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God of All Comfort

25 Nov

Reblog from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.
2 Corinthians 1:3

The complete verse reads: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can offer comfort to those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

When I was writing Summer Storms, I searched the Bible for a verse I could use in a particular scene. I was using my grandmother’s Bible and found she had underlined this passage. I wondered when she had taken note and found comfort in those words. What had she been going through? Was she thinking of someone else needing comfort and finding her marching orders to reach out to them through these words?

Millions of people are hurting and in need of comfort. This past week, my family has faced serious health issues; a dear friend had a biopsy done; and two funerals for tragic deaths took place just days apart. I wonder how anyone can survive without God’s comfort. He offers it freely to those who seek Him, yet many resist.

By resisting God’s comfort, though, not only are we hurting ourselves, we are robbing others of receiving comfort through us in their own times of need. How can we offer something we have not received ourselves?

When my grandmother died, I heard the words of comfort offered by friends and family as mere platitudes. I was consumed by my grief and angry at God for taking her from us. I wasn’t capable of accepting the comfort being offered. Now, when I attend a funeral, I want to be the one offering comfort without sounding like a cliché of platitudes. It’s a challenge. We all feel grief differently. Those words that couldn’t get through to me, may be the exact words someone else longs to hear.

Only God knows how to reach us in our times of trouble. He knows exactly what we need to hear. Comfort also comes in action rather than words. A neighbor mowing the yard when someone is sick; a church group arranging meals following a surgery; a good friend sending a card or DoorDashing a box of donuts.

We will face struggles and heartaches until the day we die, but take heart, God has overcome the world. He is waiting to offer His comfort so you may pass it along to the next person in need. Open your heart and receive His comfort today.

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The 15-Second Rule That Changed My Life: How to Let Go of Guilt and Live Free in God’s Grace.

31 Aug

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged from Janet Perez Eckels

Let me tell you what happened the other evening.

People are often surprised when I mention that I cook. Yes, I’m blind—and yes, blind people do cook. In fact, we do it quite economically. When no one else is home, there’s no need to turn on the lights. Imagine the electricity we save!

Last night, while my sweet husband was telling me about his day, I was peeling some carrots. In my hurry, I placed one too close to the edge of the counter, and sure enough, it rolled onto the floor.

Without hesitation, he jumped up and said, “I’ll get it.”

As he handed it to me, he added, “Here. Got it before 15 seconds.”

“Fifteen seconds?” I asked.

“Yep. If you pick something up within 15 seconds, no harm done. Learned that as a kid.”

I smiled. But then I paused. The more I thought about that quirky little rule, the more profound it became.

A Deeper Application

Sure, the floor is still the floor—whether something’s there for one second or fifteen, it still needs cleaning. But there was a lesson buried in that moment.

I started wondering… What if I applied that 15-second rule to my inner life?

How often do we let something negative fall into our spirit and just leave it there? How long does it sit before we even realize the damage it’s doing?

I’m talking about guilt.

Anybody know what I mean?

When Guilt Lingers Too Long

That sneaky emotion creeps in when you’re most vulnerable. Guilt slithers through your thoughts like a snake—slow and quiet—but poisonous all the same.

It shows up in moments of discouragement. And then it speaks:

“If you hadn’t done that, this wouldn’t be happening.”

“What were you thinking?”

“You’re not doing enough.”

For me, it’s thoughts like: “You should spend more time reading God’s Word, encouraging others, creating more leads, writing more…”

That guilt starts stacking up like clutter in a room, and before you know it, it’s stealing your peace and silencing your confidence.

But not anymore.

I’m Applying the 15-Second Rule

I made a decision: guilt doesn’t get to linger.

If something falls into my heart that doesn’t belong there—regret, shame, self-doubt—I have fifteen seconds to pick it up and toss it out before it spreads discouragement and sadness.

Why? Because guilt trips cost. 

And the currency is joy, peace, and a clear mind to serve God.

Here’s the Truth: God Already Forgave You

If you’re like me and you’ve got a list of past failures, here’s what you do:

  • Ask for forgiveness.
  • Believe—truly believe—that God forgives a repentant heart.
  • And then… move on.

If you’re dealing with something right now that’s making you feel guilty, address it. Correct it. Then move forward. Not because you’re perfect, but because He is.

Dr. Charles Stanley once wrote in his devotional: “Remember we are forgiven. If we confess our sins, He forgives. First John 1:9 promises us the process is that simple… The Enemy stimulates false guilt… Make a declaration: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I reject these feelings of guilt. They have absolutely no scriptural basis. They are false, and I refuse to acknowledge them.’”

The moment you do, the weight lifts. The lies lose their power. And your heart begins to breathe again.

Jesus Came to Give Us Freedom

He said it Himself: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:9-10)

Life to the full. Not half-empty with guilt. Not dimmed by shame. Not heavy with regret.

That’s the promise—and the freedom—we get when we walk through His gate. A fresh start. A clean heart. Like a morning breeze, reassurance fills the soul.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank you for the freedom we find in You—liberated from destructive emotions and replaced by the peace and reassurance You give me—a beautiful gift wrapped in Your love.

What guilt are you still holding onto that God has already forgiven—and what would your life look like if you let it go… in the next fifteen seconds?

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Hope in Thanksgiving

28 Nov

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

This week, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. A group of settlers known as the Pilgrims celebrated the first feast of Thanksgiving in the “New World”. These “separatists,” as the Church called them, refused to acknowledge the Queen as the Head of the Church, placing herself above the Lord Jesus Christ. The church bishops’ support for this usurpation was evidence to the Pilgrims of the total corruption of the Church. For this rebellion, the Pilgrims faced bulling, taxation, imprisonment on false charges, and societal marginalization. First, they fled to Holland, but life wasn’t any easier there, so they decided to sail for the “New World”.

Challenges plagued their journey from the start. When they landed at Cape Cod, they found a wild wilderness with no protection from fierce winter storms. Scouts found a more sheltered area farther south and upriver, deep enough for the Mayflower to sail in. They spent that first winter onboard their ship while they built shelters ashore. Working in the cold to the point of exhaustion, simple colds grew into pneumonia, killing many. The more adversity they faced, the more fervently they prayed for God’s provision.

All the while, they knew Indians roamed outside their palisade, but only once did they experience a skirmish in which none were injured. March brought more roaring wind along with the introduction to Samoset, a chief of the Algonquin tribe. Samoset spoke flawless English, which he learned from fishing captains who came ashore in Maine near his home. He’d come to the area with one of those captains to explore for the Council of New England.

Several days later, Samoset returned with another Indian who also spoke English, Squanto, and who was originally from this land the Pilgrims had settled. Samoset, Squanto, and Massasoit, chief of the local Wampanoag tribe, met with the Pilgrims and a peace treaty of mutual aid and assistance was reached. Squanto remained when Massasoit and his warriors returned to their homes. He showed the Pilgrims how to fish, to plant corn, to hunt, which native plants were good to eat and which were good for medicine, and much more.

With the harvest of 1621 complete, the colony’s governor, William Bradford, organized a celebration, inviting Squanto and Massasoit, who had been so helpful. When Massasoit arrived, he brought ninety others with him, but they didn’t come empty-handed. They brought deer and turkeys, taught the Pilgrims how to make hoecakes and pudding from cornmeal and maple syrup. The feast lasted three days, and the celebration included sporting competitions between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags.

More than 150 years later, in 1789, George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation to celebrate the conclusion of the American Revolution. The United States did not officially adopt Thanksgiving as an annual holiday until 1863, during the height of the Civil War. By 1939, it was already turning into a commercial holiday, when Franklin Roosevelt moved it up a week hoping to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. Following extreme backlash, Roosevelt signed a bill in 1941, assigning the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving.

Our history is increasingly distorted and many view the founding of America as a bloodthirsty invasion that disregarded the people already living in this unknown land. It is important to remember, the further away we get from an event, the more likely it is to be rewritten to fit a particular narrative or agenda. I’m reading The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, first published in 1977. This book traces the history of America, delving into the questions “Did God call Columbus to discover new lands?” and “Was God leading the early settlers to America?”. It’s a fascinating read that challenges much of what our current historians are espousing.

Today, Americans rarely think about how the tradition started or why those first celebrants were in the “New World” to begin with. The holiday has become a day for football, a competitive kick-off to Christmas shopping, a dreaded day of family gathering.

As Christians, we are called to live every day with thanksgiving. Psalm 100 is a song of David that says:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

I hope this Thanksgiving you will take time to reflect on what God has done in your lives. Rejoice in the adversity, give thanks in the blessings, and be kind to others.

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Hope in the Promise

5 Nov

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn


Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. I’m weary from the assault of political ads on television, in the mailbox, and via text message. I’m ready for this election season to be over, but I know the outcome will leave many people unhappy. With the media visibly taking sides, inflaming the public, and coming just short of blatantly calling for violence, it’s no wonder we are divided as a nation.

While many fear what lies ahead, I rest in the confidence that God remains in control. God is on the throne today and He’ll be there tomorrow, no matter what the votes say. God is just, and a day is coming when all those who have mocked and rejected Him will have to account for their sins. I feel deep sadness for those people. I wish I could make them see the error of their ways, but many have hardened hearts that are unreachable.

How we as Christians react following the election results will be a part of our witness to the world. We should not gloat in victory nor react with anger in defeat. We must keep our eyes on Christ, on the throne of heaven, which is where our future lies.

The day we are waiting for isn’t an Election Day. There are no amount of votes that can stop Christ from returning to establish His kingdom on earth. “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

That is the promise awaiting us. There are no campaign promises that can overshadow this one! If you haven’t voted yet, be sure to exercise this precious right. Go prayerful to the ballot box and make your selection. Be prepared for any outcome but resting in the truth that God is always in control and the promise of a kingdom without pain awaiting us in the future.

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Hope in Our Differences

13 Sep

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

Since the beginning of time, Satan has attempted to mimic and corrupt all that God has created. The current age is not the first time there has been anger & division over differences. Satan mislead Adam and Eve to question to instructions God had given them about eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan didn’t even have to exert much effort to convince them God wouldn’t strike them dead immediately if they ate the fruit. God’s words to Adam’s about this tree were, “for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17).

As the population of the world grew, so did differences among the people. Many fell away from faith in God and worshipped idols made of wood or stone. They looked to the sun, moon, and stars to be their gods. These differences caused wars and the more powerful any one group became, the more differences they found amongst themselves. Throughout history, people have placed a greater value on a group of people that possesses financial wealth while looking down upon, mocking, and oppressing those who labor. Without those workers, though, who would provide the goods and services the wealthy need for survival?

Jesus, on the other hand, came to earth, still fully God but taking on human form and mingling with the lowest people in society. They were looking for the Messiah, but the religious scholars were only talking about one. The 12 men Jesus taught on an intimate level were a diverse group. A tax collector, some fishermen, a zealot, and who knows for sure what the others were. A tax collector was considered a traitor to his own people and yet Jesus called him to follow! The 12 learned from each other, they grew to rely on each other, and their differences strengthened them.

We don’t all have to share the same politics, the same opinions on world affairs. In the end, those topics don’t have long-lasting importance. The only topic that warrants serious discussion is faith. Faith is the root of all differences of opinion. Christians are called intolerant because we believe Jesus is the only way to heaven. Every person has the choice whether they believe that and want to follow Jesus. Nobody is forcing the decision. Those who follow Jesus are called to share this truth, to make people aware, and to encourage others to believe, but Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14).

Next time you find yourself in a heated conversation, stop to think about how important that topic is. Is there any benefit in arguing? Can you find a way to respect the differences in your opinions? Look at the people around you as more than their opinions on a handful of explosive topics. Get to know the things that truly make up their character: their hopes, and dreams, their heartaches, and their triumphs. Learn from them and recognize that without our differences, we wouldn’t have scientific discoveries, great writing, astonishing food combinations, or transformative music.

God created us each of to be unique. Why would we want to all be the same?

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Hope in Praise

31 Aug

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

The words we feed into our brains have tremendous power. When we listen to words spoken in anger, filled with venom and hate, we begin to feel angry ourselves. Even if we just have the television or radio on in the background, without paying attention to what is on or being said, the same sense of anxiousness and anger rises within us. Conversely, if positive, kind words are being spoken in gentle tones, the emotional temperature of a room will cool.

I probably had a subconscious awareness long before I consciously noticed the change in myself. In high school, I was in the marching band and I made a Friday night mix tape I would listen to before football games to get me excited for the night and the show we would perform during halftime. In college, I used music to help me study, recalling specific songs that played as I prepared for a test helped me remember the information I needed.

In my late 20s, I went through a troubled period where I was listening to a lot of songs full of angst and anger, but I also discovered a new Christian radio station that I would occasionally tune into. It took several years, but as I listened to Christian music more often, I noticed I didn’t enjoy the other music as much. I could physically feel my body and emotions change when I listened to those songs I had found so comforting before.

In the Psalms alone, praise to God is mentioned over 150 times. Shifting our focus from the troubles of the world to the greatness of God, the Creator of all things, brings a positive change to our state of mind. For a period I suffered from migraines and often even the medicine didn’t help dull the pain, but if I played praise music, I noticed the pain would fade away. I quickly uploaded all my favorite Christian groups to my iTunes library and created playlists to have the songs that spoke to me the most in one place.

Don’t ask me what my favorite song or group is. That changes depending on the season I find myself in. The group that has been part of my collection since I first found that Christian radio station is Casting Crowns. It’s hard to believe they recently celebrated twenty years together as a band. I still remember the first time I heard “Who Am I?” as I drove into work. It feels like only months rather than years. The very first Christian musician that seemed to see right into my heart, though, was Al Denson. I discovered him at a youth conference when I was in junior high school and played his first cassette tape, Stand Up, so much it finally fell apart. Fortunately, I had found a way to record it on my computer because that album was never made into a CD.

God created us to be in relationship with Him and to sing His praise. When your mind and heart are filled with the words of encouragement God has for us every day, it becomes difficult to harbor anger. Whether I’m stuck in traffic or feeling overwhelmed by a difficult decision, I only have to turn on the local Christian station Z88.3, choose one of my Pandora playlists, or pop in one of the CDs I still carry in my car, and I enter the presence of God. Singing to Him reminds me that He is still in control and has a plan for my life. That brings hope like nothing else.

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad on their king. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to Him with timbres and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; He crowns the humble with victory. Psalm 149:1-4

I’ve started curating songs on Spotify to share with others. Whether you need encouragement or want to sing praise for how great the Lord is, you can find links to both playlists on my resources

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Hope in Choice

12 Jul

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

I recently started a new devotional by Oswald Chambers, in the YouVersion Bible app. Chambers, A.W. Tozer, and Charles Spurgeon lived in different times than we do now, yet in their writings, it is evident the same challenges plagued people then as they do now. It’s comforting to see people have survived the same pitfalls, but also sad that as a society we don’t seem to learn from our ancestors.

It’s Sunday afternoon as I write this, and the devotional I read this morning sparked the idea for today’s post. Chambers used an analogy of two ships in a storm to show the differences in how we face all the circumstances we have no control over. One ship is dashed on the rocks and the captain says that is the way the wind was blowing and he couldn’t help it. Meanwhile, another captain trimmed his sails so that the same wind carried the ship safely into harbor.

God made us with free will. We have the choice to follow Him or not. The choice to grow our roots in faith, spend time with Him, understand His word, and become equipped to face the storms. We also have the choice to follow Him, but remain shallow in our faith, constantly struggling to see Him at work, questioning why things are the way they are.

The two captains in Chambers’ story show the difference between these two kinds of faith. The captain who allowed his ship to be blown onto the rocks, doesn’t appear to have true knowledge of how to handle his craft. Nor did he have the clearness of mind to attempt saving the ship. He threw up his hands and gave up.

The captain who made it to safety showed calm under pressure, a deep knowledge of sailing, and an understanding of how to harness the wind. That type of character is built through study and experience. He chose to invest the time needed to understand the physics of sailing, the importance of a clear head, and focus in times of trouble.

Choosing to grow deeper in God means reading the Bible and taking time to digest the words, allowing them to work their way into the very fibers of your body so that you may recall them in times of need. It’s not easy, but it pays off in unspeakable ways when a storm arises and just the right word rises in your heart to give you strength.
After wandering in the desert for 40 years, then conquering the numerous armies that came against them, the Israelites stood before Joshua in the promised land. Joshua recapped all the Lord had done for them then gave the people a choice: “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day who you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

This is the same choice we have today. The living God is the only one who brings atonement, restoration, and hope to the people. Everything else will perish. I appreciate having a choice. I also know that choosing to walk outside God’s will is a dark and lonely place. I choose to follow the Lord and look with steadfast hope ahead to the day I will meet Him face to face.

Do you need some encouragement to face a trial or learn how to pray? Visit my resources page for some of the music and books I’ve found encouraging.

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Hope in Fear

29 Jun

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

I recently started reading through the book of Joshua again. The words of Rahab struck me. “‘I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is in heaven above and on the earth below.’” (Joshua 2:9-11)

Rahab spoke these words to the spies Joshua sent into Jericho before the Israelites besieged the city. The people of Jericho had not seen the Israelite army, but they had heard of the way God had provided them with victory in miraculous ways. The knowledge of the power of the God of the Israelites made the people of Jericho fearful. Here in America, we don’t hear of people being fearful of God’s power, yet if we look closely, I believe we can still see it in their actions.

Those who don’t follow Christ are the people most ardently pushing anti-Christ behaviors. They are the ones trumpeting rights to abortion, rights for same-sex marriage, rights to euthanasia, and the legalization of drugs. All these go against God’s plan for humanity. Pushing for these things, and criticizing followers of Christ for not getting onboard, is one way to diminish the power of the body of Christ, to silence us into submission.

People intimidate believers not to speak out by labeling them as intolerant and judgmental. The truth is, we love the people God created enough to speak out, to shine a light into the darkness, and declare the truth of God’s word. A holy fear of God and the ultimate judgment day that awaits each one of us should empower God’s people. The insults hurled at us and any consequence forced upon us by those who don’t believe are temporary trials we endure, fleeting in the grand scheme of eternity.

Rahab didn’t know the history of the Israelites. She didn’t know the law that Moses brought down to the people from Mount Sinai. Merely the rumors of God’s acts made her heart tremble with fear, making her willing to risk her life to assist the Israelite spies. In assisting them, she saved her life and the lives of her family on the day the Israelites attacked the city. She also found herself worthy of finding a place in the genealogy of Jesus.

When we live in a holy fear of God and the power He holds, we can find hope in knowing He wants the very best for His children. Charles Spurgeon commented on the trap of “carnal security” believers can fall into. After coming to faith, one may live free of doubts, fears, or challenges for many years and feel they have overcome sin in their lives. In this state of security, one may stop pursuing the knowledge of God. Spurgeon exhorts us to “never get beyond spiritual conflicts, beyond striving against our corruption, beyond hating the garment spotted by the flesh. May we never get beyond a holy filial (dutiful) fear and a grave anxiety, so that in all we do we may be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.”

Do you need some encouragement to face a trial or learn how to pray? Visit my resources page for some of the music and books I’ve found encouraging.

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Hope in the Way

22 Jun

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblog Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

Summer is road trip season. My family had the blessing of taking incredible road trips, reaching as far north as Newfoundland, Canada, and as far west as the eastern edge of British Columbia. Mom diligently studied maps and AAA TripTiks to plan the best routes, and we were lucky to seldom come across detours.

If only our lives were so blessed. Detours happen when we least expect them and when they are most inconvenient. Rarely are they enjoyable so it’s easy to pout that we aren’t getting our way when we have to bend to the will of others – be that road crews or disrupted plans.

As Jesus’ days on Earth grew shorter, He spoke to His disciples about the way ahead of them. In John 14, Jesus tells them that He is going to prepare a place for them in His Father’s house and that they know the way to the place where He is going. Thomas is brave enough to question this, as they don’t yet understand where Jesus is going.

Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) This is something we all grapple with at some point. Where is God leading in this situation? How can I follow when I can’t see the path? My GPS doesn’t have a destination, so how can it route me?

Jesus’ answer was simple. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.” (John 14:6-7) We get to know Jesus by spending time with Him, praying, studying His word, serving others, and listening for His voice.

When our life takes an unexpected detour and there are no signs showing us the way, we can place our reliance on God to direct our steps, but only if we attune ourselves to Him. He is our hope in the darkness, our signpost on the unfamiliar road. We have to accept that there are reasons for the changes in our plans that we may never understand. Our ways are not always God’s ways and we have to trust that His ways are better for us.

The only way that truly matters is His Way, the way of life, truth, and eternal relationship with the Father. Walking in that way doesn’t guarantee a smooth trip, but it does guarantee a place for us in the eternal kingdom. That is a much better destination than any we can imagine here on Earth.

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Hope in Intercession

28 May

Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn’s Kitchen

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)

These two verses have comforted me over the years. No matter how fervently I pray over some situations, sometimes the answer never seems to come. I grow weary and question if I am praying the right way. Then I recall these verses and call upon the Holy Spirit to join me in prayer, to fill in the blanks when my words run dry, and to lead my heart in the direction of God’s will.

When the Holy Spirit poured out on the disciples at Pentecost, they received power to perform miracles, they gained courage to speak about Jesus as Messiah and king even in the face of death, and they followed the path God had set for them from the beginning. Life as a Christ follower isn’t easy, but we aren’t alone in it either.

Part of our job as Christians is to intercede on behalf of others. They may need God’s salvation, healing, comfort, encouragement, peace, or an actual physical need, like food and shelter. Webster’s dictionary defines intercede as “to intervene between two parties with a view to reconciling differences”. It’s a compact word for acting as a go-between for two parties, much like a lawyer acts as an intercessor in a legal dispute. Jesus came to Earth to intercede on our behalf, to take away the wrath of God upon our imperfect and sinful spirits. He continues to do so at the throne of God each time we pray.

Those who aren’t believers need us to intercede on their behalf, to go between them and God to seek His reconciliation and grace in their circumstances. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. It can take years for these types of prayers to be answered, and they weigh heavily on your heart, but they are truly important.

The way Dutch Sheets put it in his book Intercessory Prayer shifted my understanding. He said, “Intercessory prayer is an extension of the ministry of Jesus through His Body, the Church, whereby we mediate between God and humanity for the purpose of reconciling the world to Him, or between Satan and humanity for the purpose of enforcing the victory of Calvary …. Our authority comes from being sent ones, representing Jesus. As long as we function in that capacity, we function in Christ’s authority. And, in essence, we’re not really doing the works; He is.”

Whew! We don’t have to feel the pressure to complete the work we are praying for. We bring our requests to God and allow Him the freedom to work. Jesus already paid the ultimate price, won the ultimate victory, and made it possible for humanity to reap the reward of victory.

It’s a simple decision to accept that victory and allow it to change the way we live our lives. Alternatively, we can continue slogging along, thinking we can do everything on our own, and that there is nothing more than this current life. If this is all there is, do you really feel fulfilled? I know I want more. I want a world without sin, sickness, pain, war, death. All that awaits us in heaven, but only if we follow Jesus.

I’ll close today with another scripture that is resoundingly appropriate in our world today (emphasis is mine). “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1Timothy 2:1-2)

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