Tag: #joy

Expect the Best

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

As my kayaking journey continues, I have discovered the peace of a deep Sabbath rest. I look forward to escaping the week’s cares by embarking on the lake’s calm waters after church each Sunday. I have decided to do more of what brings me joy, and kayaking in nature in the presence of God brings my heart joy. Once I get in the vessel and launch myself into the luring waters, my only focus is the quiet cove that has become my destination these last few weeks. Even this weekend’s cooler temperatures were not a deterrent, as I enjoyed the lake all to myself. What else can a girl ask for?

I asked God to show me how to get a deep Sabbath rest just a few weeks before finding my new hobby. As we put Christ first in our lives, we can expect His best – because Christ is the best.

When we ask for forgiveness, accept Christ into our hearts, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, it is like winning a trifecta – a win, win, win. Still, it does not mean we are exempt from the troubles in this broken world (John 16:33, English Standard Version); only that we can experience peace and joy no matter the circumstances around us. We can escape our worries by entering the deep rest God is offering. We cannot carry the weight of the world – but because of Jesus – we don’t have to.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28, emphasis added).

When we make that decision, we become heirs to the King of Kings – we cannot do anything to get it, nor can we do anything to lose it. When Jesus went to the cross, the veil was torn from top to bottom. What does that mean? In the Old Testament, a curtain in the temple separated the most holy place from the holy place. People brought sacrifices for their sins to the high priest, and only he could enter the most holy place (where God’s Spirit resided) and then only on the Day of Atonement. He presented the sacrifices to God on their behalf (Lev. 16:2; 2 Chron. 3:14).

With the new covenant, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for all sins. The promises of God find their Yes and Amen in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). The curtain between God and humanity was torn at Jesus’ death. He abolished the barrier that separated us from His presence (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). The Hollman Bible Dictionary explains, “Through faith in Christ the veil is removed, and believers enjoy free access to God who transforms life” (Brand 2015; 2 Cor. 3:15-18).

The temple and most holy place of the Old Testament that once housed the Glory of the Lord (Ezek. 41:23; I Kings 6:17) now lives in the hearts of believers through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:45). This is why in the New Testament Paul says our bodies are the temple of God and we are made more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

When we focus on our destination and path forward – keeping our eyes on Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith ((Heb. 12:2), we can enjoy the journey even more. We can expect a deep Sabbath rest away from the cares of this world, even amidst everything going on around us. It’s like being on a calm lake alone in the presence of God and His magnificent creation. This is the Good News of the Gospel that combats and overshadows the bad news of this broken world and allows us to experience peace now as we look forward to an eternal resting place with our Heavenly Father.

What brings your heart joy? Does it give you a deep Sabbath rest away from the cares of this world so you can be refreshed? If so, do more of that. Not sure what that looks like in your life – ask God to show you your deep Sabbath rest. When we put God first, we can expect His best.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, emphasis added).

Brand, C. ed., (2015) Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, B & H Publishing.

Armor of God

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

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.