answer – KARLA LEES

broken to life

April 11, 2015 Karla Lees

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV

Jesus died for the broken.

Those who were broken in ways beyond just what can seen:

broken in spirit
broken-hearted
broken in the mind,
broken in body.

But also for those who are:

broken because of their sin.

I find the weight of my own sin can sometimes break me in ways i never expected.

Selfishness can lead to isolation and loneliness, and down the path to choosing more things which keep that spiral of me swirling down and out of control.

And i need to be reminded: Jesus came for the broken.

There is one more type of broken that Jesus covered with His brokenness:

those who need taming

The strong willed ones (like moi) who need to be broken in order to submit.

We all are broken, or need to be broken depending on the circumstances.

I tend to find other people’s sins towards me break me
I need to be broken based on my own sins & bad choices

That is why Jesus died so painfully on the cross.

He chose to be broken so He can bring hope to the broken, no matter what has broken us.

He chose to rise again to show He can bring life to the dead, the places within us we think are beyond hope, beyond healing.

He chose to die so we could live.

Because it is He who brings us back to life.

Our part?

To come with our brokenness and sin, and ask for His help.

His part?

The part He loves?

To answer our cry.
To touch us with His hands.
To infuse us with his love.
To rebirth life into our dry bones.
To make us new in ways we could not imagine on the other side of our brokenness.
To give wings to our hope.

Ready for new life?

It doesn’t matter if or how you are broken, the Master Carpenter is more than able to take our broken pieces and make us anew!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

when seeking knowledge fails to find the answer we want

February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 Karla Lees

We don’t need
more intelligence,
we need more
Presence!

One of my loved ones is seeking all the knowledge they possibly can for a problem which is not easily resolving.

Their belief that more knowledge will solve the problem demonstrates they are missing one small piece of wisdom in all the seeking going on…

They are not seeking the Source of all wisdom & knowledge in all their searching.

Without Presence,
intelligence gathering serves
no eternal purpose.

They are just facts, like a canoe without a rudder. Just there, but not headed anywhere in particular.

Because we are really battling on the spiritual battlefront, not just a physical or mental or emotional one.

And without His Presence,
we will not find the answer we are seeking to win that battle.

I am not saying if you have a medical condition to not seek help. I am suggesting we tend to go to God last, instead of first.

The One who made us should have some idea about how to help us, shouldn’t He?

The One who is all wisdom might have an inkling, yes?

He knows all, and since He does, He knows what we need in the moment, and how to help us get to where He has planned for us to go.

All the fact gathering we can use our time on means little compared to spending time with the One who can reveal in a moment what we can spend years seeking for in vain.

He promises to give wisdom to all who ask Him for it. And reveal purpose to us as we do.

Our answer may not come in our search for knowledge itself, but the Answer He whispers as we draw close to Him in our search.

Discernment and direction are the keys to taking knowledge from your head and putting into practice where it is needed most.

If you, like my loved one, are seeking answers, please consider Him first.

There is a peace that comes with knowing the One who knows you best, loves you the most and has only good plans in store for you- no matter what is going on in your life.

You may not get the answer you were looking for, but He will answer you,
guide you,
love up on you,
comfort you,
teach you,
support you
as you walk together through the step ahead.

There is a freedom which comes with releasing ourselves from the belief that everything centers around us.

When we give Him first place, things fall into alignment with His truth, and we are able to see what we may not have been able to before, because He opens our eyes & ears to see and hear Him when we seek Him.

Not only does He give us wisdom, discernment and an answer, He is there with us.

Presence.

Because facts are just that, facts. Pieces of information.
Cold, impersonal.

Presence breathes life into us.
He brings the truth to life,
breathes new hope in us when we night have to wait,
comforts us when the answer is not what we expected,
delivers us from what may be holding us back,
illuminates the way to go,
battles for us in the heavenlies,
and sticks with us
closer than crazy glue
through it all.

Its time to seek Him first.

And hear the fullness of His plans for you first hand.

That will move knowledge beyond facts into living truth.

Life is always better when we know we are loved and not alone.

The truth is: He is always waiting for us to come to Him, to seek Him, to ask our questions, to pour out our prayers. He is longing to pour out His love and answer us in response.

The fact is: He is waiting for you and I to come. Its our choice whether we fact gather or Presence seek first.

Seek Him first and all you need will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

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All i need is You

August 28, 2014 Karla Lees

Left my fear by the side of the road
Hear You speak
Won’t let go
Fall to my knees as I lift my hands to pray

Got every reason to be here again
Father’s love that draws me in
And all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord, Is You Lord

One more day and it’s not the same
Your Spirit calls my heart to sing
Drawn to the voice of my Saviour once again
Where would my soul be without Your Son
Gave His life to save the earth
Rest in the thought that You’re watching over me

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord, Is You Lord

–All I Need is You, Hillsongs United

I discovered fear at the side of the road.

On my way home from the hospital after having my tonsils out, I slipped under the shoulder seat belt and out onto the gravel side of the road….

And fear has tried to be my constant companion since.

The time I misplaced my parents in Toronto at a Tall Ships event.

The time someone attempted to pull me via my backpack from the subway doors onto an empty platform.

The day my husband lost his job.

When I started bleeding while pregnant with my second child.

Fear can rise up to try and grab ahold of us whenever we value what it threatens.

And the only thing that gets rid of fear?

God’s presence.

Not only do I feel healthier and become whole in His Presence, but my fear is revealed to be a lure of the enemy to snag me from where God wants me- close to Him.

Jesus just had to come close by a few people in the bible who were under the enemy’s influence, and they cried out in fear, because
His Presence is
holy
awesome
mighty
powerful
and THE Authority in all of heaven and over all the earth.

The demons tremble in fear when God draws near.
Even from a mere glimpse.
For they know His true power.

When we draw closer to Him, the more His light shines on the areas the enemy is trying to keep us in the dark with.
Fear
Anxiety
Insecurity
Unworthiness
Loneliness…

No self help book can do the same for your spirit, soul and body as when the God of the universe speaks your name, and sets you free.

All I need is You, Lord.
All I need is You, Lord…

May we all draw closer to God,
And kick fear to the side of the road
once and for all.

For I know who is watching over me.
And He is all I need, always.