When Your World Falls Apart…Thank God For Christmas

That title may seem weird. Even offensive, if you’re hurting right now. The fact is, when seasonal festivities really begin to take off, Christmas for many people is a painful reminder of loved ones lost, families divided and dreams broken. But have you ever thought of Christmas as a time for some emotional therapy? Whilst I’m a MAJOR fan of all things festive, let’s just reign that in for a minute or two and change perspectives.

Christ. He’s described as a ‘Man of sorrows’, ‘acquainted with grief’. (Isaiah 53:3) When you’re ‘acquainted’ with something/ someone, you know it/them very well. Actually, you don’t only know it, you've lived it. Jesus knew loss and disappointment extremely well. Remember, when He walked earth He was fully man, although still God. He experienced hunger, thirst, betrayal and ridicule. He had a home life - had to be raised by parents - Jesus was not born walking and talking perfect Hebrew. It’s worth noting Joseph’s absence from records very early on - we can only assume he may have died. So Jesus possibly experienced being raised in a single-parent home, too. He experienced intimate family life and friendships, so when many of these same individuals rejected Him, it would have cut Him to the core. (John 7:5). More so because they were who He came to save.

So what was the point of all this suffering? We can recite scripture to the point where it sounds cliched - ‘surely He has borne our sorrows and carried our weaknesses’. (Is 53)‘Borne’. Take a long hard look at that word. It suggests something more compelling than sympathy. Sympathising is feeling sorry. To ‘bear’ is to take on that very sorrow. This thought brings us back to where we started - thinking of Christmas as a time of therapy.  The whole point of Christ’s suffering in this way, is because He knew we would suffer in this world, so He made a supernatural provision to help us. Emotional pain can be all-consuming; it can even manifest physically. It’s in these moments that we must off-load all of our hurts, thoughts, etc to our Lord. He’s listening. Don’t stop - He never tires like people do. Do this regularly, when it all seems too much. Keep on going back to that well of water and drinking. Keep on leaving that pain with Him, no matter how many times it returns. In time, you will begin to notice a strength and peace that wasn’t there before. You’ll find that you’re able to think about other things, and you won’t feel guilty for it. You’ll begin to encourage those around you, and they’ll draw strength from you. 

My precious, this is a journey - a tough one - but you have therapy at hand that few people are aware of at this time of year. It’s called Christmas.

Have a good one.

Never Forsaken

 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

(Matthew 27:46)

This is one of Christ’s final utterances on the cross. But what  does it mean for us now? To answer this question, let’s take a look at some events leading to this harrowing moment.

Prior to this scene, we are presented with a wonderful image of the close-knit relationship that Jesus and his disciples enjoyed. The disciples would have spent the majority of their time with Jesus, not just learning from him but fellowship  with him. Hanging out just like you do with very close friends. In fact they were more like family. The Bible depicts some of the squabbling that went on amongst the disciples, and Jesus correcting them like ‘big bro’. (Matt 18:1-5). And no doubt they would have spent time laughing and joking together - yes Jesus had a sense of humour. 

Do you see it? Do you see moments like that in your life? Surrounded by friends and family, simply enjoying the moments together? A meal out, a party, holiday, shopping trip, or maybe a date?

Now let’s paint another scenario. A moment in your life when everything turns black. I mean - it’s so intense, it feels like someone has literally pulled the curtains of your life, and you feel very alone in your situation. You have tried just about everything you know how to and hit a brick wall each time. There is simply no one who gets it; no one who understands. And no one who can get you out of this hole. So you simply continue digging your hole because you just don’t know what else to do. Or continue to plod through your daily, painful and mentally exhausting routine.

Now look back at today’s scripture that we  began with from Matthew 27, and you will see a connection between what you are facing and what Jesus faced on the cross. Friend, there is hope. The truth is, Jesus’ disciples - his friends, and even his very own brothers abandoned him at the point where he could have really done with their support.  (John 7:5) (Mark 14:50). Take a moment to imagine the curtains of life being drawn for the Saviour of the world, who died for you and me. Those who would have been His ‘church family’ today were His most ardent accusers. 

Jesus was ‘forsaken’ (or ‘rejected’) on the cross because He was carrying our sins. Yours and mine. Do you know what that means? It means that your time of dark abandonment, rejection, or being ‘forsaken’, is over. A divine exchange took place on the cross - Jesus took on your forsaken state, nailed it to the cross, and opened the way for you to “come forth” from your dark tomb, into the light of His resurrection. Yes, there’s a resurrection for you too! Let this be your day, your hour. Believe these images I’ve presented here today are for you personally. You can start to live again instead of just existing. You have God-given life and purpose.

If you would like further support or help, please do contact me: peacebrown38@gmail.com or comment below.

The Trouble With Arguing…

 

Recently, I attempted to visit a poorly relative in hospital. Frustratingly, the hospital had decided to close the car park which generally means encircling the hospital repeatedly in the hope that a space will become available somewhere nearby. After three attempts of doing this without success, I finally pulled over to a patient transport waiting area, where I waited for 40 minutes. At this point a lady came along in her car, and also proceeded to wait for a space. Time crept by and almost an hour passed when a visitor finally relieved a parking space. Hooray! My patience had finally paid off… hadn’t it?. The lady who had also been waiting, sneakily arranged for some of her passengers to block me from entering the now- available space so that she could have it! Can you imagine the opportunities I had right there to shout, holler and scream about the injustice of it all?

Anyone close to me  will tell you that going back a few years that’s exactly what I would have done. I was argumentative, confrontational and always had to prove I was in the right. After all, in this case I was! However, my peace over the years has become far more valuable to me than proving that I am right. So I sat. And waited. No more spaces became available and eventually I was forced to return home. I will attempt it again another day, but I have already decided that I will not become angry if this is repeated. I went away with my peace perfectly intact and importantly, people I love didn’t  have to tolerate a foul mood emanating from me.

You see, my precious readers, the trouble with arguments is that there are just no winners. I’ve never once seen an argument where both sides have walked away saying “that was fantastic! I feel great!” The truth is, most people believe that they can spew a whole load of bitter negativity during an argument and that once they’ve stopped arguing, it’s over. I’m sorry to say, it isn’t. Words do not simply disappear into thin air. They land on the hearts and minds of people and remain there, ready for the next round of arguments with whoever and about whatever - whether the issue is serious or trivial.You may look back over past broken friendships, broken family relationships, work or even church relationships and wonder to yourself: “how did it come to this?” I think it would be really healthy to go back and reflect on the disputes and sharp exchanges of words over time and you will see that you have built an unhealthy stronghold. It may be painful to think this through, but if it’s done with a humble and open heart before God, he will gently lift the burdens and unforgiveness  you carry and you will begin to see restored relationships in your marriage, with your children, with your siblings and in friendships. But this is not an exercise in condemnation. Don’t beat yourself up - there is so much help at hand! 

Always remember that in an argument, both sides want to prove that they are right. However, the moment you begin to argue, you are wrong. Whilst you may be right about the issue itself, what actually rises up is pride, because of course we must be proven right! There is simply no merit to engaging in conflict - it requires no self control, patience or love… all fruits of the spirit. Have you noticed that? Whilst you are busy trying to prove your “rightness”, you have forfeited everything that the Holy Spirit has embedded within you in order for you to experience his grace. That’s why nobody wins an argument. In fact, over time, you cause long-term damage to both your loved ones and to yourself. There’s an awful lot of shouting going on, but can you hear each other? You are merely exchanging hostilities without listening. 

Here’s what the word has to say:

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬ ‭BSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/3034/pro.15.18.BSB

“It is honorable to back off from a fight, but fools jump right in.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭3‬ ‭CEB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/37/pro.20.3.CEB

“But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭BSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/3034/2ti.2.23-24.BSB

The Word of God  is pretty candid about arguments! But the benefits of avoiding them are also lucid. It calms disputes and it’s honourable. But look at the final verse from 2 Timothy: “… Kind to everyone, able to teach and forbearing“. Imagine yourself sitting having a coffee with someone you’ve  fallen  out with and being able to offer kindness to them, being able to teach them and bear with them in their areas of weakness, and them helping you in your weaknesses too - no hostilities, just an understanding between you, whether you agree or not. 

This journey towards ousting clamorous arguing from your life will not be an overnight process, but the moment you decide to do it, you have divine help. When you get on board with God, then and only then can he come to your aid. And with the same kindness we’ve seen in the book of Timothy, he will lead you gently and without judgement, because he loves you. 

I pray for restored, and healed relationships in your life! 

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Do You Still Believe When It’s Winter?

 

 

I often venture out on prayer and wildlife walks, as I find those elements are a great combo. I get to take time out from busyness and purposefully direct my attention to our creator God.

Check out  the two images above, taken of my favourite place to walk. Take your time, and study the first image, taken in winter. Who would have believed anything could ever grow in that barren looking land? It looks dead. Hopeless. 

Now study the second image taken in late spring. I can tell you that this gorgeous scene was accompanied by an equally beautiful scent! But it’s the same park. It turns out that there was an awful lot going on below the ground during that winter scene. 

That’s exactly what our walk with God can be like sometimes. There are things that we need God to do in our lives and it looks as though nothing at all is happening. Our situation looks dead. You’ve prayed and sought God, and now anxiety is beginning to take the place of faith because you can’t see anything happening. But did you know that God heard you the very first time you made your request to him?

Prayer is a supernatural weapon given to us by God. As such, we don’t always see its effects immediately – there is a spiritual and a physical dimension  to be considered  when you pray. 

The Bible informs us that it is at the point of prayer where things happen: “So I tell you to ask for what you want in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭24‬ ‭ERV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/406/mrk.11.24.ERV. 

A note of caution about the ‘what you want’ bit - you don’t have grace to get revenge on someone you don’t like, or to ask God to make you a millionaire overnight! Prayer is not a fruit machine that you simply insert cash and hope to get more cash from. Our God is holy, and He deals with us at a heart level. He knows what’s really going on in your heart. 

The verse prior to this contextualises things nicely, as it refers to ‘mountains’, or ‘problems’ that seem impossible to move: 

“The truth is, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬ ‭ERV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/406/mrk.11.23.ERV

The point is, we are to believe God when things look as desolate in our lives as the first image above. Times like these can produce our richest prayers. Study the second image, and use it to believe God when your life still resembles the first. 

I encourage you to do this:

1. In your difficult circumstances, spend time reading and absorbing the verses in Mark 11: 20-25.

2. Allow God to bring these verses to life on the inside of you. That’s called ‘faith’. 

3. Once faith is stirring - and ONLY when faith is stirring, go to verse 23, which actually tells you the words to speak concerning your situation. Insert your specific problem where it refers to ‘mountain’. 

Why do I recommend time in the word of God first? Because without it, all you have is sheer willpower. You’ll run out of steam before you know it. And we also have an adversary, the devil, waiting to steer you away from the word of God. (1 Peter 5:8).

You see, many times people wander around making great-sounding, biblical declarations as though simply saying them repeatedly will get the job done. It won’t. That’s why you need my very first step above! You can walk around all you want, declaring ‘I’m healed! I’m healed!’ or whatever your need may be. But remember, your mind/ body knows what you really believe. There’s no shame in that. We all believe wrongly sometimes. So use step one above to get your heart in line with right believing. 

My brother, my sister, our God sees your ‘springtime’, resplendent with abundance, whatever that abundance may represent to you, and He wants you to see it too.  For some, it’s simply a desire for lasting peace in a life of turmoil. For others it means having pressing needs met. It could mean the healing of relationships, or the restoration of health. There really is no limit. But it begins with what you see through the eyes of faith. 

Remember, as you go through whatever you may be facing, let your words take you where you would like to go, as Mark 11:23 specifies. If you are in ‘winter’, take time in the word of God to believe, allow faith to flourish, and ONLY then, begin to speak. Your situation is not hopeless. It is simmering with breakthroughs!

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Don’t Give Your Precious Heart to Just Anybody

John 4:4-26

Have you ever read this story about the Samaritan woman at the well? It’s worth another read.

It begins by stating that Jesus “needed” to travel via Samaria. There was a much faster route to reach his destination but he was setting himself up to meet the pressing need of this Samaritan woman. You may know that Samaritans were considered heinous outcasts. Not to mention being female too! On the face of it, this woman really didn’t have much going for her. And yet, it was with this apparent female  “outcast” with which Jesus engaged in the longest ever recorded conversation in the Bible. If you’re someone who follows worldly views about the Bible being sexist, at this point you should realise that’s a lie.

Next, I’d like to focus on the considerate, gentle approach of Jesus. Note, he met her alone-scandalous at this time! But he was about to get to the root of her needs and he was not going to embarrass her. A conversation takes place about physical water and spiritual water. She doesn’t understand that the water that Jesus would give her was not physical. He was talking about the deep desire she had for love. Real love.

You see, this is an innate desire that our Lord has placed on the inside of each of us. This precious lady would go on to confess sins of a personal, sensitive nature which she could not possibly share with anyone else. In other words, she was about to place her fragile heart in the hands of someone she could trust. Her physical desires were laid out for Jesus to see - nothing hidden. Then, and only then, was Jesus able to replace her physical “water“ with his spiritual “water”.  Symbolic of this, was that she left her water jar behind. Let’s look at that jar. Whatever its size, it had limited capacity to contain water. It would have been very heavy. And she would have to return every day, making this trek to refill. It was insufficient and could never meet her innermost desires. She had already been through five husbands, and Jesus knew this. Her deepest desires had not been met and she was searching in all of the wrong places. 

But this day, her narrative was about to change. She was about to encounter “living waters“ and she would never “thirst“- seek fulfilment in multiple partners - again. She found Jesus - an unlimited, unburdensome supply of water.

This can be your story too. If you’re ashamed of what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you’ve been with, there’s one who is standing by waiting to listen without judgement. He wants your heart, because it is a safe place and only he can protect it. He will not add to your load, he will gently and lovingly take it. And when he does, your search will be over.

Will you trust Jesus with your heart today?

If you want help to receive Jesus, praise this prayer:

Jesus, I’ve been searching and never found fulfilment yet. Please come into my heart today.

I turn everything I’m ashamed of over to you and place my fragile heart in your hands. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. 

Amen.

Please post a reply if you’ve prayed the above prayer and I will respond to you directly.

Alternatively, you can use: peacebrown38@hotmail.co.uk.

Turning the Spotlight Back to God.

The spotlight. A powerful tool on stage. Projecting an iridescent beam on whatever the focus of the performance is. It’s an illuminating device with the power to keep every eye on where the action is at that particular moment. It’s such a powerful tool that by capturing the attention of audiences, they can be enthralled with the drama one moment and in absolute distress the next. In other words it has the influence to control what it wants us to see. It’s not that there isn’t anyone else on stage, it’s just that the spotlight isn’t on them at that moment because the director has decided to select a particular moment to focus on according to what he/she believes is integral to the performance. 

Have you noticed how this works? Do you see how you can do the same thing in your life? If you focus on what’s happening around the world for long enough, you will be negatively influenced. Yes, we all need to be aware of current issues. But it’s up to us to decide what we place our ‘spotlight’ on. Fact: we live in a fallen world. Truth: Jesus has overcome the world. Fact is not the same as truth. We absolutely need statistics, science etc, but although they are factual they can be doctored- manipulated and so they seem to portray a true message. Truth however, can not be altered. God does not change, and neither does His word. That means it can be trusted.The direction that your life takes can reveal much about the focus of your spotlight. But that’s all it is - your focus, not necessarily the truth. Are you consumed with fear, worry and doubt? When you visit the doctor are you on edge, wondering what prognosis will be given? When letters come through your door is your heart racing with the thought of yet another bill? Do you hang on to the words “cost of living crisis“ Which is repeated daily until it begins to form an image in your mind of shortage and struggle? If you tick any of these boxes (as well as a host of others) I submit to you that your spotlight is in the wrong place. But it’s not a problem, now that you know! The same way the habit was formed subconsciously by consuming what’s going on around you, is the same way you can form a new habit of consistently and deliberately turning everything over to God. And leaving it there. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Heb 11:1). Unbelief, worry etc. also come by hearing - Yep! You’ve got it - By hearing the wrong thing consistently. You consistently listened to the bad news didn’t you? Well it’s time to consistently listen to the good: 

When that bill comes, say “thank you Lord for being my provider“. (Matt 6:26).

When that pain , cough, irritation comes - note how these are also characteristics of the devil - say “thank you Lord that you are my healer“. (Ps 107:20),

When there is strife in your family between your children or anyone else say “thank you Lord that you are the peace in this family“.  (Phil 4: 6-7),

And when you are experiencing such a deep sorrow to the very core of your being, remember that the Lord is called “man of sorrow, acquainted with grief” (Is 53:3) and say “you are my comfort, joy and strength”.  (Ps 30:11).

In other words you are taking back control of the spotlight’s focus, joining hands with Almighty God and allowing him to shine instead. (1 Cor 3:9).

Be encouraged. There is so much more to life than what this world’s “spotlight“ wants you to see!

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Be led by the Spirit

What was it like for Jesus to walk in the spirit? Yes, our Lord had to do this because he occupied a physical body whilst on Earth.

It was the Spirit of God who led Jesus in Luke 4, to deal with the attacks of the devil after He had fasted for 40 days.

But look it Mark 5. I’m  convinced that Jesus probably didn’t know beforehand that He would:

a. face the Gadarene demoniac. A man in such a pitiful spiritual state, Which manifested mentally and physically, that he dwelt among tombs, uncontrollably self harming, unable to be tamed by anybody.

b. encounter the woman with the issue of blood, bleeding profusely for 12 years, becoming increasingly worse. Shunned and despised by everybody because she was considered unclean. Stripped of every last penny by physicians who could not heal her.

c. encounter Jairus, whose daughter - interestingly also 12 years old (the number of power, authority and completeness in the Bible) who would die by the time He reached her.

But He went where he was led.

You see, Although Jesus never sinned and he was perfect, this physical body was not perfect in the sense that it was limited. He didn’t necessarily know ahead of time what he would encounter. Although he was the son of God, his physical body was a limitation. But he was ready. Because he walked in the Spirit. There is so much in this for us. 1 John 4:17 says as he is so are we in this world. Do you know what that means? Yes, we too must be led by the Spirit of God. If Jesus needed to, much more so do we need to. Ever wondered why so much evil seems to prevail in this world? Yes, definitely a consequence of a fallen, sinful world. But it’s also partially a consequence of God’s people not realising that we are his hands and feet. Living in this physical body just as Jesus occupied a physical body, we too are to  ‘go’ just because he said so. We don’t realise all the missed chances we’ve had to comfort, encourage, heal and even to share a laugh- laughter is medicine.

As we spend time in his word let’s ask him to help us become ever more sensitive to his still quiet voice, and shut off some of those things that hinder it - He’ll help us every step of the way.

And then, let’s ‘go’.