LET'S BEND THE CURVE

LET'S BEND THE CURVE! 

This is what I sense the Spirit saying to me as I post a new scripture each day for our little tiny church during this Covid-19 crisis. As believers, we can bend the curve of fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, hopelessness, and this particular Scripture, which a friend shared with me yesterday, has three really great curve-benders:

     REJOICE IN HOPE - I'm old(er), so I remember the Hymns of faith we used to sing in churches and one of my all-time favorites says, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust a sweeter frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' Name! On Christ, the solid rock, I stand! All other ground is sinking sand." 

Where is my hope today? In a vaccine? In a government leader? In humanity? We need a healthy respect for all of these, but they cannot be the source of our hope. If they are, we will cave in to fear, anxiety, frustration, etc. etc. Just the word 'REJOICE' causes the corners of my mouth to turn upward. So I take a deep breath, hold it, let it out slowly as I feel the presence of my Lord and Savior filling me with hope - HOPE that does not disappoint. 

     BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION. I am the first to admit I get way too frustrated these days, and patience is not my strongest attribute. But I am working on this. It is, after all, part of the hybrid Fruit of the Spirit we are to walk in... love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. Pretty much in the middle is patience.... and then this hybrid fruit adds "self-control." I suppose none of the others will be evident to anyone, if patience flies out the window. I am reminded of this scripture:

"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." Hebrews 12:4 

No, I have not shed any blood as I have waited, and waited, and waited for things to be more normal. I've complained way too often. I've fretted and sweated the small stuff - but I have not suffered, as my Lord did so that I could walk in freedom. So I am working on this virtue, for your sake and mine, and I do believe working on this will bend the curve so the glory of God's goodness shines through even the darkest funk.

BE CONSTANT IN PRAYER is the crux of the matter; the place where the rubber meets the road. I have prayed more in these past four and a half months, but constant is such a strong word - endless, relentless, continuous, persistent. Intentionality, expectancy, courage and confidence are the driving forces which bend my heart toward the heart of the Father where a bending of the curve for everything takes place. Jesus told us this from the get-go:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:7-11

Rejoice, be patient, be constant - I want to live to bend the curve from fear, hopelessness, anxiety, depression so the glory of God is visible in me and through me. Jesus told us the gates of hell will not prevail, and no weapon formed against us will prosper, but we have to know, grasp and use the weapons of our warfare effectively and fervently, and all the more so when times, like these, are upon us.

Bending the curve - one song of rejoicing, one deep breath of patience, one constant prayer on my lips - one day at a time. 
To God be the glory.

HOW DO WE LIVE IN THESE TIMES?

The things that are happening in our world today surely look like Jesus’  return to gather His Bride is more eminent than I ever imagined I would witness in my lifetime.

Sue McCary Sargis – 5/7/2020

Revelation22:12-14

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

WHOA – I don’t think I’ve considered this verse in Revelation before. Last night I listened to a message by a pastor in SOCAL from 5 years ago titled, “A Galilean Wedding: Picture of the End of the World.” I was intrigued because of the title of a movie that is just out, in the midst of this pandemic, “Before the Wrath” which is based on this pastor’s book of the same title. The things that are happening in our world today surely look like the Jesus’ return to gather His Bride (the church) is more eminent than I ever imagined I would witness in my lifetime.

Revelation 22:1-2… Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 

Here we see the river of the water of life, and a tree, on each side of the river – now that is a phenomenon – a tree that has roots on both sides with a river flowing through it. Wow! This tree is not described as the tree of life, but the implication is clear. This tree provides all the sustenance needed and there is healing power in the leaves – healing for the nations. The Tree bears fruit, which represents the Spirit of God – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, self-control. A life-giving, sustaining, empowering, transforming Tree of Life, by the River of Life, from which we will have the right to eat and drink in the Kingdom prepared, by Jesus, for us.

Revelation 2:7… Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Revelation 22:17…  The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

But then Revelation 22:18-19 gives this warning…  I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.  And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

One thing this pandemic is pressing home to my heart loud and clear… we have the opportunity NOW to share the message of sustenance, saturation, wholeness, transformation, and healing in Jesus. The time is now. I cannot go on living life as I’ve always lived it – one day at a time with my agenda topping the to-do list each morning. Jesus is coming soon, sooner for some of us maybe than for others. I may or may not be one of those alive when He comes to gather His Bride, but if I am not, I know I will be one who rises to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), and so I will ever be with the Lord. That’s great assurance for me, but until then, how will I live?

Life is about living, not for just today but for, and on into eternity – which begs the question: how will they know? How will anyone know of the free Water and Tree of Life, if we keep the words of the very last Revelation to mankind to ourselves?

"What’s it all about, Alfie? Is it just for the moment we live," as the 60’s Burt Bacharach song examined? No, we are to live with hands and hearts reaching out to one another with the only eternal message of hope. And longing to usher all into His Kingdom, Jesus exhortation and benediction, for now and for all eternity, remains…

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Revelation 22:20-21

UNRIVALED

“Sometimes called the "Nonpareil," meaning "unrivaled," a fair way to describe the unbelievable colors of the male Painted Bunting. This species is locally common in the Southeast, around brushy areas and woodland edges.”

I love the picture of this bird and when I first saw it, I didn’t believe it could possible be real, but then I looked it up. Sure enough, it is as beautiful as the posting I saw on FB. Even more amazing is the name by which it is often known - nonpareil - "Having no match or equal." I thought immediately of the unrivaled beauty of my Lord.

I love the majesty of God’s creation, and every time I see something so lovely – sunsets, sunrises, flora and fauna, fish swimming in the coral reefs, fall foliage, painted Zebras, colorful birds, and oh so much more – I have this vision of God, paintbrush in hand, putting the minutest details on every thing He created for us to enjoy. I love to paint, so that is probably why I see this particular image. 

One day when my nephew, Jon, was only 2 years old, he and his momma came to visit me in Hawai’i and we took a ride around my favorite side of my island. Without fail, the Ko'olau mountains take my breath away, and I mused, out loud, 

“Oh I want to paint those mountains!” and Jon replied, as only a 2-year old can, 

“Will you paint trees on them?” 

He took me quite literally – and thankfully we cannot, nor do we need to consider actually redoing God’s majestic handiwork. We should, however, always take time to enjoy it - and to thank God for gracing us with such beauty.

“Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of these does not know the hand of the LORD has done this and in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10

THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD

In the throws of this pandemic I’ve sensed the Lord encouraging me to lay hold of truths I have put on the back burner. Oh, I have not forgotten these truths, but neither am I laying hold of them, and herein lies the foundation for anxiety, fears, speculations and strongholds of the enemy running amuck and strangle-holding even believers, when our rightful place is in the safe, sure, impenetrable Stronghold of our Lord.

Fear and isolation are two of Satan’s most-played fiery darts, and why? Because with these two, mankind can be immobilized and/or driven to absurd manias. Our flesh and blood is told its only options are fight or take flight, and while this might have valid applications, these are not the only options for the people of God. IT IS TIME to shut these voices up and tune our heart, our mind and our ears to the voice of our victorious Lord. Our God’s promises are yes and amen, and they are always dependent on HIM fighting our battles. Battles belong to God because only God knows specific strategies necessary to take the unseen enemy down. God’s word reminds us our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12),  and He also reminds us the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians. 10:4) IT IS TIME to remember this is a spiritual battle, and our God has not given us a fight or flight mentality, rather we are to stand, and having done all, to stand firm when Satan rears his ugly, defeated head!

I sense an urgency for the people of God to take our positions in the midst of this pandemic, to put on and take up the weapons of our warfare, to stop listening to voices that are hell-bent on pulling us down into the muck and mire, or at least keeping us in deep trenches. It is time to lift our eyes to the Lord who is our help, our shield, our defender and THE weapon of our warfare.

OUR GOD – FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT – AND OUR POSITION AS THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD ARE THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE.

It isn’t our faith that shields us, but the fact that God has given us faith as a shield in this and every battle. We lift up declarations of faith, then stand and watch as God extinguishes all the fiery darts of Satan.

We don’t fashion a belt of truth for this battle, we simply declare HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIGHT. Jesus, The Word, became flesh and dwelt among us, died on Calvary’s Cross so that we might live and breathe and find our being in Him, in His resurrection power. Jesus is our TRUTH, our intercessor, our Victor, soon and coming King! He is our belt of truth; His Word holds us altogether. We must read and commit it to memory, so we have the Words of Truth at hand when Satan spews out his diabolical lies. It is God’s truth that sets us free in the midst of the battle.

There is no one righteous, no not one, the Bible tells us, and that same chapter in Romans (3) defines our breastplate as the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. As we take our stand, Satan sees JESUS, risen and triumphantly leading us into victory.

We should follow the guidelines set out by our various government agencies, because God tells us to and because we love and care for the safety of all the one anothers in our world, but that does not negate His mandate for us to stand in the resurrection power of Jesus, covered by His blood, appropriately dressed for the battle raging all around us; STAND fully equipped with all God has granted us in Christ Jesus, and watch our God battle on our behalf, on behalf of the world and all peoples whom He created and loves.

There is a huge enemy, affecting every one of us in ways too numerous to mention, and just as the CDC and every other agency is joining forces to fight this pandemic in the flesh, we need to join forces as the people of God under the banner of God’s almighty love. We need to know, in the depths of our innermost being, and we need to declare that the weapons of our warfare are mighty and powerful, fully capable of defeating every attack of Satan, even this pandemic which he is using to isolate mankind, to drive daggers of fear into hearts, to raise every kind of suspicion and mistrust. This battle is not flesh and blood. This battle is much larger, and more sinister than this world can imagine, and this battle belongs to the Lord who has equipped us with weapons of warfare that are mighty and powerful to tearing down every stronghold! We need to know what they are and, having done all to stand, we need to stand firm in HIM. Here are just a few of our weapons…

OUR SALVATION is our mighty weapon. The blood of Jesus Christ is our covering and protection.

THE TRUTH – not all the hyperbole prevalent today – THE TRUTH found in God’s Word, is our mighty weapon. KNOW IT AND USE IT!

THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT, leading and guiding us into all truth, is our mighty weapon. Stop the thought-talk, shut off the television, and LISTEN to the Holy Spirit, who reveals the Father’s heart to us.

OUR INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE PRAYERS, sweet incense coming before the throne of God, is our mighty weapon. CALL SOMEONE TODAY AND PRAY, TOGETHER. Start a prayer vigil over any one of the available ‘social media’ venues. Or join some already doing this.

THE INTERCESSION OF JESUS, seated at the right hand of God, is our mighty weapon, so enter into way more conversations with Jesus than with others about the dilemma we are in.

THE WORDS OF OUR MOUTHS AND MEDITATIONS OF OUR HEARTS will either be weapons of mass destruction, or mighty to the tearing down of strongholds! Speak peace. Speak comfort. Speak joy. Oh God, may our words and meditations be acceptable to You.

OUR GLOBAL WORSHIP – on FB Live, or our own newly created TV channels, or YouTube live, or any other way we are gathering together as the Body of Christ, is our mighty weapon. We are not alone. We are not isolated. Church doors may have been forced shut, but it just means we get to be connected in most unexpected and highly effective ways these days.

OUR ZOOM, etc. FELLOWSHIP is our mighty weapon. Don’t sit home isolated when you have the opportunity to join others. Who would have dreamed God would radically redeem social media platforms for His glory and transform online office conference call venues into fellowship halls!!

The weapons of our warfare tear down strongholds for us personally, for one another, and indeed for this entire world. I’ve listed just some of our artillery that readily come to mind this Sunday morning April 19^th 2020. I know you can name even more. But we gotta do more than know them. There is an urgent need for us to really lay hold of the fact we do not fight this battle; it belongs to the LORD, and He has equipped us with weapons of warfare which are mighty and powerful to the tearing down of strongholds.

There is a physical pandemic ravishing the world, no doubt about that. But the real battle is not flesh and blood, and WE KNOW the enemy has already been defeated by the Blood of the Lamb. So, lets SUIT UP! SHOW UP! And STAND UP together, equipped with every weapon in God’s arsenal, and under the banner of God’s love, let’s lift up a mighty victorious shout as we exhort and encourage one another to hold fast the hope and high calling we have in Christ Jesus. Let’s sing and shout the victory for the honor of Jesus, our resurrected Savior, through the power of the Indwelling Holy Spirit, for the hope of the world, and for the Glory of God. IMUA!

May His Kingdom come; may His will be done on earth just as it is in Heaven.

Amen and amen,

Sistah Sue – just one among many in Christ’s mighty army.

And, having done all to stand, WE STAND!

IMUA PSALM

IMUA!  PSALM FOR MY OLD AGE:

The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no 

    unrighteousness in him.     
Psalm 92:12-15

Lord, thank you for this Psalm’s encouragement today. There is a propensity in our world to dismiss those who are old, to marginalize and ignore them. I am thankful for and drawn to people like Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Elizabeth, Joshua, Caleb – those who, in their old age, bore the holy mark of Your anointing on them as they continued to trust you for fruitfulness well into their old age – even when it seemed ridiculous and scary.

Like them, I am considered old. In fact, I have been for a decade or more – at least in the mindset of our world. Even in our churches I have overheard the rhetoric that young people need to be front and center, leading the charge for Your glory – strongly implying those older need to fade quietly away into the shadows. Young pastors no longer look to wisdom of the ages, and I fear we are smack-dab in the times where tickling people’s ears is more desirable than establishing deep roots. My heart aches when I hear such talk.

I appreciate this Psalm for its reminder to keep bearing fruit in my old age; to remember I am still full of life, more than capable, more equipped than ever before to declare Your greatness, Your steadfastness, Your holy righteousness. I am capable because of all You’ve poured into me all these decades, and because You have anointed me to flourish, to bear fruit, to be relevant even in my old age!

Yes, I am old – older than I’ve been before, BUT younger than I will be tomorrow. Today You call me forth from the doldrums of inane world views and, indeed, from my own though-talk, to walk upright and strong, to go forth and be fruitful! For the honor of all You’ve grown and established within me, I accept the challenge and the calling, O LORD, my Rock, my righteousness, my source and my supply, my joy and my anointing!

IMUA!
Move forward in strength

smcs 2/6/2020

It’s an age-old debate – are works necessary for our ticket into heaven? Some forms of Christianity make it a huge issue. You can even do something on behalf of someone else to ensure their entry past the pearly gates. Others debunk that as Old Testament – under-the-Law theology.

James, chapter 1 gives a road map for Christian living.

Rejoice when you encounter various trials and let them perfect you.

If you lack wisdom, ask God, who gives it generously.

Rejoice in God’s perfect plans and designs for you personally.

Remain steadfast under trial.

Don’t be deceived. Every good and perfect gift comes from God, the Father of Lights.

Be quick to hear; slow to speak; slow to get angry. Anger does not produce God’ righteousness.

Receive the implanted Word, which is able to save your soul.

Be doers of the Word, not just hearers who,
in actuality, deceive themselves.

Bridle your tongue!

Visit orphans and widows and keep yourself
unstained in this world. 

This is pure, undefiled religion before God.

Living the Kingdom of God on this earth will require doing as well as being. It isn’t that the doing saves us, but it does prove God’s righteousness overshadows, fills motivates and sustains us. The proof, an old adage says, is in the pudding – one can only judge the quality and character of something after you have tried, used or experienced it. I cannot say I live for Jesus if I have not done so, nor will the world experience God’s true love apart from the way we, believers in Jesus, live out God’s Kingdom here on this earth.

James 2 dives in a bit deeper. Now it isn’t about the things I do to gain the character and heart of God within my own soul. Now it is about how God’s love is accomplished through me.

Showing partiality to the rich and slighting the poor is not just wrong; James calls such evil thoughts. He makes quite an indisputable case – it is the rich who oppress; it is the rich who will drag you into court with little provocation just because they can. It is the rich who do such things that dishonor the very name of Christ, the name by which believers are called…Christians. Showing partiality is an I’ll scratch your back because I know you can scratch mine mindset. God’s love constrains us from that kind of evil thinking and living.

James says fulfilling Jesus’ command to love others as you love yourself means we fulfill the Royal Law, and if we show partiality to the rich, slighting the poor, we are committing sin and are, therefore, convicted by the law as transgressors (the law imposed under the old covenant). The Royal law, on the other hand, is the law of liberty ushered in by Jesus, whose actions are merciful rather than judgmental, and Mercy triumphs over judgment. The Royal Law is best demonstrated in how Jesus lived and died. Even from the Cross He cried out, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do! Jesus did not slight the rich. He ate in their homes, counseled them in the night, and, I dare say, opened their spiritually blinded eyes - but neither did he show them partiality. 

He made abundantly clear what the Royal law is in His infamous Sermon on the Mount . . .

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Here is the crux of the debate over faith and works. . . 

Believing in Christ is not proprietary – even the demons believe and shudder!  Our world wants a demonstration of Christ’ love, grace and mercy – not just empty hyperbole. True faith in Jesus is faith that is action-packed, and our faith is completed by how we live Christ’s Royal Law toward those around us. 

This reminds me of another newer adage – You complete me. As we live out the love, grace and mercy of Christ, we are being completed by Him. We are not saved, but sanctified – blessed, purified and made holy – by what we do with what we believe. It is not debatable, but simple Truth:

The body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead – lifeless; empty.

smcs / 12/31/2019

BASHIRAH, THE GLAD TIDINGS CAMEL

Merry Christmas everyone! 
I am sharing one of the Christmas stories I've written and illustrated, complete with a whimsical song young and old seem to enjoy. It is copyrighted but not published yet, and I hope you will enjoy and share it freely.

This is actually the first in a series of 8 children's Christmas stories I wrote for my grandchildren, and it premiered at my family Christmas gathering in 2008. I just finished the illustrations this year so it was time to share it again.

Bashira, the Glad Tidings Camel, is excited to take you along on his journey to Bethlehem. May the Lord Jesus, the reason for this amazing holiday, grant you peace and joy this Christmas.

With much Aloha!  Sue Sargis