Posted on by Delbert Tritsch

The Darkest Part of the Night

“Thus, as it is always darkest just before the Day dawneth, so God useth to visite his servants with greatest afflictions, when he intendeth their speedy advancement.”1 These words penned by the English preacher, Thomas Fuller, have stayed the destabilized and encouraged the discouraged. They have imparted a new paradigm to hopeless souls as those individuals were awakened to an unrealized simplicity they immediately understood and embraced.

Perhaps, your thinking was transformed when you first heard the night is darkest just before the dawn. You were reassured that a better day was about to break forth on your dark night and dispel your woes. You were enlivened enough to continue your struggle a little longer. When that period of darkness ended (assuming it has), the duration from your mental revolution to the realization of your dawn became inconsequential. With the night behind you, it felt shorter than when it had enveloped you.

Disappointingly, the doctrine of darkest night-ends is somewhat tomfoolery. Dismissing moonlight and artificial light, the darkest part of the night is not just before dawn; it is the middle of night. Sunset occurs when the sun finally dips below the horizon, and sunrise when it crests. Twilight is from sunset to dusk and dawn to sunrise. It is the time when sunlight is present in the sky even though the sun is below the horizon. Civil twilight occurs when the sun is from just below the horizon to six degrees below it. Nautical twilight is longer for when the sun is up to twelve degrees below the horizon. Astronomical twilight is when the sun is as much as eighteen degrees below the horizon. The farther the sun is from the horizon, the less sunlight reaches the sky. Therefore, the darkest part of the night is when the sun is at its farthest point from the horizon at the middle of the night.

The message that an end to trouble is just ahead intoxicates many beleaguered minds. Well-meaning counselors and ministers preach this promising sermon to eager audiences. Charlatans also preach this message endearing followers to themselves to gain influence and wealth. But we are simply not promised an end to suffering in this life. Granted, life’s ebbs and flows offer seasons of rest for most of us. But some struggles for some people remain till death.

Perhaps, that time just before twilight seems darkest because the entire night has been endured. But the part of the night that must feel the darkest to many is that lengthy part after they were told the dawn is a moment away when, in fact, half of the night yet remained. To be handed a hope that sifts between one’s fingers like sand as the night crawls forward must shroud the mind with a darkness greater than to face the night alone.

Some are at the darkest part of their night, and it’s at the point furthest from dusk and dawn. The light they desire to see is not about to shine in a moment. Much of their long and dark night remains to be endured. A false hope that their suffering will end momentarily when, in fact, it will not end for some time only makes their night harder. They don’t need to be told it’s about to get better. They need to be shown a better Light—One that does not shine based on circumstance. While we’re in the world, we can succumb to the suffering of the night forgetting that we are the light of the world. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Joh. 8:12). When you have Jesus, you have the Light; and you will not walk in darkness even in the longest, darkest night. And because you have Jesus, He said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Ma. 5:14). When you understand that Jesus will be with you through your night, your circumstantial darkness cannot overwhelm you because your night is lighted by Him.

But so many don’t know the Light, and they don’t have the Light within them. And their night is long and dark. And I may do them more harm than good by telling them the night is almost over when they’ve just reached the middle of their suffering. The truth is that this night will pass eventually, but another night will come. And the answer is not to wait for the day, but the answer is to learn how to thrive in the night. They need the Light, and the best thing you or I can do for them is to join them in their darkness and shine the Light there.

Perhaps, saying a prayer for them and believing for their miracle isn’t all we should do. We can go by giving for many people and places, but everyone of us must give by going somewhere and to someone. There are people in the darkest part of their night who don’t need your words or money; they need your presence. They don’t need you to tell them things are going to get easier. They need you to be the Light in their night.

  1. A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine and the Confines Thereof, with the History of the Old and New Testament acted thereon. 1650. https://exhibits.stanford.edu/renaissance-exploration/catalog/fg622vf3455. p 229. ↩︎
Posted on by Jennifer Tritsch

The Power of Empty

Have you ever heard the statement, “You can’t pour from an empty cup”? I beg to differ. Yes, you can. In fact, you not only can; but you should.

First, let’s examine the statement. Where did it come from? What does it mean? There is a movement these days, particularly among women, that has been cloaked in something that appears to be truth. It sounds good and seems to make sense, so it must be right. Right? The idea is that, when you give so much of yourself to others, you pour yourself out until there is simply nothing left to give. Therefore to give more, you must first refill yourself. You give back to yourself with self-care and me time doing something for yourself so you can continue to give of yourself. 

This message sounds so good, especially to the over-worked, sleep-deprived, worn-out, stressed-out, neglected woman who has been so busy with life she’s forgotten who she is. She daily looks in the mirror and cringes. All that’s left of who she used to be a decade or more ago is a distant memory. Her body has changed over the years and will likely never be the same. She is mentally exhausted and stressed over endless things. She feels isolated, forgotten, and unimportant. Her spirit is parched. Even in a crowd, she feels very much alone. She tries, but her heart is empty. And then, she hears, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” It soothes her mind. It gives her a sense of honor in all that she does, even without appreciation from anyone else. And it whispers an idea in her ear that she needs to stop caring about all the responsibilities around her and focus on herself for once. She deserves, and desperately needs a break. Besides, she can’t keep giving if there’s nothing left to give. What about her neglected needs?

The enemy has twisted the idea of self-care. In and of itself, self-care is not wrong; in fact, it’s needed. We have been instructed through Scripture to care for the temple of God, which is our bodies. It is important to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep each night. It is good to laugh, savor life, and enjoy wholesome hobbies and interests. Some need alone time, and others need the comfort of their friends. Each individual has different needs and desires. But we’re on dangerous ground when we start to feel sorry for ourselves and to withdraw because of life’s injuries or when we focus on our social isolation and material deficiencies. There’s nothing wrong with reprioritizing and making time for yourself, but we must be aware of this world’s foolish wisdom. Before questioning life’s unfairness and people’s ungratefulness, question your emptiness.

We were created empty. Adam’s lungs were void and uninflated, until the breath of God Himself filled them. Then, they began to work. The empty chambers of his heart were filled with blood that was transported by a network of arteries and veins that nourished his body with the oxygenated life source. Only when he was filled with the life-giving breath of God did he become a living soul. Even though our bodies seem to function on their own, it is the breath of God that keeps us going. We were made empty to be filled by Him. It was a physical manifestation of something very spiritual. Perhaps, our emptiness has less to do with all we’ve given of ourselves and more to do with our need for more of Him.

There is something powerful about emptiness. Only when a vessel is truly empty can it be filled. It must first be poured out. Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Mat. 5:6). I pray that God empties me of myself to fill me with Him. This prayer must be daily because my human nature continually wants me full of myself. I must pour myself out in a daily sacrifice of consecration and commitment. I don’t need more of me; I need more of Him!

Like an Old Testament drink offering, we must pour out ourselves as a sacrifice to God. We offer ourselves to God empty of selfish desires and lusts and arrogance so that we may be filled with His righteousness. Only then can we truly be fulfilled.

Pouring out our selfish wants and neglected needs requires pouring out our frustrations, temptations, insecurities, disappointments, regrets, and sorrows. Hannah was barren and was “in bitterness of soul” and “wept sore” over her childlessness (1 Sam. 1:10). She vowed to God that, if He would bless her with a son, she would return him to God “all the days of his life” (1 Sam. 1:11). As she was praying this prayer at the temple, the priest Eli saw her and thought she was drunk because she was praying so intently in her heart, only moving her mouth silently (1 Sam. 1:12-13). When he scolded her, she said, “I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:14-15). She had carried the weight of her disappointment and sorrow for many years, but had finally decided to pour them out to God. In return, God granted her request and gave her the son she so desired. She then kept her promise; and when he was weaned, she brought the child Samuel to the priest to serve in the temple. The fruit of her emptiness would later become the prophet who anointed David King of Israel.

Your empty feelings may, in fact, be quite the opposite of what you originally thought. Instead, you may be full—full of hurt, anger, bitterness, disappointment, or sorrow. Is there so much on your mind when you lay your head on your pillow at night that is spills onto your cheeks? Do you live in silent pain telling no one? Pour it out. Let go of your wants. Release your neglected needs. Surrender the sorrow. Empty yourself of you so that you can be filled with the Breath of Life and experience the joy of true fulfillment.

Posted on by Jennifer Tritsch

Perspective

Thank God for 2020.

There, I said it.  Don’t shoot.

It was the year that started with such promise and potential.  We were all in our perfect little bubbles of routines, surrounded in our orbs of self, and wrapped in our blankets of security; and then sometime after Valentine’s Day, reality came along and popped our bubble.  And no, I’m not trying to make light of a global pandemic that killed millions of people, devastating wildfires, swarms of locusts and murder hornets, riots, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes.  I realize this past year has been seemingly nothing short of the eleventh plague.

But I thank God for this year.

Yes, I am painfully aware that practically every major (and minor) event was cancelled this past year — weddings, birthdays, funerals, vacations, holiday parties, and church services with all of the events surrounding them — all cancelled. Every one of us have at least one or more story of something important that we missed.  I saw the graduating class of 2020 get cheated out of their ceremonies, proms, and parties.  I watched the Homegoing service of my own Pastor’s wife online.  There were two weddings I didn’t get to attend.  For the first time in my life, I missed Easter Sunday services as I huddled in my underground storm shelter with my family waiting out the tornadic activity all around us.  And not only was 2020 simply inconvenient. Millions became unemployed nearly overnight. Businesses — both small and large — went under. Industries were wiped out, and some will never recover.  Much of our nation — even our world — was brought to its knees.

And I thank God for this year.

Personally speaking, not much changed for me on a day to day basis during our isolation time.  I am already a stay-at-home mother of four, three of which I homeschool and one of which I chase around the house during his entire waking hours trying my best to prevent a catastrophe.  My daily life is centered around keeping everyone clothed, fed, educated, and somewhat happy.  About the only thing that changed for me during all the mandated quarantine was not being able to get everything I was used to getting at the stores for my family and having to make do.  (But hey, I learned how to make bread!)  But my heart went out to all of the families suddenly thrust into the life of homeschool without preamble and with no resources, not to mention the children who relied heavily on their schools for regular meals.

I ached and prayed for my many friends and family who were suddenly without jobs.  We went through an initial financial scare ourselves, but God came through in a major way at just the right time.  Many of our loved ones fell sick, but they recovered. Thank you, Jesus!  We prayed and fasted more together as a family than we ever have.  We spent more quality family time together this year than we ever have.  But perhaps, the greatest blessing of all this year for me was when the Lord raised my mother from her deathbed.  It wasn’t even COVID-19 that got her there. It was a failing liver.  I got to spend over a month with her while she lived with us as I tried to nurse her back to health.  Not only did God completely heal her physically; but He also repaired her broken heart as she was married to a wonderful, God-fearing man this past December.

I’ve watched my girls grow even closer to each other than they already were.  While the rest of the world was on pause, my family strengthened.  Yes, we were inconvenienced.  There was frustration, and even some tears were shed.  Not every day was picture perfect.  In fact, most of them were monotonous and boring at best and downright depressing at worst.  But as I look back over this incredibly challenging year, I see the hand of God.  He stepped in and took over our lives.  He was and still is moving us like chess pieces on a board, all for our good, even when we don’t understand it.

I thank Him for it.

Through the years I have tried to challenge myself to find the good in every situation.  I’m not always successful at it, but I do try to make it a personal habit.  I was dedicated to the Lord as a newborn infant, as was my husband and all four of my children.  So, of course, I want nothing but His will for our lives.  That means letting God be God even during the trials.  That means trusting Him in every situation and leaning not to my own understanding.  That means living a consecrated life of devotion to Him even when I don’t like living that life.

As my mother lay in critical condition in an ICU bed and I was unable to be there with her, I had to pray a prayer of release.  It was a very difficult prayer to pray, especially after losing my father two years ago.  As an only child, I was so scared of being left alone without her.  But I had to let God be God.  And if it was His will to take her, then I had to trust it was the right time.  It was by far one of the most difficult prayers I have ever prayed up until that point in my life, but I did it.  I asked Him to heal her if it was His will, but if it wasn’t His will, to take her with as little pain as possible, much the same way He took Daddy.  Then, little by little, day by day, I watched her slowly regain her strength one terrifying, wobbly step at a time.  I watched her lab value levels slowly decline from lethal to dangerous to borderline to normal.  I watched her skin color slowly change from dark orange to pale orange to yellow to pink.  Her speech went from garbled to slurred to weak to clear and coherent.  I listened to her doctor tell me that she could die at any minute. Then he said that maybe she could get a little better. Later, her recovery was a good possibility. And finally, he said that she was miraculously healed.  And then, the most amazing thing of all happened! Her tears turned to laughter, her profound sadness to utter joy, and her panic to peace as I watched her say her wedding vows to one of the kindest, gentlest men I have ever met.

My God did that.

I know you’ve heard it said many times that hindsight is 20/20; and you’ve probably heard it said by now that, as soon as the clock struck midnight on the first day of January, 2020 was finally hindsight.  But as cliché as it may sound, I want to truly have 2020 vision.  I want to look back over this year and see the order even through all the chaos.  None of this year took God by surprise.  It was all part of His divine plan from pandemics to politics and my house to the White House.  God allowed it to happen.  Dare I say it?  He made it happen.  (Daniel 2:20-22)

I cannot and will not curse this year.  I refuse to join so many others who are talking about throwing it out like yesterday’s trash.  God was too good to me.  I can’t and won’t complain.  This year was a gift, and I will gratefully receive it.  I choose to see it with my 2020 vision.  It is with a thankful heart that I look back, and with great anticipation that I look forward to the balance of 2021.  I have no idea what it holds; but I’m ready for it, whatever it may be.  It’s all about perspective, and I’ve tried my best to adjust mine.  This year has made me step back to take notice of all I have, rather than what I lack.

God help us all to see with 2020 vision.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

attr. St. Dallan Forgaill, trans. Eleanor Hull
Posted on by Jennifer Tritsch

From My Heart to Yours

It’s been about a year and a half since I’ve shared any of my thoughts with the world-wide web.  Much has happened to me on a personal level, and to be quite honest, I’ve just not had the energy or desire.  From unexpectedly losing my dad on June 27, 2018, to giving birth to a wonderful surprise gift last March, my life has been quite full with many ups and downs along the way.  I have not stopped writing, however.  I have kept up with two personal journals, as well as started writing a book on grief.  I strongly feel it is of the utmost importance to try to harness one’s emotions during tumultuous times, and writing them down is one of the most effective ways I’ve found.  Is it necessary to share those secret thoughts with the world?  No.  In fact, I think it best to more diligently control what becomes public knowledge during such vulnerable times—thus, my sabbatical.  But I have something on my heart that I want to share with you, and the present, global situation we all find ourselves in seems an appropriate time.

Let me begin by sharing my deepest, heart-felt appreciation for those of you who have stood in the gap for my family and me through prayer during the past 21 months.  I know that it has been through the prayers of God’s people that my mother and I have been able to bear the loss of Daddy.  I can’t begin to recount how many reached out to us, through every imaginable way, and offered words of love and encouragement.  (If you were unable to attend the service, but had so desired, Victory Church has uploaded the funeral service on their YouTube channel.  You can view it here .)  It doesn’t feel like we should be approaching the two year anniversary of our loss.  The time has gone by in an absolute blur.  But in looking back, there has been a constant that has remained with me to this very day; and that is what I want to share with you, now:  Peace.

We read in John 14:27 some of the most beautiful words written in red. Jesus Himself spoke them:  

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

Jesus was about to be crucified.  His closest and dearest friends, His disciples, were unaware of His impending passion.  Jesus was doing all He could to prepare their hearts for the turmoil ahead.  They didn’t understand what was about to happen, but they were listening to His words and asking questions.  One of the very last things Jesus did before Calvary was give something of Himself to those closest to His heart: His very own peace.

I have researched John 14:27 in over 20 different versions of the Bible, as well as several concordances and Bible dictionaries; and they all agree.  The peace that Jesus was referring to in this verse was that of personal possession and, as such, a peace that only He could give.  The thought alone that Jesus would chose to leave something of a personal nature with His disciples at that crucial time is beautiful and makes me smile.  But what he chose to leave with them takes my breath with complete awe and wonder.  

Let us remind ourselves this Jesus is 100% man as well as 100% God.  I do not agree with the 50/50 theory, nor do I subscribe to the ideology of Jesus’ being only the Son of God.  The oneness of the Godhead is a different discussion for a different day.  For the sake of this post, I will simply state that my belief is that Jesus was all man, all God, and has all power and authority, alone. 

That being said, the man Jesus was about to endure physical pain that we can only try to comprehend.  Crucifixion was the cruelest form of torture in that day.  His flesh was about to be literally torn into pieces.  Muscles would soon be ripped apart.  Tendons, ligaments, and joints awaited their separation and dislocation. His wrists and feet were about to be pierced by nails anywhere from five to nine inches long, purposefully missing the main blood vessels yet penetrating nerves that would shoot searing pain through the entire body with the slightest movement.  Lungs would fill with fluid. Exhausted muscles would weaken and fail. Asphyxiation would usually be the end result as the body could no longer perform the necessary movements needed to breathe.  However, medical science coupled with biblical accounts lead us to believe our Lord died of a massive heart attack before his lungs failed. 

He was about to endure all of this, and He gave away His peace.

Could this be the reason the Bible tells us His sweat fell as great drops of blood the night before in the Garden of Gethsemane?  Physically, in order for blood to appear in the sweat of a human body, there has to be tremendous stress and strain on the body causing the capillaries in and around the sweat glands to burst, thus mixing blood with the sweat.  The man Jesus had given away the very peace He possessed as He was about to not only endure unimaginable physical pain but, greater still, take on the sins of all the world, for all of time.  

No wonder this peace is referred to in the book of Philippians as one that “passeth all understanding”  (Phil. 4:7).  We cannot fully understand the Holy, Divine kind of peace.  Man’s peace usually comes with the satisfaction of his physical and emotional needs , realization of his goals , provision of his safety, or pacification of his conscience.  A holy peace is an incomprehensible rest in the love of God, a calm in the midst of the storms of life, and a blessed assurance that comes in knowing that He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

This peace is the very peace that Jesus Christ Himself enjoys.  It’s His, and He has given it to you.  This is why you can’t rationalize it, put it in a box, or explain it.  It’s a beautiful, holy peace.  After He had given it to His disciples, He said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Joh. 14:27).  The world can’t give you this kind of peace.  We can be peaceful one moment, and terrified the next.  The peace of God obliterates fear.  The world’s peace can be unsatisfying, unsettling, and transient.  The peace of God fills the soul and reaches every part that can’t be touched by man.  It’s a God-shaped, perfect fit that no other puzzle piece can fill.   

I can only attempt to describe how it felt the moment His peace engulfed my broken heart following my dad’s sudden death.  Sorrow would be crashing down on me, coming in wave after wave of intense pain.  I would brace myself as the sobs took over; but just as quickly as they came, they would begin to dissipate.  I felt, as it were, a warm blanket come over me, surrounding me.  It was as if I could almost audibly hear the words, “Okay, that’s enough for now”; and the crying would cease.  I knew then that that was the peace of God—a peace I had never really felt up until that point.  That peace stayed with me, and is still with me as I type these words.  I felt it at the funeral, when we buried him, and all the countless times since then I wanted to pick up the phone and call Daddy.

That’s the peace I want to leave with you, today.  In the middle of this world-wide pandemic of a deadly virus that no one truly understands, in this time of financial worry when millions are without jobs, in this time when we can’t corporately gather in our churches with each other in fellowship and worship, I want to remind you that we have a God-given peace.  We may not understand why all of this is happening, but one thing we can be sure of is that nothing takes God by surprise.  He’s got this.  He’s still speaking to the storms today, “Peace, be still”.  If we have that same peace, then we can do the same thing.  Speak to your storm.  Let the peace of God that passes all understanding rule and reign in your home, today. 

Peace be with you all, in the precious name of Jesus.

Posted on by Jennifer Tritsch

The Rock at Rock Bottom

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

Psalms 130:1

Rock bottom.  Ever been there?  What a dark, desolate place it can be.  There is no light of hope.  There is no fresh wind of change.  There is no music of the promise of tomorrow.  There is only the darkness and you.  There is only the stagnant scent of your own failure.  The only sound you hear is silence as you find yourself in total isolation.  Oh! What a deafening noise that can be.

What exactly is rock bottom, or where is it located?  Rock bottom is a state of being.  It is the lowest possible level of life from which you may sink no further like an impenetrable bedrock.  There is nothing below it.

You experience the murky depths of rock bottom in every imaginable way: emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, and even physically.  Rock bottom hurts.  The descent through the pit that leads to rock bottom ends with the agonizing thud of finality.  This is where you are broken.  Without even the equilibrium necessary to sit aright, you sense every ounce of your spirit to stand weep from your wounds.  You bleed.  You sob until your final tear is spent.  Then, you lie there and wait.  You wait for what’s next—something, nothing, anything, rock bottom.

Even though rock bottom is the hardest and loneliest place, your most treasured blessing is hidden there: the opportunity to start over and to rebuild.  Rock bottom holds hope, preserves promise, and cradles change.  There are blessings that only rock bottom can give, and I’d like to share four of them with you today.

Revelation

Hitting rock bottom can be a time of great awakening—a time to realize exactly where you are, how you got there, and ultimately, why.  I fully realize some land here due to extenuating circumstances, but I have found that the majority who fall in this fissure do so because of selfishness.  The insulated bubble where you mindlessly floated popped, and it popped rather abruptly.  There’s nothing quite like being slapped in the face by reality to wake one out of one’s dreamworld.  Receive it.  It’s a gift.

Wake up to realize you’re no longer in your self-absorbed orb.  It’s not all about what you want, what you think you deserve, or what you’ve lost.  You may have even hurt someone else on your way down to rock bottom.  If that has happened, take this time to think of them for a change.

Reflection

There’s nowhere else to look but up, and what a vantage point it is!  From the perspective of being flat on your back you can see not only how far you’ve come but also the path that led you there.  Look for the steps that led to your falling and destruction.  Learn from them.  Mark them.  Avoid them at all costs so that you may never again repeat them.

Readjustment

Now is the time to change positions in your attitude, your outlook, and your entire way of thinking.  Possibly the most valueable and important part of a true restart—a rock bottom readjustment can reset your moral compass and establish the steps of your much brighter future.  To falter now could ensure you remain ensared in despair.  To make your footing sure, you must realize that the Rock at rock bottom is Jesus Christ!

You cannot escape His presence.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Psalms 139:7-12

Cry out to Him.

…Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 61:1-2

He is a steady, sure, solid, and unchanging Rock; and that Rock is Christ!

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Isaiah 28:16

Jesus Christ is your stability.  He is the firm foundation upon which to carry out the final blessing of rock bottom.

Rebuild

Your life will continue to fall apart without a sure foundation.  A faulty foundation is the very reason everything has crumbled around you time and again.  It’s the reason nothing stays together in your life.  It’s the cause of the cracked walls in your life.  It’s why doors fail to open and close properly.  You must have a steady, firm foundation.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 7:24-27

Notice in Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builders that He did not say the rains ceased for either one.  Rebuilding your life does not promise easy times, but it does ensure a way to withstand the storms.  Rebuilding with your own tools will only end in failure.  There is only One Who can rebuild your broken life, and only His tools will ensure your success. Joseph Hardin (CuppaJoe) wrote in his article, To Rebuild a Temple, “Just because you’ve arrived at this point in your life does not denote that this is the end. There’s far more to your story than this current chapter.”

You must recognize your need for a Savior.  You cannot save yourself.  No one can save you but Jesus Christ.  He’s the only sinless One who died for you, therefore He is the only One who can save you.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

You must repent.  Repentance is a transformative change of heart.  It is a change in direction.  You must change your direction, otherwise you’ll keep falling into the same pit where you now find yourself.  You must die to sin.  You must deny your own self—your own desires and ways.  True repentance surpassess sorrow to become the first step in your spiritual rebirth.

You must bury the dead man through water baptism, taking on the name of Jesus and becoming a brand new creature (see Acts 2:38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

You must receive the Spirit of the Lord through the infilling of the Holy Ghost (see John 3:1-5; Luke 11:11-13; Acts 2:1-4; 12-18).

Connect with a Spirit-filled, Bible-believing, Truth-teaching church; and surround yourself with Godly influences.  Practice daily prayer, Bible reading, and devotion time.  Think on good things (Philippians 4:8).  And you will discover He has delivered you from the pit.  And He will steady your feet and guide your steps.

…I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalms 40:1-3

If you know the Rock at rock bottom, you know a love and security unlike any other.  You have been to the pit and felt that peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  You have an experience—a testimony.  Only a broken soul can offer wholeness to others, and only one who has reached the bottom knows the entire way to the top.  Help someone else find the Rock at their rock bottom.

God gave this message to Jennifer who then collaborated with Delbert to write this article.  She wrote the lion’s share of it.

Posted on by Delbert Tritsch

Don’t Miss What God Is Doing

Something Is Always Wrong.

Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Proverbs 27:20

Most things are never quite right.  Even in a good situation, it could always be better.  Even the healthy aren’t perfect.  More money seems to create more expenses.  Some of the skinniest people will complain about being overweight.  You were displeased with your looks years ago; but old photos today make you long for those days.  Children will complain because they are forced to go to school, and adults just wish they could go back to the time when school was their worst problem.  We think we can’t live without some expensive toy; but when we finally get it, it loses its luster.  Something is always wrong.

We are all currently facing trouble of some kind; but in spite of adversity, we must walk after the Spirit.  When we fail to do so, we will see only the mountain in our way.  When our vision is carnal, our mind will be most open to the machinations and devices of the devil and his minions.  Focusing on hindrances can strip you of the verve necessary to move forward and be the overcomer God designed you to be.

No doubt, you’ve heard the cliché that the grass is always greener on the other side until you get to the other side.  I believe this saying rings true because we so often lose sight of the blessing in our current circumstance and the struggle others face.  And many of us would turn the green grass on the other side brown with the poison of our attitude.  The problem is not the grass, and your problem is not your situation.  It’s you.

Don’t Lose Your Vision.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 29:18

Many may bloviate about vision while understanding very little of what Biblical vision really is.  Yes, it is good to have a plan.  Programs can excite progress.  When a leader casts a vision of what he intends to accomplish and where he will take his followers with the Lord’s help, the people are inspired to rally to the call.  But Biblical vision is not a budget, calendar, or building program.  Vision is not a sermon, nor is it something that one can simply transfer to another through an inspiring word.

The vision of Proverbs 29:18 is “a sight…a dream, revelation, or oracle” (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries; H2377).  Biblical vision is spiritual sight.  It is understanding given by God.  Precisely, Biblical vision is a word from God.  It does not require that one know everything the future holds.  Though it may be good business to have short-term and long-term goals, a solid business model is not evidence of vision.  Many people have what the world would call vision; but they are, in truth, spiritually blind and following their own way (Isaiah 53:6).  The carnal mind which is the enemy of God will kill your vision because it is not, nor can it be, subject to God (Romans 8:7).  But the spiritual mind—that mind that is sharpened by the Word of God, prayer, and fasting—will receive vision.  And your vision comes only from God Who speaks to us today through His written Word and His Holy Spirit.

When you only see the trouble in your life, you are at risk of becoming carnally minded.  Don’t allow the obstacles in your life to overwhelm your mind and thereby block your vision.  Open your spiritual eyes; otherwise, you may miss what God is doing.

Don’t Miss What God Is Doing.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:8-11

We are running a race.  It is not a sprint or even a marathon, but it is more like a cross-country race.  We are not competitors against one another in this race.  As it is an endurance race, one’s speed today is of very little importance.  The ground we covered yesterday was good, and we thank God for it because we’re stronger and wiser.  The road ahead is exciting, and we eagerly press forward as we anticipate crossing the finish line.  But the most critical part of this race is happening right now.  Your progress in this spiritual race has less to do with what happened yesterday and what’s coming tomorrow and more to do with what is right now.  Keep running because only the ones who endure will make it (Matthew 10:22).

It is easy for us to think that the struggles we face today are not God’s will.  With more reason than most of us have ever had to believe one’s woes are not His plan, Joseph recognized that God was in control of his life from beginning to ending.  He told his brothers that what they had meant for evil, unbeknownst to them, God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).  We err when we think that it is God’s will that our lives be full of ease and without trouble.  We may not understand why certain things are happening in our lives, but may God help us to remember that He is working through it.

As you pray for an answer to your problem and as you pray for a way out of your situation, don’t forget to pray for understanding.  Though your circumstance seems evil, God may be working through it to accomplish good.  Though people rise against you in what appears to be an evil spirit, God may be working through them to accomplish good.  If we spend all of our time seeking escape from our trouble, we may miss what God is doing through it.

All that matters is God’s will.  You are not merely in a holding pattern designed to paralyze you until God pulls you out.  God is moving, now.  As you pray for God to move tomorrow, don’t miss His moving today.

This article by Delbert Tritsch was originally published in the October 2013 issue of the Apostolic Witness.