What's Your Gift?

Don't you love birthday's. It's the one time a year that we get gifts, but we don't give them. For one day a year, hopefully, we feel spoiled. And when we go to some one else's birthday party, we usually pick our gift with care. In celebration of Jesus' birthday, I wonder...what can we possibly give the Creator of the Universe--the One who has everything? And then I thought about His only desire. He wants us to love. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:17

If you think about it, love truly does cover over a multitude of sins. It makes us not only spend more time with God, because when you truly love someone you want to do that, right? But it also makes us better people. It makes us act more like Christians.

Look at I Corinthians 13.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.

So, this Christmas, I want to give Jesus the gift of love. To desire more of Him and to work on loving others more.

What will you give Him?

Merry Christmas from Torrid Faith!

FLEE

I’m sure most of you have read the story of Joseph. Often people think of his coat of many colors or about his amazing gift to interpret dreams, but there is an important lesson right in the middle of the story that may not get consideration.
My entire life I have found myself convicted by what I say and how I say it. I grew up around people that were often critical; therefore I found at times that I projected the same kind of attitude when I didn’t like a situation. This, of course, easily sucked me into a gossipy gripe circle.

In Genesis 39, Potiphar’s wife begs Joseph to sleep with her and in verse twelve, it says, “He fled from her presence.” This made me contemplate the things which tempt us, and the situations that come our way that tests us. Do we flee or take the easy way out? Wouldn’t it have been much easier (and probably more pleasurable) for Joseph to give into the temptation?

Back to my “foot-in-mouth disease.” For years I struggled with watching what I say. I was tempted almost daily to express how I really felt, rather than give the situation to God. When I finally began to submit, swallow my pride, and let God handle whatever it was, I began to grow.
Temptation only happens when something is important to us. If your temptation were to eat a gluttonous amount of tomatoes each day, it wouldn’t be a problem for me. I hate the smell, flavor; basically everything there is to do with tomatoes. That would never be a temptation for me. My husband hates chocolate, so he isn’t swayed by the huge piece of chocolate cake I might be consuming. My point? If you don’t care about something, if you actually despise something, then it isn’t a temptation any more. We’re called to “hate sin.” If your temptation is drinking, you’ve got to get to a point where you actually hate alcohol. You’ll never break free if you’re “testing the waters.” If your temptation is gossip, then you need to begin to see gossip for what it is, evil, and begin to despise it.

Whatever you’re going through, whatever God has asked you to stop doing, remember that Joseph’s story didn’t end with his being tempted. Yes, he went through some hard times for fleeing temptation, but in the end, God blessed him. Trust me, sleeping with her would have been easier and I’m assuming more pleasurable, but it would have been wrong. It would have caused Joseph a wedge between God and him. It probably wasn’t easy, but it was right.

Remember, if you flee from temptation, God will honor that. Let us draw near to God and He will draw near to us.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Burning Bush

There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. Exodus 3:2

Torrid Faith is all about igniting your Christian walk and drawing closer to God. In the Old Testament, Moses saw the Lord in a BURNING bush. God came to Him as fire. If we want to be on fire for God, we need to approach the Bush ready to do the Lord's will. Moses probably never imagined that God would use him in such a great way. But God saw something in Moses. He didn't care that Moses had a stuttering problem or that he'd was a murderer. What He cared about was Moses' willing heart. Let us move toward holy ground and into God's presence, ready to be ignited into His presence and into His will.

TEST YOUR FAITH

How hot is your fire really burning?
Take this test and be HONEST with yourself. Pick the one that MOST describes you. Don’t feel discouraged, but encouraged. This is the first step.

1. I usually…
a. Read my Bible every day for more than twenty minutes
b. Quickly read my Bible right before I go to bed
c. Fit my devotion time in if I have a free moment
d. Don’t ever really read my Bible

2. I find…
a. I talk to God like He’s my best friend for a good amount of time
b. Sometimes I can only pray for five to ten minutes
c. It is often difficult to find things to say during prayer time
d. I never really talk to Him except when I have a problem

3. Which one of these makes your heart flutter more?
a. Going to a church revival on a week night
b. Hanging out with friends
c. Watching sports or TV
d. Partying

4. Reading a devotional book…
a. Changes my way of thinking
b. Isn’t something I do often
c. Puts me to sleep
d. What’s a devotional?

5. I have trouble with my mouth (cussing, gossiping, etc.)…
a. Never
b. Rarely
c. Sometimes
d. Always

6. Giving up the most important thing in my life for God…
a. Is easier every time, because I know the fruit of what will happen
b. Stings a bit, but I’m trying
c. Hurts and I’m not sure if I can do it
d. Not sure, I’ve never tried it

7. Prayer to me is…
a. As essential as eating
b. Important, but I need to do more
c. Is something I do when I have problems
d. Something I don’t do

8. If the pastor were to ask me to give up fast food and hobbies for three days, I would say…
a. Sure, I could use it
b. I’ll pray about it
c. Sorry, can’t right now
d. Forget it

9. When someone asks me to pray for them, I…
a. Start right then and there
b. Usually pray for them once or twice
c. Say I will, and then never do
d. People don’t ask me to pray for them

10. I am reading this book because…
a. I’m just so on fire for God; I can’t wait to get closer to Him
b. I know I need to change
c. Someone told me to or I was curious
d. I feel guilty

Total number of A’s: ____________________
Total number of B’s: ____________________
Total number of C’s: ____________________
Total number of D’s: ____________________

CHECK YOUR FIRE LEVEL
If you had mostly A’s, you are burning hot for God AND you can hopefully find passion to ignite others.

If you had mostly B’s, you’re warm, but you have the right heart and with a little stirring of the ashes, you could ignite a blazing fire.

If you had mostly C’s, you are lukewarm, and it’s awesome that you took this test. Are you ready to get on fire for God? Take the Torrid Faith Challenge. It will change your life!

If you had mostly D’s, you’re a bit cold in your faith, but what better way to get hot then to take the Torrid Faith Challenge.

For more information on the Torrid Faith Challenge, log onto www.torridfaith.com.

Prayed Up?

In Matthew 26, Jesus takes three of His disciples into the garden to pray. But the hour must have been late and instead of praying, they fell asleep. Not once, but three times. Finally, the soldiers came and took Jesus away, and what happens? The disciples scattered.

Have you ever wondered what might have happened if the disciples had been “prayed up?” If instead of sleeping, they too had prayed like Jesus asked them too. Could Peter have admitted his allegiance to Jesus instead of denying Him three times? Could the disciples have stayed by Christ’s side through the entire ordeal instead of cowering?

Later, when Peter prays on the day of Pentecost, this same man that denied Christ had the boldness to save thousands. When we pray, it changes things, because we are no longer relying on our own strength, but God’s.

Each and every day, we are faced with crucifying our flesh. God has called us to pray because He knows that temptation will come. The Bible doesn’t say that it MIGHT come. It says WHEN it comes. Are we ready or are we sleeping?

Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Open Doors and Big Walls of Water

This Sunday, we had a special guest speaker, Jason Frenn, a radio host and best selling author. He spoke about "open doors," and gave the illustration of Moses and the walls of water.

The Israelites were trying to escape Pharaoh's slavery, but in order to do so, they would have to cross the red sea...impossible. But God provided an "open door." The seas parted and there was dry land. I can imagine the big waves on both sides were scary, and most likely, the Israelites would have said, "No way are we crossing through there." But they didn't have a choice. It was either step out in faith, or be killed by the enemy that was hot on their heels.

Is God providing you an open door? Are you too scared to step through it? Do you need God to provide a trial to move you forward or will you step out in faith?

Our Thorns

Last Sunday my pastor spoke about thorns in our flesh, and this got me to thinking about Paul's thorn. Many believe that it was his eyesight. If it was indeed, consider this...

When Paul was on the road to Damascus, on his way to persecute more Christians, he had an encounter with Jesus Christ. After their "talk," Jesus blinded Paul for a short time. Eventually his eyesight came back--but did it come back fully? If his thorn was indeed his eyesight, it makes me wonder if it wasn't a reminder that he too was a sinner saved by grace. That every time he had to hold a letter a few inches farther away so he could see it, that maybe, just maybe he was humbled; that he needed the Lord to guide him in his imperfections.

I know in my life there are many thorns. It's like a rosebush sometimes. But after thinking about this, I think maybe they're there to keep me humble and to always remember, I was once lost, but now I am found. That without Jesus, I would still be lost in my sin and cowering on the road of life.

When we allow Jesus to be our eyes, it is then that we can truly see.

THE ROOT BEER BARREL

A long time ago I heard a story that brought tears to my eyes and gave me an idea about God and how He invests in our future. This isn’t that exact story, but it is close enough to give you the general idea.

Once upon a time, in anticipation of having his first child, Raymond Boyd placed an old root beer barrel at the end of his bed and dropped his loose change in the bottom.

“What’s that?” his wife asked.

“It’s our son’s college fund.”

Nancy leaned over the barrel and peered in the bottom. “I hope he enjoys junior college.”

Raymond took her criticism as fun, but didn’t give up on his dream. After all, he’d spent his entire life working in a coal mine and he wanted more for his son. Every day after work, he’d empty his pockets and drop the contents inside. As the change jingled to the bottom, he believed he was one step closer to giving his son a great future.

One year, the mine had to be shut down. Times were hard and he could see his wife eying the jar, but the thought never crossed his mind. No matter what, he still dropped all his loose change into the barrel. When it got full, Raymond would roll the coins and place them in a safe.
Eighteen years later, the barrel and safe were emptied and his son went off to college. With chest out and pride in his heart, Raymond placed the barrel in the garage, for it’s purpose was over.

Years went by and his son married. At Christmas, Raymond and Nancy went to visit them for dinner. When Raymond went into the nursery, a big smile encompassed his face, there sitting at the end of the crib was the old root beer barrel.
His son patted him and said, “Mom, thought I should have it for my daughter.”
Raymond, choked with emotion, reached in his pocket, pulled out his change, and dropped it in the barrel.


This idea truly touched my heart. I think the story shows God’s love for us, and how he puts “coins in our barrel,” preparing us for things to come. He invests in our future. The world, our families, those we’re closest to may not always understand, but if we trust God, I promise He has the best things planned for us.

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

IT STARTS WITH MANURE

Galatians 6:7 (Living)
“You always harvest what you plant.”

I’ve never been much into gardening. Maybe it has something to do with my first (and last) experience. I was about eight years old and my dad asked if I wanted to help him plant his vegetable garden. Of course I did. So my dad gave me a large bag of something called manure and told me to spread it out on the ground. Despite the smell, I proceeded to do so with my hands. When I finished, I was told the soil’s origin, and needless to say, haven’t gardened since.

Well, not in the traditional since. The Bible says we garden every day. I love the way the living Bible puts it... “You always harvest what you plant.”

Each and every day I find myself bumping elbows with strong opinions, attitudes and frustration. Last night during my devotion time, I began to ponder what kind of seeds I had been planting. Are they seeds of discord or seeds of unity? Seeds of anger or seeds of joy? Seeds of dissension or seeds of peace? I didn’t like the answer. Some seeds I had planted were those that would not bring a crop that helped the Kingdom of God. I know that I need to cut some weeds out of my life that choke me from planting the right seeds. I plant the wrong kind of seeds when I’m not drawing close to God, and allowing other things to occupy my time. I need to put the fruit of the spirit in my soil, so that God can have his blessings grow in my life.

And remember, sometimes we have to handle manure, but in the end, if we plant the right seeds, we will harvest a garden that will make the smell all worth it.

ARE YOU ROYALTY?

I Sam. 17:4, 32, 33 4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. 32 David said to Saul, “Let …your servant go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”

II Sam. 7:8-9 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel.”

It is no mystery why the world saw David as a simple shepherd boy. They couldn’t see beyond what he did in the fields, but God saw into his heart. Where the world saw a simple shepherd boy, God saw a king.

I have a pretty bad past. I grew up in a home with an addict father. I spent most of my life avoiding his lifestyle until something tragic happened to me. That event of abuse spurred me to run from God for a few years, in which I did some things I'm not proud of.

Praise God I turned my life around and sought Him with all my heart, but the world might say, “She's a victim” or “I'm damaged goods.”

For years I walked in that belief. I went down to the altar almost every Sunday, begging God to forgive me of my past and going to counseling to help deal with the abuse. I was worried that God could never use someone like me.

Until one day, a woman said to me at the altar, “If you keep thinking about the past, and worrying about the future, you’ll miss the blessings God has for you today.”

She was right. I was no longer a victim to my past. I needed to let go, and think about how God saw me. When He looked at me, He saw the blood of Jesus Christ which set me free.

Gal. 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free.

Today when I start to worry about what others think about me or about mistakes I've made, I remember that God sees me as a “queen.” The only thing I need to be concerned about is… “Is He is happy with me?”

As you seek to draw closer to God, you have to begin to let go of your past. You can’t move forward in your faith, if you’re still held back by the enemies anchor of regret and shame. Christ has taken all our pain, paid the price, and invited us into his family, therefore, we are royalty. It's time to start living like it.

LIKE BEING PREGNANT

Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.”
Have you ever looked at that verse and asked, “Okay, Lord, I’ve been praying, where is my answer?” I know I’ve wondered that sometimes, but the truthfully prayer is always answered...whether it is “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” In today’s society, we don’t like to wait. Not for anything. We want instant gratification. Quickie marts, emailed letters, fast food dinners, instant popcorn, and remote controls—there is no waiting. So, when we pray, we hope that God will follow our manmade timetable and quickly tell us “yes” or “no” so we can move on.

At one point, praying for God’s will was almost as common as brushing my teeth. It became all I prayed for, almost always with a bit of frustration attached. Then one day a friend of mine gave me the best explanation I’d ever heard. She compared waiting for God’s will to being pregnant. For nine months, the baby grows inside a woman’s womb, developing, growing, and preparing to physically to come into this world. As a woman passes the seventh month mark, they tend want their baby to hurry up and get here. The nursery is done, the tiny clothes are bought, the crib is assembled—all signs that a baby is on the way soon. This makes the mother anxiously want the little one to stop kicking her insides and come out to be loved and cared for. But even though the mother is ready, the baby isn’t. If the baby were to come too early, he or she may have physical disabilities or may not even survive.
When God is working in us, it is like preparing to have a baby. The signs are often there. Maybe He reveals some stuff in our prayer life. Maybe things at our job aren’t quite tolerable anymore. Or maybe the guy we’ve had our eye on forever is finally starting to notice us. Whatever the signs are, they begin to stack up and we wonder, “When God are you going to move?” It is then that we must pause and remember the pregnancy. If we are given what we want too early, “it” may not be fully developed. We may not be ready for the path that God has for us. Who knows, the person, the job, the event may not even be there yet.

One day, my husband and I were talking about a Jimmy Swagger concert back in the 1980’s. We realized that we had both been attendance, and were probably very close in proximity to each other. At that time, God knew that Richard and I would someday marry. But He didn’t have us meet. Well, why not? I mean, what’s a few years, right? If we were to someday get married, why wouldn’t God introduce us then?
The answer is simple. We are nine years apart. The year of that concert, I was only seventeen-years-old and he was twenty-six. That meeting, for obvious reasons, would have been too early, and most likely I would have always seen him as the “old guy” or an adult leader. Dating him would never have been considered. But by meeting him several years later, the timing was perfect.

My point? We have to trust God. I promise, God doesn’t hold His will back from us to torture us, but to grow us, to prepare us, to mature us, and ultimately make us the best we can be.

As we begin to pray for God’s perfect will for our lives, remember that He isn’t making us wait to torture us—He is preparing the perfect future, at just the right time, with just the right situation. And when we give birth to it, it will be amazing.

I Peter 62:1-2 NLT “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

TORRID FAITH: TEPID FAITH

TORRID FAITH: TEPID FAITH

TEPID FAITH

Jeremiah 29:13 NIV “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
I became a Christian when I was three years old. With the exception of a two year hiatus, I have served God for almost four decades. For almost twenty-eight of those years, I have served in ministry. I have always attended church regularly, mid-week too, and tried to live a holy life by not drinking, cussing, partying, etc. And yet, for years, I still struggled with the same sins. I constantly asked the question, “Why do I struggle so hard to live a Christian life, and for others, it seems so easy?”
And then I was given the book, The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson—a true story about the author. It begins with Wilkerson making the decision to turn off his TV set and start praying each evening. During that prayer time, God started to do amazing things through him. One night during his nightly devotion, he found himself distracted by an article on his desk. It talked about some gang members on trial in New York. The Holy Spirit sparked something in him, and he decided to go to New York—a motion that would change everything. His obedience not only reached the hearts of some of the hardest gang members, but it has also spurned a worldwide organization (Teen Challenge) that saves thousands of lives each year to this day.
I was amazed at how just one man could make such an enormous impact on thousands, maybe millions, of souls. Why was this man able to do so much for the Lord and I struggled so much? The answer was simple—time. He made a decision one day to turn off the TV and just spend time with God in prayer. That decision birthed an enormous ministry that would change many lives.
God cares about our future, and us, but we need to spend time with Him so He can prepare us for it. You want to be on fire for God and in your faith—it starts with time spent with Him.
Hebrews 11:6b “He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”