All Roar and No Might

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

It is interesting to me that this passage of scripture describes Satan as a "roaring" lion that walks back and forth looking for prey. I'm no zoologist, but documentaries I've seen show that lions are very quiet when they are hungry and hunting. My limited research stated that lions do not roar when hunting unless they feel that the prey is too much for them to handle. In other words, the lion knows that he's out matched so he tries to call for backup.

That information makes me think of this scripture in a totally different way. Just because a lion is pursuing you doesn't mean that you should be intimidated. As a matter of fact lions seek prey that's just what they do--that's their job. By contrast, my job then is to make it my priority to remain formidable by staying alert and nimble by being watchful so that the lion continues to just roar and not attack. As long as the lion is roaring he knows I'm too much for him to handle.

The lion may also believe that his roar can intimidate me into giving up, but it's too late since I now recognize his attack--the sound, the smell and the sight of it. God is so very merciful and He gives us so insight and warning. The word remains a lamp and a guide. As long as I seek God first, look to the hills and keep my faith and trust trained on Him He will keep me protected and at peace.

Remember today that the enemy wants to steal, kill and to destroy. But we are able to combat the enemy's attacks by being full of the Word. The enemy can't attack you as long as you remain in God's protection.

An Exclusively Inclusive Host

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23.

I think about all of the times I've hosted something at my home and I invited as many people as I could handle. My husband always gets on me about inviting so many people over. I love inviting people over to me the more the merrier. It reminds me of a time when I was homeless and I had no one and no where to go and people showed me kindness and invited me in to dinner. I recall the joy at being a part of the fellowship. It also reminds me that there are those who are regularly left out and purposefully not invited. I've seen this happening on my job recently. An event will be planned and then the whispering and the game of keep away begins because there is a group that doesn't like someone so they don't want to alert that person about the event. I'm always hurt and perplexed by this kind of behavior. No one wants to be excluded so why do people enjoy excluding others?

I'm reminded of this scripture because the Lord of this house went through great pains to set up an event and to invite those for whom the event was prepared for only to learn that none of those individuals were able to attend. As a host when you prepare dinner you want to be able to share it. It brings joy to the heart to share and care.

This host thought about all of the work and dedication that he put into his dinner. He thought about how his regular guests simply flaked out on him and he thought to himself that there were some people who would appreciate all the trouble he'd gone through. He decided to invite total strangers who may have been poor or disabled. The may have been homeless and alone. Whatever the case he invited as many as he could handle so thT they could enjoy the bounty that he had prepared.

Commentaries reveal that this passage of scripture is a parable about how the Jews rejected Christ and how Christ then extended the good news and the opportunity of salvation to the Gentiles. But more practically to me it's just about making sure as Christians that we remember to extend the invitation of Christ to everyone. There is no one in my life that I wouldn't want to tell about the goodness of Jesus and to share the fact that He saves to the utmost. I want everyone to know. As we go into this holiday season repeating that Jesus is the reason I hope we are not playing keep away with the gospel. I hope we are not excluding people because we don't "like" them. I hope we we
are open to share and to experience the joy of sharing Christ.

I'm so glad Jesus compelled me. Have you compelled someone today?

We all have issues. Will we seek to touch Him?

Luke 8:41-48 reads: 41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: 42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him. 43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

This unnamed woman, like all of us today, had an issue. It was a struggle that she had been burdened with for 12 years. It was so much of a burden that she spent all of the means that she had seeking advice and treatment from doctors, who took her money but who could not bring her into a better state. Her issue isolated her because the tradition of her time dictated that she keep herself away from others as she was considered unclean. As modern day Christians we all have issues that have the potential to isolate us from others in some kind of way. If we are having money problems then we isolate ourselves because maybe we feel like we should know better. If we have drug, food, sex or other addictions we can become isolated because of the shame and guilt associated with these issues and as a result we toil and suffer under the lies of the enemy. If we harbor unforgiveness, negative emotions or refuse to admit that we have entertained or been influenced by demonic forces we stand the chance of having issues that can keep us separated from the body.

This woman got to a place after asking around, seeking expertise in others and using all of her resources, she got to a place of desperation. She desperately needed a resolution-not a patch or a temporary fix. Her process is a roadmap for our deliverance. Her desperation drove her to exploration. That exploration brought about a revelation and that revelation compelled manifestation from the God of creation. In other words when we get so desperate for a resolution and not just a fix we will seek out the savior and we will press our way to meet up with Him for a divine appointment.

When Jesus asked who touched me, of course He knew who touched Him. The question was for the woman. Jesus was letting her know that her process had compelled a response out of Him. He was also letting her know that what she did was alright and it was okay for her to bring her situation into the light. He is saying the same thing to us today. We have to bring our issues into the light for exposure for our own sake as well as for the sake of others who may be struggling with the same thing. This woman was healed and made whole. She was forgiven and set free from years of torment and anguish in mere moments. All because she dared to touch the Master.

Take your issue to the Master today.