Flaming Warriors

     Flames shooting 200ft in the air as billows of grey smoke darken the sky. Trees burst into flames due to the close proximity of this intense heat – spreading  un-containable -the fires grow – consuming everything in their path. Fires stretching down the entire west coast and moving east ………

     The natural often seems to signal that which follows in the spiritual.

     Complacent “life is wonderful-just enjoy it” lifestyle has consumed us, leaving our thoughts far from God, far from the clarion call to intercede in prayer, far from the Heavenly agenda, purpose and call “to stand guard on the wall”. Our armors have been left rusting in the ash as life has gotten in the way of many of His warriors – the flaming swords have been extinguished and lay on the sidelines. We are far from flaming warriors.

     It is time to put on those armors, pick up those swords and accept the call – not to devastate those around us but to cover them with the love of Christ; To bring hope where there is none, to bring peace where chaos reigns.

     It is time for us to be the flaming warriors that walk in boldness, that are seen from a distance for who we are. Flaming warriors filled with His love that spontaneously ignites those in close proximity. It is time to pour out the gospel of LOVE. It is time to intercede, break the chains, free the oppressed and declare the love of Christ to the broken. It is time to stand up and spread the un-containable fire of the gospel as it consumes the despondent hopelessness, fear and hate that has consumed everything in its’ path. It is time for the fire of God – His presence, His love to heat up and stretch from coast to coast breaking the chains that engulf this nation.

II Timothy 1:6-8 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God (ESV)

Love – The Medicine that Matters

     We are made up of billions of microscopic cells. These cells make us who we are but sometimes they get infiltrated, mutate and change. Those changes forever change lives.

     For the last several months I have been writing an article on breast cancer; I have researched, studied and cried profusely over stories of women who have battled this insidious disease. The stories are different, the procedures are different, and the outcomes are different, but three small words seem to jump out of every story – faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these inevitably is love.

     In all of our lives we face life-impacting monsters that threaten to pull us under. During those times these same three words surface and are ultimately what allow us to stand through the storm – and the greatest of these words is love.

     The greatest love ever given was the love poured out on the cross of Jesus Christ – that love was for us and now lives inside our cells. What we do with that love makes everything change. Just like infiltrating mutating cancer cells change lives forever – so much more does the love of Christ infiltrate and mutate our cells into ones that infuse our lives and the very atmosphere around us. Those changes are then transferred to others and bring strength, life and change.

     Every story of struggle and pain is peppered with the only medicine that matters – Love. The simple out-pouring of everyday needs, given out of love is what makes the difference in the midst of the chaos. Those who step up – stand beside, lie beside, cry, laugh and walk through the fire are the ones that bring the medicine that matters. A love that saturates, strengthens, supports and brings relief; coming as unconditional love, surrounding the struggling warrior. Often it is only a hand-full of “love” carriers that stand beside and weather the storm – but that is all that is needed.

     Not many “friends” make it.  Unfortunately those who find themselves in the battle also find that those we thought would always be there for us are often times the first to go. Leaving us alone, hurting, broken and needy, but then just as surprising the unexpected people of love step in.

     Our society has become one of “fixers” – we always have the answer, an opinion, direction and judgments for the one who is struggling. Often because we are uncomfortable – we give out those “fixes” instead of just being there and allowing the love within us to become the salve, which brings strength to rise up.

     Within each of us is housed a quiet simple place where love resides. The noise and craziness of society often drowns it out. It is not hidden there for us but for the broken, hurting and needy. Step out of your comfort zone into a place where you become a dispenser of the greatest medicine ever; allow His love to bring healing, restoration and release into lives that are living in chaos. No opinions, No directions, No judgments – No fixes of any kind – simply love.

     No matter what the outcome – Love truly is the only medicine that matters. It is the only eternal medicine. Allow the cellular level change of His infused love to permeate you and those around you by simply being His love to those your life touches every day.

I Corinthians 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.   (ESV)

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