Dressed Up in Christ

Yesterday, lots of little girls and boys in church wore their newest and finest Easter clothes. It was so cute to see them dancing around in their finest attire. Even though people don’t always “dress up” for church anymore, on Easter Sunday most of them do. Our three youngest grands were no exception and Stella was precious in her blue “twirling” dress. Nothing but the finest for the special day. The songs we sang were about the power of the resurrection and the worship of our living Savior, who rose again. All in all it was an encouraging service, reminding us of God’s great love and mercy for us all. 

God speaks to my heart. My believers are meant to show their finest of the faith every single day. Easter is to be lived daily. I AM the Resurrection and the Life. Following Me gives you power you would never have, could never have, on your own. Your finest regalia of the faith is found in My Word, delivered by My Spirit into your heart. Wear your faith with joy. Live your faith with gusto. Stay in your best dressed faith attire daily. You can walk in the power of the Resurrection everywhere. I AM the One Who came so that you could have life more abundantly – beyond your own vision of abundance. This life in Me is abundant living, abundant prayer, abundant service, abundant love, abundant sacrifice, abundance in every single area of your life. My Word says you can put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh – the more you dress up your life with Me, the less likely you will live in the meagerness of the flesh. I AM for you- I will guide you into all truth. Everything you have, in Me, is free. Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice so that you can dress up your life in Him without payment. Your salvation is free, your walk with the Lord is paid for and your destiny is secure. I love you – with an everlasting love. You can draw from Me and never feel thirsty or hungry for the old life ever again.

Oh beloved, today is just a plain old Monday. Why not dress it up in Christ? Ask the Holy Spirit to make your day as wonderful as Easter Sunday. He will do this for you. He will make your ordinary extraordinary. He will make your mundane delightful. He will give you peace beyond measure, joy beyond pain, life beyond sorrow and purpose beyond your circumstances. Christ came for you – He died for you, He rose for you and He intercedes for you even now at the Father’s right hand. He can take care of your problems, relieve your burdens, repair your hurts and set you on high with Him. Just ask – it is the Father’s good pleasure to dress you in His finest.

God loves you and He’s for you every single day. That’s why you can wake up, praise Him, live in the light of His Word and let Him choose His best for you all the days of your life.

Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. NAS

Psalm 89:15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.

Galatians 3:27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Ephesians 3:29 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Ordinary Can Become Extraordinary!

It’s nearly always going to rain during the Wild Hog Music Festival in Helena. This year was no exception. We so enjoy helping out with this event. CMA puts up a booth where we give out coffee, water, tracts and friendship. Meeting folks and praying for them is a real privilege. Even though it rained a lot this week-end, we still had ample opportunity to help folks as well as work the gates for the promoters.




We don’t often get time to do much else, but I was drawn to a little shop that is right downtown and next to one of the ticket gates. We went in there several times to look around at the scented soaps and candles, along with gifts and jewelry. We went in there several times.



The owner was cordial and we struck up a conversation with her the last time we went inside the shop. She asked us what we were doing at the festival and how we ministered there. We shared what we do and then she told us that some of our group had come into her shop last year. She was having a rough go of it at the time and they prayed for her and her shop. She said that it was an answer to prayer. She told us that we don’t just minister to the bikers; we minister to the community people as well. It was a real turning point for her.



Often we think that ministry is strictly for those who don’t know the Lord or those who are down and out in some serious way. We know that people need the Lord, but once we are saved, we’re not sure about our walk with the Lord. Because we still have struggle and issues, we find it hard sometimes to see God in our midst. God is totally concerned with our salvation, that we meet the Lord and give our hearts to Jesus. But He’s also concerned about our everyday lives. He wants to be a large part of everything we do and how we live; He wants to become the center of our existence so that we can live in the light of His Word and prosper and thrive in this world.



Maybe you’ve been trying to make sense of the life you are living. You know you gave your heart to the Lord, you know that you are headed for heaven, but the here and now seems so insecure, so unsure, and so uncertain. You’re struggling with the issues of life and you have cried out to the Lord, asking Him for help. Like the shop owner, you have questions and you need answers.



Oh beloved, God wants you to know that you can more than exist. You can live a life that is not just ordinary but extraordinary! You can have the confidence to live a life that is pleasing to God and spiritually successful. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll make it, if you’ll thrive or if you will know how to live. You’ve asked for help and looked for someone to give you answers. Even if no one comes into your life to pray, Christ Himself makes intercession for you! He can send people to pray for you and give you encouragement, but even if He doesn’t He still speaks to your heart straight from His heart. He wants to fellowship with you and hear your deepest needs. Lay them out before Him and watch as His truth unfolds and your steps are established. He speaks to your heart this morning to give you confidence and hope. He says I am with you! I am all that you need. If you will follow Me and seek My face in all your ways, I will take your life and give you more than you can imagine and all that you need. Ordinary for you will become extraordinary with Me because I hold your hand, I gift you with faith, truth and knowledge. Everything you need is found in Me. Trust Me this morning and I will send you the answers so that you can live in the light of My Word.



God loves you so much that He will move heaven and earth on your behalf. He is for you continually as you make decisions and walk the walk of faith in this world. You are His beloved!



Psalm 73:24 You will guide me with Your counsel and afterward receive me to honor and glory.



Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth I cry to You when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.



Proverbs 16:9 A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps and makes them sure.



Psalm 32:8 I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

Ordinary to Extraordinary When God is Worshipped!

“There were shepherds abiding in the fields.” These words from the Scriptures give me such comfort and peace.  Notice that the Scriptures didn’t say that the shepherds were worrying, troubled, downcast, forlorn or troubled. They were out in the elements in the dark and yet they were not afraid. They were abiding. These shepherds knew their jobs well, knew their surroundings completely and knew their sheep as well as their predators. They weren’t looking for somewhere else to be or a better job or to outdo one another. They were abiding.

Now when the Angel of the Lord appeared they became “afraid”. They had been raised, probably by shepherds, to be shepherds. Yet on this particular night the unusual happened. Something out of the ordinary happened and it rocked their world.  But they listened and the angel was joined by a heavenly host and they had a worship service right there in the field! Not only did they worship, they left what they knew and went to experience what they had never known before. They left the safety of their everyday world for the unknown.  Because they were willing to leave behind the status quo they were able to go and worship Christ, the newborn king.  They went from abiding in the fields to abiding in Him.

Oh beloved, are you experiencing the ordinary in your life? Are you abiding and resting in the everyday occurrences that you know so well? Have you been wondering if there could be more than this?  Maybe you’re afraid that if you let go of the well-known you’ll be all alone.  Fear not! For God Himself wants to visit your world! He wants to take what you know and give you revelation knowledge of Him! He wants you to visit the Christ fresh and new and worship Him with your whole heart! You may remain in your same life, but it will be oh so changed as Christ puts His seal on your life. His greatest desire is that your worship will lead to new horizons for He has such wonderful, extraordinary plans for you!

Let Him guide you beyond yourself and into His realm. Let Him love you like you’ve never been loved before and let Him take care of you as you follow Him with all your heart. There’s no safer place than following the Lord of Heaven and Earth! It is beyond your wildest imagination.

Luke 2:20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

1 Peter 3:15  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

Psalm 29:2  Honor the LORD for the glory of His name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.

Colossians 2:6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.

Psalm 34:7  For the angel of the LORD is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.

Psalm 84:1-2,10 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord.  With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!