“If yuh fallah people…”

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“If yuh fallah (follow) people…” my mom would often say in strongly accented Jamaican Patios with all its passion and intonations, while rolling her eyes  in disgust. 

“If yuh fallah people… yuh spen’ money yuh nuh (don’t) have!”

“If yuh fallah people… yuh lose yuh salvation!”

Not too sure about her theology on that one but nothing good usually came after “If yuh fallah people…”   Somebody following these “people” was going to end badly!

It feels like we all have family members or friends who have walked away from following Jesus, His teachings and His Kingdom. I’m not talking about those who choose to go their own way when The Way no longer suits what they want out of life.  I am talking about those who have been mis-led, deceived and often deeply wounded by “fallah-ing” people whom they thought were following Jesus.

Believe me, Jesus knows those people; the weeds growing with the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43), the wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15-20), the ones about whom He warned:

Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

He also warned us that as the time for His return gets closer deception would increase exponentially! 

Jesus told them (His disciples), “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. (Mattew 24:4-5)

Many will come claiming to carry His anointing, and to follow His teachings, and “if yuh fallah people…”   the deceived, deceptive, immoral, manipulative,abusive, self-serving, building-their-own-kingdom, narcissistic liars, they could literally blowup your faith and destroy your relationship with Jesus.

So, what protects the sheep from the wolves?

Follow Jesus! Not people! The call to His first followers turned disciples remains unchanged across the centuries, “Come, follow ME!” Not churches, not spiritual leaders, not anybody!

We have ONE Good Shepherd.  Everybody else, especially those in positions of influence or leadership work for HIM!  The minute they stop following Him, we must stop walking with them!

We, individually and personally must “take His yoke” – His entire body of teachings, and learn, for ourselves– let the Holy Spirit teach us (Matthew 11:29-30). As we invest in learning and obeying the truth of His Word and praying – staying in continual communication – we will be able to accurately discern – ‘suss out’ the seductions, deceptions and outright lies.

…let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith… (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)

FOLLOW JESUS my friends, because “If yuh fallah people…”

Eagerly Awaiting

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Last December I had some friends over for dinner and because it was the first day of Advent I asked one of my guests if he would do a short devotional for us between dinner and dessert.  What he shared about Simeon was so compelling, it made me want to delve deeper and get all up in this man’s “bizniz”!

Simeon is a relatively minor figure in the narrative of Jesus’ birth, but he was deeply devoted, righteous, expectant, Holy Spirit-led, and a prophet without fear or favor.   However, contrary to common belief, what he may NOT have been, was old and about to die.

Scripture describes him as devout, living right with God, and eagerly looking for the promised Messiah despite 400 years of prophetic silence.

“It had been revealed to Him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.”  Luke 2:26

He followed the Holy Spirit’s lead to go to the temple that day when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to be dedicated to the Lord.

“Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised, For my eyes have seen your salvation.” Luke 2:29-30

At first glance it might seem from the text that Simeon was saying, “I’m old and content to die now.” The promise that he would live to see the Messiah had been fulfilled. 

But what if, as my friend shared and many scholars believe, Simeon was not talking about dying at all but about the fulfillment of his deepest desire, his steadfast, unshakeable hope, and his greatest joy – to see with his own eyes the One who would bring God’s salvation to the whole world.

Nothing Simeon would experience or accomplish for the rest of his life could compare to seeing God’s Word literally come alive. The Holy Spirit’s revelation had become his life’s mission. He knew exactly Who this baby was and what He would do, so Simeon began to prophesy!

“He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of your people Israel!… This Child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him.  As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will place your very soul.” Luke 2:32,34-35.

Poor Mary, but that’s a story for another day!

Hundreds of years passed yet Simeon was still eagerly awaiting the arrival of Messiah because he believed God. Obedience led him to exactly the right place and time to see the promise fulfilled.

Thousands of years later, are we just as eagerly awaiting the second arrival of Jesus, in all His power and glory?  I pray He finds us living like Simeon, righteous and ready!

“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”  Revelation 22:20

“Spiritual Nimbility!”

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A tiny giggle slipped out as I whispered to my daughter, “Is that even a word?”

It was Christmas time, and I was visiting her and my son-in-law on the island of Guam.  The pastor of the church went on to share a message about living spiritually nimble or agile lives using Mary, Joseph and the wise men as examples.  Here is my condensed version of his message:

Mary’s life was going great!  She was engaged to a good man and looking forward to her wedding.  Everybody in the village would show up to this joyous social event until… the angel’s message about her coming pregnancy blew up that dream and put her in real danger of being stoned to death. Her response was remarkable, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true…” Luke 1:38. Spiritually agile.

How Joseph must have struggled with the legal, moral, personal and societal implications of Mary’s pregnancy.  What was he to do? He did not want her killed but obviously, he could not marry her now, except the angel’s message from God was he was to do exactly that. Spiritually agile! 

Finally! The baby boy was born in Bethlehem where they had traveled for the Roman census. A bunch of shepherds came by the stable with an amazing report of angelic visitation and left rejoicing, and telling everybody what had happened!

The little family settled into life until… ‘wise men from the East’ arrived with what scholars believe would have been a large company of people including their private army.  Another message from God quickly followed, “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother…” Matthew 2:13. They left that night.  Spiritually agile!

The star the wise men had followed had led them to the King of the Jews where they had worshipped and delivered their highly symbolic and expensive gifts. Surely their GPS directions would take them back the way they came. They had promised to bring word back to Herod until… the angelic messenger was clear; they were to find another way home.  Spiritually agile!

How do we live spiritually agile lives in a world which seems determined to tie us down to things, places and people? Are we able or willing to pivot on command? To be spiritually agile?

It is fitting there were so many military personnel in church that Christmas in Guam. Their lives and service are marked by “agility”, lived with the awareness that they could be ordered anywhere at any time. Their example is inspiration and aspiration.

As followers of Jesus, we too are in service… to the Lord God of Heaven’s armies. 

“…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has sent before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…”  Hebrews 12:1-2

Memorial Day 2021

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With two children in the military, who have already lost friends they trained and served with, Memorial Day takes on particular significance and gravity for me each year.  I LOVE THIS COUNTRY, and will never apologize for the pride I feel that my children have, of their own volition, sworn to “defend it against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

However, my reality is that of military families everywhere who live aware that on any given day, at any time, our loved ones could lose their lives fulfilling that oath. The paperwork they have to fill out about their “remains” reminds you.  The tattoos the military records so their body parts are identifiable remind you.  News of hostilities anywhere remind you. Movies and TV shows you can no longer watch, remind you.

I actually remember allowing myself one hour and forty-five minutes to cry; the time it took to drive to my son’s swearing-in, and then the shock when that same son administered the oath to his sister in a surprise ceremony that had me feeling so proud, but again, shedding a few tears.

Since then, I have had many “go to Jesus moments!”  The veil in the temple was torn (Mark 15:38), so I am not waiting for any special invitation! But more than anything I have learned to pray earnestly for my kids and others who serve.  To ditch the meaningless platitudes and pray the most important thing… that no matter where they serve, or what happens to them, they would never be forever separated from the presence of God.

“All of us must die eventually.  Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.  But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.”  II Samuel 14:14 NLT

Truth be told we should all LIVE AWARE of this reality.  Just last week my friend hung out with her beloved mom on an ordinary morning, and lost her that afternoon.  No warning; no prolonged illness; just gone… home… to Jesus… face to face… seeing with her eyes, what she believed by faith!

So yes, Memorial Day is coming again, and we make plans to celebrate with family and friends. Please take a beat to remember and honor the sacrifice of those we’ve lost, and the loved ones they’ve left behind. Remember too that, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See…

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Author, Adrienne Yerzy

Yesterday was a great day! It started off with deep conversation with some amazing women and later meeting up with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while. This morning I was tired from all of Saturday’s events, and decided to go to the coffee shop for coffee and return to my house to watch a sermon online.

I grabbed some old shorts and sucked it in as I squeezed through the waistband. After a quick glance at the mirror I immediately pealed them off and traded them in for a more comfortable pair of jeans. I got my coffee and drank it slowly as I listened to the sermon, and it was exactly what I needed to hear.

You see, as of late, squeezing into a pair of shorts… or any piece of clothing, hasn’t been unfamiliar territory. I’m not overweight, but it seems that before I could slip into a dress without a double look, and I miss that carefree confidence. The truth is, the difference is only a matter of a few pounds, so why does it suddenly bother me more than in the past? This is where that timely sermon fits in, the pastor read this:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

I think that when we are dealing with our issues, insecurities, or sin; our “stuff” is often the result of an unguarded heart. As I was back tracking to figure out where my insecurity started from, I realized that I hadn’t been guarding my eyes, “aka” the windows to my heart. As a society, we are obsessed with “before and afters”, shows like Fixer Upper have cult-like followings for a reason. My favorites have been “before and afters” of people who lose weight.

I realized that lately, without intentional pursuit, I’ve been scrolling through Instagram and pausing on before and after workout photos. Initially, the photos made me amazed, like,  “Woah!” That dude lost so much weight in 3 months! Or dang, that girl tightened up everything in just 8 weeks?! But as you view one photo, the app memorizes what you see and starts suggesting similar photos, until you get to a place where you are unsatisfied with yourself because if ALL these people can make huge changes in a matter of “days” then you can too. You SHOULD too. Um what?! (queue song… ‘Be careful little eyes what you see.’)

Guarding our heart applies to everything our senses take in, and not just to our efforts to resist sexual temptations.  Now I’m on high alert to what I allow my eyes see. If what I see reaches my heart and it isn’t healthy, my heart loses its fearlessness. I’m not willing to give that up without a fight.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.”

This morning I am redirecting my gaze from social media to ahead and Above and… just living this thing.

Dem Bones…Dem Dry Bones!

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Author, Ann Marie Collins

Long have I aspired to be one of those super-disciplined people who read through the entire Bible in a year…every year…for many years!  Still haven’t done it in a year, and I keep getting stuck at the Book of Ezekiel.  It starts out great, but several more chapters in and I am soooooo overwhelmed by the dire consequences of God’s own people becoming “impudent, stubborn, and rebellious”, I feel I might end up needing medication, therapy, or a Book of Ezekiel Support Group.

Even so, the entire book is permeated with the persistent, unfailing, unwavering love of God for His people.  He simply refuses to give up or abandon them as the unavoidable disasters caused by of their rebellion rain down; even when there appears to be no hope that they will ever turn back to Him.

But there is a reason He is called, “…the God of hope”, (Romans 15:13) as evidenced by the account in Ezekiel 37:1-14, where the prophet is taken in a vision to a large valley full of bones which are “very many” and “very dry”.

As a shameless back-of-the-book-first reader (don’t judge!) I’ll tell you now that the bones represent God’s displaced people Israel who had ‘died’ in their despair saying,

“…Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!” v. 11.

Loneliness is a liar, despair is a disease, but hopelessness…?  Hopelessness is a stone cold killer!

God asks Ezekiel, “…can these bones live?”, to which Mr. Consummate Diplomat replies, “O Lord God, You know.”  And I can’t even blame him; not when he is standing in the middle of Absolutely No Hope Valley!  I’ve been to that dismal place, and not just as a tourist looking to buy a T-shirt or a refrigerator magnet. No.  There was a time I LIVED in that valley; almost took out a mortgage…

BUT GOD…

“…O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!…  ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live…Then you shall know that I AM the LORD.’”  vs. 4-6 (emphases mine).

When you feel like you’re standing all by yourself, in your own valley full of the bones of dried-up inspiration, dead dreams, and the ashes of godly but frustrated desires; when despair spreads debilitating infection to every belief you have about God’s love and power to do what He knows is the very best for you, His kingdom, and His glory; then hunt down every verse in the Bible that tells the truth about God’s character, commitment, love, and power, and anchor your soul to them, or your trust in God will die…and nothing good comes from that!

God is a truth-teller and a promise-keeper. If He says it, you can build your life on it, and if He promised, He will do it.  Your dry bones will live and…

“…  Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it.” v. 14b

Believe God, and keep on… just living the thing.

Celebrate The Wins

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Author, Sonna Evans

A couple of years ago when I was an intern we would always start off our team meetings by celebrating the wins. This was a new concept to me; taking time out to think over the past week and recognize ways that God had worked in my life, or in this instance, in the ministry. I came to love this practice.

I love this concept because my mind tends to go a little towards the negative side. I’m not necessarily a pessimist by definition, but I do struggle with being judgmental and critical and too often that lends itself to a more negative focus. However, when I spend time with the Lord and ask Him to show me His handiwork, He does.

This week I have had a lot of wins. Some bigger, others smaller, and some…well the word silly comes to mind, maybe because they made me laugh. God is NOT silly, but I do believe He has a sense of humor. Here are some wins from yesterday:

  1. My history with yard sales is dismal – I never make much money – but this time I asked for help and had several people donate awesome items.
  2. I changed the date from the 22nd to the 29th to give myself more time to get things together. Turns out that on the 29th  there was a huge rummage sale at the school around the corner and we had non-stop customers from 8 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon. Crazy!
  3. A friend that wanted to be a part of the yard sale could not participate after I changed the date, but the night before she had a change of plans and was able to be there to help and keep me company. We had a great day together!
  4. I took the leftover items to a local thrift store, but hey would not take one of the chairs because it had a stain on it. As I started to think, “What am I going to do with this chair?” a woman walked by my truck and said, “Oh, what a beautiful chair!” I asked her if she wanted it. She said yes and actually had a vehicle big enough to take it home. Score!
  5. My kids were ALL available and willing to help most of the day and did so with joy. A neighbor who I don’t see much of was home and came over and we got to talk as her daughter played with my friend’s daughter. Relationship building!

Wow! I could go on and on.  And these are just wins from yesterday. Each win had significance and  meaning for me for a variety of different reasons.

God is good! Did you have some wins this week? Has He been working in and through you? I would love to hear your wins. It would encourage me and spur me on as I am …just living the thing!

And let us consider how we may spur one another on…encouraging one another…. Hebrews 10:24-25

Apple Pie And Fractions…

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Author, Adrienne Yerzy
…the happiest patient on earth

A couple of weeks ago my appendix decided to stab me in the back and I made the call to have it removed forever. Ok, the surgeon made that call, but either way the sucker is gone and I don’t miss it at all.

During recovery, a lot of friends sent sweet messages, dropped off food, cards, and delivered flowers. My landlord has the gift of “pie baking”, something I know nothing about, and gave me a fresh, warm apple pie. People, I had a hot pie on my counter all for ME! Now if you cut a pie like a normally person, there are 8 slices. And as you can imagine, one pie for one person is a lot of pie… if I gave one slice away it would hardly be missed because I would still have 7 SLICES OF PIE ALL TO MYSELF.

I wish I could think so generously about other fractions in my life. Let’s be honest, 1/8 of a pie sounds easy to let go of, but thinking about giving away 1/10 of my hard earned dollars…not so easy. Honestly, if I was reading this, I would have hit that little red “x” in the top right corner of the screen by now.

This past year has been rough. And I am sure this is uncomfortable to read, believe me, it is more uncomfortable to write, but among the many different changes in my life, one has been an increase of expenses. My amazing roommate decided to get married, and they preferred to move in together, the nerve of wedded bliss. My car moved from the street in front of my house to the car graveyard, and so my expenses literally doubled within weeks. DOUBLED.

In December I felt God challenge me to tithe regularly, something I hadn’t done in years. I didn’t feel burdened, but I felt like He might be asking me to do this to show me more about faith. It was a commitment to believe that He can provide, a commitment to acknowledge that everything I have was given to me by Him, and a commitment to believe that when I have need, I will see God take action and provide. And seriously, who doesn’t want to see God act for good?

So tonight I made my payment towards faith. My investment towards seeing God show that he is on my side. And I’d like to acknowledge that since January 1st, I have paid all my bills and I have not been hungry. I have also on occasion purchased wine, so as you can see, it isn’t like I’m living in a tent on a street corner. And to acknowledging that in front of other people is a way to help me continue with that commitment and is another way God gets the credit for what happens in my life. I have a lot of hospital bills coming up and you know what? I’m not even stressing, I’m …just living this thing.