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He Was There
A sentence I often hear on Monday morning following a Sunday worship service is, “He was there yesterday, wasn’t He?”
While this phrase is meant to convey that the worshiper felt the presence of God in a powerful way—perhaps more strongly than at other times—the words might be misconstrued to mean there are times when God isn’t there when we come together to worship Him.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
God’s presence is with believers, His children, at all times, no matter the circumstances.
I experienced this in a powerful way this past week when a neurosurgeon operated on my brain to treat a painful condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia. The surgery is called Microvascular Decompression.
As the nurse was helping me get ready to be wheeled into the operating room, she patted my shoulder and asked, “How are you doing?”
I said, “The Lord is with me. I’m doing fine.”
I wasn’t trying to be a good witness, project optimism, or display a false sense of peace. I knew the Lord was there—within me, beside me, before me, behind me—exactly as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:5: “You hem me in, behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”
The Lord was there with the surgeon when he made the first cut, as he performed the delicate procedure on the nerve, and as the final suture was tied. Even if no one else in the operating room was a believer, the patient was God’s child, and she was clinging to her Father’s promise. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8.
Today, I’m home and my recovery is going well—complete recovery can take from two to four months—and yes, I know He’s here with me, and He’ll be with me forever. Hebrews 13:5. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I can count on the promise of His continued presence with me because two thousand years ago, He was there for me, hanging on a cross, paying for my sins, so I could be with Him forever.
Trust Him. He was there for you too.
Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Get A Grip
I thought of the expression,“get a grip,” the other day when I had to face the reality of a serious medical condition that I’ve been dealing with for the past several months, a medical condition that’s going to require surgery to fix it—brain surgery.
The medical condition I’ve been having is Trigeminal Neuralgia, and the neurosurgeon at OU Medical Center told me that he would perform a Microvascular Decompression on my brain to correct it.
However, when I thought of the phrase, “get a grip,” I wasn’t thinking in terms of its usual usage, that is, I wasn’t telling myself to control my emotions so I wouldn’t have a breakdown when I heard what the surgeon said he needed to do.
This surgery requires him to remove a portion of my skull near my ear and separate the superior cerebellar artery in my brain from the trigeminal nerve that controls the feeling in my face. (This artery sits so close to the trigeminal nerve that it has worn it down on the right side of my brain, which is why it’s continually sending painful electrical shocks to the right side of my face, and unfortunately, I’m allergic to the medicines that are usually able to control this condition.)
When I heard what the surgeon said he needed to do, instead of thinking about the usual meaning of “get a grip,” I thought about all the Scriptures that assure me that God will give me strength and uphold me during the difficult times I face in my life—a promise He’s given to all believers.
Isaiah 41:10 is one of those verses: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Not only does God uphold me—that is, He grips me tight—He also tells me to hold onto Him—yes, He’s told me to get a grip on Him.
A verse that says this very thing is Proverbs 4:13: “Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.”
As I undergo this procedure and the recovery period that follows—which could be several weeks—I’m going to “get a grip”by holding on to everything God has promised me in His Word, all those verses that assure me that whatever He allows to come into my life has first passed through His hands and will ultimately bring Him glory and be for my good and benefit.
These are the same promises you can lean on to “get a grip” during the trials you’re facing. I’ve listed a few of those promises below, but there are many more in His Word.
Joshua 1:9—“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 73:26—“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Philippians 4:13—“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
It’s Not The End
It’s not the end of the story! Have you ever come to the end of a book, where the inevitable conflicts have been resolved, and you were reading the last chapter, and yet, you felt a little unsatisfied with how the story ended?
Then, at that moment, just when you were trying to come to grips with your feelings, you turned the page and found another chapter?
What a relief!
That’s what happens in the gospel of Matthew when Jesus is crucified. He’s dead. The body’s in the grave. The disciples have been grieving for three days. His enemies are happy. At last, He’s gone. End of Matthew chapter 27.
But it’s not the end.
Turn the page. There’s another chapter. Chapter 28. A big chapter. A significant chapter. A life-changing chapter.
Jesus isn’t dead. Yes, He died. There was no doubt about that—the Roman soldiers thrust a sword through His side just to make sure He was dead.
But, because He lived a sinless life, the breath of life, God’s breath, returned, and He walked out of that grave to a new life, a different life, a resurrected life.
Now, here’s one of the best parts about this very true story: this immortal life, this eternal life, is available to anyone who’s willing who put their trust in Him.
John 11:25-26: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
Believe me, the life story of anyone who does that will end well.
In fact, their story will continue for all eternity.
An Indescribable Gift
Mary gazes down on sweetness in a manger,
Bright eyes, soft skin, pure delight,
A gift from heaven.
John sees the Lamb at the Jordan,
Without spot, without blemish, without sin,
A gift from heaven.
Nicodemus questions the Rabbi in darkness,
New answers, fresh hope, glad heart,
A gift from heaven.
Zacchaeus climbs the sycamore tree,
Delighted, repentant, forgiven,
A gift from heaven.
The Savior dies on a Roman cross,
Bloodied, rejected, scorned,
A gift from heaven.
A sinner hears a message full of grace,
Good tidings, great joy, blessed hope,
A gift from heaven.
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15
I’m Not Able
When someone makes the statement, “I’m not able,” it can be an admission of weakness, but it can also be an admission of faith.
When a person realizes they’re not able to stand before God as blameless, they’re not expressing weakness; they’re validating the truth of Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
But that’s not the full story. Even though everyone has sinned, Hebrews 7:25 tells us that Jesus, the Son of God, “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God.”
And there’s this from Jude 24, where the writer says that Jesus “is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.”
Admitting I am not able to deliver myself from my sins, nor appear before God as blameless, is an expression of faith, and accepting the truth that He is able—by means of His sacrificial death—to accomplish it, is a confession of that faith.
But that’s still not the full story. In 1 Timothy 4:12, the apostle Paul says, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”
And lastly, from Hebrews 2:18: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
I am not able, but God is able.
He is able to save those who come to Him.
He is able to keep you from stumbling.
He is able to present you as blameless.
He is able to guard you.
He is able to help you in temptation.
As the apostle Paul urges us in Ephesians 3:20-21, we give Him glory for He is able.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
What Really Counts?
I recently saw this quote attributed to Winston Churchill: “Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
As I thought about the sentiment behind this quote—that neither success nor failure defines a person, but what truly matters is the determination to keep going—I realized that while the language was inspiring, it wasn’t Biblical and therefore wasn’t true.
Churchill was emphasizing human determination rather than faith in God. He suggested that personal courage is the key to overcoming challenges, but Scripture teaches us that believers should rely on God’s strength rather than their own determination.
“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.
While Churchill’s statement implies that success and failure are transient, believers understand that both are under God’s sovereign control and part of God’s plan for His people.
“He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21.
And lastly, what truly “counts” at the end of life is not courage, but faith in Christ.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
This is not to say that perseverance isn’t encouraged in the Christian life. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
However, it is only through God’s strength and guidance that believers endure.
What are you counting on when you can no longer count?
It Doesn’t Make Sense
A newly remodeled house burns to the ground. A long-awaited child is stillborn. A businessman dies on the day he retires.
It doesn’t make sense.
Abraham waiting twenty-five years before his promised child is born. A chosen people suffering in slavery 400 years before freedom comes.
It doesn’t make sense.
The son of God becomes a man and lives among His creation. His creation despises and rejects Him.
It doesn’t make sense.
The One who never sinned takes on the sin of all mankind. Their punishment becomes his punishment.
It doesn’t make sense.
No, God’s ways don’t always make sense, and neither should our response.
Habakkuk, an Old Testament prophet, didn’t understand what God was doing, but after voicing his confusion, this was his response. “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18.
When God doesn’t make sense, we are to rejoice in the Lord.
No, it doesn’t make sense, but as Paul said, “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18.
Eternity, when all will make sense.
A Most Unusual Christmas
No matter what age you are, you probably have a Christmas tale about a sad Christmas, one that didn’t go exactly as planned, one that was disappointing, one that was so sorrowful you can’t think about it without the tears flowing.
Or you may have a Christmas tale about a happy Christmas, one where someone surprised you with an unexpected gift, one where you reconciled with a loved one, one where everyone loved the gifts you bought them, or one where you had enough money to buy someone the gift they wanted but didn’t think they’d get.
Some of you may even have a Christmas tale about an unusual Christmas, one where events unfolded in a non-traditional way, so much so that you can remember the circumstances as if they happened yesterday.
I’ve had all of the above, and although space—and my introverted personality—doesn’t lend itself to reciting the details of each situation, here’s a partial list of my most unusual Christmases.
- A Christmas morning when a family member had a kidney stone, and we had to spend the entire day in the ER.
- A Christmas when an ice storm struck so no family members were able to make it to our house to participate in our gift-giving and holiday meal together.
- A Christmas Day when my husband, young daughter, and I had to travel to a foreign country where we would be living for the next three years—a frightening and very lonely day.
- A Christmas Eve when I had to call an ambulance for my husband, who thought he was having a heart attack. In the ER, we learned it was acute pancreatitis, and he ended up spending the next three months hooked up to an IV.
Although it may be hard to believe, I could list several more unusual Christmases during my lifetime. But strangely enough, in all of these circumstances, I found peace by focusing on the most unusual day in all of human history—the First Christmas Day—the day God arrived on planet Earth in a human body.
It was a day like no other day, an unusual day, a unique day, a day we should celebrate even if our Christmas Day ends up being sad, happy, or unusual.
Jesus tells us why in His own words. “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12:46.
The Certainty of Doubt
“I think I figured out who the doubters are.” That’s what a reader emailed me after I released my newest book, Four Doubt.
She followed up that sentence by saying, “But I found more than four doubters in this book. If I counted correctly, there were at least eight. It was like everyone had doubts. Did you realize that?”
I write series, so as a way of making it easy for my readers to know which book to read next, and also as a way of having an author “brand,” I include the number of the book as part of the title.
However, the number also has meaning in the plot of the book. Thus, in this series, the Silas McKay Suspense Series, the number in each of the titles—One Wonders, Two Believe, Three Confess, and Four Doubt, can be linked to certain characters, while also signifying the book order.
For example, in Two Believe, Silas McKay finds it hard to believe in the goodness of God after his wife died of brain cancer. Then, as he and a colleague investigate a robbery, she confesses she doesn’t believe in God. I won’t give any specific spoilers, but by the end of the book, two believe.
The reader who emailed me was right about Four Doubt having a reoccurring theme of doubt running throughout the book. Although the four main characters in the plot expressed doubt of some sort, there were others as well.
The reason doubt was so pervasive among the characters is that I try to make my novels as realistic as possible—in a fictional sort of way, of course—and our culture today is permeated with doubt. We express skepticism toward institutions, government, politicians, medicine, and the list goes on and on. However, doubt isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
There are many instances in Scripture where doubt is expressed, and while Jesus pointed out to his disciples that their doubt showed their lack of faith, he didn’t condemn them for their doubt. Instead, he urged them to believe in Him.
When Silas, the main character in my novel, is asked whether he doubts something, he says, “In my line of work, I never shy away from having doubts. Doubt stems from a desire to know the truth, and if I engage in it, it’s only because I’m pursuing the truth.”
One of the certainties of life is that everyone will experience doubt, but pursuing truth dispels doubt. Where does that search begin?
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” John 14:6.
Have no doubt. It begins with Truth himself.
Do you really want to believe?
Why do you believe in God?
I’ve seldom had to answer that question. In fact, when I heard it the other day, it surprised me. That’s like asking me why I breathe or why I love my grandkids. The answer seems obvious.
Then again, maybe it isn’t.
Why do I believe in God?
It’s certainly not because I’ve had some tangible experience. I’ve never seen God or had an angelic visitation, nor have I received some special sign—a cross in the sky or writing on the wall—to prove He’s real.
The answer to why I believe in God involves trust; it involves faith. I trust what the Bible tells me about God. Ironically, the faith to believe in Him and what the Scriptures tell me about Him is a gift, a gift from God. It is, as Ephesians 2:9 says, “not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Believing in God is not something I can do for myself. The ability to believe in God comes from God.
Any person who sincerely wants to know God will find Him. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13.
I believe in God because He created the desire, provided the means, and made the provision for me to believe in Him.
Book 12 in the Titus Ray Thriller Series Click on cover
Book 8 in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series, Click on cover
Book 5 in the Silas McKay Suspense Series, Click on cover
Book 11 in the Titus Ray Thriller Series. Click cover
Book 7 in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series on Amazon. Click cover.
Book 4 in the Silas McKay Suspense Series on Amazon. Click cover.
Book 10 in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click cover.
PREQUEL to the Mylas Grey Mystery Series on Amazon. Click cover
Book VI in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series on Amazon. Click cover
Book III in the Silas McKay Suspense Series on Amazon. Click cover
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Book II in the Silas McKay Suspense Series on Amazon. Click cover
Book I in the Silas McKay Suspense Series, Available in Winter Deceptions
Ben in Trouble follows Four Steps Missed in the Titus Ray Thriller Series
Book IV in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series on Amazon. Click cover
Book VIII in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click cover.
Ben in Charge, Follows Three Steps Away in the Titus Ray Thriller Series
Ben in Love, Follows Two Steps Forward in the Titus Ray Thriller Series
Two Days Taken:Book II in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series; Click cover.
Book VII in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click on book cover
One Day Gone: Book I in the Mylas Grey Mystery Series; Click on Cover
NEWEST BOOK: Available on Amazon. Click on Cover.
Prequel to the Titus Ray Thriller Series is $0.99 on Amazon. Click book cover
Book I in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click book cover
Book II in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click on book cover
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Book IV in the Titus Ray Thriller Series on Amazon. Click on book cover.
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Books 1 & 2 in the Titus Ray Series Available on Amazon. Click on cover.
His Glory My Joy, a blog of Author Luana Ehrlich 
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