Jesus

A Great Big Empty

March 31, 2018 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
John 20:1

This one verse holds the key to finding the freedom that Jesus proclaimed.

He said, “the truth will set you free.” (See John 8:32). What does that freedom look like? Let’s look at another verse in Luke.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
Luke 4:18-19

Jesus is reading in the synagogue from the scroll of Isaiah the prophet. If we hop down a couple verses, we’ll see that Jesus goes on to tell all who were listening that,

“The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
Luke 4:21

Jesus came to set us free from all captivity, including depression & oppression.

He came to set us free from depression and oppression, condemnation and guilt, shame and regret. The things that weigh us down and keep us down. The things that keep us from living the life that Jesus died to give us.

Why do we continue to live pushed down, oppressed lives?

Let’s look at the very first Scripture above. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. Why do you think she went to the tomb? I don’t think she thought of Jesus coming back to life. She went to the tomb like so many of us do when we lose a loved one – to stay linked and connected to that person. She went to the tomb to grieve and mourn her loss. She went to the tomb to cry and be sad.

Please don’t misinterpret what I’m about to say. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t mourn. But let’s suppose that Jesus did not defeat death that day and that He stayed in the tomb forever.

Would Mary have continued to go to the tomb day after day to mourn and grieve?

Isn’t this what we do in our own lives? When something or someone dies, we cling to that death and make it part of who we are. It could be the death of a loved one. It could be the death of a marriage or business or the loss of the ability to do something you once could do.

When we hang onto something that we’ve lost, we’re unable to grab hold of what God wants us to find.

Mary found the tomb empty and she was able to move on with her life and not get stuck in that one moment when Jesus died.

Are you stuck in one moment in time when you experienced a loss?

Friends, the stone was rolled away!! The tomb is now empty. The tomb represents our past losses and failures. We need to put them in the tomb with Jesus and close it up. But . . . we need to roll the stone away and peer inside the tomb very closely. Be sure to look at every crack and crevice. Check it out carefully. What do you see?

A great big EMPTY!

The tomb is empty of all the things of our past that have held us tied down to one time in the past. All the depression and oppression were lifted away when Jesus was lifted away. Why? Because Jesus purchased our past when He died on the cross. He not only defeated death but He also defeated the haunted memories of our past!!!

Train your mind to think about the stone being rolled away and the great big empty.

When you get weighed down with a thought from the past, turn your thoughts to Jesus and His glorious resurrection.

There is so much joy to be found in Christ but we have to stop looking at the past and start looking at Him. It’s a process that will take some time but if you are intentional about it, you can overcome darkness. Regret, shame, unforgiveness, and all the other things that swirl around in our head is defeated.

Share this good news with everyone. It’s what we are called to do.

Stay in the Light and Love always,

Eva

At All Costs

March 30, 2018 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

What does “at all costs” mean to you?

God wants us to seek Him at all costs. He wants us to save nothing for tomorrow.

Spend all you have on seeking, worshiping, praising and glorifying Him today.

This world teaches us to save for a rainy day. Save your best for really special occasions. Don’t use your china for every day eating. Don’t wear your good clothes. Don’t give away your last dime.

God has been showing me that when we save something for a rainy day, we are putting Him on a back shelf.

We are telling God – our very Creator – that we do not need Him.

Let’s establish some facts. Yes, we believe in God. But maybe, just maybe, we do not always believe God. One little word makes all the difference – “in.” We believe IN God. But we do not believe God.

Do you understand the difference?

It’s easy to believe in God. We believe in His overall existence as our God. But, if we’re really honest with ourselves, it’s not as easy to believe every word that He speaks.

Do you believe ALL of His promises?

Do you believe He can meet your EVERY need?

Do you believe He can care for your children?

This hurts me deeply because I know that I’ve faltered and fallen in this area of my faith. I have moments when I do not believe all of His promises. I have moments when I doubt He can meet ALL of my needs. Yes, I have moments when I doubt He can care for my children better than me.

But in the middle of my doubts, my fears, and even my failures I hear Him calling my name.

It’s faint at first because I’m completely wrapped up in my own woes and sorrows. But that voice doesn’t stop calling my name. Over and over again He calls until I catch a whisper of it in the wind around me. If I stop, quiet my racing thoughts and turn my heart I can hear Him.

It’s a sweet voice. It doesn’t condemn. It is gentle and loving.

The voice is Jesus.

How do I know these things? I know because the Word says it is so and Jesus is The Word.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John 1:14

Reading the Word of God is how we learn to hear and know The Voice of God.

The more we read and pray into the Word, the more the Holy Spirit will reveal things to us that we do not know. There is no other way to know God. He reveals who He is and what His will is throughout His Word. He reveals who we are throughout His Word.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3

What a wonderful promise this is for all of us. He will tell us great and unsearchable things that we do not know. There are depths to the Word of God that we can spend a lifetime discovering.

But . . . we will not discover any of the unsearchable things that He longs to show us if we are saving our best for a rainy day.

I have to ask myself this question.

Am I seeking Him at all costs? Are you?

Stay in the Light and Love always,

Eva

Let No One Be Left Out

March 25, 2018 By Eva Conner 2 Comments

Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit in? Maybe you’ve been left out before.

I know this feeling well. For a good part of my life, I suffered with insecurities and feeling left out. It’s not a good feeling. It’s rejection and it’s a very real emotion that can be crippling.

Do you suffer from rejection?

If you can relate, I want to give you some good news. Jesus Christ! Please keep reading and don’t dismiss Jesus as being able to help you. Jesus has such a heart for you and for me.

Jesus has a soft spot in His heart for those who are rejected and down-trodden. Click To Tweet

I know that Jesus can help because He helped me.

Rejection can bring you to your knees in pain. There were times that I would be in a room full of people and wonder if even one person in the room would acknowledge my presence. Even if I were included in activities, I felt like I didn’t fit in very well. I struggled with small talk and socializing. It still is painful for me to talk to people without a specific subject in mind.

Do you want to know when all of it changed for me?

These feelings of rejection and insecurity started to shift the more aware I became of Jesus Christ in my life. For the first time, with Jesus, I fit in perfectly and didn’t feel out of place. He loves me whether I am quiet or if I’m struggling to express my thoughts. He accepts me and acknowledges me regardless if I’m in a room alone or with hundreds of people. He lets me know how very special I am to Him.

And I realized another very important truth as well.

IT’S OKAY TO NOT FIT IN ALL PLACES.

So the next time you are at lunch with friends or co-workers and they are talking about movies and TV shows that you know nothing about, don’t feel left out. Feel loved and cherished that Jesus is protecting you from those worldly things that can interfere with your spiritual growth and your relationship with Him.

We all make choices that either launch us straight into the world or straight into our prayer closets getting to know Jesus a little better.

What a wonderful Savior and Master we serve. He is right there ALL THE TIME waiting on us to WANT to know Him. But sadly, we choose other things that do not bring us closer to Him. However, He still patiently waits for us. He still loves us very much.

Today, what will you choose?

For me, today I choose Jesus. Nothing compares with the sweet intimacy with Jesus. Tomorrow, I’ll have to make the choice all over again.

Day-by-day we choose the world or Jesus.

Some days I do well. Some days I don’t. But the more I experience His sweetness, the easier it is to choose Him.

Do you desire a deeper intimacy with Jesus? Here are some things that help me.

I find a quiet spot wherever I am. I once read that John Wesley’s mother had so many children, it was impossible for her to find a quiet spot to pray so she’d sit in a kitchen chair and pull her apron over her head. Her children knew if mom had her apron over her head to leave her alone. Isn’t that a wonderful picture? No matter where I find myself, I’ve learned to shut off the noise around me.
I quiet my mind by focusing on Scripture. Read the words in the verses slowly, carefully. Chew on them and think about each word. I find that there is not one meaningless word written anywhere in the Bible. Each word has depth and the potential to reveal Jesus from Genesis to Revelation. He is hidden all throughout the Bible waiting on us to find Him.
I practice thanksgiving every day. Thank our Father for His goodness. Acknowledge and thank the Holy Spirit for being our constant Companion and Friend. Thank Jesus Christ for being our Lord and Master.
I play praise music and sing along. It goes a long way in praising God for who He is. It helps me when I truly sing out loud and praise Him.
I try to seek God’s face and not His hand. I enjoy being with God as I would a dear friend. We don’t always go to our friends with a laundry list of things we need. We shouldn’t do that with God either. We need to learn to be in His presence because we want to know Him better.
When He starts to speak, I write it down in a special journal. Cherish and hold dear all that He speaks.

It takes perseverance and commitment to know God better.

If you are married, you can relate to the time you and your spouse spent getting to know one another before you were married. You dated and enjoyed being in each other’s presence. You wanted to know all you could about each other. You wanted to see their heart, right? It’s no different with God. He will show us His heart if we want to see it.

Let’s desire to see God’s heart every day!

Jesus does not want even one to feel left out, rejected, abandoned or alone. This is good news. Share with all!

I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.

John 10:14

If this word resonates with you, please leave me a comment. I want everyone to hunger for more Jesus in their lives. It’s my desire to share my passion and love for Jesus with everyone. It is the only way to see true transformation.

Stay in the Light and Love always,

Eva

A Broken Heart

March 17, 2018 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

Issues of the heart are heavy in my own heart today.

Is there an area in your life where you are not where you want to be? An area where you just cannot get a break regardless of your efforts?

I think I’m hearing a resounding YES and I’ll add my YES into the mix too!

I have several struggles and as I learn to rely on Jesus as my Counselor to help me sort them out, I find out they are all matters of the heart.

We are not where we want to be financially. I ask God why and guess what the answer is? My heart.

Our hearts are the very core of our being.

All life flows out of our hearts. The heart is complex with many parts and pieces that have to be in full working order at all times.

The heart never gets a break from beating and flowing blood and oxygen through our bodies. That is the physical heart. The spiritual heart is no different. The Bible tells this truth.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

So if there is an area in our lives where we are not experiencing victory and freedom, we need to take a look at the condition of our heart.

To dig a little deeper and understand this more fully, let’s look at the covenant of circumcision that God gave to Abraham. This promise is also given to us as well because we are heirs to all the promises of Abraham (see Galatians 3:29). The covenant with Abraham is recorded in Genesis 17.

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come to you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner – those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Genesis 17:3-14

This is the Old Testament but God clearly states that this covenant is an everlasting covenant with Abraham and all of his descendants. If we are believers of Jesus Christ, we are descendants of Abraham.

BUT let’s not forget about Jesus.

Yes, while we are descendants of Abraham, the minute Jesus died on the cross for all of us, everything shifted from the natural to the Spiritual.

We live by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

The burden of “doing” shifted from man to Jesus the minute He switched places with us in death.

Do you see that awesome truth? You’ve probably heard these words before but really listen, “HE TOOK OUR PLACE.”

He took our death.
He took our sin.
He took our guilt.
He took our shame.
He took our regret.
He took our lack.
He took our sickness.
He took our rejection.
He took our punishment.
He took our past.

He became circumcision for us.

The circumcision of the flesh automatically shifted to a spiritual circumcision that HE now performs on our hearts!

This is the truth I want to share today.

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 2:28-29

We are all grafted in as God’s people (see John 15) so Paul is not just speaking to his fellow Jews in these two verses but he is also speaking to us.

For us today (post-Cross), circumcision is the inward working of our hearts when we give them fully to Jesus.

Jesus is the surgeon performing open heart surgery on all areas of our hearts where we give Him access.

However, just like in physical surgery, if we do not sign the consent form allowing the surgeon to do the surgery, it’s not going to get done. We must sign the consent form allowing Jesus into ALL crevices of our hearts so that He can truly circumcise all.

Circumcision in the natural means cutting away the flesh, correct? So circumcision in the spiritual heart is cutting away all those walls we’ve erected from our past experiences, hurts, mindsets and wrong thinking.

He will cut away all that hinders our walk if we will only let Him in.

Let Him in today to start doing open heart surgery in your heart. I promise you will experience true transformation if you do!

Stay in the Light and Love always,

Eva

Do You Look At Your Waiter?

February 25, 2018 By Eva Conner Leave a Comment

Do you ever look up at your waiter? Do you look into their eyes and see them as a person?

This post is very important for all of us to hear and share. Here is my prayer before I share what I’m called to share:

Dear Father,

Please open our eyes and our ears to see and hear this message. Open our hearts to receive these words. Prepare us now to receive all that You have for us. It is in Jesus’ name that we pray.

Amen

Okay, here is the message that’s burdening my heart. This past week during a group prayer time, God gave me a vision. I only hope that I can share the emphasis behind it with you in my words.

Picture a large room as in a restaurant. There were round tables all throughout the room and people seated at every table. There was not an empty chair in the place. The waiter was going table to table with a water pitcher. And each person, without even looking up, put their hand over their water glass to indicate that they did not want any water.

Do you look up when you are being served to notice the one serving you? Do you look into their eyes and acknowledge them as a person?

Sadly, not one of these people acknowledged the waiter as a person.

Not even one saw that their server was actually Jesus Christ.

And not one of these people saw the intensely heartbreaking sadness that was on His face as He moved about the room. One after another after another turned Him away without even looking up. Never looking into His eyes. Never letting Him give them all the beautiful and wonderful gifts He wanted to give them. Never letting Him pour into them the Living Water that brings eternal life.

They couldn’t stop their conversations and busyness to be bothered to acknowledge their Waiter.

In the vision, I knew these people to be the same people who occupy church pews each and every Sunday. These people outwardly acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior yet not even one of them recognized Him when He stood mere inches away.

We cannot continue to live in complacency in our Christian walk.

Our lives are not the only lives dependent upon us. We are each responsible for sharing with others the saving grace of Jesus Christ. But if we ourselves cannot recognize Him how can we share Him?

My hope is that we are humbled enough to stop living complacent lives and to start living eternal lives. If we change our thinking from our life only being in the here and now to our life really being in eternity, how can we not share the secret of how to achieve eternal life? Let me put it another way. Do you believe in eternity?

If we believe in eternity, how can we reconcile 80 or 90 years against forever?

If we believe in eternity, what are the years we live here on earth compared to FOREVER. So it stands to reason that these few years we’re given on this earth must be for a reason other than to satisfy our own wants and desires, right?

We were created in the very image of God to fellowship with Him. Are we waiting until we get to heaven to fellowship with God? Or are do we fellowship with Him now? Only when we fellowship with Him now while in this earthly body are we able to share His grace and love with others.

This is our calling and our assignment ~ to share JESUS with everyone.

I’m going to propose that long before Jesus walked the earth as a man and long before the apostle Paul was given the gospel of grace, God Himself shared our ultimate assignment and it has never changed. Let’s look in Genesis:

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground – everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

Genesis 1:26-30 NLT

God created us in His image. We have three parts to our person: spirit, soul and body. God created every living thing to need nourishment and He provided the nourishment for everything. Not one thing did He neglect. He created food for our spirit and food for our soul and food for our body. It’s important that we feed each part of our being so that we can be properly functioning and aligned as He intended when He created us.

The food for our spirit is the Word of God.

We know this because the Word tells us so.

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

1 Peter 2:2-3

Peter is telling us to feed the spirit, we must have spiritual food which is only found in Christ Jesus who is the living Word. So as we dig into the Word, our spirits are fed. As our spirits are fed, we are able to discern and recognize Jesus in our lives. And when we can recognize Jesus in our own lives, we are able to share Him with others which is the assignment we’ve been given “Be fruitful and multiply.” He chooses us to be the light to draw others to Him. He chooses us to multiply for HIM.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 (emphasis mine)

Only when we know who He is, who we are and what our assignment is, can we show others the same. When we get in the Word and start reading, I promise when Jesus comes before you asking if you need filled up, you’ll see His glorious light and let Him begin pouring into you the living waters. You will recognize Him in an instant.

Do you see your waiter?

Stay in the Light and Love always,

Eva