Faith

Her Legacy

February 26, 2018 by Aliene

God called Nancy Alcorn to step out in faith and start a home for young women who were hurting. As a result, countless women have come to stay at Mercy Multiplied.

Nancy’s Work Is a Memorial

Some who come do not know Jesus; others have been in church all their lives. All the young women are immersed in unconditional love, bathed in the Word of God, and taught who they are in Christ.

Unwed mothers with no place to turn find peace and provision at the doors of Mercy.
Girls captured in the prison of alcoholism and drugs find freedom from their addictions.
Young ladies arrive at Mercy’s doors suffering from eating disorders, depression, or self-harm; they leave healed by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a difference in this world.

I first heard about Mercy Multiplied years ago when founder Nancy Alcorn was featured on television. Testimonies from two young women delivered from depression, drug addiction, and eating disorders touched my heart.

Since that day, my husband and I have supported Mercy. At the time, I had no idea how God would use Mercy to change me. I loved the ministry so much that one summer I visited a Mercy home in Nashville. A resident in the program began to share how Mercy had changed her life.

She said to me. “Aliene, you don’t understand. I have been to six different hospitals, and no one could fix me but this place.” I realized in that moment I was looking at a miracle. I knew beyond any doubt that all of God’s promises are true. The same God who made a covenant with that young lady made a covenant with me. Christ is still the Healer. The power of sin has been broken. There is no addiction, no lifestyle, and no destructive emotion he cannot help us overcome.

Nancy’s life work is a memorial to the power of the cross and the promises of the new covenant. I have never met a woman who followed God so intently. No matter how impossible things looked, Nancy took the Mountain Mover at his Word. Nancy Alcorn too is a brave heart.

The Purpose of Memorials

In biblical times, after covenants were established, memorials were made to remind future generations of the covenant.

After the Israelites crossed over the Jordan, God instructed Joshua to make a memorial out of stones. Joshua appointed twelve men, one from each tribe, to retrieve a stone from the middle of the Jordan where the priests held the Ark of the covenant. Each man took up a stone and carried it on his shoulder to Gilgal, where Joshua set up the stones. The memorial was built to remind the Israelites of God’s mighty power and so that they might always follow him (Joshua 4:24).

We Are Called to Set up Memorials

Romans 12:1–8 tells us that in view of God’s mercy, we should offer our lives as a living sacrifice by using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given us.

We are blessed so that we can bring blessings to others.

God loves you unconditionally so you can love others unconditionally.
God gives to you so you can give to others.
God fills you with the Holy Spirit so you can bring others a drink of living water.
Christ has reconciled you to God, and now you have a ministry of reconciliation.
God comforts you so you can comfort others.
God has forgiven you so you can give grace and mercy to others.
God has lifted you out of your pit so you can lift others out of their pits.

God has called us to set up memorials to serve as a sign that Christ is still the answer for future generations. There is a hurting world out there that is looking for unconditional love and help that can be found only in Jesus.

What do you want to change?

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, you have the influence to leave a legacy.

Will you lay down your life to make a memorial to the Lord Jesus Christ? What stone has the Lord asked you to pick up in service for his glory? Where has he asked you to build a memorial?

Go for it, brave heart, and leave a legacy to amazing grace! When we let our lights shine, we build memorials to point others to Christ. That is the new covenant ministry.

Nourish Scripture: Joshua 4

Surrender

February 19, 2018 by Aliene

You are never alone. You are not powerless in your current situation. You are not the Lone Ranger trying with all your might to follow Christ.

Brave heart, there is not enough determination and willpower inside of you to overcome your sin and fulfill your calling without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Direction to the Israelites

God told the Israelites that he was going to take them to places they had never seen before when they crossed into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:4).

What new roads is the God asking you to travel?

Whom is God asking you to love that you cannot love on your own?

What sin pattern do you feel is impossible to break?

More love (Romans 5:5), more power (Ephesians 1:18–20), and more freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17) is available through surrender.

The Israelites passed through God-parted waters twice. They crossed the Red Sea and left a life of slavery. They crossed the Jordan, left the wilderness, and entered into the Promised Land. Salvation is just the first step.

When we surrender moment by moment, we open the door for Jesus to fill us with the Holy Spirit and step into the living waters of God’s love and power as we live set apart for his glory.

The Importance of Consecreation

Before the Israelites crossed the Jordan, Joshua told them to consecrate themselves because God was going to do amazing things among them.

Consecration means “to be set apart for the Lord.” God gives us the Holy Spirit to make us holy, to empower us for service, and to help us point others to Christ. Our new covenant position promises the power and presence of God’s Spirit to equip us for service and to transform us to be more like Christ (Ezekiel 36:26).

God also commanded the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant ahead of the Israelites. The Ark represents God’s presence (2 Samuel 6:2). Acts 7:44–51 describes the progression of the Ark of the Covenant from the old to the new covenant.

In the Garden of Eden, God began dwelling with man. After the fall, man built altars. Then, God instructed Moses to build the tabernacle complete with the Ark of the Covenant where he dwelt. Next, Solomon built a stationary temple in Jerusalem. One day, Emmanuel, God with Us—Jesus Christ—came to dwell among us. After his death and resurrection, our bodies became the temple and his Spirit dwelt within us. Finally, in the New Jerusalem, the dwelling of God will be with men, and he will live with them (Revelation 21:3).

The Holy Spirit Dwells Inside Believers

Today, our bodies are the temple, and the Holy Spirit dwells inside of every believer. Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

If you are a Christian, you have received the Holy Spirit. However, it is one thing to have something and quite another to use it.

We have a heating system installed in our home, but in order for heat to fill my house the thermostat has to be turned on…

The phrase “filled with the Spirit” has blessed many and yet caused division within the church. The Holy Spirit moves God’s children in different ways, and I do not believe it is right to demand that our way is “right” any more than the Jewish believers demanding circumcision for the Gentiles was right (Acts 10). Nor should the controversy keep us quiet about the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts, the phrase “filled with the Spirit” is a biblical term used repeatedly in conjunction with believers doing amazing acts of service for God’s glory (Acts 4:8; 4:31; 6:3,5; 7:55; 9:17; 13:9; 13:52).

God asked the priests to stand in the middle of the Jordan River. God asked his only Son to stand in the gap for you and me; in turn, Jesus became the mediator of the new covenant (Hebrews 9:15).

Trust in God and Surrender

You may have rivers at flood stage raging all around you, but Jesus Christ is standing in the gap of the Jordan waiting for you to cross over into a deeper life with him.

The striving is over.

Your position has been secured through the blood of Christ. It is your responsibility and your great privilege to believe it and walk as an ambassador on earth for Christ—not by your might but by his Spirit as you surrender one step at a time.

If we are honest with ourselves we will eventually come to a place where we realize we cannot serve God in our own strength.

When I am still at the helm, white knuckled on the steering wheel of life, I am fighting against the winds of the Holy Spirit that long to push my sails to adventure beyond what this world could ever offer.

If you lose your life, you’ll find it. God’s strength is limitless. The Lord commanded the Israelites three times to keep the Ark of the Covenant ahead of the them while they crossed over the Jordan River (Joshua 3:3, 3:6, 3:11). What you focus on, you will follow. Trusting in His goodness at all times opens your heart wide to catch the winds of the Holy Spirit.

If you want to soar. . . surrender.

Nourish Scripture: Joshua 3-5:12

Letting Go of Limitations

February 12, 2018 by Aliene

What God-given dream seems smothered by walls that surround you?

What self-imposed limitations prevent you from believing all things are possible with God?

What past mistake has pushed insecurity so deep into your soul that fear prevents you from becoming all God created and redeemed you to be?

Lift your eyes off of your limitations to look beyond those walls with eyes of faith.

When your faith in Christ defines you, limitations cannot confine you.

The Story of Rahab

I love the story of Rahab, don’t you?

The walls of Jericho surrounded Rahab, the prostitute. However, no walls from her past could keep her from her destiny. Rahab saw beyond her walls. She looked to the Living God to help her, not because she thought she had earned his help, but because she had faith in him. Her faith in God rose when she heard of his power and provision for his people (Joshua 2:9–11). When she put the scarlet cord in her window, she identified herself as one of God’s people and was rescued by Joshua to live among the Israelites (Joshua 2).

The scarlet cord identified Rahab as one of God’s chosen people. The blood of Jesus Christ identifies us as God’s children.

What or whom is identifying you?

Our Walls of Limitations

Even though we are not living behind Jericho’s walls, I believe we build our own walls of limitations. Instead of seeing ourselves as God sees us and stepping out to become all God created us to be, we sometimes choose to live a life defined by self-imposed limitations.

Sometimes we hide behind those walls.
Sometimes those walls don’t allow our God-given dreams to grow.
Sometimes we see the walls as impossibilities that will never change.

Brick by brick those walls continue to grow until we accept them as a part of our lives.

The answer is not found in trying really hard to tear down those walls. The answer is found in tying a scarlet cord around the window of your heart.

Initially at salvation, you apply the blood of Jesus Christ over the window of your heart by confessing Christ as your Savior and putting your faith in the finished work on the cross. The shed blood of Christ rescues you from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and the dominion of darkness (Colossians 2:8–15).

Your identity and purpose are then found in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–10). Jesus supplies us with everything we need to accomplish His will (Hebrews 13:20–21). You will need to remember all that your rescue means when God calls you to a mission beyond your natural ability.

Faith in the Holy Spirit Helps You Let Go of Limitations

We do this by walking by faith in Christ and keeping our eyes on Him. Faith in your circumstances limits you. Faith in the Holy Spirit will liberate you and give you God confidence (2 Corinthians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 4:7–11; Psalm 57).

If I fix my eyes on my imperfections or my circumstances, I feel discouraged. However, if my eyes are fixed on Christ and the righteousness I have through him, I move beyond my feelings into the realm of faith.

When your faith in Christ defines you, limitations cannot confine you. You don’t have to live like a hostage trapped inside self-built walls. God is bigger than your walls.

Let the Holy Spirit liberate you so you can live aligned with your God-given purpose by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit one step at a time.

ONWARD!

Nourish Scripture: Joshua 2

Facing Fear

February 5, 2018 by Aliene

Imagine yourself running a race. Your focus is on the finish line, but along the way your thought-life creates confusion. Your inner voice begins to say, “You better stop running … you might hurt yourself.”

Or you hear, “Was it really your idea to run this race?”

Or “Don’t go any farther—this next leg is too hard for you.”
Or “Come down this path. It’s the easy way out.”
Or “I don’t think you can trust the markers you see for the course are correct.”
Or “I think those people watching you are laughing at you because they don’t think you are any good.”
Or “Remember when you failed! You better not try again!”

You can stop, listen to your thoughts, and quit … or you can choose to take those thoughts captive to finish the race.

Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Christ

The race we are running is to follow Christ. Our eyes should be fixed on him.

God told Joshua not to turn to the right or left, but to follow God in order to be successful (Joshua 1:8). Turn to the left or the right in fear, and you are in danger of quitting or becoming distracted from your goal—a life completely surrendered to Christ.

The enemy works inside our thought-life and his calling card is fear. He is the father of lies. The enemy cannot steal your salvation, but he will do everything in his power to take you out of the race by tempting you to quit by confusing your thoughts.

Thoughts become beliefs that ultimately drive our behavior. Pay attention to your thinking and meditate on God’s truth to remain steadfast.

“And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed.” (Joshua 1:8 MSG)

God told Joshua to meditate on truth and that same tool is just as effective for us today.

I am not a warrior like Joshua trying to conquer enemies in the Promised Land, but I am a busy wife, mother, friend, and ministry leader with a desire to live in the direction of my God-given purpose. Just like you, I have distractions and disappointments that have the potential to derail me. In my busy world where my mind is prone to wander, biblical meditation continues to be the tool that gives me the ability to take my thoughts captive so that I can stand firm in my faith.

As an anchor exists to secure a vessel so it ceases to wander, God’s Word secures our heart to Him no matter what waves of fear we may face during the day.

God’s Word Is Our Weapon in Facing Fear

Jesus drew from the Scriptures to defeat Satan’s manipulative tactics of temptation so that he could stand firm (Matthew 4:1–11). Similarly, God’s Word is our offensive weapon in the battle against the enemy of our soul. As you face battles during the day, be like Joshua and Jesus.

Stand firm by strengthening your mind to the truth in his Word.

Talk back to your fearful thoughts with truth and derail the enemy’s tactics. This will require work on your part. Brave hearts armor up prepare for battle by renewing their minds to truth, memorizing scripture and speaking it out loud. (To see how to put this discipline into daily practice, check out the lessons on Renew Step 21 Day Challenge)

God was counting on Joshua to be courageous, and God is counting on you!

Courage means following God despite our feelings of fear and insecurity. The Bible says that Joshua was “terrified” and he “trembled.” Brave heart, it’s ok to feel fear – it’s not ok to follow fear.

God promised Joshua he would be with him and give him victory, but it was up to Joshua to replace his fear with faith in his Lord.

It is the same for us.

Our actions can be driven by faith or by fear—it is our choice. Our choices flow from our thought-life. Biblical meditation is God’s prescription to renew you mind. Fill your mind-truth and watch your courage soar!

Nourish Scripture: Joshua 1

Your Past is Preparation

January 29, 2018 by Aliene

Often our past experiences can prepare our hearts for our Promised Land purpose. Life can be our greatest classroom, as it was for Joshua.

How Joshua’s Past Prepared Him for His Purpose

The Lord had been preparing the successor of Moses for his calling for many years. Although we cannot pinpoint his age exactly, Joshua was likely at least eighty when he led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

In the years prior, he had been a slave in Egypt, a servant to Moses, a spy in Canaan and an appointed leader of the Israelite army. Delivered from the Egyptians, walking through the parted Red Sea, and defeating the Amalekites, Joshua experienced the power of the living God and saw he could trust God.

Joshua’s faith, without reservation, resulted in many victories for the Israelites in the Promised Land.

I believe it was the forty years Joshua spent serving Moses as his aide, however, that prepared his heart the most for his new role.

Servanthood Allows Us to Grow Spiritually

Brave hearts know that in order to be a good leader, they must first learn to follow. Servanthood gives us an opportunity to grow spiritually because it redefines success by measuring it in faithfulness.

God leads us through a process so that our platform will be used for his Purpose. He leads us to that beautiful place of freedom where we realize our purpose is for stewardship—not ownership.

Joshua never forgot the meaning of servanthood, even after he became a leader. He continued to speak of himself as a servant of the Lord (Joshua 5:14). The deepest place of surrender is a well of joy that fills the heart greater than any worldly goal.

Where is God calling you to serve, brave heart?

Brave hearts find freedom to pursue God’s purpose with bold faith by letting go of worldly goals and seeking only heaven’s reward.

Seek Heaven’s Reward in Serving the Lord

Serving requires sacrifice.

Sweat. Tears. Risk.

It requires making ourselves vulnerable. The enemy of our souls resists God’s will for our lives; he may cause us to fail and fall, which could result in bruises and bumps along the way. The results our sovereign God desires are not always what we think.

When fear has a tight hold on us, it can eclipse our faith in God. Fear and faith play tug-of-war with our hearts. But when we let go of the ropes of such things as worldly success, fear loses its grip, and the force of faith wins.

To let go and run with unwavering endurance, look up and seek only heaven’s reward serving the Lord alone.

Nourish Scripture: Exodus 17:8–16

Believing Hearts Become Brave

January 22, 2018 by Aliene

Have you ever felt a longing inside that leaves you thinking there must be something else in life?

In the daily busyness of life that creates a predictable mundane rhythm, sometimes that longing is drowned out, but the desire never really leaves you. At night or early in the morning when life is still, you still have that child-like faith that knows there must be something more.

I’ve been there. The daily rhythm of my life was not without God. Church, Bible study, prayer, and serving others was a part of the drumbeat of my weekly life I loved dearly.

But the life with Christ I was exploring through church and Bible study was miles apart from the life I was actually experiencing. I read about abundant life in Christ, but I was not experiencing it.

Can you relate?

Not All Experience the Promised Land

While in the wilderness, Moses sent out twelve spies, including Joshua and Caleb, to explore the Promised Land and bring back a report to camp. Although all spies explored the Promised Land, not all experienced the Promised Land.

Ten of the spies brought back a bad report because they feared they would not have the ability to conquer the giants and strong cities in the land. Unfortunately, the Israelites listened and believed the bad report of the ten spies rather than to God’s promises; consequently, they reacted in fear. In fact, they actually reasoned life would be better for them back in bondage in Egypt and sought to stone Caleb and Joshua.

The greatest tragedy was that they explored the Promised Land but never experienced it because of unbelief in their hearts. (Hebrews 3:19).

Whatever voice we agree with will grow the loudest in our hearts, and this will ultimately drive our direction.

Caleb’s report did not deny the existence of the giants. Rather, he saw the giants in light of the truth of God. This gave Caleb and Joshua courage.

Willing to believe differently, they lived differently. They saw their life through the lens of their knowledge of who God is; so by trusting God, they pursued the Promised Land with passionate faith.

They saw adversity not as an obstacle but as an opportunity to push their purpose forward by trusting in God with whom all things are possible. As a result, God said that Caleb and Joshua had hearts that whole-heartedly followed him:

^“But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.”(Numbers 14:24)

Brave Hearts Believe God

“A heart that whole-heartedly follows God” is our definition of a brave heart. Simply stated: brave hearts believe God, experience the Promise Land, and lead others to do the same.

A brave heart walks by faith in God and his Word, but not necessarily by what she sees.

A brave heart finds courage and direction to become the woman God created her to be.

Oh, she still feels afraid when adversity arrives, but understands the source of her courage and strength comes from looking at life through the lens of who God is. She does this by believing the voice of truth over the enemies’ lies taunting her to fear. Her heart is determined to believe God. In doing so, she invites others to do the same.

Your brave heart is needed in this world to fill it with the love of Christ.

Do you hear it, brave heart? It’s the voice of your Savior calling to you.

Take his hand and become the woman God created you to be. Life is very safe inside sanctuaries and Bible studies, but you were created to go beyond just exploring your Promised Land, as the spies did. You were meant to experience your spiritual inheritance, and the difference between the two is largely a matter of the heart.

Nourish Scripture: Numbers 13–14:25

A Call to Courage

January 15, 2018 by Aliene

Hey there, brave heart!

Yeah—that’s you!

If you and I grabbed a cup of coffee and talked long enough, I’m sure we could share stories about times when we found ourselves alone, afraid, and unsure. We could tell about times when other people’s choices—or our own—hurt us. Ours is an imperfect world with imperfect circumstances and imperfect people—and life happens. We would like to control everything and everyone so we won’t get hurt, but we can’t.

In the past, I tried to fix my broken heart with inner vows, which I viewed as formulas to fix and control my world so I could find freedom, redemption, happiness, and peace. Sadly, all such formulas eventually fail us. Mine did. But in the failing, I found this truth that would ultimately set me free: healing my broken heart could never come from inner vows or rules I keep, but from a Redeemer I follow.

Jesus turns broken hearts into brave hearts one step of faith at a time.

Becoming a Brave Heart As You Follow Jesus

Brave heart, did you know when you became a child of God at the moment of salvation, that was just the beginning of your journey? As you follow Jesus, he’ll unravel those false formulas that provided no rest for your soul, and lead you to experience the abundant life you were created to live. I too am still on this beautiful, lifelong journey.

Our past wilderness seasons should not be allowed to become permanent walls that eclipse the liberty and love that flow from obeying the Holy Spirit. Freedom is not a destination; rather, it’s a journey of living as we are led by the Holy Spirit to become all God created us to be. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there are liberty and love (2 Corinthians 3:17; 1 John 4:8).

Just as it was time for the Israelites to leave the wilderness and follow Joshua into the Promised Land, it’s time for us to understand in greater measure what is holding us back from becoming all God created and redeemed us to be.

Welcome to Excerpts from Brave Heart, the next series from Treasured Ministries on the book of Joshua. Inside the series you will:

Understand how patterns of unbelief influenced by your past can impact your thinking and create obstacles to becoming the woman God created you to be.
Gain powerful biblical methods to change your thinking and walk out your God-given purpose.
Discover how to embrace your core authentic identity and live the abundant life Jesus died to give you.
Walk through the book of Joshua to find truth to nourish your heart and direction for your own Promised Land Purpose.

Who do you know that would benefit from this study? Invite friends to come along!

Ready to move forward into your Promised Land? Don’t look back! Live with impact by letting the Holy Spirit lead you to the liberty and love your heart was designed to experience—and to pass this along to others.

I am looking forward to taking this journey with you, brave heart!

Blessings,

Aliene

Extraordinary In His Eyes

December 11, 2017 by Aliene

Have you ever felt like God could not or did not see you? Like He has forgotten you and does not care about your circumstances?

Have you ever doubted God’s goodness?

Have you ever questioned God’s love for you?

I have. When we are in the midst of difficult circumstances the enemy loves to whisper doubts about our God’s goodness, power, love, and the truth of His Word in order to strike fear into our hearts.

Believing God’s Promises

In Genesis 22:18 God promised Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through his offspring. In Isaiah 9:6-7 the prophecy is made that a child will be born. A child that will reign on David’s throne from that time on and forever.

Hundreds of years later David’s throne sits empty and Abraham’s descendants are being ruled by the Roman government. I am sure God’s people wondered if He had forgotten His promises.

In Luke 1:46-47 we find Mary full of joy and anticipation. She cannot contain it. It flows out of her in the form of praise to the Lord.

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.

Mary realizes that God has not only been mindful of her but has done great things for her and from then on all generations would call her blessed. The time had come at last. God was keeping His promise to show mercy to His people through Jesus, who would be born to Mary.

He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.

For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

In Mary’s Song of Praise we can take encouragement. Just as God was mindful of Mary and remembered to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants He is mindful of you and I. Listen to Jesus’ words in Luke 12:6-7

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Look for the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

If God even knows the number of hairs on our heads we can be assured that we have value to Him and He is attentive to every detail of our lives.

He sees us.

He will bring deliverance to us.

He will care for us in this life, but ultimately as believers we can count on spending eternity with Him.

An answer to a long prayed prayer, the prodigal that returns to the Lord, provision for that need, comfort in our sadness, relief, and rest are just a very few examples of God’s extraordinary mercy and deliverance we receive daily in this life.

Pay attention to God’s eternal extraordinary by looking for the mercy and deliverance of God in the ordinary circumstances of your own life.

When you see them, like Mary, you will be a spring bubbling over with joy flowing out of you in the form of a magnificent song of praise to the Lord.

Nourish Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Sandy Jones is the author of Mixed Up Melvin. She was born and raised in North Carolina and currently lives in Cary with her husband and three sons. After a prodigal experience and learning many lessons the hard way, Sandy has a passion for bringing the Word of God to life. She loves to teach and explain to other’s the things she has learned experiencing God’s Word for herself.

To learn more about Mixed Up Melvin click here.