Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name'" 

And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that spirits are subject to you, but rather because your names are written in heaven."

Luke 10:17-20

In that day the LORD of host will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgement, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. 

{Isaiah 28:5,6}

As I read those words, I immediately thought to myself, "That could be my generation." 

My generation could turn back the battle at gates. 

There is something amiss if the battle is being fought at the very gates of the city. In ancient warfare, the battles were fought on grounds outside the city. Only in times of siege and just before the complete conquest of a city is the battle fought at the gate. The army must be crushed before the battle can be brought to the gate. 

Church, we have been under siege for a long time. Slowly, but surely, the enemy of our souls has besieged our faith and commitment to the pure truth of the gospel. Complacency is his ally and false security and idleness his friends. The lack of physical oppression has caused us to slack in our fight for the faith. "Contend earnestly," Jude says, "for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." 

The prophet Joel cries out, "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, 'I am strong."'... Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD."

The enemy is at hand, Church. He will not leave because we ask him nicely. He will not leave just because we call ourselves Christians. He will fight for dominance over our lives, over our families, over our nations, over our very souls.

We have allowed the battle to come to our gates, to the very threshold of our homes and churches. We have allowed ourselves to be put on the defense. Defense is NOT the default setting of the Redeemed of the Lord! Jesus did not pour out His life in bloody sacrifice so we could defend ourselves. No. He snatched us from the jaws of hell and made us sons and daughters of the Most High King. He has given us weapons that are mighty for the pulling down of enemy strongholds, that are filled with the power of the Spirit to vanquish our foes. "Let the high praises of God be in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hand," says the Psalms.

Our default position as warriors of El Elyon should be offensive. We do not flee before the enemy; we do not give ground to him or his minions. We take ground. We hold fast. We wield the sword and speak the Name that is above every name, Jesus.

Now is the time, Church. Now is the time to turn the tide of battle. It has come to our gate and now is the time to wake up, pull out our weapons and fight. Fight for the hearts of the next generation. Fight for purity and unity in the Body. Fight for the souls still enslaved by the enemy.

Though we may lose a battle, we already know the outcome of the war. It was won long ago when our beautiful, sinless Yeshua went through hell for us. When He walked out of the tomb, He took captivity captive and broke the power of death.

{The war was won.}


So battle on, Church, in strength and courage.

Because you never know...

I love the book of Isaiah. 

Really love it. 

It's full of imagery that is devastatingly beautiful, but also harsh and violent. God's endless passion for His people is poured forth as time and time again He calls them to remember His promises fulfilled and give them hope for the future. 

And it's full of little poetic lines such as this one: 

"Blessed are you who sow beside all waters..." 

It's simple language, but quite a profound thought. Taken in light of the New Testament's use of the sowing analogy given in Jesus' Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13), this simple thought has huge implications. 

When Jesus taught about sowing, He was talking about not just the Gospel message, but Kingdom truth in general.  The words you speak, the actions you take, the life you live- these are seeds sown into the people who surround you.
People hear more than you think they do.
People see more than you think they do.
People notice more than you think they do.

{Sow beside all waters.}

You can never be too careful about what you say for your words may be the difference between life and death to those who hear them.
You can never be too careful in how you act for your actions may effect someone else for the the rest of their life.
You can never be too careful of how you live for your life may be the only Kingdom representation  that a person ever sees.

{Sow beside all waters.} 

It doesn't matter if it looks like they're not listening... speak the truth.
It doesn't matter if it looks like they're not watching... act with mercy and truth.
It doesn't matter if it looks like no one will care what you do... live in purity and truth.

Sow in faith, knowing that God will never allow His word to return empty. Sow in tears, for where there is true live for people, there will also be hurt. Sow in joy, for the promise remains that he who sows in tears will come rejoicing at the harvest, bringing in sheaves with him.

{Sow beside all waters.}

Saturday night was the first home game for my school's team. The stadium was packed, everyone in the  kind of hyper-jolly mood that only happens in South, on saturday night, at the first home game of the season. It also happened to be the largest crowd of Wildcat Field history. The entire college population, decked out in royal blue and orange, hollered for their teammates/classmates, parents hollered for the boy who just got the ball ("Did you see him!? Did you see the way he just took back those yards?! That's MY boy!" in the way only a Southern momma could say it.), and little kids with waaay too much caffeine hollered just because they could. Crazy, hyped, happy mayhem.

Ryan Montague, the dude you want to have the ball :) 

Just before the game started, the lady sitting in the bleachers in front of me stood up and started wildly waving her arms and calling out for "Susan." I assume "Susan" was somewhere below us, somewhere in the noise, the color, the crowd. I felt bad for the woman. There was no way, unless she was standing still and looking, that "Susan" was going to see her friend frantically waving her arms. And I suddenly thought:

"What is that's how God feels like?"   

Does He feel like He's standing in the stadium of our life, barely visible to us because of our crowd, or the noise or the color, or the general hype of life here on earth?

We're constantly surrounded by the world, and I don't mean that in an entirely negative way. The people that God puts in our lives can sometimes become a distraction. The job that He's given us, the school He's led us to, the ministries He's called us to... these can all be distractions. They add color, texture, flavor, and other wonderful things to our lives. They can easily become what holds us back, what weighs us down if we forget why they're there.

Those things were given to us to be enjoyed, but not to be controlled by.

Maybe "Susan" didn't see her friend because she wasn't looking for her. Look for God, people. He says He will be found by those who are truly seeking Him. Sometimes when we get into a tight spot, we whimper and cry about "where was God when...?" But the fact is, He was there the whole time.
We just couldn't see Him for all the colors, the lights, and crowds with which we surround ourselves.

"Seek and you will find." 
Matthew 7:7

God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun.

  He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" 

I said, "Master God, only you know that."

  He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"

  God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"

  I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.

  He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"

  So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.

  Then God said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they're saying: 'Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there's nothing left of us.'

  "Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, 'God, the Master, says: I'll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I'll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you'll realize that I am God. I'll breathe my life into you and you'll live.Then I'll lead you straight back to your land and you'll realize that I am God. I've said it and I'll do it. God's Decree.'"

Ezekiel 37: 1-14

A Lamb, a Priest, and a Ram's Horn

 "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation."

 Leviticus 23:24

This is the basis for the Jewish holiday Rosh Ha'shanah, the celebration of the New Year. Also called the feast of Trumpets. Rosh Ha'shanah 2012 happened on September 16. 

When I was little, my family celebrated Rosh Ha'shanah by making a crown out of golden construction paper and placing on the globe as the centerpiece of the table. This celebrated the fact that God is Melek b'ha'shamyim, vha'eretz, King of heaven and earth. It's the coronation day for the King, for on this day He brought the crown of His creation into existence and became their King! 

Later in the evening, after supper, we would go outside and my father would blow the shofar, the ram's horn. (In ancient times, the shofar was used in times of war or celebration. Now it is mostly used ceremonially.)  Sometimes we all had paper party blowers and we would make quite a racket! After my father had given the Tekiah, (one single long blast) followed by the Shevarim, (three short blasts) we would all take turns trying to get a sound out of the shofar. (Its a lot harder than it looks, especially for the small lips of children!) I didn't understand the meaning of blowing the shofar, only that it was part of the celebration of Rosh Ha'shanah, but the pattern of blasts had a deep meaning for the ancient Jews. 

The first blast is Tekiah- one long blast signifying the King's coronation.

The second is Shevarim- three short blasts, like wailing, signifying repentance.

The third is Teru'ah- nine staccato blasts, like a warning call to awaken the soul.

The fourth and final is Tekiah ha'Gadol- a great, loud, long blast.   

 The celebration of Rosh Ha'shanah  is just that, a celebration but it also is closely tied with another feast, Yom Kippur. The celebration of the coronation of the King of Kings also brings to mind the holiness and justice of the King and the people's realization that they are neither holy nor just. 

The next ten days in the Jewish calendar are called the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah,  the Ten Days of Repentance. The blowing of the shofar called the people to self-examination and repentance in anticipation of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. On this day the Kodesh Gadol, the High Priest, would lay his hands on the head of a goat and confer on it the sins of the people. The goat would then be driven out into the wilderness, carrying the sins of the nation with it. And the people would be forgiven and in restored fellowship with God. 

When my family celebrated this feast, we would commemorate this taking away of sins by gathering a handful of stones and casting them one by one in the lake, where they disappeared from view. I always remember this, because it usually happened on or near my birthday. When I was quite young, it was sort of a birthday tradition. But as I grew older, the realization of what I was doing started to dawn on my consciousness. Though simple enough for a child to understand, the spiritual implication of that casting away of sin (the stones) is enormous. 

I have found myself in solemn contemplation during this year's yomei teshuvah, days of repentance. For myself, yes. But also for this nation. For revival to bring repentance and a return to God. We don't have to wait for that one day of the year when a priest, a man like the rest of us, would go into the Holy of Holies and intercede for us. We have a living and holy Kodesh Gadol, high priest. 

His name is Yeshua. 

Son of God.

Son of Man.

Creator that became as the created. 

The korban pesach, the sacrificial Lamb.

Now the Kodesh Gadol, the Great High Priest. 

With the blood of His sacrifice, He obtained our redemption and stands as minister and mediator of His sacrifice. 

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up {Himself.} 

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.  For if the blood of bulls and goats... sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall {the blood of Christ,} who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot before God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For Christ has not entered the holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us... 

Hebrews 7:26, 9:11-14,24-25

It is He who sits above the circle of the earth

For some time now, I've been conscious of a burning in my soul for the persecuted church. I am still not entirely sure what to do with that knowledge but I know it has caused me to be much more aware of global happenings and how they affect the global church. It has also caused me to pray so much more than I ever did before.

I pray for the physical safety of the pastors and their congregations. I pray for spiritual awareness in the leaders. I pray for faithfulness for those who have lost everything because of their identification with the once broken, now resurrected body of Jesus. I pray for the children who grow up in such hostile places; who only know violence and fear.

I pray for unity in the church worldwide. But sometimes it seems like, no matter how many prayers are said, violence and the prince of the air still separate the bodies from the souls of the redeemed of God.



Recently, an Iranian brother, Pastor Youcef, was imprisoned.

 For 1,062 days he was held in an Iranian prison and told that he must recant or die. But he did not recant. So he was sentenced by the Iranian government to die. There were, in the course of his imprisonment, many campaigns for his release, including various government officials from all over the world and many civil rights activists who contended with the Iranian government for Pastor Youcef's life. A friend of mine faithfully tweeted the Voice of the Martyrs updates every day. And millions of people prayed.

The day of his execution drew near and I wondered what would happen on November 13. For three years, the release of the pastor had been demanded, but with no result. One day, as I read an update on his situation, I thought to myself, "He's going to die."  Like the millions of others, he was going to pay with his life for what he believed. I felt slightly angry with God for not intervening, for not honoring Youcef's steadfastness and commitment. God felt far away and impersonal as I sat at my computer in my little dorm room. Governments and parliaments, presidents and royalty, people with connections and money, they were fighting for his life. And they were so much more likely to get results than I was. Or so I thought.

Oh small mind! Oh weak faith! Did you so easily forget who holds the universe in one hand and the sparrow in the other? Have you forgotten the Father who mended your broken heart and caused it to sing again? Have you forgotten the One who fashions every tiny baby and writes their names on His hand? The One who sends His Spirit to people in the stronghold of darkness and awakens them to Life everlasting? The One who gives life to our breath and causes us to be living beings? He who said, "None shall pluck them from My hand..."?

I forgot Him, but He did not forget me. He did not forget Pastor Youcef. Though Pastor is still in police custody, he has had the death sentence revoked. Because God spoke through the words of the politicians and activists. Because He inhabited the prayers of His church. Because He is the Great I AM, sovereign over the affairs of men and angels. He sees the farthest star, the deepest ocean, the smallest ant, the highest mountain, and each individual person who draws breath. He heard our prayers for our brother. Your prayer. My prayer.

Church, He hears.    

Luke 12: 22-40

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves {be like men who wait} for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Where I am, there He is... and where I'm not... He still is.

Isn't that beautiful! Well, fascinating anyways. :)

Today in chemistry my professor was explaining about the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of proteins (which is what all those loopy colors above are). Here's how he explained it:

Primary structure was like our perspective from standing on the ground. We see individual buildings and streets with cars etc. But we can't see the big picture because our view is blocked by tall buildings or natural obstructions like hills and forests.

Secondary structure is like standing in a tower 150 in the air. Everything looks totally different from up here! You can see the layout of the city, the connections of the streets, traffic patterns, and topography.

Tertiary structure is like the view from outer space. You can see the whole big picture and it's astoundingly beautiful. But you can't see the deep green leaves. Or the sunsets over the Pacific. Or a baby's first smile. Or feel the clean rush of a mountain creek. You get the privilege of seeing our globe in the context of the solar system but you lose the ability to see the details that make life so beautiful.

Sometimes God lets us see life from a tertiary perspective. He gives us a glimpse of how the past, present, and future meld into a grand, flowing river called time. He allows us to see, in a tiny part, what He sees.

And then there are times when we stand 150 feet up on a mountaintop of faith and we see life from a secondary perspective. We can feel the refreshing breeze unobstructed by valley living. We the feel the sun more intensely. We look down from lofty heights and see why we had to come the way we. We see what we could not see from below.

But most of the time we see life from a primary perspective. From on the ground. From in the trenches. We can't see over the next hill. We can't see around that tall building. We can't see the end of the road. Our greatest joys and biggest enemies are right in our face, walking our ground, breathing our air. And every step, every move, every breath, is taken in faith because that's the only way to survive. That's the story of being human.

But, HALLELUJAH! God isn't confined by our perspective! He sees us in all three perspectives. He puts us in the trenches to learn and leads us up the mountain and, occasionally, transports us to space. He Himself experienced all three in a God-Man sort of way.

God is in the primary.

And in the secondary.

AND in the tertiary.

Elementary yet astounding. Known yet not grasped. Simple yet hard to believe...


Who knew chemistry could be spiritually enriching? :)

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is by HIS great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So be truly glad! There is {wonderful joy} ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

The reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls. This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.

They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when He told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and His {great glory} afterward.

They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for YOU. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Where is it?

Wednesday is a day that gets lost in the middle somewhere. Nothing too impressive about it. Especially 2:30 on Wednesday afternoon. Nevertheless, there are always lessons to be learned. Even at 2:30 on a Wednesday.

A wise man once said, "God's work done in God's way never lacks any of God's supplies."

A threefold test to help us make decisions. At least, it helps me.

God's work... God's way... God's supplies.

In (whatever) this situation (is), am I doing God's work or my work? Is it about bringing the Kingdom honor and the King glory? Or about bring myself something: praise, recognition, comfort, my own way? Is it about what He wants, or what I want?

Am I thinking, acting, praying, serving coffee, loving, rejoicing, believing, sweeping floors, walking, correcting, lifting up, smiling and studying in a way that glorifies my Adonai? If I determine that (whatever) this (is) is God's work, am I doing His work as He would? But what if I don't have (fill in the blank)? Aha. Part three!

God provides. That's the essence of it. He may not provide WHAT we think we need WHEN we think we need it. But He always provides. People, God is a creative God! After all, He formed everything out of nothing! That's pretty much the dictionary definition of creativity. When we have a need, we get so focused on what we think would fill that need that sometimes we can't even see divine provision when it's staring us in the face.

So here's some ideas:
a.)Learn to LOOK in unexpected places for unconventional, unorthodox provision.
b.)Learn to EXPECT God to provide.
c.)Learn to THANK God for His creative provisions.

Not too bad, eh? For a Wednesday...

What am I gonna do with Him?

I woke up at 8:30 this morning with the sun shining through a crack in my curtains. I rolled over and snuggled under the blankets, very smug with myself that I didn't have to get up yet. It's Saturday after all.
I lay there a little while longer, thinking happy, sunshiny thoughts like, "Isn't this such a perfect day to be alive?"
I got out of bed and made myself a Tori version of a cinnamon dolce latte (compliments of yummy Caribou coffee from my Par) and got back in bed with my Bible and journal and laptop to check my email.
I fluffed up my pillow and put it behind my back, pulled up my blanket and took a sip of coffee. My inbox opened and the very first email was from ChinaAid. The subject line said, "Burmese Refugees Need Emergency Help."
I opened the email and almost choked on my coffee.

"Ongoing armed conflicts in north Burma’s Kachin state have left as many as 40,000 Burmese refugees homeless on the China-Burma border without food, medicine or warm clothing!

The majority are Christians of the Jingpo minority group and about 25,000 have fled into China side of border with Burma to seek shelter and refuge. But, the Chinese local government refuses to help!

And, there appears to be little chance for a ceasefire of the armed conflict between Burmese government troops and the KIA that first broke out on June 9, 2011, leaving them without proper clothing or sufficient food to survive!"

I read to the end of the email, feeling sad and sorry for the people that were going through such terrible things. Then I looked down at my coffee cup.
And my blankets.
And my laundry basket full of clothes.
And my cupboard full of food.
And my desk stacked up with books.
And my own sink with clean water.
And carpet, pictures, and pretty things to make me more comfortable.

Why did I have this when they barely had life? Why can I choose to eat what tastes good to me when they don't even have the choice of eating anything? Why do I get to decided that I don't want to wear pink because it makes my skin looks weird when they would give anything just for a shirt to wear?

"To whom much is given, much is required."

What was that, Lord?

"Freely you have received. Freely give."

Oh right. I get it. Freely give my money. Sure, I understand. After all it's really Your's anyway. (feeling very much like, "oh yeah. Me and God- we get each other.)

"What good does it do, My child, if YOU say you have faith but no works to show it? If YOU see a brother or sister naked and destitute of daily food, and you say, 'Peace unto you, be warm and full!' but YOU don't give them the very things they need, what good is that for either of you? Your faith lives in your works. Did I freely give you money? No. I freely gave you ME. Myself. My blood. My love."

A very humbled, ashamed me rolled over and stared at the ceiling. I'm not rich- not by any stretch of the imagination. I live in a dorm room. I don't own a car. Heck, I don't even have a driver's license! But do I need any of that to give what I have boundless, unlimited amounts of?

Dear Peter says it this way. "Silver and gold I do not have. But what I DO have, I give you." Peter had God.

And He gave God.

I have God.

Do I give Him?

Do I keep Him all to myself? Do I horde His affection and blessing like there isn't enough to go around? Do I spend myself in Him for those He spent Himself for? Do I see the ones He would seen? Do I go where He would go?

He gave Himself to me. So what am I gonna do with Him?

קום להאיר לכם אור הגיע וכבוד יהוה, כאשר היא עולה עליכם

{Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of Adonai has risen upon you!}


כי הנה החושך יכסה את הארץ וחושך עמוק לעם אבל יהוהתקום על אותך ואת כבודו יראו עליכם

{For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but Adonai will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.}