E Hill

A Week of Grief and Grace: Welcoming Seekers with Christ’s Love

I think we can all agree that this has been one of the most difficult weeks any of us have experienced in a long time.

I spent an inordinate amount of time on social media yesterday. Here are just a few quotes from what I read and heard:

“I opened a bible today for the first time in over 10 years. I have prayed more in the last 24 hours than I have in the last 10 years. It’s a feeling in my heart I can’t explain.”

“ I don’t go to church but SUNDAY I WILL SIT IN CHARLIES PLACE. PLEASE JOIN ME. I will shake the pastors hand and say CHARLIE KIRK BROUGHT ME HERE.”

“Charlie Kirk’s death made me pick up a Bible for the first time in my life and I found a truth I didn’t know I was searching for.”

This one really did me in:

“As someone who has identified as an atheist my entire life, l picked up a bible and listened to Christian music for the first time today while sobbing… because every part of my soul was telling me to do so. The overwhelming amount of emotion I am filled with is indescribable and something I have never felt before… and I refuse to ignore it.”

Brothers and sisters, many people are hurting and desperately searching for truth right now. They might not look like you, dress like you, come from the same social background as you. They might have tattoos, piercings, are gay or trans, have various forms of addictions, you get the picture.

But we cannot turn our backs on them!

We are called to be imitators of Christ so it is incumbent upon us to see these seekers through Jesus’ eyes, not with humanity’s limited vision.

We must look beyond the physical and see what God sees-a precious soul, yearning for the peace and certainty that only God can provide.

Several years ago at a mid-week service, a man rush forward, grabbed the pastor and exclaimed, “I want to come forward. I want to accept Jesus.” You know how this so-called “pastor” replied?

“We don’t to altar calls on Wednesday, you’ll have to come back Sunday.”

I heard that the man did, by God’s goodness, find his way back into church but it was years later.

That “pastor’s” response might have negatively affected that man’s eternal life!

While we might not be that blatantly obvious in our rejection, our body language can do just as much harm, if not more, than our words.

The day of His return is fast approaching. There is no time left to turn unbelievers away with unkind words or judgmental looks.

So, what can we do? Start this Sunday: welcome a stranger at church, smile at someone who looks different, or listen to a seeker’s story without judgment. Share your own story of compassion in the comments below—let’s inspire each other to live out Christ’s love. Have you seen someone find faith in an unexpected moment? How can we open our hearts wider?

Welcome…again

It has been more than a minute, I know!

My one and only post prior to now was February of 2020, well over five years ago, and a lot has happened since.

These years were marked by painful relationship estrangements, the unexpected death of my precious daughter-in-law at age 31, health challenges, unfathomable spiritual abuse, and more.

Yet these years have also seen important relationships restored and new, beautiful ones forged, miraculous healings within my family, and a renewed purpose for my life and calling, none of which would have been possible without the grace and love of my Father God.

I thought I’d share a recent post I made on one of my social media platforms to get you caught up to the present.

In a nutshell, I am walking, breathing proof that what Satan intends for evil, ABBA Father uses for good!

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Decades ago, I fell victim to some of the most dreadful, painful, and unspeakable spiritual abuse one could ever imagine.

But God…

What happened to me in the past is just that—in the past. Those who attempted to perpetrate evil against me no longer occupy my valuable cranial real estate, nor do I waste my time and energy on them; I haven’t for years. I take refuge in the fact that God will deal with them far better than I ever could.

What Satan meant for evil, God is now using for good.

A couple of years ago, God led me to a movement whose mission is to help people who have been hurt or negatively affected by spiritual abuse, religious trauma, or harmful experiences in any church, regardless of denomination.

My purpose and mission are to be a safe place and a resource for all—male, female, young, or old—who have experienced the kinds of things I went through, and to remind them who they are in Christ and how precious they—how precious you are—to Abba Father.

Yes, I post frequently about corruption in God’s house. Yes, I post often about wolves in sheep’s clothing. I do so because Scripture calls us to be watchmen on the wall (Ezekiel 3:17). Serving as a watchman on the wall represents the biblical mandate for vigilance and stewardship in safeguarding and guiding others spiritually, as exemplified by Ezekiel. Believers are called to stay attentive and engaged in their faith and community.

I post these things to keep my community aware. We are not immune to evil just because we are a small parish. I also post them so that those who have been traumatized by church leaders know they are not alone.

That’s why I do what I do. Anyone who thinks or says otherwise might want to take a long look in the mirror.

When Does the Lion Roar?

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I Peter 5:8

“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeing whom he may devour.”

Amos 3:4

“Will the lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?”

My brain works weird.

When I read the passage from First Peter, what struck to me wasn’t anything spiritual, so I thought, but my focus turned toward why Peter used the term “roaring” to describe the lion. There had to be a reason why he used that word, right? I mean, he could have just said lion…

Naturally, I wanted to learn why and when a lion roars. Turns out there are many reasons for a lion’s roar-to mark territory, to warn others to stay away from his territory, etc.-but there are a couple of aspects that, relative to these scriptures, caught my attention.

Most lions roar at night. Air is thinner at night so sound waves travel further. Research has shown that an adult lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away. I don’t know about you but I find that when I’m alone, particularly at night, I tend to think…a lot!

If I’m not in tune with God, if I’ve not spent time in the Word, if I’ve neglected to pray like I should, the devil has a heyday with my thoughts: old tapes from my life before Christ play over and over in my head, my past sins come smacking me in the face, just a whole lot of shoulda’, coulda’, woulda’. Satan wants me to think I’m not truly forgiven. Thinking this way keeps me from believing in God’s mercy and grace. Makes me ripe for his attack.

Unforgiven. Just the way the enemy likes it.

Another thing a lion typically does in the dark is hunt. A lion will stalk its prey for about 30-40 yards away, then quietly creeps up on his target. Then when close enough, the lion will let out a mighty roar. That powerful roar confuses the animal and strikes fear into the lion’s prey. The prey cannot think correctly, is paralyzed with fear, and ends up trapped and caught by the lion.

That’s exactly what the enemy does, y’all, just like Peter describes. He prowls his territory (I John 5:19) seeking the lonely and weakest, quietly sneaks up on his prey-his victim-instills fear, causes confusion, then attacks.

How many times have I given into that fear, acted out of that fear and then caused chaos in my life and the lives of those around me? Even worse, how often have I let fear rule, taken my eyes off of God, then said and did things that were actually damaging to God’s work in others?

Fear, confusion. Just the way the enemy likes it.

Coronavirus, nuclear war, relationships that don’t look like they will ever be healed-there is a lot for me to be fearful of these days. It’s so easy for me to listen to that lion’s roar, become paralyzed, and not stay in the Word, not fellowship with God, not pray. If I’m out of relationship with God, not doing anything for Him, I pose no danger to the enemy.

No threat. Just the way the enemy likes it.

But it is in God’s word, in fellowship with Him, that I find the weapons He has given me to be victorious. God’s weapons are far more powerful than any lion’s roar! But I have to do a couple of things to ensure those weapons are available to me.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

“…but mighty in God…” I have to be in God’s word. I have to be in fellowship with Him.

“…but being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” I have to be obedient in order to use His weapons to punish all disobedience. I can’t get my marching orders from God, I can’t hear what He wants me to do so that I can be obedient, if I’m not constantly in fellowship with Him.

So, in my opinion, it all boils down to constant fellowship with the Creator. Constant fellowship will bring His supernatural power so that I might be triumphant against anything the enemy tries to fire at me. What is constant fellowship? To me it is praying without ceasing; devoting myself to the study of scripture; renewing of my mind; cultivating and living in an atmosphere of praise.

Constant fellowship. Just the way HE likes it.