Gentle Breeze of Transition Before the Storm of Change

If you have ever been in a place where you can feel in the atmosphere the precipitation changing, you know more often than not, there is a gentle breeze that precedes the storm. The air starts to smell different; the clouds start rolling in, the trees start swaying just a little bit more. It is like a symphony playing the first lines of their song, before they hit the crescendo. It’s like the song that builds up to the chorus which carries you through the rest of the song. Nature has a way of revealing to us what is coming and just like nature so does God, He reveals in the gentle breeze of transition that a storm of change is on the horizon. For those who are awake, they can see it all around them, they can smell it in the air. Transition is happening and many people are struggling with the gentle breeze of transition, not knowing this is nothing compared to the storm of change that is just around the corner.

I have listened to those around me, online, on television and on the radio the sounds of the gentle breeze of transition are everywhere. Circumstances are shifting and it is causing many to be drifting. Those who we thought would stand, are struggling. Many who have said all the right things are finding themselves to not be who they thought they were or who others thought they were. The gentle breeze is blowing and straw houses are shaking and some are even falling. Can you see the gentle breeze of transition blowing, can you hear the gentle breeze of transition happening around the world? To some this gentle breeze of transition is a big deal, but it is just a gentle breeze. The storm of change has not arrived yet, but it is coming and coming quickly. Jesus said, “If they do this when the tree is green, what will they do when it is brown?” (Luke 23:31)

Believers in Jesus Christ, now is the time to do what you say and say what you mean. Now more than ever, we must be in the word of God daily, in worship continually and praying in the spirit on all occasions. Not for the sake of anyone else, but you. You do not need to get a prepper kit of food and water; you need to prepare yourself spiritually for a storm is on the horizon. A storm that is going to change everything for the better, but a storm nonetheless. Believers must exercise their authority in order to stand during the storm. Remember Moses stood in the midst of the Red Sea as the people crossed over (Exodus 14). He exercised his authority over the storm that sought to keep God’s people out of the promised land. Remember Jesus walked on the stormy water that was buffeting the boat of the disciples, the storm could not control Jesus, Jesus took control over the storm, but not until after he tried to show Peter how to do the same (Matthew 14:22-33). We are being invited to exercise our authority while there is no storm, so when the storm comes, we are prepared.

Being under authority, doing what someone else tells you to do, is a great way to exercise your authority. Lawlessness is what takes away your authority, while obedience increases your authority. If you are one that does not let anyone tell you what to do, you will not be able to stand in the storm. If you are not in obedience with the word of God you will not have authority in the storm. Anger is not authority. Remember the Centurion, he was a man under authority and was a man in authority and Jesus was impressed with his faith (Matthew 8:5-13). Remember Ruth, she told Naomi, where you go, I go…(Ruth 1:16-17). Obedience is the greatest way to exercise your authority and only through exercise will you get strong and be able to stand in the storm. We are experiencing the gentle breeze of transition, but the storm of change is coming and is closer than you realize. We, the body of Christ need to exercise our authority so we don’t get lost in the storm.

What is Love?

February is traditionally the month where love seems to be the topic of discussion. With Valentine’s day coming on the 14th, many are thinking about who they love, who they used to love and who they want to love. So, I decided to ask the question, what is love? Many would point to 1 Corinthians 13, the “love chapter” or John 3:16, the “love verse”, but still the question remains, what is love? Is love a noun or is it a verb? I believe the answer is yes! Love is a noun and love is a verb, but one thing love is not, is unconditional. Unconditional means not subject to any conditions according to dictionary.com. So, what is love?
 
Love is a noun and a verb! 1 John 4:7-9 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.…” Love is a noun, because God is love! Love is a verb, because God sent His one and only Son into the world. If love was unconditional, if God could just declare He is love and never show that love, is it really love? The answer is NO! Love cannot be love unless it has a corresponding action of love.
 
One reason people like the idea of love being unconditional, is because they have bought into the lie that something is free. Nothing is free, freedom is not free, just ask the veteran or Jesus who died on the cross for your sins, so you could be free. Your freedom cost Him His life. It may seem like its free or unconditional to you, but someone, somewhere paid a price for everything you believe is free or unconditional. If love was unconditional, why did Jesus have to be obedient unto to death, even death on a cross? (Philippians 2); if love is unconditional, why were there two trees in the garden?
 
I have come to realize that we like staying children in our faith and in our lives because then we think we can continue to receive something for nothing. Look at all the things we believe are free, salvation, grace, love, just to name a few. Salvation is a covenant and ask any married person, covenants are not free, they are very costly; grace is empowerment, not a free for all, just ask the apostle Paul (Romans 6 & 7); and love is not free as we noted above. If we are going to grow up, we must realize that responsibility and requirements are not striving or living under the Law, but rather they come with maturity and a biblical understanding of what love really is.
 
Whether we realize it or not, we have been immersed in a spirit of lawlessness, which is why we want everything for free and when boundaries are set for safety reasons, some will reject them. Love is God and love has requirements. God required Himself to provide a sacrifice for our sins when He loved us enough to give us a free will. Our government loves us, that is why there are speed limits and traffic lights. Love is not lawlessness, love is having requirements. If love was unconditional then there would be no reason to believe in Jesus Christ as the One and only way to the Father (John 14:6).
 
When I was a youth pastor, I would tell the parents of my students, L-O-V-E are the boundaries that you set so your student feels safe. There is a difference between rules and boundaries, but that is another blog. So, what is love? Love is freedom, love is truth, love is grace, love is power, love is life, love is what will grow us up, but one thing love is not is free. You must choose to love, so if it costs you nothing else in your mind, it costs you your will. For Jesus said, If you love Me, you will keep my commandments! (John 14:15)
What the world needs is love, what I need is love, what you need is love, and when we understand love, then we will never go back to something masquerading as love. If it has no cost, it has no value. This is love, God is love!