Tag Archives: Called to Stand Out

Isaiah 46:4, From Darkness to Direction

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We are born into a fallen world, shaped by sin from the very beginning (Romans 3:23; Psalm 51:5). Life offers no guarantee of ease or comfort. In fact, sin ensures that we will encounter hardship, suffering, and spiritual battles.

The enemy works diligently to unravel our faith. He tempts us to rely on ourselves, to define truth on our own terms, and to pursue independence from God. Yet self-reliance ultimately leads to failure and separation, because apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5).

But this is not the end of the story.

Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20). Though we are born into sin, we are invited into redemption. Through Christ, trials refine our faith rather than destroy it (James 1:2–4). What the enemy intends to use to isolate us, God uses to draw us closer to Himself.

Our hope is not in a trouble-free life — it is in a faithful Savior.

However, there is good news — glorious, hope-filled news. Praise our Lord!

From our youth to our old age, He promises to be with us. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He… I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4).

He does not abandon His children in the middle of their trials. He walks with us. He cares for us. He sustains us when we are weary. And when we need rescuing, He rescues us.

Our lives may be marked by difficulty, but they are also marked by divine presence. The same God who formed us carries us. The same God who allows refinement also provides deliverance.

We are never alone — not in youth, not in maturity, not in old age. He is faithful in every season.

Dark days do not mean we live in the dark.

Seasons of hardship do not extinguish the Light within us. They reveal it. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).

Dark days remind us who we belong to. We are children of the Father, not prisoners of circumstance. When storms rise, they call us back to dependence — to trust the One who sees beyond the wind and waves.

Our Father leads and guides us through every storm. He does not abandon the ship. He steadies us, anchors us, and directs us safely to His harbor. “The Lord will guide you always” (Isaiah 58:11).

We may walk through dark valleys, but we do not walk alone. The Shepherd is present. The Light still shines. And the harbor is certain.

When applying this Scripture, it does not imply passivity or inaction. It does not suggest that we sit still and do nothing. Rather, it calls us to begin in the right place.

We are to go to God first.

Before stepping out on our own, we seek Him in prayer for wisdom, direction, and discernment. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Rational people prepare, strategize, and plan. Scripture affirms wise preparation (Proverbs 21:5). Planning is not a lack of faith. Acting without consulting God is.

Christians should begin every process with prayer — not as a last resort, but as the first response. We align our plans with His will before we implement them. We seek His counsel before we rely on our competence.

Prayer is not the absence of action; it is the foundation of right action.

We plan.

We prepare.

We move forward.

But we begin on our knees.

  1. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
    Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
  2. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
    Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
  3. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
    “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
  4. Psalm 27:14 (NIV)
    Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
  5. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
    But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
  6. Lamentations 3:25-26 (NIV)
    The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
  7. James 4:13-15 (NIV)
    Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
  8. Psalm 37:5-7 (NIV)
    Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

When we acknowledge that we are not in control and turn to Him at the first sign of uncertainty, our outcomes change. What might have become confusion becomes clarity. What could have led to missteps becomes guided direction.

Had we blindly forged deeper into the unknown on our own, we might have wandered. But when we pause and seek Him first, we are led — not lost.

The Lord is not only our Father; He is our guiding Light. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

A lamp does not illuminate the entire journey at once — it lights the next step. And often, that is exactly what we need. Not the full blueprint, but faithful guidance for the moment before us.

When we surrender control, we gain direction.

When we admit uncertainty, we receive wisdom.

When we seek Him first, we walk in light rather than shadow.

He does not promise us full visibility — but He promises faithful guidance.

Scriptures: Bible.com

The Function of Prayer

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The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.
~Soren Kierkegaard (goodreads.com)

Praying hands. Freeimages.com

Prayer is the conduit of relationship. It connects us to our Lord and Savior and to other believers. It changes us and gives us fertile ground to graze on. It feeds us, nourishes us, empowers us, and sustains us. When we pray we become one with the Lord. Throughout the years I have experienced how prayer has changed me from the inside out. When we are new believers, our prayers connect us, then as time moves forward, one day we pray and find ourselves at a new, deeper level of relationship with the Lord. As we mature and our relationship deepens, He is able to convey His wishes for us on a much deeper level.

As our nature changes internally, so too does our outer nature. We no longer view the world as we had previously. Since we see the world differently, we respond to situations, circumstances, trials and tribulations differently. We also look at the joyous moments in our lives differently. We begin to see the world through God’s eyes expressed through His Word.

I also believe our prayers become less myopic, and no longer singularly focused on self. We begin to focus on more than our needs and look at God’s world and it’s needs.

Young Woman praying. Freeimages.com

God directs our path through the Holy Spirit who resides in us, as well as through His Word. The Holy Spirit teaches us to focus on our prayers. It nudges our perspective and removes old bias, stereotypes and, hatred towards others.

Prayer provides spiritual empowerment. There is an article in Bible.org entitled, 7. Prayer #2: A Prayer for Spiritual Empowerment (Ephesians 3:14-21), in which the author shared that the “theme of this prayer is: “When you pray, pray boldly.”” As you do so, you are asking God to give you deeper understanding. As we mature, and our prayers become more selfless, they also become more bold. Bold prayers are a form of radical faith, a faith that does not falter or doubt.

This radical faith empowers us to be the soldiers and ambassadors He called us to be. When we pray, as Soren Kierkegaard expressed, our nature changes.

We cannot influence God, but we can, through prayer, influence the world around us through our actions, thoughts and deeds. We are empowered through the Holy Spirit to conform to the image of Jesus Christ, to be like Christ in all that we do. To reflect His Will in our actions, thoughts and deeds. Ultimately we change our nature through prayer and that change flows out into the world affecting others.

Don’t Be a Wimp!

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If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand.

~ Lisa Blair

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Paul wrote 1st Corinthians, and in 16:13,14, he states, that we must always beware of our surroundings, and to have a watchful eye. He is cautioning us, Do not be a wimp, easily swayed. We are not to walk around blindly, ignoring everything around us. The blind are easy prey. Far too often, we fall into the traps of the evil one because we are not alert. Case in point, my husband and I began watching a supernatural series, before we know it demons entered the story. We finished watching the episode, and in the end, we both made the same statement at the same time. We acknowledged the theme was demonic in nature and was portrayed in such a way as to lure you in. We knew we shouldn’t watch the TV series. Why did we come to this conclusion? God commands us to be vigilant and not be seduced by evil. When we watch these types of shows or movies, we are opening a gateway into our soul. It sounds extreme, but what we view and listen to either strengthens our resolve or begins to weaken it. These types of fruit begin to rob us of our vision. Galatians 5 reads, the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21.

Jesus gave sight to the blind. We were blind before we received Him as our Lord and Savior. We were subject to the wiles of the evil one highlighted in Galatians 5:19-21. However, once we were saved, the Holy Spirit took up residence in us. It is His voice that awakens us to the attacks of the world around us. It is our responsibility to listen, study the Word, and stay awake. Why, because, at least in my experience, He often uses scripture to warn us. The scripture provides the necessary information to assist us in living spiritually and not carnally, hosting false idols, which includes watching television programs that degrade the spirit.

Further, Paul writes in Ephesians, we are to stand firmly in place, and not to become comfortable on a spiritual rollercoaster, ignoring the clues that we are beginning to walk to the left or right of God’s plan for our lives. He tells us to act like adults, not children. He urges us to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor. Jesus encourages us to act like him. There is an old commercial, the catchphrase is, give it to Mickey, he will eat anything. Are you a Mickey when it comes to the Word? Are you gullible? If someone begins speaking to you spiritually, do you fact check, or do you blindly follow the rhetoric? Paul writes that Satan knows the Bible better than we will ever know it. He will deceive you by modifying the Word to meet His needs. It began in the Garden of Eden and became more pronounced and conniving as the evil one travels through time. He will become more proficient throughout our days on earth and through the End-times when he is finally destroyed.

Until the End-times, we are commanded to be strong, admit our weaknesses, and ask God to strengthen us so we can stand in a world that is wrought with sin, idol worship, lies, and cheating. However, do not be naïve, our strength is no match for Satan’s power, and we cannot win the battle alone. We need Christ in our lives to protect us and guide us in the ways to overcome the strength of the evil one.

And, above all else, we are to do all things in love as Jesus modeled for us. He stood against the evil one, the idol worshippers, the leaders that used the law, God’s, and man’s to further his own ends. Doesn’t this sound like the world we live in today? The talk often sounds like the Word, but in fact, has been either misinterpreted, used in the wrong context, or is a flat-out lie. The problem is, we are often slowly indoctrinated, much like cult leaders convince us that they and only they know the Word and the way.

We hang out with the wrong people, listen to the wrong music, watch the wrong television shows, movies, and news, and suddenly we are sliding down the slippery slope. We slowly lose our footing in the Word, and we no longer stand on solid ground. Today our sin nature is being empowered, our greed overpowers our thinking, and we are much like the grass that sways in the direction of the wind. The things of this earth tempt us. If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand. Do you find yourself becoming a wimp? Jesus taught us to stand, stay strong, and exude love in all things. Today, more than ever, we need to adhere to His Word and stand firm in the face of the wiles of this earth.

Resources: biblegateway.com; libertylive.church; bible study tools.com

Images: Google images

Called To Stand Out

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bible.com/111/act.20.24.niv

Our lives reflect an open book. The book is the Bible. The scriptures are our lessons about living a Christ-like life, and how we invest in sharing the Word through our actions and deeds. Works will not pay entrance into heaven, there are no works that great, but works are expected of all followers.

How can we spread the Word if we do not demonstrate what it is saying to nonbelievers and believers alike?

Image by Caleb Warren. Bible.com, YouVersion

The World is Looking

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“God has not saved us to fit in.”
1 Peter 2:9 NIV

Being a Christian is not simply ascribing a word to our lives. It is an action, and deliberate. Being a Christian is a demonstrative way of life, and should be visible to the world for all to see.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:5-6‬ NIV

It only takes a moment to judge someone. The first determination is made from what you see and the second from what you hear. If our actions and deeds do no align, we are nothing more than hypocrites. Paul described the Pharisees as hypocrites. Hypocrisy is nothing new. It has been present from the beginning of man. It is one of Satan’s tools of destruction.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Matthew 23:27 ESV

Visual impact is indelibly etched in the mind. It is difficult to sway one’s opinion once made. Why? Your opinion is made in the context of one’s beliefs, our belief construct frames our personality which is defined by our actions, deeds, and conversations. Is your personality aligned with your Christian heritage/belief construct? How does the world see you? John speaking to Christians said if you do not practice righteousness you a child of the devil and not of God. Are you a child of God?

“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
1 John 3:10 ESV

If God flows through us in the form of the Holy Spirit who is righteous. The Holy Spirit dwells in us and can only reflect righteousness. Then our actions, deeds, and conversations must reflect the righteousness of Christ and our Christian heritage.

We are not saved to be silent, but to spread the Word to Christians and non-Christians alike. At times we spread the Word through conversations about who we are as Christians, but most often we spread the Word through our actions, deeds, and general conversations with others. Our life, personality, and characteristics must reflect our Christian heritage which is based on love.

Our lives as Christians and followers of Christ is based on love. Love for our family, friends, neighbors as well as those we do not care for, e.g. profess to hate. If we do not love our brothers, according to 1 John 3:10, we are not God’s children. If we profess to be His, we must pick up our cross and leave our prejudices, stereotypes, and cultural bias behind.

Key: Our purpose is to let our conversations and actions be full of grace. 

Images – (Free) Google Images; BibleStudyTools.com; Unsplash – Jules Marchioni

Scriptures – BibleGateway.com, NIV, and ESV

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