A Shot of Faith (To The Head) by Mitch Stokes, PhD

A Shot of Faith (to the Head) is an excellent read for those looking for ways to answer common questions raised against Christianity. The book focuses on arguments from Atheists, but the information given can be used with various audiences. Dr. Stokes provides both practical and scientific evidence for use in sharing the gospel with those who profess an atheistic belief.

I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone in reading A Shot of Faith (to the Head). It was definitely a challenge to me in many ways.  I can normally read a book relatively quick, however this one required much more thought than most reads. I have had many interactions with atheists and encountered many of the arguments addressed in this writing. I found this a book requiring completely undivided attention.

I found the chapter on evolution to be the most beneficial since this is a theory believed by many people, even Christians. The "arsenal" given at the end of each chapter is great to use as a reference when answering questions from unbelievers.

If you are easily challenged when reading, then this may not be the best book for you. I found it difficult to follow along at times and had to read some parts more than once. If there is an Atheist in your life whom loves to challenge you on theology, then this is a must read. The best way to respond to those who argue the scientific "proof" against God is to know the scientific arguments for God.

I'll Pray for You

When a need is made known to you, how do you respond? I ask because what I have often observed within the body of Christ is a standard answer given when people share a need. I think the most common response is, "I will pray for you" or "I will pray about it." I cannot help but wonder what would happen if this had been Jesus' response to those who sought Him. When coming to Him for the healing only He could give, what if He had responded to them by saying, "Ok, I will pray about it." 

Don't misunderstand. I know prayer is important and a very necessary part of our relationship with God. However, we must be careful to never let prayer become our excuse for inaction. If someone is in need of food and we have food, then why do we have to think about sharing? If someone is in need of clothing and we have extra, then why do we continue with our excess? I know it can become overwhelming to think of all the needs in our world. We are not called to provide for the world on our own. There are, however, times in our lives when we are directly approached by someone or a need is shared with us. It is in these moments that we must be wise in how we respond. 

I believe how we respond in these kinds of circumstances can be a mirror of our hearts. Do we respond with compassion as Jesus did or do we want to know how the person ended up in their situation before responding. The religious leader's of Jesus' day were experts at this type of judgment. When seeing an affliction on someone they wanted to know who had sinned. Did the afflicted sin or was it the result of the sin of their father? There are times we are more like the pharisees than like Jesus. If a need is shared and we respond by wanting to know all the details of how the person arrived in their current situation, then that is not being Christ-like. In order to be like Jesus, we should respond to the need and then seek to encourage change where it may be needed in order to avoid repeating the situation. 

Has anyone expressed a need to you recently? Do you have the means to meet that need? Oftentimes someone may not directly ask for help, but simply mention something happening in their life. Think about the people you know who may be in a difficult situation. Do they have a vehicle that may be in need of an oil change or new tires? Do they have children who need new shoes? Would a bag of groceries help them eat this week? Part of walking this Christian walk is remaining alert and aware to the needs of those around us. I would love to hear how you step out and help someone this week! 

Living on Faith

What is the crazy dream God has placed inside of your heart? 

Before you answer, I want you to pause and really think about this question. I'm not talking about the kind of dream you could accomplish on your own simply through hard work. Yes, that is often a requirement, but I'm talking about the kind of dream you know there is absolutely no way you could accomplish on your own. I'm talking about a God-sized dream. The kind of dream or vision that will require complete and total surrender in order to achieve. 

2 1/2 years ago God told me to leave my job of 13 years in the corporate world. What led to this was spending a week's vacation with my daughters in which we genuinely spent quality time together. Granted the vacation was at Disney, but that is not the point. When I returned to work my boss asked how my vacation was and before I could answer I simply started crying. She assumed that meant the vacation was bad, but what had caused me to cry was how much I enjoyed the time with my daughters and how after just one day back at work I was missing them. The week with them allowed me to see who they are as people and how much I was missing with them by being away 5 days a week for 12 hours a day. God had stirred in me the desire to be a "full-time" mom. 

Being a single parent, the idea of quitting my job seemed ridiculous to most people. Honestly, it seemed ridiculous to me too. God given visions rarely make sense. I had absolutely no clue how being a stay at home mom could possibly work for me. Yet I knew God was speaking to me and I trusted in His plans. People would ask what my plan was to provide for our family and my answer was a sincere, "I don't know." In order to appease people I would say I was thinking of starting an in home daycare. Growing up with a mom who did this career, I knew it was not really the right one for me, but it was something to tell people in order for them to leave me alone. 

I rarely get asked this kind of question anymore. I believe there were many people who expected me to fail. To be homeless. To fall flat on my face. I did have a car repossessed, but God provided a vehicle after that...for FREE. The lights have never been turned off. Once I had a friend of a friend on Facebook message me saying God told her to pay my electric bill. She saw a comment I made on our mutual friend's post. There have been people who have offered to give me gas money and then given enough to fill up my tank three times. These are all just a few examples of how God has provided for us. 

You could argue, "well, you can't always expect God to work like that." But the truth is that I kind of do expect Him to provide. When I left my job I knew that if God was leading me to take such a huge step of faith, then He was responsible for the outcome. God is not a failure. God cannot lie. God will not lead you to follow Him just to turn around and abandon you. Even though I have made many mistakes in the last few years, He has still remained faithful. 

God does not always show us the big picture of His plans. I've found He usually gives us just enough to stretch us. He speaks to us one step at a time and then waits for us to move. Shortly after leaving my job I was visiting a church where the pastor was preaching on God visions and he used the example of Abraham. I know it was God ordained for me to be there that day because the sermon has never left me. 

"The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father's house to the land that I will show you." Genesis 12:1

God did not give Abraham all the specifics at the start of his journey. He simply told Abraham to get moving away from what was familiar and he would fill him in on the details along the way. Read the rest of this chapter. Abraham took a lot of people with him. He was responsible for their provision. Yet, he trusted God's word. It's a great story!

What is the vision God has given to you? Is there a longing in your heart for something, but you have been so focused on all the details you have become paralyzed by inaction? Or maybe you have read this and thought, "I don't really have anything big God has shown me." Remember....my dream was simply to be home with my children when they needed me. God has made that happen. 

How will you trust Him today?


(I do run my own house cleaning business now....lest anyone think I sit at home all day eating ice cream.)

Increasing Compromise

What I feel led to write about today is not your typical New Years day kind of message. Although maybe someone reading needs to hear this as they start a new year in order to change the course direction they are currently heading. 

There is a trend of sorts I have observed happening among Christian women. These women are actively involved in church. They are living a life chasing after God. They worship unashamedly. Yet, what I have noticed happening time and time again is these women becoming involved with worldly men. I have been guilty of this myself. 

Why is this happening? Are there no Godly available men within the church? Does the blame lie in our own views of ourselves as not worthy of waiting for God's best for us? Do we live so much in our pasts that we refuse to see a future designed by our maker? 

Perhaps the blame somewhat lies on the men in the church. When it comes to "women with a past," are the men within the church unwilling or unable to see beyond our past mistakes? Being honest, I have often wondered if much of my singleness comes from having two children. Yes, with two different men. And no, I've never been married. My past sin is a bit more obvious than others. When I start to condemn myself I am reminded of the number of times mentioned in scripture the command to care for the widows and orphans. I know just how important myself and my daughters are to God because of the number of times we are mentioned in scripture. That said...why do so many of us compromise our values simply to have a boyfriend? A true man of God will see us through the eyes of God and recognize our heavenly worth.

Ladies, what I have observed about men is when they are truly ready to settle down, they will look for true "wifey" material. When they are playing games or possibly even playing house, then their standards are not as high as when they reach the place of wanting to find a mate for life. Which category are you willing to place yourself? As for me, I want to be the best woman of God I can be. 

I recently was thinking perhaps my standards for a man were too high. As I was having this thought I heard God speak to me saying, "It is because these are not YOUR standards. They are MINE." However, in the same way I have certain standards for any man who may enter my life, I have the same level of standards for the woman I want to be. 

I do not want to be a woman of compromise. I do not want to be a woman of weak, negotiable faith. If I can not be 100% real about my faith in a relationship, then I know it is not a relationship I should continue. If the subject of faith, scripture, and Jesus is off limits, then this would not be the man for me. If a man is unable to lead you in a Godly manner on a date, then why would you expect him to lead you in a Godly marriage? If he is unwilling to go to church now, at the time he should be pursuing you the greatest, then why would he make an effort later in the relationship? Ladies, he cannot lead you into sin AND lead you into a closer relationship with God at the same time. It is simply not possible. 

If you have seen yourself in what you have read here, please take some time with God and ask Him for direction. If you are in a relationship with a man that you know is not God's best for you....end it. Yes, just like that. I understand being lonely. I understand longing for a partner in life. However, being alone and lonely is nothing compared to being with someone who is causing you compromise your values and leading you away from the calling God has on your life. 

To those of you with children, I understand longing for a father figure in your home. My youngest daughter does not know her father at all so believe me when I say...I understand! I know the weight of the burden you are carrying. But I also know our heavenly Father is always there when we need Him. Even when we try to control everything on our own, He is still there. I hate to sound cliche, but He wants to be your bridegroom first and foremost above any man. He is our example. His love is what we should long for above any love this world has to offer. And His love is the love we are called to model in our own lives.

Look into the eyes of your children and picture the future mate you want for them. If you have a son, are you an example of the kind of woman you want him to find when he is older? If you have daughters, what kind of man would you pick for them? Is the current man in your life an example of what you would choose for your daughter? If not, then why do you not feel you deserve a choice as good as you would make for your daughters? After all, this is how God feels when He looks at you! 

My prayer for each of you today is that you would truly feel how much God loves you. I pray you would see yourself as valuable as your creator has made you. I pray you would have the courage to step into the unknown with God. I pray for a new level of trust to be revealed as you ask Him to guide you in all areas of your life. Even in the area of your current relationship. For those of you who are married I pray for a move in God in your marriage as both you and your husband grow in Christ and become the husband and wife He desires you to become. 

Just Being Honest

I know it has been a while since I have written. To be quite honest, some things happened in my life a few months ago that left me reeling and in a real battle with God. I was angry at Him. No, I was pissed off. I was at a place of doing things "His" way and the result was not at all what I expected. I found myself questioning His goodness. I found myself questioning why I trusted "His" way. I thought that as long as I was playing by the "rules" then things would work out perfectly. Right? At least that is what I believed.

I haven't written during this time because I really had nothing to say. That's a lie. I had a LOT to say, but I didn't think any of it would be of any use to anyone. After all, what do I really know about anything? I stopped reading my bible. I stopped reading the daily devotionals I normally read. I still attended church and it was the one thing that truly kept me going over the last few months. I am thankful beyond words for the house in which God planted me earlier this year because without the strong word of God I hear there weekly, I am not to sure I would have made it though the last few months as well as I have. 

What I have learned over this time is that God truly can take anything I can throw at Him. There is no anger too great. Even when I realized I was behaving like a 3 year old who didn't get my way, He still loved me. He has reminded me that His ways are always for my good. Even when those ways are not what I want or in the timing in which I want them. He has reminded me He is my forever provider. When all others in this world may leave me (and in one particular case without ANY explanation whatsoever), God is always here for me. Even when I don't WANT Him to be here. Honestly, there have been times I've asked Him WHY won't He just go away too? I mean seriously? Why doesn't He give up on me? It seems many others have? I mess up daily. I say and do things I vowed to never again say or do. And yet He remains faithful. 

This is what humbles me. 

He has reminded me of the dreams He has placed inside of me. He has reminded me of the "baby" He placed in my womb months, and even years ago. He has used my pastor to remind me of the process of labor. How the pain of transition is great, yet the result of the push is beyond words. I have seen how the last few months have been a time of transition. There were people, relationships, mindsets, and emotions that needed to be removed from my life. I don't claim to be completely out of this transition yet, but I'm feeling the time to push is just around the corner. 

So for now I will just keep breathing. I will keep my focus on the Father. 

2013 sounds like it's going to be a year of not just delivery, but FREEDOM!

Shake Loose!

Is there an area in your life in which you are imprisoned? Maybe you have a situation in which you feel trapped and are not able to see a viable way out of the situation. How is your attitude in the midst of your prison? Do you complain to everyone about how bad your life is at this moment? Consider how Paul and Silas conducted themselves while in a real prison:

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose." Acts 16:25-26

Now that you have read those two verses....read them again.

Slowly. 

Are you feeling something within your spirit by the weight and power of this story? Consider the time of this event. It was about midnight. Imagine how dark it must have been. There was no electricity then so there were no streetlights. We don't know if the jail had any windows so there may not have been any moonlight in the cell. In all probability, it was DARK. We don't know the size of their cell, but I once visited the jails in Salem, MA from the 1600's and they were terribly small. Paul and Silas could have been in absolute darkness and pressured all around. They were likely not very comfortable. And yet they were not caught complaining. They were praying and singing to God! 

They must not have been singing quietly because the other prisoners were listening to them. In the midst of your prison, others are listening. Those who are enslaved are hearing your words. Unbelievers are also watching to see how your God is going to get you out of this prison. What kind of witness are you living? Do you gripe and complain in the way of an unbeliever who has no hope? Or are you singing hymns and living a life loud enough for others to hear? 

As Paul and Silas lifted their voices in praise, a violent earthquake came and shook loose the foundations of the prison. The same can happen in our lives! An encounter with God can shake us at our core in a way that we no longer see the prison surrounding us. The doors to what has held us will open and the chains on us will fall away! 

All this leads me to ask...why are you still in your prison? Are you spending time earnestly in prayer? Are you surrounding yourself in praise? When was the last time you shouted your praise to God? I'm talking a reckless abandonment to worshiping your creator? Dance like David danced! In the Bible, the tribe often sent into battle first was the tribe of Judah, the tribe of musicians. In order to win the battle they began with shouts of praise! It was praise that released Paul and Silas.

I pray each of you take the time TODAY to praise God for all He has done in your life. No matter how dark the prison looks at this moment, we each have a reason to give Him praise. The fact that you are reading these words means you have internet, you have vision, you have the comprehension of reading, you are breathing, you are free to read scripture without the fear of persecution! 

I am going to leave you all with a song often played at my church before the start of the service. SHAKE LOOSE! 

Fake Living Houses

Tonight I ran into an old friend I haven't seen in a while and we talked and caught up on what was going on in our lives. When the subject came up of where we were attending church and I asked if she was still attending the last church I knew her to attend, she responded with, "Yeah, I'm still hanging in there."  There are no words to describe how much her answer grieves me. When asked about our church home should we not answer with excitement? If talking about it causes us to become depressed, then perhaps we need to examine if this is the place where God wants us to fellowship. 

When we are planted in a life giving church it shows. It is also apparent when we are in an oppressive, dead, or spiritually controlling church. I have seen people in such churches and there is a spirit of heaviness around them. There is an inability to praise. There is a lack of light in their lives. They often appear to be walking with God, however it is a Judas faith. Just as Judas walked with Jesus, he was simply going through the motions. You can be serving in your church. You can be paying your tithes. You can be doing everything to give the appearance of a walk with God, and yet in your heart you are not "feeling" it. 

John wrote a letter in Revelation to the church of Sardis. In his reprimand he refers to them as  "having a reputation for being alive," but actually being dead. (Revelation 3:1)  He continues in verse 2-3 instructing them to "be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent." 

The church of Sardis is known for being "life-giving." However, the reality is the church is dead. There is the illusion of life, however it's members are spiritually perishing. Their works are lacking. Perhaps when it comes to serving within the church walls there are volunteers, but when it comes to stepping outside of the church, nobody shows up. There is encouragement and hope for such a church. They can throw out what has gone astray and strengthen the Godliness that remains. In the past they have not only heard, but received from God. The proper instruction has once been in this house gone dead. If they are willing to keep the original word they heard from God, then they can come back to life! However, repentance is necessary to resuscitate this house of worship. 

What happens in your heart when discussing your place of worship? Do you leave on Sunday (or whichever day you attend) feeling challenged in your walk, yet encouraged? Or do you leave feeling that you can check "attend church" off your "to-do" list? I am going to say something next that may offend some of you, but I feel it needs to be said. Is your church willing to operate their order of services according to the Holy Spirit? Or is their agenda and schedule more of a priority than what God wants to do during that time? If the latter is fitting of your church, it could be they have the appearance of being alive, yet in fact are dead. A church unwilling to allow God to move is unwilling to release their own agendas. Be very cautious of following this kind of leadership. This kind of leadership will also question when God is moving in your own life and cause you to doubt hearing His voice clearly. 

My prayer for each of you today is to ask if you are truly where God wants you to be. Do you attend a church because of a sense of obligation? Is it where your parents attended? Have you been there for years and are afraid to make a change? Do you fear losing friendships if you move to where God is calling you? Sharing from experience, making changes reveals  your true friendships. There are people who may be holding you back from stepping into what God is calling you to do and it is only by removal of those relationships that you can begin fulfilling your purpose. Count the losses as blessings! We should all be in a process of growth in our walk with God. This may mean we need to "graduate" to a different place of worship. Not all churches are the same. Some are content with being watered down and delivering a soft word. These are often referred to as "seeker friendly" churches. They want to make sure everyone is comfortable. However, as we grow and mature we need to be challenged. The reality is a soft word never truly changed anyone. Possibly for a season, but not long term, life altering, radical change.  It is only by hearing the unadulterated word of God that a heart is truly moved to repentance. 

This is a matter between yourself and God. Seek His guidance to ensure you are planted by streams of LIVING water!