Trusting God—No Matter What by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

April 29, 2023 No comments Article

It is easy to trust during the good times but do you trust when life turns upside down?

When going through a difficult season, I think it’s a discipline to trust that God has your best interests in mind. This concept of trusting no matter what is an area where I need work. I have a tendency to over-analyze scenarios to the point where the difficulty becomes an idol. I am more focused on the problem than the Problem-Solver.

But we have to turn the concerns of life over to God and wait for Him to act on our behalf. I spent a couple of hours with my prayer partner yesterday lifting up all of my worries and saw at least one immediate result of our intercession by the end of the day. Hebrews 10:35-36 says, “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”

So how can we move forward in confident trust—no matter what? I think we can verbally express our faith in God by saying: I don’t understand what is going on right now but I trust that you will work it out. We can pray daily about the situation, then let it go, knowing the issue has been taken care of—one way or another. And when we begin to spiral, we can do as the Bible says—take the thought captive. I know this worry is not of you, LORD, so I give it back to you. Please help me to focus on what is good and pleasing to you.

Trusting—no matter what—is not easy. However, the LORD wants us to move to this deeper level of trust, and if we ask Him, He will help us to trust Him during times of triumph as well as during times of trial.

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:8).

Follow Me by Mayada Naami

April 25, 2023 No comments Article

“As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’

(Luke 9, 57-62, ESV)

Jesus says “Follow Me” 13 times in the Bible. Following Jesus is not limited to passively believing in Him, we are called to follow in His footsteps. He wants us to emulate His example and works through the gift of salvation. By observing through scriptures how He responded to different situations of His life on earth, we can reflect to the world Christlike attributes. Developing Christlike attributes is a lifelong pursuit, a journey that begins when you make the decision to follow Him.

“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

(Luke 9:57 NIV)

Developing and exercising Christlike attributes brings about a real conversion of the heart. A gradual transformation, day-by-day, as you follow His ways; His teachings. Taking the Word and applying it to the world gives us wisdom over any difficult situation. Being in a relationship with Jesus (rather than merely believing in Him), empowers us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12, we are told, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” As followers of Christ, we are given these spiritual gifts to go out in the world to minister to the broken-hearted and help set free those in bondage to the world. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13, NIV).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

(Isaiah 61: 1-3 ESV)

Listening More Closely by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

April 22, 2023 1 comment Article

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:21 NIV).

I don’t always get it right, in particular, when it comes to hearing God’s voice. There have been a few times where the Holy Spirit spoke audibly to me and there was no doubt God was speaking. There have been other times where circumstances pointed me in the correct direction. This week I learned that I was chosen to attend an antisemitism institute at Oxford in August. It took securing recommendations, sending the group my bio and a cover letter. Those teaching at the institute are some of the leading thought leaders on fighting antisemitism and I know this will help me in my quest to fight this hatred. However, even though I wanted to attend the Oxford gathering, I held onto the dream loosely and prayed, “If it is your will that I go, I pray I will be accepted.” I was, and because of that I felt like God gave me the green light to go.

But there are times when I pray about something and I don’t receive a clear-cut understanding of what God wants me to do. I don’t hear His voice. Maybe there’s not peace in my spirit, but I don’t understand why. That’s when we need to fast and press in even deeper into prayer.

I believe God still speaks, but sometimes we have to listen more closely. It is my experience that moving forward when it is not God’s will can produce less than optimum results.

I was prophesied over recently, and the prophetic man said as he spoke on behalf of God, “Daughter, you are going to receive many offers, but you have to come back to me to know if you are to accept them or not.” That resonated with me, so I have been praying more fervently and listening more closely, but I am still guilty of proceeding if I have not received a definitive no. I am beginning to believe God’s silence means either no, not now, or wait.

What answers do you need right now? Could it be time to listen more closely? The Lord is faithful to direct our paths.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).

40 Days of Pentecost by Mayada Naami

April 18, 2023 No comments Article

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
(Acts 1:3, NIV)

Last week the Lord placed 40 days on my heart and I blogged about the significance of the number 40 in the Bible. On Sunday, I attended a class and the leader was teaching about Pentecost and the forty days between Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. Thousands of years later we are still called to follow Him and be disciples of Christ. Like the first followers, Jesus can take frightened men and women of today and turn them into world changers. The period of Pentecost calls us to go into the the world and preach the Gospel—the Good News.

“Preach the Good News. Be ready at all times, and tell people what they need to do. Tell them when they are wrong. Encourage them with great patience and careful teaching, because the time will come when people will not listen to the true teaching but will find many more teachers who please them by saying the things they want to hear. They will stop listening to the truth and will begin to follow false stories. But you should control yourself at all times, accept troubles, do the work of telling the Good News, and complete all the duties of a servant of God.”

(2 Timothy 4:2-5, NIV)

As followers and disciples of Christ, we are called to spread the Good News. After Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden and asked that she report about His resurrection to the disciples. He wants us to go into the world, preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. As disciples of Christ, we are to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 28:20, we are instructed to teach them to observe all things that Jesus has commanded us. We are beneficiaries of the Holy Spirit’s power through God’s promise.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

(1 Peter 2:24, NIV)

How to Handle Pressure by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

April 15, 2023 No comments Article

I’m not my best when under pressure. What about you? How we handle pressure can be a barometer of how close we are to God, but sometimes stress or pressure from our lives can get the best of us.

In my case, I am in the midst of the most difficult semester yet as I work on my Doctor of Ministry. I find myself asking, Did you really call me back to school? Now, three years into the process, I think the answer is yes but as I move forward, I’m having to lean on God more to guide me through the requirements, as the bar has been raised. I am also traveling more than ever due to a combination of my husband’s work and ministry travel. On top of documentary producing, I am preparing for a large broadcasting conference next month that takes a lot of advance producing and planning as well.

Do you feel my pressure? Pressure can make me a little edgy and I don’t like that about myself. I often feel that no one understand the pressure I am under. Maybe you feel that way as well.

So what is the answer for pressure? We can learn from Jesus. When Jesus was under pressure, He always went into the presence of the Father through prayer. He escaped the pressure of the crowds by getting alone with His Abba Daddy. He didn’t overcommit because He only went forward with what His Father directed. When He felt the most extreme pressure—to the point of sweating drops of blood prior to His arrest and subsequent crucifixion—he prayed, “’Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” I believe when we are in any form of anguish, God strengthens us as well through the comfort provided by the Holy Spirit.

This morning, after a sleepless night because of the pressure, I went to the Father in prayer. I asked for His strength. I asked for His wisdom as I tried to complete school projects. I asked for good health as my busy travel schedule continues, and I asked for Him to help me to organize my time, as well as my environment.

(There are currently unpacked suitcases all over the kitchen floor). I believe having order is very important when under pressure.

So what about you? Are you feeling some pressure right now? Stop whatever you’re doing and walk into the Father’s presence through prayer. He wants to navigate you through whatever stress you are facing—but you have to ask for His help.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)