TEMPTATION ON THE VINE

Nothing is better in the summertime than a good ole cold water melon or a slice of sweet cantaloupe with a mess of peas from the garden. With most of our garden now harvested and put in the freezer, my husband and I have been impatiently waiting on our water melons and cantaloupes to ripen. While our little patch has plenty of fruit on the vines, they are not yet ready to pick. We know this because we gave in to our temptations to taste them before they were ready, only to be disappointed to find out that the taste was not worth the sacrifice of the melons. Isn’t it odd how our temptation sometimes can get the best of us, as our eyes glare down deceitfully telling us that what we see is good enough or ready for us to have, when in fact it is not. Yet, when we take the plunge and indulge in it before we should, we find disappointment every time. Even when our first indulgence might appear to be worth it, because our eyes tell us that what we are looking at will be worth the taking. However it is that second, third and even fourth bite that tells us that what sits in front of us lacks of satisfaction and we realize that we made a grave mistake by choosing it before it was ready. We find that the temptation on the vine was just too much for us to handle and its disappointing taste leaves us lacking. 

This reminds me of how we are tempted in other areas of our lives and can end up lacking, when we have tasted that which our eyes tell us that we want but our hearts know that we should not have. The Bible says that in the spring at the time kings go off to war, King David sent Joab one of his commanders out with his men and the whole Israelite army. While his men were fighting, David remained in Jerusalem. One evening during the course of this time, David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. When the man returned he told the king that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. Out of his lust for her, David sent and had for her brought to him and he slept with her. Afterwards, she returned to her home.  Bathsheba conceived and sent word to David, telling him that she was with child. To try and fix his wrong doing David sent word to Joab the leader of his men to send him Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. So Joab sent Uriah to David.  When Uriah came to him, David asked him how he was doing, and how the soldiers were and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet; with the intentions of hoping that Uriah would sleep with his wife to cover David’s adulterous act by making Uriah think that he was to be the father of the unborn child. Uriah left the palace, but he chose to sleep at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house. When David was told that Uriah did not go home, he asked Uriah why he had not gone home. Uriah told the king that as long as the ark of God, Israel and Judah were staying in tents, as well as his commander Joab and all of David’s men are camped in the open country he could not go to his own house to eat, drink and sleep with his wife? As surely as you live, he told David, I will not do such a thing! At that point David’s sin began to roller coast into even more wrong choices as he tried to plot and deceive Uriah into getting drunk in hopes that Uriah would go home and sleep with his wife to insure that he and everyone else think the child was his. Yet still, it did not work. Uriah ended up sleeping in the camp with the other soldiers. Upon David’s frustration in trying to cover his sin, he decided to have Joab send Uriah to the front lines where the action was heavy and Uriah’s death would be certain. Afterwards, David was informed that Uriah had died. He was successful in getting rid of the one thing that he thought would relieve his guilt. He thought that he could fix the wrong that he had done by removing Uriah from the equation. However, the Bible tells us that our sin always finds us out. In II Samuel 11 the scripture tells us that David had done evil in the sight of the Lord in his actions and the Lord was not pleased with him at all.

This story however, does not end there. God later told David through Nathan His prophet that while David may have committed his sin in secret, that God was about to reveal His chastisement of David before Israel and the entire world. Although David did repent and was truly sorry for what he had done, the repercussions of his sin cost David more than he had any idea that he would have to pay. God told David that because of his sinful actions, David had given the enemies of the Lord occasion to blaspheme. The repercussions of David’s sin not only cost David his integrity and favor at that point but it also cost his child, his life. I could list for you a number of consequences that David, his family and all of Israel had to reap because of David not being able to resist a temptation one spring day. But instead I want to tell you about a God that forgives and restores when we turn to Him and repent from our sin. While God does forgive we still must face the repercussions of our wrong doing. May we all be reminded that though something may be tempting us to try or indulge in, let David’s life be a living testimony of how sin can destroy our reputations, our favor with God and others, bring harm to our family and even cost us precious lives.

Loving you today,

Bren

PURSUING GOD

What are you pursuing today? Will there be a prize that awaits you, when you have found it? There is no greater reward for human kind than when we move from pursuing something to actually encountering it. While completing a task gives us a sense of gratification, there is a difference between finishing a job or goal because we are ask to do it, than to go after it with great passion because we want to do it. While setting goals and finishing them are always rewarding, pursuing a goal is something different altogether, especially if you are pursuing something that you long to have. Some people pursue fame and fortune while others pursue education, good health or other things. Whatever the pursuit may be, they can lead us to pursue them with passion. When my children were little, I often times played hide and seek with them. However, the hiding was never the purpose of the game. It only served as the opportunity for the purpose, and that was, to be found by my children. Oh what a joyous occasion between us, as they would round the corner to find me smiling and waiting for them as they announced, “got cha!”. What they did not know at the time was, I had purposely hidden myself so that they could easily find me. That is how God hides from us. It may seem as though He hides Himself almost as if He does not want to be found. But Oh friend, He does! His Word even tells us to seek Him. His hiding is for the sheer joy that we receive when we do find Him.

If God seems to be hiding from you today, I can assure you sweet friend, it is not Him that is hiding, but you. Your job is to find out what your hiding from, by perusing Him. If you recall, it was not God that was found hiding in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had sinned, but the ones who felt they had reason to hide from Him because of their wrongdoing. It is the same with us today. Our wrong doings separate us from God. They separate us from having a relationship with him, they separate our fellowship with Him, they separate our understanding of Him and the list goes on. But it never was or is God’s intention for us to be separated from Him. He wants to enjoy our presence as much or more than we want to enjoy or experience His presence. That is why He made a way for us to come to Him even after the sin which separates us, came between Him and the ones that He created and adores. When God looks at us through the blood of forgiveness and our repented lives, He sees a restored child whom He adores and longs to have a personal relationship with. We cannot do it ourselves, but through His love, by His power and our choice to peruse Him, we are able to encounter the manifest presence of Almighty God.

I was at a wedding recently where the groomsmen had come out from the side room and were all standing on the platform awaiting the brides procession to come down the aisle and bring the bride to marry her beloved. As the bridesmaids came down the aisle preceding the bride to come, I noticed two young groomsmen who had only recently been married themselves. Their wives were also in the wedding and were among the bridesmaids that were shimmering down the aisle. I could not help but notice that those two young men watched their wives with sheer glee! Never once did they take their eyes off their own brides until each one had made her way down and found her spot on the platform. As I watched them, I noticed that those two young men never once looked at the other bridesmaids coming down, but only peered out in the congregation of those attending the ceremony as if to be uninterested, not even noticing as the other bridesmaids made their way down. That resonated with me, as I thought about how the Lord pursues me. Wow, what a feeling to know that the God of the universe looks at me; yep me, He looks at me, never taking His eyes off of me. His desire for me is to encounter Him and know Him better! We are encouraged in the scriptures to run the spiritual race that has been set for us to run. But the key to running it is not to compete with God’s other children, but to run it to win, for ourselves! Are you running in that race today? Do you know Him? Are you pursuing Him, as He is pursuing you? He is waiting on you! His Word tells us that He has a great prize for those who pursue Him with the intentions to win! 

Loving you today!

Bren 

LOVE, FORGIVENESS & REVIVAL

The other night sitting in a group discussion with some women, our topic quickly changed from one thing to another. I found myself surrounded by some women who apparently needed to discuss hurts and relationships. Ironically, I often times find myself  speaking to others concerning issues that are in some way or another related to love and forgiveness. It seems as though, those two topics are always on peoples' hearts and minds and will inevitably rise to the surface of most any conversation. One reason that we so often have heart issues with others over hurts and disappointments is because, we suffer from a lack of genuine agape love. Agape love is the kind of love that God affords to those who are willing to come to Him and receive it. It is that kind of love that enables us to love, forgive and be in a right relationship with others.

One of the many differences between God and us is how, we love and forgive. While we can say that we love, we are not love. God is though! It's like saying that we have a car, but we are not a car. Love is the very essence of God! He loves you and the only thing that you can do about it is accept it or reject it! Like receiving a precious gift from someone, you can misuse it or mistreat it, but in the end, you will have accepted and received it or abandoned it by denying it.  Unlike ours, God’s love is unconditional to us and is not based on our merit or performance. That means that God does not base His love for us on how we perform, behave, respond to Him, treat Him or others and so on, but entirely on His character and Who He is! Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 “that God demonstrated His love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". Our sin was forgiven at the cross and forgotten upon our repentance and salvation, never to be remembered or accounted for again. We cannot earn His love, nor can we forfeit it. Hell itself cannot cause a person to forfeit the love of God, for it is not His will that any man should perish, but that all have eternal life.   All we can do is accept it for ourselves and pass it on to others by showing His love and kindness and sharing the good news concerning Romans 5:8 about His Son. While that verse speaks about God’s love toward us, there is another verse that speaks about our love towards Him because of what He has done for us. It is found in John 14:15, Jesus said,  ‘If you love me, you will obey what I command”.  While we need God's love confirmed to us, we also need to confirm our love to Him and the best way that we can do that is by showing others our love through our forgiveness.

Through the years I have counseled many women who have shared broken hearts over relationships. And in most every situation as we begin to dig deeper, we will find a thread of un-forgiveness. It is those tiny threads of un-forgiveness that keep us bound. When the light of God's love shines on those areas and we begin to compare our love to His love, we will realize that we are not loving the way we should. As His children, we stand without excuse for not being able to get along with one another. We can and should be able to agree to disagree still being able to love and fellowship with one another. It can be done. We just have to be willing to do it.

I have often said that upon entering heaven, the one thing I look forward to the most other than seeing the Lord, is seeing all God’s children finally getting along. I look forward to no more attitudes, pride or predacious towards each other. John 13:34-35 tells us that we are to love one another and it goes on to say that we are to prove to the world that we are His disciples by our love for one another. It is a sad day when folks who claim the name of Christ,  yet hold back their love and fellowship from others because they were hurt and were never able to release or forsake that hurt in order to be close to a fellow brother or sister in Christ, simply because they did not see eye to eye on a thing! Oh friend, it matters not what face we put on when we leave the house. What does matter however, is the face that those that we have shut out of our lives see on us; whenever they reach out to us and we snob and ignore them, because we feel a little more spiritual than what we believe they are. The church today needs revival not because people are dying and going to hell, but because the household of God is bringing Him shame and needs a back porch whipping; and if we are not real careful sweet friends, our name may be called out next to step out and bend over! Don’t you think for a minute that it does not matter how we go around treating one another and representing the Lord God. Oh it matters, we are all just buying our time! We are commanded to love one another and if Christ be in our hearts, we stand without excuse as to how we are putting that into practice. Lord help us all!

Loving you today,

Bren

THE UNSEEN ENEMY

You may not believe it because you cannot see it, but there is an unseen enemy in our world that is far deadlier than any gun or bomb that mankind has seen. As a matter of fact the human eye cannot even detect it without using the proper tool. Without the proper weapons to fight it, this unseen enemy reproduces itself and cannot be defeated. These enemies are known in the scientific world as pathogen bacteria. Pathogen bacteria are insidious and tough. They can be very deadly and are unselective to whom or what they attach themselves to if the conditions are right. Given the right opportunity and environment, they will thrive and spread very rapidly to consume it’s host. Doctor’s and scientist tell us that these bacteria exist whether we believe it or not. With the use of bombs and guns, they must be made and implemented by man. However, with deadly bacteria, one may not even realize that they are infected until it is too late. So very small, yet so deadly.

The Bible tells of another unseen enemy. Have you ever found yourself saying, “I feel like I am fighting an invisible battle in this problem, my hands are tied and I cannot seem to do anything about it?” Well, if you have, you are not the only one that has felt that way. Our battling an unseen enemy goes back to the beginning of time when Adam and Eve first sinned and was cast out of the Garden that God had created and placed them in. A perfect environment! Free from death, storms, battles and conflicts of any sorts. Nothing but peace and tranquility all around them! After the fall and because sin was now in the world; Adam and Eve readily learned that they would be facing the enemy that had portrayed himself as a friend in the garden and his temptations on a regular basis from then on. God has been trying to teach man all these years that there is only one way to resist the devil and that is through His power and by our choice. Spiritual warfare is a war that is taking place on a daily basis in the life of every believer that is in Christ Jesus. It is a war between light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell, Jesus and satan. Jesus’ death and resurrection affords us the armor that we need to defeat our enemy. Jesus Himself is that full armor in our defense against the devil. Within our own fleshly strength, we are no match for him.

We need only to learn how to use His armor as our covering in our battles, as we daily face them. While satan is allowed power, it is a limited power that can be overcome by the blood of the lamb and in the end satan will most certainly be banished into hell and the lake of fire for all eternity. Satan’s hope is that if he cannot destroy a believer’s faith, he will try and destroy their integrity before God by a long list of indictments. That's why Revelation 12:10 calls him "the accuser of the brethren." He's going all over the world trying to destroy God’s people. At the same time, he's accumulating information about them, about their sins and about their failures. And he keeps his list in his supernatural mind. Eph 6:13 tells us so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, stand firm. When we understand what warfare is according to Eph 6:10-17 and how Jesus' death on the cross defeated satan and the power that he could have over us as Christians, we will then understand better concerning all those scriptures that talk about things like: Christ is our fortress, our stronghold, our strong tower and refuge in times of trouble. He is the wings under which we have come to dwell. He is our shield and buckler. He is the rock in whom we take refuge. He is our place, a sanctuary, our hiding place or covert. When we are abiding in Him, He is our cover and our protection! The Armor of God is basically applying everything that God teaches us to do and how to live. If we are doing that, then we are always armed and ready for the battles that we will most defiantly face.

Like bacteria, some people may not believe that they battle an unknown enemy such as the devil. Yet that does not make him any less real to those that have battled him and know firsthand of his deadly grip. Our battles are won through our surrendered lives to Christ, and our obedience to His Word. If we are following His Word and striving to do the right thing, then we are under His umbrella of protection and have quick and easy access to His power. The weapons of warfare are simply abiding in Christ, the one who has defeated our enemy already! Live in Him sweet friend, obeying, loving and forgiving showing mercy and grace as we have been shown ourselves! Praying for your Victory today!

Loving on you today,

Bren

WHEN LIFE GETS FOGGY

I read a story once about a young woman who was trying to set a non-stop aviation record. During the course of her trip she ran into a thick cloud of fog that kept her from seeing anything. She tried relentlessly to get someone on her radio, finally a voice came back and began to talk to her. The voice told her that while she might not be able to see clearly through the fog, he could see her on his radar and could talk her through it, if she would listen to him and trust, that while she might not be able to see him, he could see her and would see her to safe landing. Reluctantly, she had no choice, if she was going to make it she knew she would have to trust him. While her eyes did not want to trust, her heart had to. She gained a whole new perspective that night for trusting radar as well as the voice that she heard in her cockpit as she obeyed it. Had she argued with the man and doubted him, she might not have ever lived to tell anyone!

You see God can see us through the fog, the valley the ruts in life, but we must be willing to listen and allow Him to be our eyes and trust that even though we may not understand why those type things come upon us and we may not understand the things that our eyes may be seeing, He can be our pilot through them. What He is not however, is our co-pilot. I recall seeing a tag once that said God is my Co-pilot, and while that may sound sweet and helpful, it is not biblical. God must be the Captain, the Master, the Lord, the One in control, the Pilot of our everything. And no matter what the bumper stickers may say, He is not limited by them. While He may allow us to do the driving through our own life, He will also allow us to be responsible for our own actions and repercussions regarding the routes and roads that we take without His help and guidance.  

While most of us want to live and stay on life’s mountaintops, we will at some point be forced to be schooled in and recognize the beauty in the valleys and the growth that comes from living there. It will also be there in a valley that the fog will dip down to test our faith. You will seldom ever see farmers growing their crops on the sides of the mountains. That’s because it’s only in the valley that the crops can really grow to their fullest potential. While it is possible for them to grow their crops on the sides, they are harder to tend and work. But in the valley on the flat ground, that is where the best of the nutrients in the dirt lay; washed down the mountains with the wind and rain to find rest in the thick rich dirt of the valley.

Sometimes we must endure hardships and foggy times in order to appreciate those mountain top experiences. So often in those foggy times we do not trust because we walk by what we can see and when we do, we become engulfed and captive in our own fears and doubts, that will always lead us to make the wrong choices. If those foggy places makes me more like Jesus, then that’s where I want to be, because I am no stranger to the valley and many times they seem like home to me. May I encourage you today friend to embrace each valley, each pit, each foggy path as part of God’s lesson plan for you that day. Then and only then will you be able to appreciate them and see the beauty that the Lord see as He is brushing off the old man in us to make us more like Him, and as we let go and let God, the valleys become fewer and far between. Remember, don’t argue, nor debate with Him as He gets you through the fog to victory, because He has your best interest in mind and He plans on you being the winner!

Loving on you today,
Bren

THE DECADENCE OF WRONGDOING

Like poison dissolving in liquid, consuming the entire contents that it is poured in, so sin consumes the lives of those that are affected by it. Some much more serious than others. For a season in our lives sin masquerades itself to us behind the mask of fun and tolerance. It’s consequences however,  can affect the innocent as well as the guilty. It affects the person who commits it and can draw others into it as well. Sin is any act that violates the perfect will and Glory of God by transgressing or breaking His divine law offending His Holy nature. Sin originated in the heart of a created being named Lucifer. That sin entered the human world through the first woman Eve and then the first man Adam. The word of God teaches in Romans 5:13 that because of that (their) sin, death was passed to every man and woman, for that all have sinned. Romans 3:23 also tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and if anyone says that he has not sinned, he is a liar and the truth is not in him. Sin has strong consequences as well as a mortal penalty. Mankind today still lives with the consequences of the first sin. God’s word also warns that in the end times sin will increase and people will become lovers of themselves and deny the truth. As time has gone by slowly but surely mankind has become less and less sensitive to sin in them and around them. Many have traded truth for lies and they tolerate things that they once knew were wrong for the sake of keeping peace with those that disagree. What they once looked upon as “sin”, they now look upon as their “right of personal choice”. They have slowly renamed sin to fit their own lifestyle and preferences. They indulge in something that may be wrong but when it is embraced as something suitable, then, it is more easily accepted. When you hear the word decadent, most of us automatically think about indulging in some delicious chocolate dessert. However, the very word decadent means,  being in a state of self-indulgent, decline or decay, marked by unrestrained gratification, morally corrupt, and those are just the adjectives to describe it. When used as a noun, it means a person in a condition or process of mental or moral decay. More than ever before we are living in the day where our society is moving ever closer, into the process of sinful decadence or maybe I should say, the decadence of wrongdoing, which will slowly but surely end in moral decay.

The word sin today has become so distorted, abused and debased that it seems to have less and less impact on how and what people think about it. For some people, sin has become simply a phrase, that has no emotional or intellectual force behind it. For others, it’s almost a joke. Songs have been written about sin that insinuates and implies, that you are not part of the “IN CROWD” unless you are doing it. While the word sin may be losing its impact these days, the word crime seems to have far greater effect on people. Crime is much more visible and we hear more about it on T.V. every day. It is largely recognized, because they are acts or laws that are broken and committed against us. Not us breaking the law.  It’s one thing when we sin ourselves, but an entire different story when someone sins against us by committing a crime that affects us.  As a matter of fact, crime concerns us so much that it forces us to seek extra security all around us. We arm our cars and homes with monitored alarm systems, stronger locks on our doors that in many ways can provide us with a false security. Yet with them, we feel somewhat better about the protection and security they provide for us and our families.  If allowed the fear of crime can consume us and cause us to be under the subjection of it. Sin is the same way! Sin holds man under its authority. It is a living, active, forceful and dynamic power that has man under its sway. This means that he is under the power of it, in subjection to it, under the control of, or dependent upon sin, just like an addiction. We cannot escape its power, within our own strength. For it is stronger than we are, to overcome it as a whole. For our world to ever get better, we must once again look upon sin as though we look upon crime and do everything in our power to protect ourselves and our families from it.

Sin is universal, and perhaps this is one reason why the term is so frequently ignored. So many people are sinning so frequently, that to them, it is just a way of life. It is acceptable because everyone is doing it. Sin has titanic and often unrealized effects. Knowing this should cause us to guard ourselves against it even more strongly than we do against crime. Crime itself is simply sin. The Bible refers to sin as “all wrongdoing”. It always amazes me how people will get bent out of shape over crime, yet they will no longer tolerate the commands of God to be held true and taught to their children in this country. For those that understand the effects of sin, they keenly know that crime cannot be conquered a part from teaching truth and holding each other accountable for it.  While you may not can see sin as what it is, you can always recognize it at work; the after effects of it! We can bury our heads all day long in this country and call sin anything we want to. But I must tell you that our society will never be safer, until we raise a higher standard for ourselves, our children, our homes, our churches, our schools and our government. And may I conclude that until we decide to call all wrongdoing what it is and stop compromising for the sake of tolerance, our children will only continue to see their future through the eyes of crime and fear. Yes, there will always be wrongdoing as long as this earth continues….however, it is very possible to enjoy seasons of peace and my friend, we sure need some of that!

Loving On You Today!

Bren

LIVING IN AND LEAVING YOUR LO DEBAR

PART 1  LIVING IN LO DEBAR

If you are even somewhat familure with desert life, then I am sure that like many others, you equate it with being, a hostile environment that conspires against all human life. When you think about the desert, more than likely, the first thing that comes to mind is usually that of enormous heat, a lack of water and desolation. I would like to share with you a story out of the second book of Samuel,  about a young man that was rescued from such a place. This young man was the grandson of a great King, his name was Mephibosheth, the son of Prince Jonathan, and grandson of King Saul. He was five years old when his father and grandfather fell in the Battle of Mount Gilboa. Upon the hearing of this calamity, the child's nurse fled with the boy from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbled as she hurried to flee, dropping him on the ground. His falling to the ground left Mephibosheth permanently paralyzed from his waist down. From Gibeah, he was carried to the land of Gilead, where he and his nurse found refuge for many years in the house of Machir at Lo-Debar. The name, Lo Debar meant, place of no pasture, no hope, total desolation, so you can imagine the kind of place it was. Surely, Mephibosheth’s nurse thought that no one would ever look for him there and for a while, no one did. 

Years before Jonathan’s death, David had covenanted with him, that after he had become king, David would always show kindness to his household and that Jonathan's family would never be cut off. Years later, after King David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think about the family of Jonathan, and the covenant that he had made with his dear friend. He asked some of his advisers one day if there may be anyone left of the house of Saul, for Jonathan’s sake, that He could show kindness to. The only relative left that his advisors found out about, was one of Jonathan’s son, who was crippled and hiding out in the desolate place of Lo Debar. David told them to find Mephibosheth and bring him to him immediately. When the King's men came to Mephibosheth door and told him that King David was summoning him, one can only imagine the fear that struck his heart. Was it not enough that he was exiled in one of the most remote desolate places on earth, but even there he now, was no longer safe. He was afraid and unsure of what was about to happen to his very life. However, what choice did he have, surrounded by armed men, representatives of the King himself, he had no choice but to go back with them and face whatever was waiting for him, upon the Kings spoken command. Little was he aware and did he know, that the thing that would bring him out of hiding was grace, not harm. Absolute grace from the very thing that he had feared the most, the King’s own hand. Instead of death, he had received a new life, in a way that he had not known since childhood. At last he would be able to sit at the King’s table once again and enjoy the benefits of being an heir to a King. No more would he have to live in Lo De Bar. King David even restored to Mephibosheth the land that belonged to his fathers. What a great picture of grace. David did for Mephibosheth what Mephibosheth could not do for himself. What a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us, if we will simply  come to Him as He summons us out, of our Lo Debar. Because of a promise to his friend Jonathan, Mephibosheth was restored to what the sin of his grandfather had taken from him. He was the son of a King’s son, yet through his own making Saul brought much grief to his household.

PART 2  LEAVING YOUR LO DEBAR

The name, Lo Debar meant, place of no pasture, no hope, total desolation. You may have experienced living in a place like Lo Debar. Like Mephibosheth, in last week’s devotion, you too may be hiding out, living in a spiritual desolate place. Maybe you are there because of a failing relationship, the shame of a divorce, or abuse, maybe some type of financial problem, or maybe just some wrong choices that you have made. But, one thing for sure is, that everyone at some point and time has been or will be, forced to make a visit to a place like Lo Debar. And there, each person will be allowed to experience the great benevolence and grace of a King who cares for them and is calling them out of hiding. So many times we suffer more from what the devil would have us to believe than the actual truth in a matter. When we fail to forgive others or ourselves for something that was done to us or that we have done, we become trapped in our own minds, not by the wrong that others have done to us, but by the unwillingness to let it go and allow the grace of God to do in us what it is meant to do. Our fear over shadows what we know down deep inside us to be truth and we exchange truth for a lie. Not only does Christ offer redemption for those that are wanting to leave their Lo Debar, He also offers hope for the one who keeps returning there because they are unstable in their walk with Christ refusing to cut the cord that binds them to that desert place, even though Jesus Himself, shows up at the door to retrieve them by His own hand. Yet in order to leave that desolate place of fear and hiding, we must always be willing to let go, to leave that which we are holding on to, behind. It cannot come with us to the green pastures of peace and refuge at the King’s table. For at the King’s table, there is only room for those that are forgiven and those that have forgiven. If we dare try and bring unforgiveness with us, we will not be allowed to stay.  

Sometimes, those who claim to know Christ as Redeemer and Savior can experience a psychological Lo Debar through their own making. How long and how desolate their experience is, depends on how intimately they will choose to know God deeper and move quickly through their desert experience. A woman or man betrays a relationship and everything they had believed about that relationship all of a sudden is gone; because of one incident, one mistake. Was their whole relationship just a lie, just a big put on? Where do they go now? Every place they shared together is now an uncomfortable place. Every friend can seem almost like an enemy. Once where laughs had filled the room now are distant memories, uncomfortable, and suspect. Stuck in Lo Debar, they cry out to God, “Is this how a child of Yours is meant to live?”  and often times they play the blame game by degrading and pointing fingers. They forget that hurting people tend to hurt each other. They degrade the other to make themselves look and feel better. Yet God holds them just as accountable, for their sin of unforgiveness. Friend, may I tell you that God is so serious about our unwillingness to forgive. As a matter of fact His word tells us that unless we forgive, we ourselves will not be forgiven.  As they seek forgiveness from one another and with God, then the peace that they are searching for in their desert will come quickly. In fact, forgiving is the only way to get peace. To keep peace we must embrace it and hold it tight, always being mindful of what happens to our joy when we fail to pursue that peace. If one of them refuses to forgive or get the proper help needed to work through their pain and do whatever it takes to get out of Lo Debar… they will continue to revisit that desert place, that will only bring more pain.

May I tell you the truth sweet friend, if you are feeling like this today, you have but one choice to make in order to get help, to get out of your spiritual desert place! That choice is up to you! In order to get to the other side though I must warn you… you must be willing to let go of what you are holding on to, because “that thing” is keeping you longer than you want or need to stay. Do you think for a minute that your sin holds any less weight before God than someone else’s sin. Maybe you are beating yourself up because you were the one who made the mistake. Still, either way, you must be willing to see your situation from God’s perspective. Once you do that, and are willing to let go, you can then take hold of the promise of freedom to once again love and be restored not only to another, but to God Himself.  I know personally what it is like to feel both trapped and lost. It has happened in my life enough times that I am learning to be quick in my letting go, so that I can take hold of the grace that God has extended to me in many unusual and unexpected ways. I also suspect that I will feel the pull toward Lo Debar again and again before my journey has ended here. But until then I will run every time as I see on the horizon the outskirts of Lo Debar in my life and will do my best to turn and run the other way.  You see the thing that makes the difference for me now is that I know that He knows the way out of Lo Debar and I know the way to Him. Run to Him friend, He is calling you out now!

Hold Fast,

Bren