When God Shows Up

Joshua 1:9, "Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go."

John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever"

There are many people out there in this big old world who are feeling like they are alone. Abandoned. Lonely. Disappointed. Discouraged. Battling. Hurting. Isolated. It's evident even if they aren't showing it through emotions or saying it with words. It's in their actions, interactions and reactions. It's in their lack of joy, happiness and belonging. It's becoming a normal part of this life as people become more disconnected with humans and disassociated with the reality in and of itself. I speak of the reality because way too many people are so "connected" via social media to the fake "happiness" and fake lifestyles that they become even more dissatisfied with their own existence. I see it every day. I listen to those around me and it's becoming very rare to hear a conversation that DOESN'T include a reference to "facebook," "instagram," or "twitter." I imagine a world that knows nothing else outside of those throws of "information" and it concerns me. It concerns me because all forms of the mentioned social media platforms attracts and tempts the "keyboard warriors" to come out in droves. You know the kind. Those that find some kind of power and pleasure out of becoming something they aren't, spewing hate, vitriol, and downright mean comments for no other reason than to cause discontentment. Those same platforms also bring out those who open those accounts to a different level of themselves. It's a "quiet" confidence if you will. What some people intended with their social media profiles and platforms, turned into something unrecognizable. It happens every day. To many unsuspecting innocent people who started with a great intent to share with friends and family. As will all addictions, it got out of control. Just remember, behind every profile, behind every person who comments, and behind every account, someone is hurting. Someone is battling. Someone is depressed. Someone is in pain. Someone is afraid. Someone is crying. Someone is abandoned. Someone is lonely......

So many people ask me about facebook and I inform them that I have not, nor will I in the future, take part in any form of social media. This blog is a ministry from the Lord and this is as "social" as it gets. But as for my followers and readers who know this blog, know it's for the world and through Jesus Christ's inspiration, it is written. It's not for me. It's a ministry and as long as God continues to inspire me, I will continue in these writings. I won't take part in other forms though for many reasons but in reality, they all were all mostly created to tap into a world of "attention addiction" and soon we began to see the same kind of patterns of any other addiction, although just in a much more social way. I wrote another post about social media called, "Social ME-dia - Idolatry and the Tech Obsessed Christian" that can be found here. It seems a little outdated now after re-reading it back from 2014 but the basis is still the same. More intense now however, as the people evolve to different levels of selfishness. Social media was created to slowly tap into the pleasure zones of the world, tapping their dopamine fueled needs, to slowly disengage the people by "convincing" them they are "engaging" to a whole new side of the world, and to slowly shorten the attention span of a generation who fell victim quite quickly. But the creators knew this. Every single "thing" created by man has been researched and picked apart before it ever becomes what it is to become. Marketing is a powerful tool and this plays a huge role in the majority of what this world is following as we speak. A little research will bring you to several "previous" employees of some powerful platforms who come right out and tell it like it is and who no longer are a part of what they helped to create! I chose not to be a part of what I knew was going to be harmful to me and to many others. I knew it was going to be a means to cause social inadequacy and to cause harm, mentally, physically and spiritually. I won't participate in anything that I don't believe in or that can, and likely would, cause me harm in any way. We all have choices and we need to choose wisely! I chose and never looked back. After all of these years though, I don't regret it once nor do I have any temptation to start down that rabbit hole. The longer you choose not to do something that isn't good for you, the easier it becomes until one day, it doesn't even faze you! I had an email from a reader of this blog asking me if I'd consider setting up a Facebook profile for my blog so it can be shared. Although the thought was entertained for a few moments, once again, I chose this as a safe place. God will bless it either way.....

Never Alone!

This isn't about social media. This isn't just about those that find social media to be their outlet. This is about the loneliness, the broken, the discouraged, the hurting. This is about those who feel so alone in their problems and trials that they don't realize others might feel the same or have felt the same way. This is about the people who appear OK and HAPPY on the outside, but inside, they are struggling and battling silently. This is about the people everyone sees on the street passing them by who has a sadness in their eyes and carry shame and regrets in their back pockets. This is about the "throw-aways" that seemingly nobody cares about or who wants to take time to give them a hug, or smile at them. This is about pain. This is about heartache. This is about addiction. It's about everything that is under this sun that causes any negative feelings or emotions, but ultimately has its roots in loneliness and being lonely, whether real or imagined, and in many cases, simply being alone. The root to many of those issues is being alone, feeling alone, feeling the burden of loneliness or feeling abandoned in some way. Whether someone actually IS alone or abandoned is not relevant because what IS relevant is that is how they FEEL and what they PERCEIVE to be REAL! Their perception is their reality and none of us, aside from our Savior Jesus Christ, knows what their background story is that brought them to those feelings in the first place. Why? Because we all have a story! Nobody's story is without pain and suffering. Nobody's life is perfect. Nobody's story is a fairytale. In the end, though, for all of us who have experienced any degree of any of those feelings, they are very real to each of us on different levels of intensity. We mustn't dismiss those feelings in others as it can prove to sometimes be critical or fatal! What may be easy for you to deal with might not be so easy for me. Our life stories are different, so are our emotions and coping mechanisms. God created each of us individually for His purpose and our stories are unique, but are also for a purpose. You see, we ALL have the same emotions and feelings yet how we experience them are uniquely different and as individual as each of us! By God's design!

It's during those times of extreme distress, loneliness and pain, that God will often show up. He will send someone to you, for you, to show you He is real and to comfort you. He wants to remind you that you are not alone! It's during those extreme times, when you don't know how you'll get through another day, pay another bill, cry another tear, that He will show up in the most subtle way, sometimes in a very miraculous way! Arms wide open! He is ALWAYS near! Exodus 14:14, "The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." That is pretty powerful isn't it! I have seen the Lord fight for me and what an amazing sight to behold! Something no words can explain. There is one incident that I can clearly remember that happened at my current job, although there were several! I kept telling a co-worker that what happens in the darkness will ALWAYS be brought to Light and that what I was experiencing and what she was experiencing by the same "person" God would ultimately take care of for me, and us. Although she didn't quite understand it at that time, she saw it through my confidence in the Lord that when God moved, He moved big! He will fight for us but we are to remain calm and peaceful. I understand it's not easy and I've struggled with remaining calm a time or a hundred, but we must remind ourselves of His loving promises! I've gone through my share of painful seasons, feeling alone and overcome by sadness, and I'm currently going through some hardships as we speak. It seems every area in my life is a struggle or a battle and although it tends to get me down from time to time, I have total peace and a sense of calm about what His plans are for me! I know, in His time, He will bring me through this wilderness, but He also showed up on more than a few occasions! Right when I needed to know I wasn't alone, he sent a word to me through the unlikeliest vehicle. Someone understood. Someone shared. Someone reached out to ME. It made me cry. It gave me relief, a relief that was much needed at that time. I knew who sent this person at that very moment in my time of need and I felt His love as a result! I felt His presence. I can't tell you just how much it meant to me to know someone cared about me enough to just "share" a story they felt "compelled" to share. God is an awesome God and Jesus is ALIVE! It's very difficult to maneuver around this life when you feel weighted down by the very thing that should bring you joy! It's difficult to maneuver all of the obstacles that have been set in your path if you feel like you have to go it alone.

God IS With YOU!

I'm here to tell you that you don't have to go it alone! Seek the face of the Lord because He is there, right beside you, just waiting for you to call to Him! I'm here to tell you my dear friends and readers, that God is a faithful God and He cares about each and every one. Sometimes, we must go through the wilderness to learn lessons, to strengthen our faith, to learn to trust Him more or deeper, to fully rely on His provisions and Love, to fully rely on Jesus Christ overall. Sometimes we must experience whatever it is that is laid before us, whether because of our bad choices or because of no fault of our own, to give us the testimony that will be used to touch someone else along our path! Trials, hardships and struggles are a part of this life. None of us can escape it. I don't have the answers as to why some have to battle some of the more darker battles, while others have to battle other battles. That isn't for me, or you, to understand. We ALL pay the consequences of our willful, negative choices and those are easy to understand. However, it's those battles, those difficulties we face that we haven't had fault in that is harder to understand. This is where we must learn to trust Jesus and put our complete Faith in Him to get us through whatever trial we are being put through. Sometimes we have to endure pain and suffering because of someone else's negative choices. Sometimes we must endure pain and suffering as a result of being allowed in the wilderness for testing. It's not easy in any of those situations and I won't minimize it. More-so, when you are a child of God, others will be watching how we deal with it all, what we do with the pain and disappointment, the trials and suffering. We must remember to point to the Cross through it all! No matter how difficult our situation is and not matter how lonely you may feel. The Cross is the answer!

I would like to touch on being isolated because this tends to happen when we begin to believe that we are alone, when in fact it's just the lies of the enemy. The more we feel alone, the more lonely we feel. From the loneliness, we withdraw from others which ultimately leads to isolation. There are also times when God brings us to isolation as well while He is purging the negatives out from our lives. Whether that be negative friendships, relationships, jobs, vices, or a number of other negative nouns, they must be purged from us to get our focus back on track. My life has been purged a few times and although it was a difficult, heart-wrenching time, it was much needed as I look back on those times. It strengthened me. It grew me. It gave me clearer vision. So when my isolation was due to the purging in my life, I really felt alone! I couldn't understand why this was all happening to me. I understand now that it HAD to have happened in order to get me where I'm at today! Feeling isolated is never pleasant nor is it easy. However, as this is part of my current situation, I am also here to tell you, God is working on me and for me and through me! I have not chosen to be isolated and I haven't purposefully isolated myself. It is the way that it is because it's the way that God has it be for such a time as this. If you are a true Christ believer, a true born-again Christian who follows Jesus Christ, you know that we are all being worked on all the time! We are a work in progress. If you aren't born again or you are a new believer, then change can happen but it's never pleasant! Currently I'm being isolated in some areas of my life that have completely put me at odds with my own understanding. It's a difficult time for me right now, as it has been for the past few years. Some days, it feels like there's no end in sight to my battles. Then just as God IS, He shows up! Just like He recently did by sending that person to me to share a story. An experience they said they were compelled to share. My current battles and trials and struggles aren't from negative choices and I suppose that's why I'm feeling the way that I feel right now. But I continue to hold onto His promises to comfort me and as I cry out this scripture, Psalm 25:16, "Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am lonely and afflicted." He hears and sends me who I need and what I need at the time He deems is right!

Before Jesus died, He came to earth as one of us and was called Immanuel, which literally means "God with us." and is found in Matthew 1:23, ""Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." One of the names of God is put there to show us all that we are not alone! Right before Jesus died, He told His disciples that He was leaving but they didn't need to be, or feel, afraid because He was going to send another Advocate known to all of His children as the Holy Spirit. Jesus instructed the disciples that the Holy Spirit would never leave them and we see this in John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever." Even to this very present day, when someone believes in Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Begotten Son, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them so they are never alone! You see, God so desperately wants us to know and truly believe that we are not alone and to believe He is with us through every part of our life. We must believe. We must trust. We must KNOW that we aren't alone when we have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior! But we also need people and community too as that is how we were designed by our Creator.......

We need to surround ourselves with other people that can remind us of the truths of God's word and promises to us. We need to be surrounded by others who can remind us that we were created to be with others, for friendships, relationships and community. Through those reminders in others, we also will be reminded that God is among us and we are not alone. We all need reminded from time to time. As a matter of fact, I recently reached out to my previous pastor and through a series of texts, I was reminded of God's love, undying, unselfish, pure love for me! It was what I needed at that moment as it felt like the world was against me. Even though I KNEW God was there, it just felt daunting. He had said something very profound to me to remind me that all of my pain, struggles and trials are not without reason in the eyes of our LOVING God and that through His love, He promises to make a way out for me! In His time. When he was still locally pastoring the church, before God called him a few hours away, he had seen and witnessed my trials then. He witnessed some of the isolation times I was led to at that time as well. Anyway, the more we take time to get to know others, the more we will clearly realize that everyone has feelings of loneliness or of being alone at one time or another. It's inevitable really. It bothers some of us more than others, but again, we need to know we AREN'T alone! Each and every one of us is broken and hurting in some way and we're all searching for help in some form or fashion. God knows the help we need, when we need it but He wants us to seek His face FIRST! He wants us to find our security and companionship with Him. We all know that no one has a perfect life.....but we need to also be aware of when God shows up. When He sends us someone to give us a hug, to smile at us, to touch our back compassionately, to share a story or just to listen....we need to recognize God is present!

This is a perfect time to give an analogy of going it alone and how important it is for us to have someone in our lives, surrounding us as reminders. We've all heard that it's safer in numbers or never go hiking into the forest alone. There's power in numbers for sure. But what about the forest? Bears. Bears are intimidating creatures in their own environment and they can be brutal to the inconspicuous human! Most bear attacks happen when someone goes alone, and rarely ever when they go with someone or a group. Going it alone can sometimes put us in imminent danger, knowingly or unknowingly. If you've ever hiked, as I have many times in my life and in many different environments, then you know there is safety in numbers and would be foolish to hike alone in uncharted, unknown, territory. In any event, going it alone can be harmful on many levels. Same holds true in everyday life. When we have others in our lives, we are held accountable. We are reminded of God's presence. We are able to project our inner feelings and fears. We're able to share in successes and happiness. We are able to forget ourselves and focus on others. We are able to form bonds. This is the way we were created. To be with others and by being with others, we are less likely to be "attacked" by those unsuspecting "bears" that are lurking around the deepest recesses of our minds....and hearts. It's always safest when we aren't going it alone. So you see, when you get to know others, make friendships, or even acquaintances, it's much easier for you to forget yourself at times and focus on helping them. That could look like a smile, a shoulder, a cup of tea, a drive, or a reminder of one of God's promises. Sometimes, sitting in silence together is also how it can look. In the same manner, they too, can also forget about themselves for a time and focus on helping you as well. Both of you will feel less alone as it should be. The more people that one befriends, the more one realizes that you'd be dearly and terribly missed if you were suddenly gone. We've all had that thought.....and if you haven't yet, you will at some point....wondering if anyone would miss you if you were gone, excluding family of course.

At one point, we used to be a society that centered around family and a neighborhood community. The neighborhood families all looked after each other and the children had a sense of safety. Multiple generations oftentimes lived together under the same roof and when families had to live separately, they never moved very far away from their homes. It was just how it was. But now? We're more of an individualistic culture. Me-centered. Individual lifestyles, loners. We rely alot on ourselves and many aren't comfortable asking for help out of the fear of appearing weak. Families now live farther away from where we grew up due to many factors such as jobs, military, deaths, etc. Most of our connections with other people now primarily take place in the workplace. However, plenty of those connections are usually shallow, fleeting, agenda-filled, fickle, and short lived. Don't get me wrong. I've made some good friends through my workplace, in the past and now, and it is definitely possible. However, it's not the ideal way nor is it the only way. We spend alot of time with our co-workers and supervisors and they know us on the level that we allow and desire. Professional yet somewhat characteristic as well. At the same time, they too only allow us to know them on a level they desire. Co-workers and supervisors see eachother in several situations however, mostly it's not personal. Unless you are blessed and find a few that you are able to allow it to become personal and form a real friendship with, then it's the best of both worlds. We also can see a sense of individualism in the church body as well. There are those who may have a committed relationship with a local church (building not the Body) but they're not "all in." By all in, I mean they aren't fully committed to being known in their community, or not being able to rely on the Body when they're in need or struggling. So instead, they parade around wearing different "masks" to cover up the pain of their lives and trials, pretending that everything's okay, even though it's not. Suffering in silence causes the problems to be "greater" than they actually are so the Body is there for us, to lift us up, to encourage us and to be there for us!

Psalm 93:3-4, "The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. 4) The Lord on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea."

You are Part of His PLAN!

God shows up in so many powerful ways. Sometimes He shows up subtly. I depends on our needs and our level of recognition. But He is guaranteed to show up! Although there aren't literal bears out there in our everyday life, there are definitely ravenous wolves who are roaming around the forests of this life, seeking to destroy us if given the chance. As we go it alone, our chances increase! There's false theology that is around every turn. False doctrines being spoken to tickle the ears of the hungry who seeks a "god" they can "define." Satan and his legions of minions try desperately to distract us with all kinds of temptations. Our own sin, known or buried deep because they've become so comfortable, leads us astray on different levels. This is why we need godly brothers and sisters to watch our back, to hold us accountable, to be our strength and to lift us up. We also need to be connected in our community in some way so we can all be on the lookout and be alert together, as a body, for the dangers that are lurking all around us. We need each other. Plain and simple. We need to learn to trust, rely on and depend upon other like-minded believers in Christ Jesus! God gave us each other to walk alongside, to encourage and to prompt one another in our faith. Be careful of those who claim to be a "brother or sister" though who isn't truly walking in Jesus Christ and who's fruit isn't evident. Don't bond with those who are bonded to the world.....


The writer to the Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."  We can also look and see what James 5:16 says, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." We are to carry each other's burdens as instructed in Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  Care for each other's practical needs as instructed in Romans 12:13, "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality." and also in Hebrews 13:16, "But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."  We are to warn each other of sin as indicated in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all."  We are also to rejoice and mourn with each other as evidenced in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." So you can see, it's so important to have others in your lives, to bond with other brothers and sisters and to be part of the Body of Christ in the community! God makes it perfectly clear He didn't create us to be alone! And through those scriptures He also promises to show up in the midst of it all for us and to us and through us!

We're so much safer together in the community of the Body of Christ just as we are safer traveling in numbers, hiking together, being together. Society, as individualistic and self-centered as it has become, might tell us we can, and should, do life on our own, God's inerrant, Holy word tells us the polar opposite and tells us clearly that we can't function without each other! 1 Corinthians 12-14, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14) For in fact the body is not one member but many."  We need each other, we need the Body of Christ and we need community. Simple as that! It's worth noting here that if you've not read 1 Corinthians 12 all the way through, or if it's been awhile since you've read that chapter, I'd highly suggest doing so! It's an amazing chapter! While we, as Christians, walk in His Light, shining into the darkness, let's not forget when we cross paths with someone, whether it's fleeting or for a season, reason or life, and you feel "compelled" to smile, share a story/experience, to hug someone, extend an offer of a lending hand, whatever it is, don't let that moment pass you by! We are all busy with life. But the "life" we might be too busy to touch could be the very one God has brought us to! I have been that person who was led to someone and I've also been on the receiving end when God brought someone to me at the moment I needed someone, or a smile, a laugh, a quote....it doesn't matter. What matters are the lives of others who we may have the ability to touch, to show God's grace to, to show His love! We ALL matter! We ALL have a purpose! We ALL have a story! We ALL belong!

We all need other people.

We all need God above all else!

When we are feeling alone, isolated, abandoned or lonely, God will show up!

The way to effectively defeat the evil in this fallen world full of lies is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, in God and love for others. God IS Love! Spread His love around!

Heavenly Father, I come before you vulnerable and with a pleading heart to bring comfort to those who are lonely, who feel alone and who feel abandoned. I pray you draw them close and they feel your presence in the warmth of your arms and the power of your Love! Father, I ask that hearts be mended, spirits be lifted, minds be healed, the Body of Christ be strengthened and for us all to know we aren't alone. I've experienced you showing up in my time of need and I pray that others will experience it too! Send us out into the world to lend a hand to the needy, to comfort the hearts of the grieving, to love the ones who are lonely and to sing you praises Send us to those who don't believe so they may hear the Gospel of Truth through us. Let each head bow and every knee bend and seek your face! You are waiting with open arms for those who are lost! In the powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I pray, AMEN!


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