Light Shines in the Darkness 12-19-16

“The light shines in the darkness.” Jn. 1:5

What unworthy commitments are filling up your mind and time?

When God is “little” in our lives, other things are simply more satisfying.

We become scattered, splintered, and weary from “running”. At some point our innovative planning and resourceful coping mechanisms eventually crack and fail us. Enter God.

Refusing to fit neatly into our “God time slots”, Jesus breaks through the darkness to shine light on our misguided perceptions and unwise commitments. And He’s very creative…

“Neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:38-39

God doesn’t overlook our poor choices, but He wants to redeem them. Although relationships and circumstances shape us, they don’t have to define us or keep us enslaved. We can be set free from the vices that ensnare us, small and large.

“In Jesus is life, and that life is the light of men.” Jn. 1:4

Let’s stop neglecting God’s presence, and start living for what truly matters. 

“God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all.” 1 Jn. 1:5-9

Our Lord beseeches us to choose life…real life. (Deut. 30:19-20) May we choose “real life” in our hearts and time commitments this Christmas season, as we celebrate God coming to the world as a babe to save all of mankind.

Much love and big hugs,

Shaun and Betsy

Prayers Heard 11-30-16

“Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard.” Dan. 10:12

There is so much evil in this present world, it can feel overwhelming. As we persistently cry out to Abba Father, we can feel our prayers aren’t heard.

But, don’t be fooled, each one of our prayers are heard by our heavenly Father.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” 1 Jn. 514

God hears every cry of His kids, but the Bible teaches that unseen forces often hinder our seeing God’s responses. Daniel 10:1-14 vividly describes one such encounter: An angel appears to Daniel and says, “Since the first day you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me 21 days. Then, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the prince of Persia. Now I have come…”

In 1 Thess. 2:18, Paul describes a similar struggle: “We wanted to come to you…certainly I, Paul, did, again and again…but Satan hindered us.” Paul goes on to teach that our struggle is against spiritual forces of evil, and our prayers are challenged by powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Describing this ongoing “war” in Eph. 6:10-18, Paul emphasizes the importance of persistent prayer: “pray in the Spirit, on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests…for all the saints.” Make no mistake; spiritual forces of evil have been unleashed over America and around the globe. Satan knows he was soundly defeated by Jesus at the cross and resurrection. The devil could not defeat God, so he goes after God’s treasure: us.

Praise God, we believers are “armed and dangerous”. The devil has no authority over believers. God has placed His Spirit within His kids. We believers simply have to recognize, believe and act upon this fact.

~For His glory, God longs to infuse our prayer lives with inconceivable power!

“Prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.” Jms. 5:16

~Will we believe His promises and diligently fight the good fight with audacious prayers? God ALWAYS proves Himself faithful to those who trust Him wholeheartedly.

We Cleary’s have experienced this divine power in ASTOUNDING ways this past month. From small “help me find my personal item” prayers, to “the seemingly impossible circumstances” prayed over years, to “prayers over nations”, GOD IS FAITHFULLY answering each one! Glory to God, the fulfiller of audacious prayers!!!

Time is cooking up for His return, may we live boldly, shining His light into every remaining dark crevice.

Much love and big hugs, ~Shaun and Betsy