Ever feel like this? (I have!) Looking back over our pasts can be excruciatingly painful if we don't let God radically transform our trials and wounds for His Glory. We have to be willing to let go of those memories and allow the healing power of God to come in and restore those areas of our lives. That is what this artwork is all about. It is about allowing God to restore our memory and align our history up with His truth.

Here is the thing (and I know this from first hand experience), Satan attacks us through our wounds and memories. If we let our memory and wounds remain in the dark, we will continue to live in unhealthy cycles of pain. Once we allow our history to be exposed to the light of Christ, He removes the lies and the darkness of the enemy and sets us free to walk in truth.

I pray that as you are reading this blog and looking at this artwork, that God would do a mighty work in you. I pray He would reveal to you the memories and wounds He wants to heal you from and expose all the lies you have agreed with the enemy on. I pray in the Name of Jesus that He would break those agreements you've made with the enemy and set you free forever with His Truth. May His Truth be planted in your hearts and take root in a mighty and powerful way--so much so that many others will also be brought to the Truth of Christ as a result of the fruit that springs forth from the seeds of Truth that Jesus has planted in you. In Jesus Name I pray this, Amen.

On a side note, please forgive my absence. I am in the middle of a major season of transition because God has opened up a new door in my life. It is an exciting but crazy time and I'd appreciate your prayers as I await God's provision. I am now on a church planting team and will be putting a lot of time and effort into building His church. Praise Him!

Who or what is the cornerstone of your life (Isaiah 28:16)? If it's not Jesus, then you are on shaky ground. Sure, circumstances can make us happy for a while, but if they are our foundation, then we are sure to fall as soon as one thing goes wrong (and it's only a matter of time before it does). If our whole world rises and falls based on our circumstances or another person (maybe a friend, spouse, parent, etc) then have idolized that circumstance or person. God wants to remove all the high places in our lives to allow us to make Him our solid foundation so we can live on an even plain (Isaiah 40:4). If Jesus is our cornerstone and foundation, we can live out of the JOY of a relationship with Him. Only Jesus is the abundant supply of living water. We must have this living water to have abundant life. Thus, if you want abundant life you must have Jesus as your foundation. Once He is the cornerstone of our lives, we cannot be moved by any circumstance or person. Think about how powerful that is!!! No human or circumstance has the ability to move you or me! We can live on a constant, even plain of worshiping God and being in a state of joy that only knowing and pursuing Him can bring. People will let us down eventually. They also will never fully live up to our expectations. However, God never fails and He never stops loving us. We can live in 100% security based on His love for us and His character.

Do you want to be fully satisfied? I believe only Jesus Christ can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. Is your cup empty? Do you know that as a believer you can take your empty come to Jesus Christ and He will fill it overflowing with the Living Water? Do you realize that your empty cup can be filled this way no matter how terrible or great your circumstances are? You see, our cup never runs over because of our circumstances, but because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. That's why we can have life and have it abundantly no matter how deep and dark the valley is that we are walking through.

Are you waiting for God to give you a desire He has placed on your heart? Do you realize that God can fulfill that desire completely with Himself while you wait for it to come to fruition in your life? God let Abraham understand this:

Every so often, God brings up situations and circumstances in our lives that hit on old wounds--usually childhood ones. God brings these wounds up because He wants to heal us from them so we can have life more abundantly and be more like Christ. Our wounds block us from enjoying fellowship with God and with each other. If you are struggling with this today, I'd encourage you to let God heal your hurts. Let Him take His time--He knows exactly what He is doing. There is a time and a season for all things under the sun. There is a time to heal and a time to grow out of our pain. It is important to remember that God redeems our past by actually changing it. I believe God can rewrite our history. He brings up old wounds, heals them, and then shows us how mightily we were loved all along the way in places where we only saw pain and darkness before. God wastes nothing--not even time.

I've also learned that a part of discipleship is wounding. God allows us to be wounded so we can be more like Christ and molded and shaped into His image as God heals us. Knowing God as Healer is a wonderful and intimate thing! As crazy as it sounds, enjoy this time. Enjoy the time of solitude and intimacy with God as He heals your heart. Knowing Him intimately in this way will carry your heart through the rest of your journey and time here on earth.

Enjoy and get ready for the Holiday Season! :)

I love how righteousness and believing God go hand in hand. Not only in the passage above but also in Habakkuk 2:4 where God tells Habakkuk that the righteous will live by faith.

Abraham believed what God told him and as a result God counted him as righteous. Go outside at night and look at the stars. Look at the promise that God has made Abraham. Has it not already come to pass? All of God's loyal followers from Abraham's seed are now so many that they cannot be counted. It brings tears to my eyes. Yes, Abraham is our father. In Christ, we also are one of his descendants.

What has God promised you today in Christ? Will you believe God and have righteousness credited to you? We have to live by faith. We have to trust God no matter what--there is no other way to live. Remember that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). You cannot please God unless you believe Him. Remember that the next time Satan tempts you to doubt. God is faithful and true to His promises. For all the promises of God are "yes!" in Christ! (2 Cor 1:20)

Is there is something you are struggling with today? Pray. Stand firm in faith. Trust God to see you through. He is the great almighty Deliverer. He will see you through. Be still and know that He is God.

My prayer is that this image will give you peace as you are still before God and meditate on the wonderful works of His hands like the stars. Go outside and let God romance you with His creation. Be still before Him and most importantly, believe.

Save the Gulf Bumper Sticker (BP Oil Spill)