out of her head. It was warm, kind, soft-spoken and gentle. She had not heard anyone speak to her in that tone since she was a little girl.

The next morning, as the sun rose above the mountain peaks, she heard birds chirping and a dog bark, before her thoughts caught up to her awakening body; she lay in a kind of dreamy state of mind, enjoying a few extra minutes in bed, before her mind leaped to attention as she was reminded of the voice. Her body followed suite as she felt the cold, damp floor beneath her feet. She got dressed in the most conservative outfit she could find, gathered her belongings, and went on the search for the stranger who spoke to her. She stood at the edge of town, with hot tears stream down her face, she was overwhelmed by a sense of unworthiness and shame. Her throat hurt and her knees felt like jelly as she lost her footing in the dusty street, crashing face first to the ground.

She could feel the creases in the palms of her hands as she covered her face, to hide the tears. A gentle hand reached out to help her to her feet and offered a kind word, in a familiar voice, “Mary, you are forgiven. I love you. Come follow me.” She immediately followed him and was welcomed in the home of one of Jesus’ disciples, where they broke bread together in a most remarkable way.

His words stuck in her mind as she tried to comprehend what all that encompassed. The welcome friendship he offered without conviction. The forgiveness she thought was not possible. She went to her bag and retrieved the most valuable treasure she owned. An alabaster jar, containing nard, an expensive and rare reddish colored perfume she could have sold for enough to pay for a year’s wages. She knelt beside Jesus, overwhelmed by the very thought of being in his presence, she could barely see through the tears as they flooded her eyes, and began to fall on his feet. She gently let her hair down and used it to dry the tears from his feet, then took the jar and broke it open, pouring the contents into the palms of her hands, she anointed his feet; revealing the fragrant, sweet smelling spice, that filled the room with a majestic wonder for the one person who could offer more than Mary could imagine possible. Scolded by the other men in the room for wasting such a valuable oil, she knew the persecution she would face, but chose the act of kindness in a moment of unmeasurable gratitude. (Matthew 26:7-9)

Little did she know, in a few short days, her act of gratefulness would be a symbolic reminder of what Jesus would do for us. His body would also be broken, like the pure white alabaster jar, and his blood, as the rare and precious nard spilled out as a saving grace to cover all our sins. To be forgiven through all our unworthiness, a broken sinner in need of a Savior- a precious gift not to be taken lightly.

Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New Living Translation, (1996,2004,2007) Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, IL:Tyndale House Foundation.

Armor of God

by Angela K. Crow

I am not going to lie, last week was one of the most challenging, energy depleting weeks that I’ve had in a long time. There are circumstances in my life right now that are the driving force behind it, so I know why, but at the end of the day I still felt defeated.

In my prayers I was reciting the scripture in my own words that tells us to put on the armor of God and hold up the shield of faith to deflect the enemy, but in my state of fatigue, I let my guard down and allowed the enemy to sneak in through a side door, the door of exhaustion.

He began to put doubt in my mind, make me question my calling and the path God has placed me on; the very things that provide the fulfillment in my life were put under attack and magnified to the extent of feeling overwhelmed and underequipped to handle what God has called me to do.

Of course, I can’t do it on my own. He is the one who equips me to do the things he asks of me. It is in that dependence on him that I am who I am. My very being and breath comes from him. But when we are mentally drained Satan has an in and if we aren’t careful, he will use it against us in an attempt to shut us down.

The armor of God are not just words to recite. They are something we need to take to heart and know the meaning and how to apply them in our lives. As Paul warns in Ephesians 6:10-18, “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

As I was running the other morning, I received this message: “You wouldn’t wear galoshes to run, so why not put on all the right gear to get through the day?”

Here is list of each piece of armor and what it symbolizes:

Belt of truth

Breastplate of righteousness which is faith and love

Shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil

Helmet of salvation

Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God

Shoes are the peace that comes from the Good News, so we are fully prepared

Now that I know all of this was an attack, I am better equipped to handle it, not because I am stronger but because in my weakness, He is strong. It is not me that will handle it, but God. He fights my battles for me. It is by faith, that I follow even if I don’t know where I am going and the way before me seems steep. I also started a Bible plan based on the book, Don’t Give Up, Kyle Idlema references Abraham’s story. He put it like this, you are not too old or too broken for God to use you and Abraham could see that God was the one leading him and that was enough. Today I rejoice in where God is leading me and want to share that joy with you. If you are having a rough week, don’t give up. Press into what God is asking of you, not what the enemy is putting on you.

Never Alone

by Angela K. Crow

I have learned to distinguish a cardinal from other birds by their call. Even when I can’t see them, I know there is one close by because I hear it.

We have been watching the Masked Singer lately- this is where a group of celebrities in costume compete against each other in a singing competition while a celebrity panel of judges tries to guess who they are. As they are eliminated in the competition, they are unmasked. Most of the time it is a total surprise who they are. But the last show we watched was different; one of the panelists recognized the voice of the singer- they were friends, so she had no doubt who it was. A friend recognizes the voice of a friend. She wasn’t wrong.

We can also learn how to recognize God’s voice and train our ear to listen for it; even when we cannot see Him. We can know He is near- He never leaves us or forsakes us. Sometimes we feel distant because of our sin or simply because we do not take the time to be still, learn His voice and pay attention.

God is the One person we do not have to social distance from during this time of quarantine. Quite the opposite, now is the perfect opportunity, as we have more time at home, to rekindle our relationship with the Father. If you have not experienced a close relationship with Him before, it is a great time to start one through the reading of His word, sitting in quiet time with the Spirit and asking for discernment to understand His voice.

It is also a great opportunity to pray for God’s people all over the world- as we are experiencing the same trials- (I Peter 5:9) We are not alone in our suffering. Not only are there others going through the same things; but God is always with us. He never leaves us alone or forsakes us. These song lyrics have been on my mind for several days: “I’ve seen the lightning flashing and heard the thunder roll…. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.” You have a friend that is closer than a brother that you can talk to anytime. His door is always open. He is always listening and waiting for you to come to Him. He knows exactly what you are going through right now.

God’s faithfulness is everlasting. Draw near and abide in Him. His promises stand true. Trust Him to be your constant companion- even though you may not see Him. You can know that He is there. It is in the knowing and trusting that brings a peace and comfort like no other.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. John 15:4

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27