Scripture Truth – Leanna Hollis

How to Trust God in Hard Times

2 Comments / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

How to Trust God in hard times If you’ve ever wondered how to trust God in a crisis, how to trust God in hard times, or even a more basic question: Is God trustworthy? you are not alone. Most Christians struggle with trusting God in the midst of life’s biggest trials but we need look no further than Scripture to find help and hope in hard times. Help from Scripture The book of Isaiah contains fifteen chapters of woes and oracles filled with promised destruction, discipline, and grief. The “in that day” promises scattered throughout relate to end times and offer hope and a promise of a better future to people in crisis who wonder how to trust God in hard times. Is God trustworthy? According to Isaiah, He’s that and so much more. Take a look at the words of Isaiah in Chapter 25: “O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them; You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt. Strong nations will declare your glory; ruthless nations will fear You.” Isaiah 25:1-3 NLT Cities in ruins. Walls in rubble. Palaces gone forever. Do those sound like wonderful things? Not at all, until we realize these aren’t cities, walls, or palaces of God’s people but of their enemies. When God moves in such a decisive way, Isaiah explained, even the wicked people will recognize Him at work and fear Him. Those who know God will respond by declaring His glory. Think about the situation for a moment. When cities are in ruins, everyone in the city is affected. The municipal services to which its citizens are accustomed are gone and the circumstances are hard—no matter who you are. Even people who know God can look at the destruction around them and be tempted to ask, “Is God trustworthy?” When our Strongholds Need to be Demolished “But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat…You silence the roar of foreign nations…the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.” Isaiah 15:4-6 NLT Isaiah 25:4-6 explains this hard truth. Despite destruction all around them, God takes note of His people and provides a place of defense and safety in the midst of their distress. He provides a refuge and shelter. As if refuge and protection in a crisis were not enough, God promises more. He will comfort us, give us joy, and bring celebration. He spreads a banquet and gives us His best. Although the verses in Isaiah 25 relate to end times, they’re equally pertinent to our lives today. Sometimes the destruction that needs to come is not to a world filled with iniquity but to the sin in our own hearts. Walls of judgment and criticism Palaces of pride and arrogance Strongholds of sin Is God trustworthy when it comes to dealing with the sin in our lives? Yes. When God moves against our sin with consequences, we call those consequences discipline. They aren’t always easy, but they’re worth it. Why? Because sin mars our relationship with God and it must be removed if we want to have the relationship He intended. How to trust God in hard times and after the discipline of God… Isaiah understood something we tend to forget about how to trust God in hard times: We trust God because of Who He is, not because of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Consider this truth for a moment: Relationship waits on the other side of discipline. God does not offer a casual acquaintance. He wants a deep, meaningful love relationship in which His people revere and glorify Him. When the places of arrogance and idolatry, judgment and criticism, the strongholds of sin are removed from our lives and we follow Him with abandon, we’ll understand the righteousness of God in a deeper way and see Him as He truly is: A defense for the helpless and needy Refuge from the storm Shade from the heat Subduer of enemies Silencer of accusers One day, we won’t turn to the world for answers in our times of distress, but we’ll trust God in our hard times. We’ll understand God is our defense and stronghold. He is the One who stands ready to help, not the world. Does your heart soar with hope when you read these verses from Isaiah? Perhaps you’re like most of us. Despite all the good, beautiful, and excellent in our lives, there are still a few areas in which we feel helpless and in need, things we’re not proud of but can’t seem to remove, places in our lives that feel like a storm’s brewing. Maybe you have a few of those places, too. Perhaps you have more than a few. Life’s like that. If we want all God has for us, though, those sin-filled, helpless places need to be removed by the intervention of God. How to trust God in hard times: Start with surrender Are you in a difficult place? Wondering “is God trustworthy?” and how to trust God in hard times? Begin with surrender. Kneel before God, surrender your concerns, and relinquish your plans in order to wait for His. Surrender is always the agonizing first step in hard waiting, but it’s also the step that brings the most peace. It’s the I’m-not-in-charge-but-God-is place that lifts the burden of responsibility

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Does Miraculous Healing Still Happen?

9 Comments / Discipleship, Miracles, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Does miraculous healing still happen? Does God still heal? What comes to mind when you think of healing? Does the image in your head include doctors, nurses, surgery, and medicine? What about pastors, elders, and anointing oil? If the first image, of medical personnel, comes to mind, you’re not wrong. Doctors are frequently used by God to bring healing to those who are sick and hurting. If your image of healing includes faith workers and anointing oil, you’re not wrong, either. Does Miraculous Healing Still Happen:What Scripture says A few years ago, our pastor taught from Mark 1:29-39 about divine healing. Peter’s mother-in-law was seriously ill. Jesus arrived and Peter’s family immediately told Him about her illness. He healed her and she went straight to work, serving Him. Pastor Noland asked, “Does God still heal?” and left a long pause for us to ponder our beliefs. We might answer his question with a “yes, but…” When the question becomes more specific, “Will God heal me?” we hesitate. We’re less certain. Does miraculous healing still happen when the need is personal? An unexpected eye problem opened my eyes to the reality of God’s healing power. In mid-December some years ago, my bathroom scales developed a problem. The light barely illuminated and the numbers were no longer visible. I changed the batteries. No better. Bought new batteries. Still no better. A vague image of the numbers was visible only if I stood on the scales until the weight was ready, hopped off, and lay on the floor. On a foggy day in early January, I realized something terrifying. The fog outside was in my left eye, too. My vision was seriously blurred. I saw my ophthalmologist immediately. Corneal edema (or swelling) caused the blurred vision but he didn’t know what caused the edema. Was it trauma, virus, or an as-yet-unknown cause? He prescribed anti-virals and steroid drops. My eye improved. Soon, I developed a different corneal problem in my right eye. More eye drops. The right eye problem quickly resolved, but the left eye didn’t heal as steadily. It improved with medication but, when the steroids were tapered, it worsened again and the possibility of a vision-losing problem was mentioned. Most of my days were spent reading a book or on a computer and they still are. Eyesight is my primary tool, but the problem made work difficult. Early morning pain in my left eye worsened with light and my vision was blurred. Symptoms gradually improved as the day went on. I took breaks every 30 minutes or so to keep the blurriness at bay. Life felt slowed down, and it was. By the end of each day, I was exhausted by the struggle and I wondered…is better good enough? Does miraculous healing still happen? Does miraculous healing still happen? When medical care fails I did everything my doctors told me to do, but it didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. I began to ask, “Does miraculous healing still happen?” The answer was yes, as I knew from previous experience. According to James 5, if we, as disciples of Jesus, are sick, we should call the elders and have them pray over us. Since Scripture clearly indicates God heals through the laying on of hands, I thought He might heal me. Before I asked, though, I had to confront a serious problem of faith. Could I deal with it God said no to my request for miraculous healing? What if the vision loss didn’t resolve, but worsened instead? I pondered it, explored options for working blind, and considered the lives of two friends, both of whom are blind physicians and still actively working. God will make a way through, I realized, no matter what happens with my eyes. I prayed the prayer that never fails. “Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done. Even with my eyes.” Restoration of my vision was my goal, but I was willing to accept whatever God allowed. After I reached that hard place, I contacted my pastor and asked the elders to pray for my healing. The place of surrender is the perfect place to begin prayers for miraculous healing. The following Wednesday night after Bible study, Pastor Noland called the elders to the back to discuss a matter of prayer. Then, to my surprise, he called me to the back. This wasn’t what I expected to happen, but my expectations didn’t really matter. Elders and our pastor gathered around me, anointed me with oil, and prayed over me. The earth didn’t shake and I didn’t get hit with a lightning bolt of healing heat. I didn’t feel different at all. As I drove home that night, I wondered…does miraculous healing still happen? If so, why didn’t I “feel” healed? My uncertainty was another opportunity to choose whatever God wanted and surrender again to His will. The next morning, I awakened and turned on the light. It didn’t hurt. I opened my Bible and could see the pages. The laptop screen wasn’t blurred. I could see. My vision was back to normal. It was already improving from the treatment, but my vision took a big leap forward after the elders prayed for me, and hasn’t regressed. I continued to taper to steroid drops because that’s what must be done with steroids. My visions and my discomfort were better, but I didn’t know what my cornea looked like. As a physician, healing, in this situation, didn’t simply mean better sight. It also means a normal cornea. Or so I thought. Was I healed? I don’t have a good answer to that question. The pain and blurriness resolved and my vision returned to normal (20/20 with glasses) but the virus left a scar on my cornea. It’s miraculous healing enough for me. Does miraculous healing still happen? Why me? Do miraculous healings still happen? Yes. Why did God intervene on my behalf? God’s intervention was not because I’m such a good person, have superior faith, or because I belong to

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When The Prayer of Desperation Becomes Through the Roof Prayer

Leave a Comment / Prayer, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

I can’t imagine the difficulty of life-long illness or a prolonged physical problem. My shattered finger several years ago was bad enough. I’m left-handed but, with my right hand in a cast, I had difficulty putting my hair into a ponytail, zipping pants, and buttoning shirts. It was miserable. Although it was temporary, the experience gave me considerably more compassion for those who struggle with illness or disability and a better understanding of the prayer of desperation. My recent cornea problems were, in a way, worse than the fractured hand. The vision problem stopped me in my tracks. It limited reading, internet use, writing, driving, and almost everything else I wanted to do. I felt desperate for healing. I prayed and fasted. My friends and acquaintances prayed. The pastor and elders prayed. They anointed me with oil and laid hands on me, more than once. Healing didn’t come as soon as I hoped, nor in the way I expected. The Bible spoke directly to my need. I learned more than I wanted about physical problems and disability. In the midst of my struggle, I read the story of the paralyzed man and the four friends, all likely just as desperate for healing as I. For the first time, I identified with those five men. (Luke 5:17-26) You probably know the story, but here’s a quick recap. Four men, determined to bring their friend to Jesus, went up on the roof of a house because it was so crowded they couldn’t get through the door to the Healer. They lowered the paralyzed man down into the middle of the crowd. No vandalism needed. As a child, I believed the friends ripped the roof apart, then left the owners with a gaping hole. It seemed the worst kind of evangelism possible and I recoiled from the story. Two trips to the Middle East taught me a different possibility. The roof on most Middle Eastern houses is flat. In Jordan (and in Israel) the roof is used for storage, drying clothes on the line, and large water tanks. There’s room for children to play and a grill or small fire pit for cooking outside. In some houses, there’s an entrance from the roof leading directly inside. For others, there’s one door with both a street approach and a roof approach. Maybe it happened like this… I now believe this story might’ve happened something like this: (Leanna paraphrase coming up) “Hey, my paralyzed friend, you need to see that teacher from Nazareth, Jesus. He gives sight to the blind and makes the lame walk again. He might heal you, too.” “How would I get there? Doesn’t he teach out in the wilderness?” “Mostly, but sometimes he’s in town. I’ll take you. Let me get some people together.” They made a plan and waited for an opportunity. One day, Jesus came to town and was teaching in a house nearby. The men quickly hauled their friend on a blanket through the street, but a huge crowd arrived before them. The door was blocked by people. The friends refused to give up. The four buddies looked around the house, and, suddenly, the excitement began. “Hey,” someone probably said, “We could go through the roof door.” The four men hauled the paralyzed man up the stairs to the roof, then down a ladder into the house. They landed right in the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. Through the roof prayer The most remarkable part of the entire story is what happened when they got inside the house with their friend. The men didn’t know if Jesus would heal their friend or not. They simply presented him to Jesus. No request. No description of the problem. Nothing. The presentation of their friend to Jesus was the request. In a way, their action was desperate, “thy will be done” prayer. I pray this way sometimes — I simply call out the name of the one for whom I’m praying. I know they need Jesus’s intervention, so I take them to God in prayer. It’s a prayer of desperation, a “through the roof” prayer. It may be the purest form of prayer because it expresses utter dependence upon and surrender to our Lord and His wisdom. Going through the roof brought their friend straight to Jesus and left the choice of intervention to Him. Are there people for whom you’re praying? Are you desperate and nearly without hope? Have you run out of words to pray? Maybe it’s time for “through the roof” prayer. Take them to the throne of God and leave them there. Ask God to intervene, then leave the choice of intervention to Him. He’s more than able to deliver. But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. (Luke 5:19 NASB) You might also enjoy these posts on prayer: The Miracle I expected to Remember But Soon Forgot The Prayer Walk and the One With Whom God Wants to Talk When the Answer to Our Prayer is a Much-Needed Delay Prayer and Politics: How to Pray the News and Why We Should Proper Prayer Begins by Taming the Tongue

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Real Prayer Moves Us Closer to God

Leave a Comment / Prayer, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

A recent conversation with students at a local Christian preparatory school focused on prayer, what is real prayer, and how real prayer moves us closer to God What is prayer? “What is prayer?” The question rang in my own heart as I prepared to speak, so I did a little digging and learned something in a fresh way. The word translated as “pray” comes from two root words, one of which indicates direction or moving toward. (Matthew 6:9) Simply put, prayer is a conversation with God that moves us toward Him or allows us to draw closer. This distinction is more important than you might think. If the words we’re saying are prayer, they move us closer to God. I believe the converse is also true. If the words we say don’t move us closer to God, they aren’t real prayer. Even a written, ritualized prayer can move us toward God if the words have meaning to us. The longest, most beautiful set of words, directed at the listener or designed to impress God will not move His heart. To be prayer, our words must be heartfelt, meaningful, and said (whether aloud or in our hearts) with the intent of interaction with God. Jesus gave a clear example of the difference between true and false prayer with His story of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer. (Luke 18:9-14) The Pharisee offered a lengthy “prayer,” updating God on his good deeds. It wasn’t prayed with an expectation of a response from God. It was a field report and simply praised himself. The tax-gatherer, on the other hand, saw himself as sinful and begged for mercy. This man’s words were heartfelt and meaningful. They exalted God and not himself; they drew him closer to his Heavenly Father. The tax-gatherer prayed to God. The religious professional did not. What do our words say to God? If you’re like me, not everything you’ve ever prayed brought you closer to God. Take a look at these examples and just for yourself. Have you prayed like this before? I have. You decide which is the kind of prayer God wants to hear and which isn’t. “Did you see what she did, God? You need to deal with her.” OR “I took offense at her action, and I have a haughty, angry attitude. Forgive me.” “I don’t want to love that wretched person and I’m not doing it.” OR “I don’t know how to love this person who keeps doing such horrible things. Show me Your way.” “Did you see all I did for you this week, Lord?” OR “You have done so much for me, Lord. I can never do enough for you, but I thank you for your kindness and mercy to me.” There’s a difference, isn’t there? Selah. Pause and consider this truth for a few moments. Does our prayer draw us closer to God? God is omniscient. He knows everything. He hears all the prayers we utter, genuine or not. I envision God responding to Pharisee prayers by listening to them for a moment, turning to Jesus, shaking His holy head, and saying, “He’s just talking to himself, not us.” In response to the prayers of the tax-gatherer and the Pharisee, only one man left his prayer time justified. It wasn’t the man with the fancy words. Only the man who beat his chest in repentance found favor with God and received an answer to his prayer. Jesus was clear. Haughty words get us nowhere with God. We can demand, insist, and tout our worthiness all we want. Is it the kind of speech that moves God’s heart? No. Five Elements of Real Prayer The Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:7-13 offers five key elements to real prayer if we want to move closer to God. They serve as a model for intercession, as well as for life. Offer thanksgiving and praise to God for His mercy, love, and kindness — not praise for our own accomplishments and goodness. Seek God’s way – not our own. When there’s a disparity between the two, pursue the holy path. Be content and grateful for all God gives. Live simply. Daily bread does not leave a big balance in a bank account. Forgive promptly, regardless of the offense. Pursue righteousness with God’s help, especially when temptation threatens. If we approach Him with words full of gratitude, surrender, forgiveness, and desire for righteousness, we will draw closer to God. If our life is filled with those attributes, we will be a house of prayer. It’s that simple. It’s that hard. A place to start The prayer of the tax-gatherer was only seven words long. Neither eloquence nor loquacity impresses God. He prefers sincerity, humility, and gratitude. Today, let’s approach our Heavenly Father with the same gentle, loving spirit we cherish in our children. The seven-word prayer is a good place to start. “God, be merciful to me, the sinner.” In colloquial language, the tax-gatherer begged, “Don’t give me what I deserve, Lord, even though I’m the worst sinner in the room.” It’s a great place to start as we spend time with our Heavenly Father today. “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified…” Luke 18:13-14a You might also enjoy reading: Becoming a House of Prayer: Five Simple Steps Worship at the Judas Rock: When We Identify With the Betrayer Should You Love Your Neighbor if You Don’t Like Him Proper Prayer Begins by Taming the Tongue If you enjoyed this post, take a moment to share it on Pinterest and social media. Thanks for stopping by! :n

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How to See the Promises of God Fulfilled

Leave a Comment / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

If you’ve read much Scripture, you know it’s filled with the promises of God, but it’s also full of evidence of the promises of God fulfilled. Do you want to learn how to see the promises of God fulfilled in your life? Maybe you wonder, “Does God keep His promises? Will He keep His promises to me?” We sometimes fail to recognize those answers because the promise and its fulfillment are usually separated by both pages and time. Promises of God fulfilled in unlikely ways Let’s take a quick look at the writing of the prophet Isaiah for a better understanding of how the promises of God are fulfilled. Isaiah was a master of contrasts. He switched from dark to light with word pictures so vivid they stick in your head for years. The passage in Isaiah 8:17-9:3 is a perfect example. He began with a simple declaration. “I will wait for the Lord…I will even look eagerly for Him.” Isaiah expected God to move in a decisive way, and he was willing to wait for God’s timing even if that timing came after he was long gone from the earth. Isaiah’s expectation is a stark contrast to that of the people who didn’t know the Scripture well enough to understand God’s ways. Like a lot of people today, they didn’t understand how to see the promises of God fulfilled and probably wondered, “Will God keep His promises to me?” Instead of asking Isaiah for help, they consulted mediums and spiritists for direction. They wanted quick action and man’s answers but were quick to blame God when the way of the world didn’t satisfy them. They looked to the earth, and the ways of the people around them for answers, but as Isaiah said they only found “distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish.” (Isaiah 8:22) The prophet knew a solution to the world’s woes would come to the most unlikely of places — on the far side of the Jordan, to “Galilee of the Gentiles.” The Jewish people were not likely to turn to the Galileans for answers but Isaiah urged them to keep their eyes open. A time would come when there was no more gloom or anguish and God’s glory was visible on earth, he reminded them. The fullness of time Does God keep His promises? Yes, He does. Centuries later, we know Isaiah was correct and the promises of God were fulfilled. The prophecy of Daniel gave us God’s timetable and the writings of the disciples reveal a stunning truth. Jesus arrived right on time and, according to Isaiah’s prophecy, exactly where God said He’d come. The people who walked in darkness saw a great light and Jesus fulfilled every promise God had given. He shined the light in the darkness because He IS the light. Increased gladness. Broke the yoke of burden. Became our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, Eternal Father, our Prince of Peace. An unending reign. Offered eternal peace, justice, and righteousness. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this,” Isaiah promised, and it did. Promises of God fulfilled in my life If Isaiah is right, and he is, why don’t we have peace, justice, and righteousness? There’s a simple, hard answer. We’re not much different from the people of Isaiah’s time, and we still look to the world for answers. We still want Jesus plus something else. The people in Isaiah’s time wanted a military leader who would make Israel great and powerful. They wanted world domination, not a world surrendered to God alone. Light in the darkness with unending joy isn’t quite the same, is it? Light, joy, and peace are infinitely better but only if we’re willing to surrender the world and cling to the One who conquered sin and death. Promises of God fulfilled in Jesus plus nothing If we want everything God promised and if we want to see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives, we must turn our eyes and our hearts to Jesus alone. How? One simple step. Take our focus off the world and place it where it belongs. On Jesus. Seek Him first. Seek Him only. How to see the Promises of God fulfilled in your life: You, too, can see God’s promises fulfilled in your life when you follow Jesus, learn His will and His ways, and simply obey. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 Here’s a video from Michael W. Smith featuring Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus If country music is more your style, here’s a video from Alan Jackson singing Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Want to read more like Promises of God Fulfilled? While you’re here, check out these blog posts: How to Trust God in Hard Times The Benefits of Repentance Promises of God Fulfilled What Does it Mean to Be Beloved? What Does it Mean to Be a Disciple of Jesus? Why We Should Choose Humility and Let Go of Pride Thanks for sharing your time with us today. Before you go… Sign up for our twice-a-month newsletter to receive exclusive stories, freebies, and more. Leave a comment and share this post on your social media pages or through email. Bookmark our website so you can visit us often. Take a look at Today’s Encouragement before you go. We add to this every weekday. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents)

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How to Memorize Scripture: Three Easy Steps

2 Comments / Discipleship, Resources, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Have you ever heard someone quote a passage of Scripture and wondered why memorize Scripture or why we should memorize Scripture? Keep reading to learn more. If you want to learn how to memorize Scripture, our three easy steps to memorize Scripture can help. A few years ago, I decided to memorize a chapter of the Bible every month as one of my New Year’s resolutions. It might have been a little optimistic. Four days into January, I was already behind on my plan to memorize the first chapter of John before the end of the month. I knew how to memorize Scripture. The problem wasn’t my technique or my ability. My failure to memorize Scripture was due to my reliability. Every morning, I reviewed my verses and made what was little more than a stab at memorizing them. I read them. Quoted them a few times. Put them away as quickly as I picked them up. How to memorize Scripture: Soak your heart with its truth What I didn’t do was soak my heart in their truth, and that’s why they didn’t “stick.” One morning, I read through the first twelve verses of John 1 again. The second time I read them through, the third verse came alive. “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3) nasb All things. How to memorize Scripture: Apply it to your life Does all mean all? The image of barbed wire instantly popped into my head. Barbed wire? Does Jesus care about barbed wire? I pondered that crazy-sounding question a moment and read the verse again. If all things came into being by Him, and Scripture says it did, did barbed wire come into being by Jesus? In a manner of speaking, yes. He made the person who invented it, of course, as well as the mind out of which the invention came. When we apply Scripture to our lives in order to memorize it, we begin to see God in everything we do. The thought about God’s concern for barbed wire wasn’t as random as it seemed. I was building a barbed-wire fence at the time but hadn’t quite finished it. Does Jesus care about the fencing wire so prevalent in the Southern U.S.? Yes, in multiple ways. He cares about the people who make the wire, build the fences, and stretch the wire. He cares about the animals for whom those sharp barbs provide security and protection, too. Suddenly, his care about the fence I was building made verses about His care for me come alive. I understood them, I could remember them, and I soon realized it was one of the easy ways to memorize Scripture. Does Jesus care about all my concerns? My second thought was about the then-current trouble in the Middle East. My heart broke over recent governmental decisions there. I prayed at length about the situation and begged everyone who’d listen to join me in intercession. Occasionally, my prayers sounded a little accusatory, as if God overlooked the events that gave me such pause. “What about there, Lord? It’s a mess right now,” I asked. All things. Those two simple words resonated in my heart. Governments are established by God and have their authority with the permission of God. (Romans 13:1) He moves the heart of the king like channels of water. (Prov 21:1) Once again, the application of Scripture to my daily life was an important step in how to memorize Scripture. He knows. God knows about the corruption in governments, crack-downs on religious freedom, and the persecution of believers. He knows about my friends who fled for their lives from their homeland. Nothing escapes his notice. Nothing will be wasted. It wasn’t the answer I wanted. My desire was for God to roll up His sleeves and wade into the battle. I wanted God to do things MY way, instead of His own. It’s a problem as old as creation. We want our way instead of His. How to Memorize Scripture: Embrace Nevertheless My barbed wire pondering led, in a roundabout way, to “nevertheless” about a few things. “Nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) The simple act of surrendering to His will instead of mine brought me to the place I needed to be with Scripture memory. Suddenly, the verses came alive. “The light shined in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it” made perfect sense. None of the efforts of believers in the painful place of persecution were wasted. Light shined, but the darkness didn’t comprehend, exactly as John 1 said. The importance of Scripture memory is not in the act of repeating words until we can say them by rote. The value comes when we allow the Word of God to invade our hearts, reveal truth to us, and change us. Scripture memory was much easier after the Word of God came alive in my heart, took root, and began to grow. Three Easy Steps to Memorize Scripture Do you want to memorize Scripture? Do you want the Word of God to come alive for you? If we “hide it in our hearts” and nurture it as we would seed in our garden, His Word will grow into full-bloom beauty in our lives and make us more like Jesus than ever before. Don’t strive to gather a bunch of words. Instead, strive for the truth that transforms and let it begin to transform you. Three Easy Steps to Memorize Scripture: PLANT: Don’t tackle an entire passage at once. Choose one verse at a time and marinate in it. Repeat it throughout the day. Try writing it out several times to increase familiarity. WATER: Study the verse. Look up commentary on the passage. LIGHT: Ask God to help you understand and know its truth. Allow it to invade your heart and life until the truth becomes a part of you. When you “know” the verse because you’ve lived

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Why Does Scripture Memorization Matter?

3 Comments / Discipleship, Faith, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

When we first offered fast-food gift cards to high-risk students in exchange for quoting and explaining Scripture, people were shocked and began to ask us, “Why does Scripture memorization matter so much?” If you also wonder why we should memorize Scripture, keep reading. God speaks through Scripture “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17 If you’re wondering why we should memorize Scripture, you need look no further than the day of Pentecost and the apostle Peter. This is a Scripture-memory success story. The first-century rulers, elders, and scribes often referred to Peter and John as uneducated and untrained men. Admittedly, the two disciples did not pursue a traditional course of study with a rabbi but spent three years with Jesus instead. A quick read of Acts 2 reveals a startling truth. Peter wasn’t uneducated or untrained. On the day of Pentecost, without prepared sermon notes, iPad, or teleprompter to help him, he preached a powerful sermon in which he quoted passages from Joel 2:28-32 and Psalm 16:8-11. He also quoted verses from Psalm 69, 89, 109, 110, and 132. He referenced 1 Kings 2:10, Nehemiah 3:16, and 2 Samuel 7:12. Peter didn’t run for the nearest scroll in order to look up verses. Instead, he easily quoted this chunk of Scripture because he memorized it in advance so that it was available to him when he needed it. Why does Scripture memorization matter? The power of the Word changes hearts. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 The people wanted an explanation of the shocking events in the upper room so Peter, as leader of the disciples, stepped up. He abandoned himself to the Word of God and allowed that which is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword to do its powerful work of piercing hearts. The Words of God, not Peter-generated words, spoke to the people and changed them. They were pierced to the heart and ready to take action. Three thousand people came to Christ that day after an impromptu sermon composed mostly of Scripture quotes. As if to prove the first sermon wasn’t a fluke, Peter preached a second impromptu sermon in which he quoted Genesis 22:18, and Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. He also referenced passages in Exodus 3 and Deuteronomy 18. Again, he quoted the verses because he already knew them. The priests, captain of the guard, and the Sadducees heard him speak. Fear and astonishment gripped them because of the power with which he delivered his message. The word of God rocked Jerusalem as thousands responded to its power. When the priests and guards arrested Peter and John and carried them before the rulers, elders, and scribes, Peter once again used scripture, this time to defend himself. Scripture changes us: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.Hebrews 4:12 nlt Lest we think Scripture memorization is only useful so we can impress others with our remarkable memory or subdue them with conviction through the word of God, let’s take a look at at Hebrews 4:12. The word of God works first in us to discern our thoughts and intentions, pierce our hearts, and bring conviction and change. Just as it did for the crowds on Pentecost, Scripture helps us see ourselves as are: sinners before a righteous God in desperate need of a holy Savior. A clear understanding of who we are and who we aren’t is an essential part of humility. If we don’t bother to know Scripture, we’ll never allow it to change us and make us more like Jesus. Scripture gives us hope: The Bible contains thousands of promises from God but we can’t claim the benefits of the promises if we don’t know what they are. Knowing only comes from study. Once we “know a promise, we can cling to it and gain hope from it, but we must “know it by heart” to hold to the promise . Scripture memorization allows us to use the power of the two-edged sword (the Word of God) more effectively. But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 Peter repeatedly experienced the power of the two-edged sword of God. He wielded those mighty words because they were already tucked safely in his heart. Peter never graduated from the first-century equivalent of a seminary and a seminary education is not essential for us to use the word of God effectively either. Instead, he educated himself with something much more important. He learned the word of God and hid it in his heart—and we can do this, too. Why does Scripture memorization matter? When we need truth, we have it. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 When Peter needed truth in a hurry, it was readily available. Even more important, Peter used the truth he had, and God wielded His own words, spoken by Peter, to move in hearts and change lives. He still does. It is not enough to participate in Bible studies and know about the Word of God. We must know Scripture by planting it in our hearts through Scripture memory. We can use Scripture in powerful ways but only if we know it in advance through memorization. Our own journey with Scripture memorization began decades ago with what was called “learning by heart.” As we memorized passages, we stored truth in the secure vault of our hearts. We planted it deep and it remained. In times of need, those verses are readily available, every single time. A few years ago, we experienced a

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What Does it Mean to Be Beloved by God?

Leave a Comment / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Beloved is a word used in Scripture both as an adjective (“My dearly beloved Son”) and a term of address, but what does it mean to be beloved by God? Paul, John, and Jude all use the word to describe the people to whom their letters were addressed. The Greek word translated as “beloved” (agapetos)* indicates dearly loved, highly esteemed, or favorite. We, those who follow Jesus, are dearly loved, and, in way, we’re favorite children. Consider the words of Jude as he opened his epistle: “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:1 I am beloved by God, and so are you. Ponder that a few moments, then say these words aloud: I am beloved by God. Repeat them and let their beautiful truth soak into your soul. God spoke from heaven at Jesus’ baptism and He used the same word. “This is My beloved Son. (Mark 1:11) My agapetos Son.** The word describes the depth of God’s love for Jesus and His love for us. The never-ending, unconditional, unlimited love of God is not only lavished on His only Son; although underserved, the same love is also lavished on each of us. Selah. Pause and ponder that for a moment then consider this… Being beloved doesn’t equal an easy life. Several years ago, I thought and talked about the love of God quite often, but maybe not for the reason you might expect. After a long siege of hard, followed by a long siege of a different kind of hard, I wondered what God intended. It was an excruciatingly difficult time during which I was so overwhelmed I wondered if there was a lesson in the suffering at all. I had a lot of questions for God. Was there a point to the suffering? If I learned whatever lesson was included would it bring my trial to an end? What did it mean to be beloved by God in the midst of such suffering? Answers came slowly, if at all. Eventually, I learned an important truth in the long season of agony. Suffering is common to the human experience, but it does not diminish the love of God by a single iota. I spent more days than I care to admit wailing before the Lord. Finally, I took action. Offered to repent of sins I didn’t have after repentance of the sins I did have failed to break the siege. In case spiritual warfare caused my problems, I rebuked the evil one and quoted more Scripture than I realized I knew. It didn’t help. Because a sacrifice of praise turned things around once before, I gave thanks for the blessings I have, the problems I don’t, and the gifts of God I might or might not receive. Powerless to fix it. Finally, I admitted something terrible. I had no control over the duration of the siege of hard. I was powerless to shorten it or to make it easier. My job was to get through it and honor God while I did. Unfortunately, I felt a little like a coyote in a trap who gnaws off his own leg to save his life. The needed medical treatment was a drug so potent most people who take it feel terrible. Imagine first-trimester pregnant, a severe case of influenza, and a football concussion all at once. Yeah. Bad. With a dazed brain, generalized aches, fatigue, and persistent nausea writing was hard. No, nearly impossible. I’m a writer. It’s who I am, what I do, how I process life. The biggest, best part of my life (next to my faith and my son, Ryan) vanished and I missed it dreadfully. Blog posts? Impossible. Novel edits? Out of the question. New stories and Bible studies? I couldn’t put together a sentence, much less an entire book. After twenty years as a writer, I didn’t know how to function without writing. The hardest months of my life weren’t wasted. The long-haul of hard taught me one important fact: Being beloved by God doesn’t always equal feeling loved. What I knew and how I felt didn’t match. I knew I’m God’s dearly beloved child but I didn’t necessarily feel beloved. My problems didn’t feel fair but it wasn’t about fair. In truth, fair would equal eternal damnation. Grace allowed a temporary difficulty that would, in some not-recognizable-at-the-time way, mold me into a more Christ-like Leanna. It was sensible, at least from a human perspective. The difficulties made the work to which I’m called harder, not easier. I wanted to know the why behind my suffering. The decision to give up my perceived right to an explanation was a hard step. I didn’t know why those agonizing months were necessary. I still don’t. Eventually, I realized “why” didn’t matter and I determined to endure with grace, even if it lasted the rest of my life. That, my friends, was one of the hardest steps in the journey. What does it mean to be beloved by God? We don’t always see what God’s doing. Jude also wrote about God’s generous gifts to us. Eternal life. Mercy. Peace. Love. None of them seemed pertinent to my experience at the moment, nevertheless, they were still given in abundance. The longer the hard time persisted, the more time I spent in God’s presence. Sometimes all I could pray was “Jesus, Jesus,” but it was enough. Despite the pain and anti-viral-induced brain fog, peace reigned. Grace carried me through. The other side I read the story of Job more than once during that time, especially the “after” part when God restored two-fold. I clung to the hope of “the other side.” When it finally came, it was worth everything I went through. God worked when I could not and did things I never imagined. In my writing. In my ministry. He answered prayers that were nothing more than longings in my

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How to Make A Fresh Start

Leave a Comment / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

If you wonder if you can make a fresh start, or how I can make a fresh start, this guide on how to make a fresh start can help. Perhaps your social media feed is similar to ours. It’s not filled with suggestions for how to serve others or how to lay down your life for something you believe in or someone you love. Instead, it’s filled with recommendations for how to optimize your time, practice good “self-care,” improve your appearance, or work less but get more done. Judging by a recent review of social media, we might be a bit self-absorbed. Before we talk about how to make a fresh start, let’s pause for a moment and consider the end goal of life. Do we want to die with tight skin, a tiny waist, and a well-organized planner? If so, the self-help gurus may be of assistance. If we want to leave a heritage and a legacy instead, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere for guidance. Where do we go for information on how to make a fresh start? If social media isn’t handing out the best information on how to have a life that counts, and it’s not, who is? Ponder that question for a moment, then consider John 14:6: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life…” If we want our “best life now” as well as transformation and victory in the coming years, we won’t find it in a self-help book unless our “self-help” book is the Bible. We won’t find what we seek in a “word of the year” unless our word reflects surrender and obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our best life may not be what we think we want. According to Jesus, He’s the only one who can give us our “best life.” He didn’t use those words, but it’s what He meant. “…I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” John 10:10 The word translated as abundantly is perissos and means “Over and above. Super-added. Exceeding. Abundantly. Supremely.” (1) Here’s the “Faith Lived Out Loud Paraphrase”: “I came so you can have your best life.” Selah. Pause and consider. We find our best life now in Christ alone. How do we make a fresh start and achieve the abundant life Jesus offers? It’s amazingly simple. It’s astoundingly hard. Three easy steps can take us to the kind of life most people only dream about. Repent Follow Repeat How to Make A Fresh Start: Begin with Repentance Our life may look great by the world’s standards, but our best life begins with a careful look at our hearts and an honest appraisal of our mistakes according to God’s standards. We’ve all done wrong actions and entertained wrong thoughts (sinned). We deal with those by confessing them to God and asking for His forgiveness. Let’s take a moment to consider and confess our failures. Scripture tells us He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. If God lets our mistakes go, we should do the same. It’s not repentance if we hold on to our sin, so let’s quit rehashing and give our mess to Him. No more take-backs. How to Make a Fresh Start: Begin to Follow Jesus called His disciples with two simples words: Follow Me. They left their old lives behind and spent every available minute with Jesus. They did what He did. Went where He went even when it was not politically correct. Lived as He lived. They obeyed. If we follow Jesus, we spend time with Him through Bible study and prayer. We do what He says. Love as He loves. Forgive as He forgives. His priorities become our own. We let go of our desire for more stuff and find our contentment in more of Him. We obey in big and small areas, even when it’s hard. How to Make A Fresh Start and Maintain it? Repetition It would be convenient if we could repent one time and be through for eternity but it doesn’t work that way. We all fail—whether by the hasty word, impure thought, unkind deed, or neglected obedience. If we want to maintain the sweet closeness Jesus intended, we must be consistent in repentance and obedience. If we make a mistake, we repent, shake it off, and get up again. In a way, we make another fresh start. Repent. Follow. Repeat. For the disciple of Jesus, it’s more than a mantra. It’s a way of life and the key to how to make a fresh start now and throughout the years to come. When we unload our sin burden by confession and repentance, we have a fresh start. We enjoy a sweet relationship with Jesus through time spent with Him and a lifestyle of obedience. Only then do we experience the abundance He intended. Abundance doesn’t mean stuff Jesus didn’t promise an easy life or earthly wealth. In fact, He promised us trouble and trials. Does that sound like the “best” kind of life? Maybe not. The “best,” however, can be found in His presence despite our trouble and trials and the resulting fruit of the Spirit: Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) We don’t have a smorgasbord of spiritual fruit from which we must pick and choose. Instead, we have the opportunity of a lifetime filled with all of it. A glimpse of “best” When we repent of our sins, receive Christ’s forgiveness, and make a fresh start by following Jesus, we find in Him our best friend, comforter, guide, healer, and teacher. We are never alone and need never despair, no matter what we face. Over time, He fills our life with love, joy, peace, and all the other aspects of His fruit. We may not have worldly abundance but we can be content with what He gives because Jesus is always enough. If you’re ready

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How are we like Judas? Worship at the Judas rock

5 Comments / Discipleship, Scripture Truth / leannahollis

Have you ever wondered how we are like Judas or are we like Judas? If you have, keep reading because we believe there’s a bit of Judas in us all. Most people consider Judas as the worst of offenders because he betrayed Jesus, but who among us has not betrayed Him in some way? One of the most unusual things we encountered in Jerusalem was in an out-of-the-way church on the Mount of Olives. It was adjacent to The Grotto and filled with beautiful artwork. Some of the paintings appeared to have been restored, while others were nearly obscured beneath centuries of grime. We made our way around the room as we looked at the paintings and finally arrived at a glass-enclosed shrine. Inside, there was a large rectangle of rock. The Judas Rock It was (reportedly) the rock on which Judas stood when he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. (Luke 22: 3-6, 47-48) A narrow opening under the lid was just wide enough to allow a piece of paper to slip through. The rock was covered with randomly scattered money and hastily written notes. We stared at the slips of paper and money and wondered… Do people identify with Judas? Do people leave letters and money on the Judas rock because they see the betrayer in themselves? We struggled with this for days. Did people think Judas could answer their prayers? That the money would redeem their sin? It took us a while to come to the conclusion that no one wants to identify with Judas. We already identify with him because we are like Judas. We, too, are betrayers. How are we like Judas? Our focus, like the Betrayer, is all too often on money, possessions, success, and prestige. We put what we want before the call of Christ. Pleasing ourselves comes before our relationship with Him. We include ourselves in that corporate “we,” for, though we hate to admit it, we still put our own desires before Jesus all too often. Our first thought is, far more than we’d like to admit, what we want in a particular situation, rather than what Christ wants. Although we usually find our way to seeking God’s will, the first burst of “self-worship” is a betrayal of the higher call to the will of God. Neither dollars nor letters of contrition can change that. We are like Judas when we put our desires above those of God, and only the grace of God is sufficient to save us from our shameful state. It’s the greatest paradox that our Holy God would exact the price for our sin from Himself, but He did, and He offers that redemption to all who will receive it. What can wash away the stain of sin? The black shroud of betrayal? Nothing. Nothing but the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. Today, let’s choose to love God first and love others as we love ourselves. In so doing, we live as those who have been redeemed. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy reading: When the Hand of God Restored My Hope When You Try to Hide but God Can Still See Living in the Shadow of the Cross and Loving Our Enemies The Capture Bag: When Letting Go of Hurt and Anger is Way Past Due Before you go… Sign up for our twice-a-month newsletter to receive exclusive stories, freebies, and more. Leave a comment and share this post on your social media pages or through email. Bookmark our website so you can visit us often. Take a look at Today’s Encouragement before you go. We add to this every weekday.

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