What Does Easter Mean to You?

This Sunday, millions of people will celebrate a holiday known as Easter. There are nearly as many Easter traditions around the world as there are candy-filled plastic eggs. But with all of the popularity surrounding this annual celebration, I have but one question to ask. What does Easter mean to you?

Many people enjoy participating in egg extravaganzas, ranging from simple Easter egg hunts to elaborate egg drops. Others savor the opportunity to shop for a new spring outfit, hoping to receive a lot of compliments on Easter Sunday. Of course, there are also individuals whose take on Easter is strictly ruled by their taste buds, considering the colorful hard-boiled eggs, baskets filled with chocolate, and special dinner menus at many restaurants. Unfortunately, some people even look forward to Easter because it is one of the two times a year they actually attend church services.

From greeting cards to holiday decorations, Easter has sadly become an overly commercialized holiday much like Christmas. Although the fanfare may seem innocent, it often overshadows the true reason for the holiday. This weekend is a time to reflect on the gift God gave to all mankind. He gave His only Son. Instead of looking at the Easter bunny, our focus should be on Jesus Christ.

Ultimately, the name Easter has pagan roots, coming from the name Ishtar. Some traditions, such as the Easter egg, symbolize fertility, paying homage to this ancient goddess of fertility. Personally, I like to refer to this special day as Resurrection Sunday instead of Easter. Why? Because I do not honor a pagan goddess, I serve the one true living God. He is the only One who has the power to create, to heal, or to save.

Resurrection Sunday is a day to worship God and thank Him for the gift of salvation. John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God gave His Son to die for us because He loved us. The love God has for us is greater than any love on the face of the earth. God’s Word says we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard (Rom. 3:23). Yet, God gave His only Son to die for the forgiveness of our sins, knowing that many would still reject this most wondrous act of love.

On Good Friday, we remember the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary. Our Lord was beaten until He was almost unrecognizable. He was spit upon and mocked. A crown of thorns was pressed into His skull. Nails were driven into His hands and His feet. A spear was thrust into His side. As He hung on the cross, He cried out, “’My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Matt. 27:46). He could have called thousands of angels, but He stayed on the cross so you and I could receive redemption.

You may be wondering why Jesus obeyed His Father, enduring such agony on the cross. Jesus did not give His life to gain fame and fortune. He was not striving to garner notoriety among the people of His day. He gave His life because of love (I John 3:16). His sacrifice was rare. Christ died for people who didn’t even love Him in return. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” As the Bible mentions, some people might be willing to give their life for a good man, but most people would not be willing to sacrifice their life for an evil person. Yet that is exactly what God did for us.

Of course, the story doesn’t end there. As Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, He was placed in a borrowed tomb. Three days later, Jesus rose up from the grave. He conquered death forevermore. Right this moment, He is sitting at the right hand of His Father, in Heaven, interceding on our behalf. Romans 8:34 (NIV) says, “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Jesus loves us so much that He acts as a mediator on our behalf, pleading for us that we should not perish, but accept the gift of eternal life.

One day very soon, Jesus Christ will return to this earth. But when He comes back to earth, He is not coming back to be rejected and spit upon. Instead, He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, to take His children home to be with Him for all eternity.

Have you made preparations for Christ’s return? If you confess your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ, then you can receive the priceless gift of salvation that only comes from knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Jesus said, “‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6 NLT). When it is all said and done, a relationship with Christ is the only thing that can provide true redemption and lasting hope. For hope is not found in a bunny, an egg, or even a church service. Eternal hope is only found through Jesus Christ.

Keep Your Fork!

As a young teenager, I remember hearing my dad share a story he once heard that simply reminds us to keep our fork.  Even in recent years, I have heard my dad tell this story on more than one occasion.  The message in it is so simple, yet the meaning behind the message is so profound.  The story tells of a man who was told to “keep his fork,” while attending a dinner on the grounds at church one Sunday.  When he asked why, another church member responded, “For dessert.  The best is yet to come!”

What would the world be like if Christians everywhere held on to this attitude in our everyday existence?  Instead of griping and complaining about every twist and turn our lives may take, what if we simply held on to the promise in God’s Word that the best truly is yet to come?  Just as the man was instructed to keep his fork, we should keep our faith.  The Bible tells us to stand firm in our faith.  Yet we often find ourselves floundering, uncertain of our future, wondering if God can even hear our prayers.

We get caught up in whether or not the new flowers on the communion table match the sanctuary.  We grapple over the choir director’s choices of songs each Sunday and we debate over which deacon should lead the offertory prayer.  From paint colors to upholstery and cleaning products to hymn books, individuals in churches tend to focus on the things that are insignificant.  More important focal points would be whether or not the people of the church were seeking God’s will in every decision they make, not only in the life of the church, but in their own lives as well.

God’s Word says that without faith, it is impossible to please God.  If we micromanage every aspect of the church and never consult the true Head of the church, then it is certain that all efforts to succeed spiritually will fail.  We must put our lives and our ministries in God’s hands.  We must pray and seek His direction.  We cannot throw our fork on the tray every single time, expecting that a new one will be at our disposal.  We also cannot assume that dessert will be served with every meal.  Sometimes, we must delve deeper into the main course first.  In this case, we are talking about spending more time in prayer and less time waiting for the next blessing to ascend.

There will be many times in our lives when God says, wait.  He may not answer our prayers the first or second time we seek His will for our lives.  He may be preparing us in advance for a greater work beyond our imagination.  But whether we see the hand of God move in our lives instantly or years down the road, we must have faith that He is working on our behalf.  Just like the man who was told to keep his fork, he sat in expectation that dessert would be served.  He didn’t complain about the slow service or the fact he would have to eat it with a fork that he had used to eat his main course.  He just sat and waited patiently, with the knowledge that the best truly was on its way.

In Ecclesiastes 7:10, we read that the best is yet to come.  It simply says that it is not wise to ask if the old days were better.  We must focus on the days ahead.  You may be going through a trial that seems insurmountable.  Recently, I learned of an entire family who perished in an accident.  I cannot imagine the grief that their loved ones must be going through.  But even for these individuals, who are overcome with sorrow, I can tell them with a calm assurance that I know the best is yet to come.

God’s will is greater than our own will.  He always knows what is best.  While many things in life cannot be explained in this life, you can rest assured that God works all things together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  One day, we will reach our Heavenly home.  The trials of this life will be a distant memory.  Everything will become as clear as day.  So keep your fork; the best is yet to come!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: "Always Faithful"

This article originally appeared in the December 2013 issue of SGN Scoops Digital Magazine (www.sgnscoops.com).  It was a joy to write the cover story on the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  I pray it is a blessing to you, just as it was a blessing to me to write it.  May God use the testimonies given below to encourage your heart and lift your spirits!  No matter what circumstances surround you, remember that God is always faithful!

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

"Always Faithful"

by Jennifer Campbell

From the iconic Brooklyn Bridge to the Coney Island Boardwalk, Brooklyn, New York seems to have it all.  But, for thousands who visit or reside in Brooklyn, the most iconic location is not a bridge or pizzeria.  It is a house of worship, a lighthouse shining with remarkable brilliance in a vast sea of humanity.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit and the overwhelming love of Jesus Christ can be felt before you even walk through the doors of The Brooklyn Tabernacle.  The presence of God permeates the exterior of this historic building and spills out onto the sidewalks.  Whether Pastor Cymbala is delivering an anointed message or the choir is joyfully raising their voices in song, you will be reminded that you’ve been redeemed.  You will know that you are loved.  And you will be reassured that Jesus Christ will always be faithful to the end.

The Brooklyn Tabernacle has over 16,000 members and receives an astounding number of visitors from around the world each year as well.  The 280-voice Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has won six Grammy Awards and five Dove Awards.  They have performed at renowned venues in New York City such as Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Madison Square Garden Theater.  Most recently, they had the opportunity to sing at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

“Senator Schumer called me and asked if the choir could sing at the Presidential Inauguration,” said Carol Cymbala, director of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.  “This was an opportunity to get up and sing before a billion people and sing the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’  It talks about ‘mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.  In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea...’  To be able to sing those lyrics to the world just meant so much to us.  It was an amazing experience, probably one that we’ll never forget.  And the intensity that the choir gave that day, that’s the intensity that they give every Sunday because they realize every Sunday, there’s new people coming through those doors that are so broken that need the answer, they need hope, they need peace, so that same intensity is what they sing with week after week here at The Brooklyn Tabernacle.”

While they have been greatly blessed to walk through doors that only God could have opened unto them, it is evident that they do not sing for the glory of it all.  Instead, their sole purpose when they step on stage is to give all of the glory, honor, and praise to Jesus Christ.

Carol stated she does not want the choir to simply be putting on a performance, but she wants them to be able to minister to people who are listening to the songs they sing.  Carol talked of her musical background and spoke of how the choir began during our recent conversation: “Honestly, I’ve never been trained in music,” Carol said.  “I started [the choir] in the 1970’s.  We made our first album in 1981.  We’ve made 27 albums.  I was a high school graduate, but I hadn’t gone to college or been trained in music, but I had an ear for music as a young child and I had an awareness of music when I was very young and started to play the keyboards, and I would listen to songs and harmonies.  I would be mesmerized by them.  I did come from a musical family.”

“My family has always supported me,” Carol continued.  “My husband and I work together.  I’ve been so blessed because I’ve been given carte blanche and I’ve been able to do whatever I want to do and my husband supports me when it comes to the music ministry because he knows that God has entrusted me with it through the years and he believes that when God entrusts you with something, He will lead you.  I’ve always had wonderful support from both of my children and my husband.”

“My husband and I began the church with very humble circumstances.  We had a little run down building here in downtown Brooklyn that seated 150 people to 200 at the most.  When I started the choir,” Carol recalled.  “I had nine voices.  The church was so small.  We had about 15 people in the church.  Most of those people were tone deaf, so you could imagine!  I would play the piano, I would sing solos, and I would direct from the piano.  I was doing everything, but I knew at that point that if we didn’t pray and if we didn’t depend on the Holy Spirit and cry out to God, I knew what we would do would be just mere performance.  That’s something that I’ve never wanted.  I want to be able to have the choir minister to the people through the power of the Holy Spirit.  So from the very beginning there’s been dependence on the Lord and His help.  That’s how it began and that’s how it remains.  Today, when we come in for choir practice on Wednesday nights, the first thing we do is go to prayer.”

There are times when this prayer time is extended, due to the Lord’s leading.  Marcia Frazier, choir member, shared, “I’ve experienced in the choir over the years where that 30-45 minutes would become the whole rehearsal, where God would just come and minister to our hearts.  On Sunday, the Holy Spirit would just come and bless the people because He knew what He needed to do in that particular rehearsal, where He would come and minister to our hearts and take us to that place of worship.  And that’s the best part of the choir, actually worshipping God with the gifts that He has given me and the ability that He’s given me all these years to sing for Him.”

Marcia told how she got into the choir.  Having been involved in music in many different capacities throughout her life, she auditioned for the choir two times unsuccessfully.  She was accepted in to the choir on her third time trying out, a year and a half after the first time she auditioned.  “As I was waiting for my time to sing for Carol,” Marcia recalled, “her older daughter Chrissy came up to me and said, ‘Don’t try to impress my mom, just sing.’  I just said, Okay, Lord, I’m just gonna sing.  I sang and I was accepted in.  More importantly, it was the right time for me to join the choir.  Two months later, they produced an album, “How Jesus Loved,” which is the third album the choir recorded.  That’s the first album I sang on and the rest has been pretty much history.”

One of Marcia’s most memorable performances was in Jamaica.  She gives a recount of the choir’s performance there: “This was the most memorable choir trip to date because of the reception of the people.  We sang in this open field in Kingston, Jamaica.  There had to be more than 10,000 people there.  We looked out to see a sea of people just like a wave of the sea with their Bibles up in the air and just singing the song “We Are United in Jesus Christ” with us.  They were just so on fire and relentless for the Lord.  That was a very, very special trip.”

Dr. Scott Pilgrim also shared how he became involved with the choir: “I came to New York to finish up medical school, and my clinical rotations were in Brooklyn.  I knew about the church prior, so I decided to check it out.  I’ve been in music my whole life, through various symphony orchestras and marching bands.  I had sung choir music at my local church in Oregon where I grew up.  So that’s one of the reasons I decided to start attending the church, just because I knew of the choir, I knew their music, some of their music anyway, and that’s how I got involved in the choir.  I just wanted to try out.  Six months after I joined the church, I tried out and that’s almost thirteen years ago.”

Scott said the best part of singing in the choir is the fellowship with its members.  “A lot of them become friends and even prayer warriors when you’re going through struggles,” Scott said.  “I’ve met a lot of lifelong friends in the group.  In fact, I met my wife in the group about a year after I joined.  It’ll be eleven years this month that we’ve been married.  The choir’s always held a special place in my heart just because of all the people you meet there and certainly the one that I met that is the most important person in my life.”

The diverse congregation and choir definitely make the church special and unique.  “What thrills me is our diverse congregation,” said Carol.  “We have people from all over the world in the church.  I think almost every country is represented.  They’re from different cultures, but because of the love of God, we’re all able to come together and worship Him.  You know, Heaven’s going to be like that.  From what I read in the Bible, people will be there from every nation, every tongue, every tribe, so that’s what thrills my heart because we have people from everywhere and it’s exciting.”

“The choir is an interesting group of people,” Scott commented.  “They’re from all walks of life.  I’m a physician, but it has less to do with who we are than what we are there for.  If I could just impress on people, it’s not about ‘the ministry,’ it’s not about ‘the choir.’  Because that’s not we’re trying to address people to.  It’s through our music, the songs, the words, the lyrics, everything that gets published through Carol is really meant to draw people to God.”

 “When my husband and I came to The Brooklyn Tabernacle,” added Carol, “we both saw early on the value of music and how it was so important to lead the people into the presence of God through music and through worship and praise.  It prepares him to minister the word.  Through the years, I’ve been in charge of music and he’s the pastor, so by ushering the people into the presence of God through the music ministry, it opens their hearts and when he preaches, their hearts are open to receive the Word of God.  So the music is very important.”

For Marcia, the presence of God spoke to her the first night she entered the sanctuary.  Her mom invited her to church.  She stated, “I rejected her [invitations] a number of times and this one particular Sunday, I thought to myself, let me just go to church with her this one time and she’ll leave me alone.  That was the night I went forward with my 10 month old son and gave my heart to Jesus Christ.  He took this rebellious teenager that was cursing Him, fighting against Him in every way, with low self-esteem who had a young baby at 19 years old and just wrapped His loving arms around her, cleansed her with His blood and gave her a reason to live.  I’m so grateful for Him, for my pastor, for my mom, for Jesus for dying for me.”

In addition to her mom being an influence in her life, Marcia says Pastor Cymbala has also influenced her greatly.  Marcia said, “He’s been someone I could glean wisdom from personally and from the pulpit.”  She added, “Carol, of course, is my biggest role model of a Godly woman.  Someone once told me that I act like Carol and I told them thank you because that was a big compliment for me.  She’s funny and she’s amazing.  When it comes to loving God and being sold out, she’s all of that and more.”

Scott says his influences span from Abraham Lincoln to his parents, wife, and Pastor.  “I’m a history buff, so I like drawing from historical context, particularly about our U.S. presidents.  My father and my mother both have been a very strong influence in my life, encouraging me on in music as a hobby, but also in medicine as my career.  Certainly, my wife has been a very strong influence on my life.  Pastor Cymbala has been an incredible inspiration for my wife and me as our spiritual leader and teaching me personally how to be a better man, how to be a better husband, how to be a better father, how to be a better Christian.”

Recently, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir released a digital single titled, “Redeemed.”  Carol heard the song on the radio while driving through Nashville and immediately knew that the choir needed to sing this song.  “I was moved in my heart through that song,” remembered Carol.  “And I said to the people who were with us, when I get home, I’m making a choir arrangement of that song because it’s so special because it sums up the Gospel.  It talks about God’s love and Christ dying on the cross, your sins being forgiven and new life in Him.  It sums it all up.”

Scott talks about how we’ve been redeemed: “Being redeemed means that you are covered by His blood.   It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, it doesn’t matter what background you come from, and it doesn’t matter what race you are or what gender you are.  When you put your faith and trust in God, He’s redeemed you and He’s called you to be His child.  Some of the words of that song probably fit every single one of us, that you’re my child, no matter what you’ve done, you’ve been redeemed.   You can shake off those chains, lift your hands, and praise God, because He’s redeemed you from the past.”

Marcia shares her personal story of how she has been redeemed from her past: “I grew up in a home where my mom loved God and my dad was an alcoholic.  He verbally, physically, mentally abused her and all of us.  I hated my dad.  I hated him, but my mom would tell us that we didn’t have to hate them, but that we had to love him as it states in Exodus 20:12.  That made me even more resentful of God because I couldn’t understand why I had to love him.  My dad didn’t come to my wedding when I got married because he wanted to have alcohol and I told him I was having a Christian wedding, so he withdrew helping me financially with the wedding and refused to walk me down the aisle.  I resented my dad for a lot of that and God has brought me to a place of healing, forgiveness, and love.  My dad is now 77 years old and has some physical ailments.  God chose me to be the one to take him to the doctor.  Now I’m able to present Jesus to him, not just through my words, but through my actions and being there for him.  Now, I can love my dad and I can actually say the words, ‘I love you’ and he says it back.  When I was growing up, he could only say it when he was drunk.  When he was sober, he was so mean; love was not even in his vocabulary.  That’s my personal testimony of God’s faithfulness and His love and the ability for Him to work in our hearts to love someone that at one point you thought it was impossible to do.”

Scott has also had his share of struggles, even though he grew up in a Christian home.  He shared, “I knew about God from a very early age and I knew all of the right things to say.  Sometimes you’re able to put up a façade, and not necessarily live the life that you’re painting.  You paint a very false picture of what’s going on inside.  When I went away to college, I was away from everybody that I knew, so I didn’t have to have that façade up.  My life took on a very different flavor.  I got involved in some things I definitely should not have been involved in.  It wasn’t until medical school that God really got ahold of me.  The Bible says, ‘those who put their trust in God, He will make their paths straight.’  Mine haven’t always been straight.  When you live 100% devoted to God, He’s going to take you places and He’s going to take care of you.  He’s going to make sure you have food on the table and your bills are paid and your kids are protected when they go to school.  It’s not just for the things He does for you, but it’s for the love that He shares with you.  The love that He has for us is so overwhelming that just to sit down and think about it almost brings us to tears.”

While the church and choir have both been supportive of Pastor Cymbala and his wife Carol, there have been times when their faith was tested as well.  The song “He’s Been Faithful” was born through one of these trials.  “It was during a time when my daughter was away from the Lord,” Carol reflected.  “She was a teenager and she had actually gotten involved with some young people that were in the church that had a very bad effect on her.  To make a long story short, she got into trouble and became very rebellious and for a period of time, left our home.  It was a very difficult time for my husband and me because we’ve ministered here in the inner city for many, many years and now our oldest daughter was out there and I can’t tell you how difficult that was for us.  Then, at the same time, I went to the doctor and the doctor let me know that I had the beginnings of cancer, so I ended up in the hospital and I had an operation, so during this time, my daughter away, going through this operation, my world was falling apart.  Right there, in the hospital room, lying in the bed, I was feeling really sorry for myself.  I just needed the Lord to come and comfort me, which He did and He gave me that song, ‘He’s been faithful, faithful to me.  Looking back, His love and mercy I see.  Though in my heart I have questioned, even failed to believe, yet He’s been faithful to me.’  That’s my testimony, because He continues to be faithful today.”

Marcia said God has been faithful to her because He has healed her body from a disease the doctors told her she would have to live with.  “That’s His ultimate faithfulness in my life.  He’s just all around faithful in my life.  Everything that you could place under the heading of faithfulness, God has been to me,” she said.

“He’s been faithful to me because I have no idea why.  But He is,” Scott added.  “He’s been faithful to me every single time.  He has unconditional love for us and He calls us His children.  He’s faithful because He’s an all-powerful God who cares for His children.”

To anyone reading this article that may be going through a battle of their very own, Carol offers the following advice: “Don’t give up.  Continue to pray and believe because God will definitely see you through.  Sometimes we look at everything through time and sometimes the answer doesn’t come exactly when we want it to come, but the answer will come.  God will bring you through.  He’s done that so many times in my life, when I’ve had adversity and challenges, and I’m like, what am I going to do now, but I’ve had nothing else to do but trust Him and through trusting Him, I’ve seen Him come through every time.”

The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir has earned much respect in the music industry and garnered many accolades.  When asked about their achievements, Carol said that winning souls for Christ is their greatest overall achievement.  “We have thousands of people that walk by our doors every day in downtown Brooklyn,” said Carol.  “Brooklyn is a borough of New York City and it’s the fourth largest city in America.   We have so many people passing by our doors.  Just to see the people come in to the church from all different walks of life.  We have people who come in who are homeless, we have people come in who are doctors and lawyers, professional people, then we have people who come in who have very difficult circumstances, so seeing them come in, ministering the Word of God, ministering salvation through Jesus Christ and seeing them stand and come forward and receive Jesus Christ probably is the most exciting thing.  And I feel that’s a great achievement because that’s lasting and that’s eternal.  That’s what’s so beautiful.  Everything’s going to pass away, but what we do for Christ lasts forever.  So seeing people week after week receiving Christ is probably our greatest achievement.”

“You don’t know who’s putting a CD of yours in their car, or in their home,” stated Scott, “or whose father or mother just died or whose child was in the hospital, or whatever’s going on in their life.  Music draws them closer to God and that’s the purpose of why we do what we do.”

Carol added, “In the past eight months we’ve been able to baptize almost 500 people here at The Brooklyn Tabernacle.  They’ve received Christ and that has been amazing and that means that the Gospel is touching hearts and changing lives, so that’s been a great victory and we’re very thankful for that.”

The idea of drawing people toward Christ is the number one driving force behind this Grammy Award-winning choir.  For the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, the goal and aim of all music is to draw people closer to God and to lead them into His presence.  Their hearts are on fire for God and they are devoted to spreading the love of Jesus through song.  God’s Word says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15 NIV).  Through their songs, their testimonies, and their lives, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir is answering this call, faithful to continue the ministry that God has entrusted to them.  Carol Cymbala and the members of the choir are living proof that Jesus Christ is as close as the mention of His name.  He will deliver us from all harm.  He will redeem us.  And He will always be faithful!

            I want to personally encourage you to visit The Brooklyn Tabernacle this month for their special Christmas musical production, “Christmas in the City.”  The dates and times for the production are December 15 (3:00 p.m.), 17 & 19 (7:00 p.m.), and 22 (12:00 & 3:00 p.m.).  “It’s a totally new production with new songs and everything, so we’re really excited about that,” Carol added.  Having personally enjoyed Christmas production last year, I can assure you that it will be a life-changing experience that will remind you of the joy of Jesus this Christmas season!  Visit www.brooklyntabernacle.org for more information.

From Impossible To Possible!

Have you ever wanted to tell God no? Has there ever been a time when He was leading you to do something, but you simply had no confidence in your ability to pull it off? Perhaps He wanted you to face your fears and speak in front of a large crowd. Or it could be that He asked you to volunteer your time to help those in need, time you didn’t have to spare. And He may have asked you to minister to someone while you were simultaneously going through a trial of your own. Although it may not always be easy, we need to follow God’s guidance in every aspect of our lives. We need to be willing vessels. As the song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir says, “If you can use anything Lord, you can use me.” God can use us, right where we are, if we are willing to give our lives to Him. By trusting Him fully, we will experience the abundant life that He has promised us, assertively living our lives with the knowledge that all things are possible with God.

If you have ever had the desire to tell God no, don’t be downhearted. You’re in good company. We read in God’s Word of how Moses essentially told God no. God came to him one day and told him to speak to a large group of Egyptians. Moses immediately responded by telling God to “‘send someone else’” (Exodus 4:13 NIV). He makes a lot of excuses, saying that he has never been an eloquent speaker and that he is “‘slow of speech and tongue’” (Exodus 4:10 NIV). In the end, Moses’ brother Aaron traveled with him and did most of his talking for him. While things went okay at first, Aaron caused Moses quite a bit of trouble, even fashioning a golden idol in the image of a calf when Moses was up on the mountain (see Exodus 32:1-6 NIV). Surely this was not good publicity for Moses’ ministry, having his brother put up an idol that the people began to worship, instead of worshiping the one true God whom Moses and Aaron were there to preach to them about. But many of the problems associated with the partnership of Aaron and Moses could possibly have been avoided if Moses had not said no to God.

Think about it. What if Moses had said yes to God? What if he had put aside his fears concerning public speaking and being in front of a large group of people? What if he had fully trusted the God who created him? Moses was afraid and felt ill-prepared and inadequate. But God said, “‘I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’” (Exodus 4:12 NIV). God was on his side, but Moses let his fears get in the way. While we will never know what might have happened if Moses had said yes, it is a good opportunity for us to examine our own lives.

Let’s take a look at Newton’s third law of motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While we are not talking about forces emitted on particular objects, the same theory applies. Everything we do impacts our future. Every decision we make can have a negative or a positive outcome. Saying no to God or saying yes to God can have a negative or positive impact on our lives. He knows the outcome no matter our decision, but He gives us the freedom to choose the direction our lives will go.

What about you? Has God called you to do something, yet you have repeatedly told him no? Has He placed a burden on your heart to minister to others who are sick, help collect food for the less fortunate, or travel to a foreign mission field? Maybe He has simply called you to help out in your local church, visit the home-bound and hospitalized members of your church, or call someone to encourage them during a difficult time in their life. Or has He called you to fervently pray every day for your family, your friends, your church, your community, your nation, or even the world? Whatever your calling is, don’t tell God no. He knows that you can handle the task. Just as He helped Moses, God will give you the tools you need to be successful. He is more than enough! As the Bible clearly states, “‘with God all things are possible’” (Matthew 19:26 NIV). So the next time God asks you to do something, go forth boldly and say, “Yes, Lord!” Then reap the blessings you encounter as God makes the impossible possible!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer

Bridge Out!

Yesterday morning, my dad and I began our journey to Sanderson, Florida.  As I was driving down the road, my heart filled with excitement and anticipation as I looked forward to seeing my dear friends, Karen Peck and New River.  On the way there, my complete and utter joy briefly faded when we encountered an unexpected detour.  When we were less than 30 minutes away from the church, we came to a place in the road with a large sign that said, Bridge Out.

We had driven for over an hour for the sole purpose of attending church and fellowshipping with dear friends, just to find that the road had been closed.  I immediately began to silently pray that God would show us how to find our way as my dad studied the road map to find an alternate route.  With several twists and turns on winding dirt roads and one particularly narrow little bridge, we finally reached the main road once again, beyond the point where the bridge was out.

As we proceeded on our way to the church, I thanked God for giving my dad the wisdom to use his expert navigational skills in order to find the best route to travel to reach our destination.  Fortunately, we allowed some extra time for wiggle room, just in case we encountered any obstacles along the way.  As such, we arrived at the church with plenty of time to spare.  The service was anointed and the fellowship was sweet.  It was a morning that encouraged, uplifted, and inspired me.  But without that wiggle room, we would have missed out on a blessing straight from Heaven above.

On the way home, I couldn’t help but think about the way that life is a lot like our encounter with the bridge being out.  Many times, we are sailing along through life, going to work, going to church, fulfilling our daily obligations, and then, suddenly, we come to a point in the journey where the road has been washed out.  All of our routines and schedules come to a crashing halt.  We sit staring at the Bridge Out sign, uncertain as to what we should do.  Should we sit there in despair, look for a detour, or simply give up on life because of this obstacle that has entered our path?

Sometimes, there will be things in life that are beyond our control, much like a road or bridge being closed.  It could be that someone in our family gets sick, a friend is in a car accident, or a neighbor’s house burns to the ground.  But when something unexpected comes our way, we have to learn to make allowances for these things that alter our plans, no matter how difficult this feat may seem.  We cannot dwell on the sign that says Bridge Out.  Instead, we have to allow wiggle room.  We cannot abandon the hope that we have in Christ.  We have to remember that He is faithful and He will never put more on us than we can bear.  We have to take our eyes off of the road ahead of us and fix our eyes on Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ will be our Guide through every moment of our lives.  He will make a way when there seems to be no other way.  Jesus Christ is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).  By focusing on Him, we will be able to overcome any obstacle that we face.  If we allow some wiggle room in our lives, then our lives will be forever changed.  He will bring peace that passes all understanding, hope in the most hopeless of situations, and infinite joy along the journey.  So the next time you come to a Bridge Out sign, don’t give up.  Allow Jesus to intervene in your circumstances.  Jesus Christ will be your Bridge when the bridge is out!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Baggage

Think back to the last time you were at the airport.  When you arrived, I’m sure you were lugging all of your baggage with you until you finally made it to the check-in counter.  Then, you left it with the airline agent and proceeded toward security with only your carry on bags in hand.  Wasn’t it a relief to be rid of the baggage that weighed you down?  If you’re like me, you probably felt free, or even light as a feather.  Why?  All because you gave your luggage to someone else and left it with them.

The luggage that we carry with us on vacation is much like our burdens that we carry around in life.  We may be concerned because we do not have sufficient funds to pay the rent.  Or we may be distressed over a bare cupboard in the kitchen.  There may be a desperate need for new tires, an air conditioner, or even a home to live in.  Or maybe we are dealing with an emotional or mental burden, such as the feeling of depression, loneliness, or hopelessness.  So many burdens, yet we continue to carry them around with us, struggling through each day.

Sometimes, we go to church on Sunday, kneel at the altar, and pray for God to take our burdens.  We set our burdens on the altar rail.  We feel so much better and we begin to see a ray of hope begins to shine through the clouds that have been lingering overhead.  As the vocalist sings these lyrics, “Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there,” we make a solemn commitment to God that we will no longer attempt to carry our burdens alone.  Everything seems brighter and we know that things will be better.  That is, until we see the mess we have made, leaving our burdens all over the altar.  The moment we stand up, we start picking them back up, stuffing them into our pockets or pocketbooks.  We've carried them so long that they have essentially become a part of who we are, albeit a negative part.  It’s so easy for us to try to take things into our own hands.  Instead, God wants us to leave it all in His hands.

What about you, friend? Perhaps you are newly widowed, divorced, or separated. Your child may be ill. You may feel like you are at the end of your rope with everything that is going on in your life at this very moment. The baggage you carry is getting too heavy. You feel like you will collapse under the weight. You simply do not know what to do. I want to encourage you right now to call on the name that is above every name. Call on the name of Jesus Christ. He will take your burdens. He will lighten your load. He will renew your mind, restore your joy, and reveal to you abundant life.

Our Heavenly Father does not want you to carry your burdens.  He does not want you to live in worry, fear, or despair.  He wants you to live a life of joy, peace, and grace.  Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross just so our sins could be forgiven.  He gave His all just so you could live a life free from sin, free from worry, free from everything that weighs you down.  He does not want you to be lugging around an enormous amount of baggage.  Give Him your baggage, big or small.  Give Him your worries and cares.  I Peter 5:7 says to cast all of your cares on Him because He cares for you.  Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, loves you more than you could ever imagine.  He cares for you.  He wants to help you.  Don’t pick up your burdens like you pick up your luggage from baggage claim.  Leave them on the altar.  Hand them over to Jesus.  Live a life free from baggage, so you can be abundantly free!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer