Rayni Risher

Hope of Wholeness

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I hear the church bells near my home begin to ring and hope sings out to my heart.

As we celebrate the first week of Advent, I’m reminded that Jesus is not just our hope for eternity, but He is also our hope moment by moment, day to day, no matter what we face. Hope for the mom who is sidelined by depression; hope for the man riddled with guilt and regret; hope for the orphaned child who has been abused. Hope for you and for me.

Jesus.

He is The Hope who was prophesied about for thousands of years…

“The people who walked in darkness 
have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—light! sunbursts of light! … For a child has been born—for us!
 The gift of a son—for us! He’ll take over the running of the world.
 His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father,
 Prince of Wholeness.
 His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.” Isaiah 9:7-12

He is The Hope who became flesh when His light was born into our darkness…

“The angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:10-12

He is The Hope who reigns over eternity…

“I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: ‘Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone.’ … The Enthroned continued, ‘Look! I’m making everything new.’” Revelation 21:3-5

Even in the midst of our darkest night. Even in the depth of our deepest fear. Even in the wail of our devastating heartache. Even in the shadow of our darkest sin. Jesus reaches out to each one of us and offers us the hope of wholeness. The hope of redemption. The hope of healing. The hope of new life.

Hope sings out. Can you hear it?

 

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Worship in the Wilderness

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We all love to hear testimonies of how God has healed someone or powerfully delivered them from a difficult circumstance.

But what about the people who are still in the midst of the wilderness? Those whose healing or deliverance hasn’t come yet?

How do we walk faithfully in the midst of “not yet”?

As I walk through my own ongoing health issues, I’m continually learning the importance of doing some key things that help to bring me hope in what often feels like the wilderness.

Remain in Christ
Jesus says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with Me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.” John 15:4-5

In this verse the Greek word for “remain” is “meno” and translates “to remain, abide, stay, wait.” To make your home in Christ.

For me, it is essential to do everything I can to simply remain. Depending on what you’re going through, some days just being intentional about remaining in Christ is a victory!

Trust
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Even when I don’t understand God’s timing, I have to make a decision to trust Him; to believe that He is in control, and He is good.

Encourage Yourself in the Lord
Like the psalmist, sometimes we just have to tell our soul, “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” Psalm 103

This one is essential. Some ways I encourage myself in Christ daily are reading the Bible, listening to sermons, turning on music and worshiping God, meeting with friends, prayer, remembering the prophetic words God has spoken over me, begin giving thanks to God for everything I can think of.

I find that I have to be intentional about doing these things. Sometimes it feels easier to throw a pity party but that doesn’t get you anywhere good. I can’t tell you how many times I have felt discouraged only to make myself be encouraged in Christ, and it instantly brings joy.

Remain in Community
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…” Hebrews 10:25

Koinonia is a Greek word that means “community, communion, joint participation, sharing and intimacy.” It’s essential for us to regularly have times of koinonia with God and with other believers.  Look for ways to connect even when you’re not feeling so great.

This week I want to encourage you, if you’re in the midst of the wilderness, to just keep walking! Remain in Christ, trust Him, encourage yourself in the Lord, and keep fellowshipping with other believers.

God is good and He can be trusted. He’ll deliver you in His timing…which always ends up being the right timing.

 

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Lessons From a Bird Nest, Part 3

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In recent weeks as I’ve walked out my back door I’ve noticed a growing pile of twigs and pine needles accumulating near the door. I puzzled at this until my husband mentioned that a bird had been trying to build a nest on the pipe above the door but hadn’t been successful.

Spring is, of course, the time of year when birds everywhere are readying their nests and welcoming new little tweeters into their families. A couple years ago I wrote two posts about lessons I learned from watching the birds build nests and take care of their babies. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Twig by Twig
This year, what I’m struck by is the patience of the birds as they are forced to build their nests twig by twig. They go one twig at a time because that’s all their tiny beaks can carry. And in the case of the birds who unsuccessfully attempted to build a nest on the pipe out back, there must be at least 100 twigs and pine needles lying on the ground.

Try, fail. Try again, fail. Try again.

At some point they figure it out and slowly but surely build their nests just in time for their intended purpose.

What Am I Building?
This process makes me think about my life and what little things I am intentional about doing daily in an effort to build those things I care about into something bigger.

Some of the things I’m doing little by little are writing my first eBook, learning more French, consistently writing new blogs and articles, making new networking contacts here and there.

There are days when I feel like all my twigs are dropping on the ground and other days I am encouraged and can see progress toward my goals.

The completion of long term goals usually doesn’t happen overnight. But as long as you keep on going, twig by twig, you are making progress toward the goal.

Just Keep Going
When I’m tempted to think of my work as insignificant, I am reminded of this verse:

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10

When you are moving forward in the direction God is leading you, nothing is wasted and every experience has meaning.

This morning I was encouraged by these three quotes I read…

“God cannot be unfaithful. He doesn’t call us to fruitless obedience. What you’re doing matters and not just now but to a future generation.” Beth Moore

“Destiny is the domain of the dreamer who refused to give up.” Kathryn Scott

“Faithfulness has great equity in God’s kingdom! Keep doing what God told you to do. He sees your faithfulness. He sees your patience. He sees you pressing into your calling, and He’s getting ready to open the right door, at the right time!” Paula Friedrichsen

So…
+What can you do today that will prepare you for the future promise God is leading you to?

+If you feel like more of your twigs are ending up on the floor than in creating the nest, choose to be encouraged and just keep going. One twig at a time and God will open the doors to fulfill the desires of your heart in His timing.

This week be encouraged that you will make it! Just like the birds who tried and failed and tried again. Patient. Persistent. Twig by Twig.

P.S. I’m looking forward to doing more teaching and speaking engagements this year! Take a peek at my brand new Speaking info page.

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The Look of Love

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As we lead up to Resurrection Sunday tomorrow, there is one line that I always love to read in the gospel of Luke. It happens right when the rooster crows and Peter realizes he has denied Jesus three times.

But first, the lead up…

Just before Jesus was arrested He told Peter (Simon):

“Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.” Luke 22:21-32

Jesus encourages Peter that He has prayed for him, and Peter will come through the time of testing. Peter wouldn’t have understood what this meant at the time but after he denied Jesus he must have thought back to this.

Jesus gave Peter a prophetic word of hope that he would need in his darkest hour.

Then Jesus is betrayed by Judas arrested and taken to the courtyard of the Chief Priest’s house. As Peter is trying to see what will happen to Jesus, several different people speak to Peter and he denies that he even knows Jesus.

Peter must be petrified with fear and confusion…and in the midst, three denials.

After the third denial…

“At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed. Just then, Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter went out and cried and cried and cried.” Luke 22:60-62

I love that line, “Just then, Jesus turned and looked at Peter.” I can only imagine how utterly heartbroken, shocked and devastated Peter was by his own actions. Jesus knew he would be.

Even in the midst of Jesus’ own ordeal, He was so concerned for Peter that He was paying attention to the rooster’s crow and He looked for Peter.

Some could interpret the look as a look of anger or as an “I told you so”, but with the full wisdom of scripture we know that God’s character is grace and mercy, not revenge. He never delights in revenge or destruction (Ezekiel 18: 30-32).

I believe that Jesus looked at Peter in that moment with such love and concern just as we might look at a loved one with empathy when we know their heart is breaking.

We know that after Jesus paid for our sins by death on the cross, He was raised to new life and interacted with His disciples many times. One of those sweetest interactions comes when Jesus finds Peter, cooks him breakfast on the sea shore, and reinstates him. (See John 21)

Jesus’ actions show the kindness, mercy and forgiveness of God; and the care and deep love Jesus has for his friends.

“It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, He’ll do the same thing in you that He did in Jesus, bringing you alive to Himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and He does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With His Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!” Romans 8:11

This Easter, no matter how much you think you’ve blown it, I pray that you experience the resurrection, restoration and grace-filled power that only comes through Jesus. He forgives you and He’s waiting to cook you breakfast.

Happy Resurrection Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If You Want to Walk on Water…

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There is a great quote that says, “If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.”

It’s referring to Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus was walking on water and invited Peter to do the same thing:

“Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus said, “Come ahead.”

Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!”

Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand.”

I love that Peter was bold enough to ask God for an invitation to join Him in such a supernatural experience. And that Jesus replied, “Come ahead.”

I recently received an amazing opportunity to attend a conference in another country. I felt so strongly prompted to attend, and I couldn’t get past that feeling. But in my natural thinking I thought it was rather crazy to even consider that God would be leading me to go, and rather last minute, too.

And yet I couldn’t shake it.

So my husband and I started praying. And praying…and praying. We asked some close friends to pray with us about it.

Over the days that I was praying, I realized that I had been asking God for blatant, out of the blue confirmations that were so big and obvious I couldn’t miss that it was God. But what I got instead was a steady stream of smaller confirmations. Not fireworks, but simply “Come ahead.”

God speaks to us in different ways at different times. Sometimes it is in a dramatic way like Paul’s conversion, and sometimes it’s in a whisper like how He spoke to Elijah in the desert.

The important part is to be open to listen for how God is speaking to us in each moment. It may not be in the way we are expecting.

If you are expecting a shout you might miss a whisper.

So, once it seemed pretty darn clear that God was saying to me, “Come ahead”, I realized I didn’t know if I actually wanted to get out of the boat. I mean, the boat can feel safe and comfortable, can’t it? It has a nice view and sitting there doesn’t require any effort on my part; no risk or exercising of my faith.

When I really thought about it, I realized I was hesitating for two reasons:

1. Fear of stepping out. What if I sink?

2. Not feeling sure that I wanted to make the effort because it wouldn’t be easy.

I decided that those weren’t good enough reasons to stay in the boat.

God could have easily closed one or all doors to this opportunity but He didn’t. And He seemed to be saying, “Come ahead.” So, I made the decision not just to step out in faith but to leap out and move forward. Since then I have received many prophetic words of confirmation and blessings from others regarding this opportunity.

In other words, I’ve stepped out of the boat and I’m walking.

My question for all of us today is…What is keeping you in the boat when Jesus is actually calling you to walk on water?

Could your hesitation be from fear? Lies? Doubt that Jesus is really saying to you, “come ahead”?

With great risk comes great reward. I’m not talking about taking absurdly unwise risks, of course. But if we want to experience all that God has for us on this earth, there is going to be risk involved. Period. There are going to be steps of faith—sometimes even huge, flying leaps of faith—required of us.

I’ve decided I’m up for the risk because I want to be a part of something greater than myself.

What about you?

 

 

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