Author: Christine Wyrtzen

I Affect Them ~ Like It Or Not

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For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  Romans 14:7

This scripture is true.  It speaks to the myriad of ways I interact, or fail to interact, with other people.  I can believe that if I’m a recluse, I won’t affect others.  I’ll argue that I am protecting them from myself.  While I may be sparing them of my negative influence, I am withholding something else that could be of value.  Even the vacuum has an impact.

Words live.  “The power of life and death is in the tongue.”  Proverbs 18:21 If I call my child stupid, he will absorb the label and potentially struggle for life until someone tells him the truth.  If I call another’s giftedness out of the dark and define it for him, I free him to discover his uniqueness in the family of God.  My words have life-shaping ramifications.

Emotions live.  A sullen face repels my children and makes strangers in public shrink from me.  An angry demeanor frightens others.  A depressed countenance causes others to worry about us.  A period of grieving invites others to join me in my tears.  Even though any of these emotions might have been expressed without words, it affects others profoundly.  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently him that is before thee.  Proverbs 23:1  I can not let myself be enamored by someone’s status and believe that the honor of their invitation will only be a positive thing.  Who they are, what they feel, what they have concealed; these all affect my entire being. Emotions have life-shaping ramifications.

Actions live.  If I forgive when most others wouldn’t, people are stunned and consider the Gospel.  If I am chase loving-kindness in a world of narcissists, the recipient is left with a lump in his throat.  If I take out my anger at the driver of the car behind me, I potentially ruin his day.  If I privately sin, habitually, and think it’s isolated, I carry around the demonic baggage of my stronghold and pollute the fellowship of friends and family.  If I withdraw completely from those in my church, I deprive them of the unique ways God is expressed through my story.  I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.  Psalm 40:10 Actions have life-shaping ramifications.

 A life lived in the power of God brings the kingdom to earth.  That is cataclysmic.

My eyes are open to the ways Your Spirit works through me.  Amen

Wrestling and Prevailing

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Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”   Genesis 32:26

“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16   I learned it as a kid but knowing the words and understanding the meaning can be decades apart.

Jacob wrestled with God until he prevailed. Though his hip gave out in the struggle (the hip being the pivotal source of power for a wrestler), he did not quit because the blessing was of such high value.

There are situations that can appear hopeless. Natural evidence begs to prove that nothing is ever going to change, even if I engage my faith. So, I give up the fight and things just get worse. The pain of watching everything regress nearly shuts me down. I look ten years older than I am as I wear the cloak of faithlessness like an old bathrobe and camp out in the valley of resignment. I live in hopeless oblivion.

Is this where you are today? You’ve been wrestling with God for a long time over one single thing. The more you pray, the more things seem to decline. To continue to keep your heart alive to hope and faith appears futile. You’re fast approaching the line where quitting pretends to be the smart thing to do. Dreaming is painful. God appears to be cruel as He withholds the blessing you seek.

This is what it is to live in the shadows. But let me testify that God didn’t let me stay there.  His Spirit worked on me, infusing a ‘word’ now and then, and I would poke my head out.  So much happened that finally caused me to fight for faith.  Was it harder than giving up?  Definitely. But let me give a testimony here!

 I have seen powerful prayers answered after decades. One breakthrough took twenty-nine years, the other took thirty-seven.  Both were glorious.  Wrestling was worth it.  Prevailing brought the blessing.  The result is that I will have greater stamina in the next spiritual battle because I know now not to give up.

Over what issue have you taken hold of God in prayer today? How long have you labored? Hang on. Dig your fingers into the fabric of his robe and don’t let go. Today could be the day He speaks a word and prison bars open wide.

I value what I learned about myself in the battle and about You most of all. Treasures of the darkness. That’s what You promised and they sparkle in my spirit.  Amen

Stepping Stones Instead of Dead Ends

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The path of the upright is a highway.  Proverbs 15:19

 A woman who listens to and obeys the voice of God is never stuck.  Every step she takes leads somewhere. Every place she sets her foot is strategic even though she may be unaware of the significance.

Satan would have her believe that God leads His children to dead ends. He wants her to see traps instead of doorways. Her enemy doesn’t want her to know that they are only mirage, a smokescreen.  She needs to call Satan’s bluff with a well-fashioned arrow of the word of God.  She needs to believe that each seeming trap is a doorway to glory.

She will be delivered from her wordlessness when she decides to embrace the truth that God is never cornered.  Never trapped.  She must face the conflict of her core beliefs and believe God over her own thoughts.  She must cinch the belt of Truth around her.  Only then will she be freed to move again.  She’ll see that every pro-active step she takes by faith opens invisible doorways, openings she just couldn’t see until now.

A once compromised faith-walk truly can become a banner-waving parade for the glory of God.

The destiny You write for every daughter is beautiful. Show me today’s stepping stones.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

My Spiritual Womb

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On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.”  John 7:37-38

Part of the ceremony for the feasts of Tabernacles was for the Jews to bring water from the pool of Siloam and pour it in a silver basin near the altar where sacrifices were made.  On this last day of the festival, it was evident to Jesus that His people had poured out water, observed a ceremonial ritual that was loaded with meaning, yet were unchanged on the inside.  In this context, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty, come.  I will be living water to you.”

It is possible to engage in vigorous religious exercise and never experience Living Water, to exit as empty on the other side of our observance as when we started.  If anyone comes to observe, to perform out of habit and ritual, they rarely experience transformation.

Jesus reveals the secret for life-change.  Spiritual thirst.  Somehow, it grates against the religious when the irreligious come, are thirsty, and have a greater experience of Christ than those in the church have experienced.  “How did this happen?” the church privately wonders.  It’s all about spiritual thirst.

The depth of my experience of Jesus will be determined by the level of my spiritual thirst.  If I perceive I have no need, I will not be changed.  Christ comes where He is wanted.  He hears the cry of the needy and responds.  The self-satisfied, the self-impressed deny their need, live in unbelief, and have little experience with the God of their Fathers they pride themselves on knowing and worshipping.  They neither know nor worship.  Head knowledge does not a relationship make.

There is no pedigree required to experience the touches of Christ.  There is no ‘previous church experience’ necessary to qualify for transforming love.  The only qualification is need and desire.  Poor destitute sinners walk off with the prize – who is Christ Himself.

I am a barren land without your visitation.  Amen

Adoption and Brother Jesus

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And by him we cry, “ Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Romans 8:15

Having been in ministry for forty-plus years, I’ve heard a lot of adoption stories.  Some were glorious, and others were not.  If there were biological children in the home, there was often discrimination against the one who was adopted.  Biological children felt they were the ‘real’ offspring, meant to enjoy greater rights and privileges.  In matters of family inheritance, the distorted values really manifested. 

Jesus, our brother, made a way for us to be adopted into His Father’s family.  Through Him, we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  Think of it.  We call His Father the same intimate and endearing name that He used while on earth.  

Not only that, but God expresses to us the same kind of love and favor that He expressed toward Jesus.  We receive the same grace, the same tenderness, the same access in prayer, and we enjoy the same level of intimacy.  To further astound us, Jesus then shares His inheritance with us.  No discrimination.  

Right now, I’m expressing my gratitude.  I’ve never had an earthly brother, but I always wondered what it would be like to have one.  Now, I know.  Jesus stepped in and gave His life to share His Father with me (and everything else in the kingdom.)  I was undeserving, even an enemy, and yet He paid the expensive ransom for my adoption. 

God is good.  The Son is good.  The Spirit given to us is good.  And through the blood of our brother Jesus, we are justified and declared ‘good’.  Let’s celebrate!

What Peter Teaches Me

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Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter).    John 1:42 NLT

And so their relationship began.  Peter could not imagine how his life would be turned upside down.  He couldn’t envision the power of a name change.  Looking back at Peter’s story, there are things I can learn about leaving everything behind to follow Jesus. 

Jesus calls me to something for which I’m unqualified. Peter, and three other fishermen, became evangelists and teachers. My calling will always be God-sized because no skill set can achieve supernatural results.  

Jesus builds our relationship on love and promises of faithfulness. Peter’s relationship with Him began with love and it took him all the way home through great tribulation. This supernatural kind of love is also mine, burning as a fuel for my spirit.

Jesus centers His teaching on faith-growing and character development. Each life lesson in the teachings of Jesus grew Peter’s faith.  As I see Peter’s progression of maturation, I realize that when I master one skill, there will always be bigger ones ahead. While there are seasons of rest, there is no coasting.

Jesus requires good faith effort, not perfection. As Kevin DeYoung reminded an audience I was part of, Jesus is pleased with our best at whatever stage we are in our journey. Jesus was Peter’s encourager, offering him a stunning second chance.

Jesus extends mercy before the sin. Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times. When Peter was visibly shaken, Jesus told him not to be worried but to believe God. There was mercy before he sinned. I learn from that story that I am forgiven in the past, in the present, and in the future.

Jesus allows testing to reveal our flaws. Jesus was tested in the wilderness. Peter was tested after Jesus’ arrest.  I am tested, too. This produces endurance, discernment, and wisdom and understanding.

Just as your relationship with Peter was unshaken, you offer me this same kind of connection. Disciple me – all the way home. Amen

When No One Is There To Help You

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And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. Luke 22:43

In the fire, personal strength can fail completely. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, it’s frightening. I’ve coped with things long-term and thought I was doing well but one small disappointment sent me over the edge. Vitality was far from me. Those who might have had the capacity to understand were either not around or were taken up with other things.

Jesus knows those moments. In the darkest hour of His life, His disciples succumbed to weariness and fell asleep after He told them He needed them. He found Himself alone, all night long, even though love was not too far away. Scripture doesn’t say if Jesus specifically asked for His Father to send angels to tend to Him. But regardless, God took care of His Son. He saw His condition. He heard His cries. God was proactive to provide just what Jesus needed to regain strength.

God was invested in the life of His Son. He is also invested in His other children. That same care is promised to each of us. Though people love us deeply, they have limits. They are taken up with things that need their attention. They have their own griefs and challenges.  No matter who it is, their ability to love and give us what we need is intermittent. Oh, but God’s love never fails. He’s never distracted and short on attention. He’s never depleted and short on power. Every moment of the day, He bends low to watch our lives and discern our needs.

Who is it that is unavailable to you today? Know that God is near and full of promises. Who is it that has already failed you? God stands in the gap to more than compensate. In your Garden of Gethsemane, despair is never the last word.

May this never be in my vocabulary. “There is no one to help me.” Amen

Can You Read The Times?

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Jesus also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A rainstorm is coming,’ and it does. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?  Luke 12:54-59

How is it possible for someone close to God to miss the obvious? This was Jesus’ message to the crowd. They were skillful at interpreting weather-related signs but inept at interpreting the times.

When Saul pursued David to kill him, the number of those who stood by David was small.  But a group of men called the ‘sons of Issachar’ perceived things correctly.  They saw Saul for who he was ~ a disobedient king under God’s judgment.  They saw David for who he was ~ God’s anointed man who should ascend the throne.  From all circumstantial evidence, it would appear that Saul was suffering the threat of a coup led by a renegade named David. However, these 200 men read the two men accurately.  

The children of Issachar, men who understood their times, knew what Israel ought to do.  I Chronicles 12:32

What kind of spiritual acumen do I possess?  The men of Issachar looked at Saul the way God looked at Saul.  His throne or his crown did not sway them.  They could see his behavior and leadership style and know he was out of God’s favor.  They looked for the anointing but couldn’t find it.  They also looked at David and saw past his poverty and rag-tag militia.  They perceived the spiritual markings of a kingly anointing.

Not everything is as it appears. Influential people are often a house of cards.  They can crumble after just one confrontation.  The meek are often perceived as weak but may rise to rule over us if God promotes them.  Jesus is coming soon, and understanding the times has never been more critical.

Oh, for divine eyesight.  Train me.  Amen

Your Past Is Not Your Future

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God chose you as the first fruits for salvation, through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth, to which he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. 2: 13-14

How about this quote?  “Your past is not God’s future for you.”   Many would argue that.  They say that so much of what they have suffered continues to visit them. They continue to get sick.  They continue to sustain disappointments.  They continue to get fooled by people.  They continue to face losses.  They continue to work with challenging financial parameters.  Life appears to be a cruel cycle.  

How am I to regard my life when painful things keep repeating themselves?  I must remember that things are often the same on the outside.  But on the inside?  I am constantly changing.  

Here’s an example.  When my mother died, I was thirty years old.  I did not have a solid connection to God.  I had no idea how to draw close to Him to weather the trauma of losing a mother.  I floundered, grew depressed and inconsolable, and my faith suffered for another decade.  

Much further down the road, my father died of cancer.  My relationship with God was more alive.  I was able to implement some spiritual skills to weather the long goodbye.

Everything was really tested, however, when our son ended his life.  But by then, scripture had driven my root system deeper into the person of Jesus.  I knew how to live in hope and trust God with unanswered questions.  Suicide was excruciating but it didn’t kill my faith.  

Three deaths.  Same external realities.  But each was met with a different internal world.

My past is not my future.  Nor is yours.  Our internal worlds can resemble eternity with Jesus.  Right now.  In Christ, God has enabled our souls to live in paradise.  

You walk with me and talk with me.  You tell me I am your own.  That changes today entirely no matter my affliction.  Amen

Why Are You a Good Girl?

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 Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in God.  Psalm 4:5

As a little girl, I remember hearing my parents say, “Now, we want you to be a good girl at our friend’s house!”  Sometimes, that meant that their reputation was on the line and I might embarrass them. I was often compliant because I feared the punishment.

From the beginning, we have acted religiously to distract ourselves from our own sin.  It didn’t work.  Down deep, we knew that we were flawed.  And down deep, we also feared that God was not fooled.  Underneath all that striving was the shame of our sinful nature.

Is it possible for an unbeliever to please God?  I think of all the selfless acts that arise in the worst of times.  People offer their lives to save another.  They give generously to charities.  They love their families and sacrifice for their well-being.  But the only acts that please God are the ones that are done with Him at the center of our motivation. He must be the point of my good deeds – not me.

So, if unbelievers can’t please God, does this mean that believers will automatically get it right?  No. So much of what we do can be selfishly motivated.

By God’s grace, our motives get cleaned up.  We mature just as we did in our earliest years.  I’m thinking about what happened as I got older and left grade school behind. My motivation for doing the right things began to change.  My love for my parents grew, and I wanted to honor them.

I want to love God like that. And I know it will be genuine when born out of intimacy and amazement.

Show me where my motives lie.  Amen