One Thing

By Shirley Mitchell
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

My daughter Mikayla surprised us when she came home from school and announced that she wanted to try out for the middle school basketball team. I was quite shocked since I didn’t even know if she could dribble. I realize this may get us banished from the state of Kentucky, but I didn’t even think she had watched five games of basketball her whole life. Doubts about her motives and concerns that she may be embarrassed crossed my husband’s and my minds. We prayed about it, and we thought God said yes. So she tried out for the team and made it.

During the first basketball practice, the coach pulled Mikayla over to the side and said that he could tell that she was an athlete. She said yes, she played soccer. He told her that he was glad that she was so aggressive, but that she needed to know something about basketball. In basketball, a player only gets five fouls so she might foul out of a few games.

In her first game, Mikayla had about 20 steals of the ball from the other team. At one game after a great steal and blasting down the court to the goal, my friend next to me said, “Mikayla is just leaving a trail of bodies all over the basketball court.” She didn’t know what a “travel” was and turned the ball over by taking extra steps. When she shot the ball, she shot like she was kicking a soccer ball with all her force to get past a goalie. The ball would slam off the backboard and down the court. She didn’t know many of the rules or the finesse of scoring, but she knew one thing. She knew how to get that ball.

I asked her after her first couple of games how she was able to steal the ball so much. She told me, “Mommy, it’s easy. I just keep my eyes on the ball. I don’t get distracted by the other things going on. My eyes are glued to the ball. I focus on one thing.”

God reminded me of Paul’s “one thing” in Philippians 3:13-14. Paul says in chapter 3 that he wants to know Christ, but he knows that he hasn’t achieved his goal yet. So he does one thing. He forgets what is behind. He strains toward what is ahead. He presses on to the goal to win the prize for which God has called him heavenward in Jesus Messiah.

God started to speak to my heart. What if we Christians pressed on to the heavenly prize like Mikayla presses on the basketball court? What if we desired one thing just like she desires to possess that basketball? I exclaimed what a great physical world reminder to be that tenaciously tough spiritually! Gosh, she inspired me to seek God and to be determined to fulfill my calling.

God’s Word tells us over and over that this world will be filled with many troubles. We will have trials. We will have burdens. We will be distracted, but Jesus Christ has overcome the world. He has taken the prize for us and asks us to reach out and grab onto it. We do this by casting our burdens upon Him. We break free from the distractions that so easily entangle us.

So beloved, how are doing on focusing on the one thing that really matters in this life? Where is your attention? How is your tenacity for experiencing as much of God as a person can have? Remember it is all about one thing.

Pray with me: Almighty God, You are magnificent. You are radiant. You are lovely. You are worthy. We exalt Your Name and proclaim Your greatness. Your ways are perfect. Your judgments are right. You alone know the end from the beginning.

We ask that You help us be like Paul and focus on one thing – You. We want to know You and to make You known. Holy Spirit, how are we doing on focusing on the one thing? Are You pleased with our tenacity to press toward the heavenly goal? Or do we need to make some corrections in our lives where we have become troubled or distracted about many things? Teach us Your ways. Give us the tenacity like Mikayla’s to seek You and fulfill Your plan for our lives. Increase our desire to know You. It is in the Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.

The Impossible

by Shirley Mitchell

“ ‘Give me your son,’ Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?’ Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, let this boy’s life return to him!’ ”

1 Kings 17:19-21

During the time of drought in Israel prophesied by Elijah as judgment for turning to other gods, God led him to stay with the widow at Zarephath. God miraculously provided for this widow and her son through the prophet Elijah. Even though they had this continuous provision from God, some time later tragedy struck. Her son became ill. He grew worse and worse until he stopped breathing. The widow brought the limp body of her precious son to Elijah. In her despair and grief, she said, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

Feeling her sorrow, Elijah took the body from her arms and carried him upstairs to his bedroom. There he cried out to God and asked Him something that no one else ever had. Scripture had not recorded anyone rising from the dead at this time…Not one person. Jesus had not stopped the funeral of the widow’s son and turned their mourners’ wailing into praising and leaping. Jesus had not entered Jarius’ daughter’s room and said “My child, get up!” Jesus had not spoken to Lazarus to come out of the grave even in his grave clothes. Elisha, who also raised people from the dead, would come after Elijah. This had never been done before. There was no precedent.

Elijah could not say, “Do it like You did it before.” He could not say, “Do it like You did it for Your Son Jesus.” Elijah could not offer suggestions to God based on his past activity nor could he submit that he was worthy enough like other prophets to have walked as closely to God as humanly possible.

This was “out of the box” thinking. This was a prayer that did not limit the power of God. This prayer believed that the arm of God was able to reach anywhere. This prayer was backed by faith that nothing was too hard for God (Genesis 18:14).

We live in a time where God’s Holy Bible with two Testaments is completed, but the activity of God in our world today continues. God continues to manifest Himself in new ways that awe us. He loves an invitation to display His creative power. He responds to people who believe that He is mighty and that He can surpass the laws of the world that He created. God’s Son Jesus emphasized this to us by saying, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). At another time, Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

It seems that miracles are more prevalent in countries that don’t have their own military might, advanced medical care, safety regulations, and higher education facilities. Many of us in this country have put our trust in these protections and powers. Isn’t it interesting that someone with less education than we have can sometimes know God’s power more than we do? All four of these are blessings, but blessings can turn to curses if God diminishes in our eyes.

Gosh, I don’t ever want to go there. I want to live a life where God continues to stretch my mind about who He is. I want to live every day searching for more revelation of God. I want more glimpses of God on His throne and peeks into heaven. I want to know God as much as possible, and I want to see the impossible because I want HIM! If you feel like I do, then let’s keep pressing on together and giving God invitations to show His might and power!

Pray with me: Oh, Lord, we desire to have the faith of Elijah. Just because something has not been done before doesn’t mean that You can’t do it or that You won’t do it. It is not that we seek You only for the sake of entertainment or thirst for power. We seek to live life out on the edge with You. We desire to live an “everything is possible” life with You. It’s in the Name above all names that we pray, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name. Amen.


Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

The Initiator of Love

By Shirley Mitchell

“We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

Happy Valentine’s Day, beloved! Today is the day were thousands of children like my daughters take shoe boxes wrapped in tissue decorated with red and pink hearts to school for others to slip valentines in their boxes. It is a high sales day for florists and jewelry stores. It is a day of romance. It is day for expressing love.

This day is a day of joy for many people. However, some people really struggle through this day. Many of us are lonely though. Many of us like to avoid this day. We feel unloved. Somewhere in the secret places of our minds we ask ourselves questions that we don’t want anyone else to know that we think about. We think things like when will I be loved? Why can’t I find somebody to love? Am I just plain unloveable?

The answer to all of us is that YES you are loved and very loveable. We are loved by our Father in heaven who rules and reigns on high. May be the reason why we ask these questions is because the empty place that only God can fill inside of us is crying out for us to know God’s love.

God showed us that when He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. He showed His love in the Bible that He had written just for you and me. It is His love letter to us. He still shows His love for you as He intervenes and orchestrates things to work together for your good. He shows His love for us when His Holy Spirit speaks to us and reveals to us the Father.

1 John 4:19 is one of the simplest verses in the Bible with the deepest of truths. It says simply that we love because He first loved us. He is the source of love. He is the supply of love. We can’t begin to love ourselves or love others unless we first receive God’s love. When we accept God’s love and let it permeate every part of our being, we feel accepted by the ultimate opinion and greatest power in the universe. His love fuels us, and it never ends.

One of my favorite things to do on Valentine’s Day is to look for my valentine from God. Sometimes it is something in the sky like a sunset. Sometimes I have felt like a song on the radio was just for me and like I was experiencing a spiritual serenade. Sometimes it is the fresh word I get when I read my Bible. I know He is there because I feel His Spirit and His love wash over me. Every time my God-moment happens, I know that He is expressing His love for me and saying, “I love you, Shirley.” I simply reply to Him usually through tears, “I love You, too. I love You so much. I love You, too.”

Beloved, have you had your valentine from God yet today? Ask Him to give you spiritual eyes to see and ears to Him. He is our Father who has done everything to let us know that He loves us. Seek Him.

Pray with me: Almighty God, You sought us out and made us Yours. Be our valentine. Let us be Yours and You be ours. We love the way You love us. You love us perfectly and completely. Take our breath away. Pleasantly surprise us. We give You this day. Take control over it and amaze us. It is in Name above all names, Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, that we pray, Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

The Doorkeeper

By Shirley Mitchell

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

Psalm 84:10

My youngest daughter Victoria is adopted from China. In efforts to teach her about her birth country and her heritage, she is enrolled in our city’s Chinese school. Every Saturday, she attends language class for two hours and a dance class for an hour. This past weekend was Chinese New Year. This is one of the largest Chinese holidays. They celebrate with great parties, food, music, and dance. Victoria’s school holds an elaborate Chinese New Year party with some of the finest food while children and adults sing, dance, act, and play some beautiful Chinese instruments.

This year is the year of the Rabbit. Now, the bunny rabbit happens to be Victoria’s favorite animal. I think the reason for that is her favorite young lady Lindsey gave her a bunny stuffed animal. In honor of the year of the rabbit, Victoria’s language teacher decided to do a play about a bunny for the big Chinese New Year performance. When Victoria came home, she showed me the sheet her teacher gave her and told me the story of a little bunny, her mother, and the wolf. Then, she told me sadly that she was just the doorkeeper. She didn’t want to go to perform because she thought her role was so insignificant and that she was not needed. Of course, I encouraged her that this would still be fun and told her she needed to do this play because it was a class assignment.

When I saw them perform their dress rehearsal, I realized why she was not excited about being the doorkeeper. It was not just because she was not a bunny. It was because she remained hidden behind the cardboard box the entire play. She opened and shut the door while the other characters came in and out of it. No one would know that she was on stage until she came out at the end and bowed. Immediately, the Holy Spirit brought to my heart Psalm 84:10. It was the perfect time to teach her the deep meaning of this verse.

Psalm 84 was written by the sons of Korah. They were quite different than their forefather Korah. After the exodus from Egypt, Korah became insolent and rose up against Moses and Aaron. He led a group against them who angrily yelled at them for going too far. They shouted that the LORD was with the whole assembly and how dare they set themselves above the others. Moses went to knees. Then he said tomorrow we will let the LORD decide who should lead the people of Israel. In the morning they were to take their censors and put burning coal and incense in it and stand before the tent of meeting.

Korah and his followers foolishly agreed to the showdown. They didn’t realize they had exalted themselves in their own eyes, and it was not God who exalted them. In the morning, as Moses finished saying that this is how you will know that the LORD anointed him and sent him to be their leader, the ground opened up and swallowed Korah and all of those who disobeyed God and had come against God’s chosen leaders for Israel. Shocking, isn’t it? They had forgotten their God was a holy God. They had forgotten that He is the one who assigns tasks to His people and He architects the organizational structure. Their hearts were hard and not for God. So God punished them and showed all of Israel to not dare to question Him in such an insolent way or His choice of leaders.

Many years later, the sons of Korah wrote this Psalm 84. Their attitude was completely different than their forefather Korah. They learned from his mistake and his sin of pride. They learned to worship God and led others to worship Him, too. They no longer struggled with their importance in the kingdom. They realized that one day in the presence of God was better than having 1,000 other days without Him. They didn’t care what assignment God gave them. They just wanted to be with Him and be a part of His family. They just wanted to worship and serve God. If God chose for them to be His doorkeeper, then they rejoiced! They knew that merely being God’s doorkeeper which was one of the lowest positions was better than ever living in the tent of the wicked.

So my friend, have you been given a role that you think seems like the doorkeeper role? Do you think that you are somehow less important than your preacher, priest, or worship leader? Have you learned that whatever He has for you is exactly what you want? Do you know what you mean to God? Do you know your significance? Have you learned that one day with Him surpasses all other days? I hope so. My friend, that is true living. Seek Him first. May He be your first love. May you find fulfillment, joy, peace and love just by being on God’s team and with Him.

Pray with me: Almighty God, better is one day in Your courts than a 1,000 elsewhere. We would rather be a doorkeeper in Your house than to ever dwell in the tent of the wicked. We long to be in Your presence and to be filled with Your Spirit. You are our truest heart’s desire. We cry out for You! We don’t care what role You assign us. Don’t let our hearts betray us and for our pride to mislead us. We want YOU! It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

Loneliness

By Shirley Mitchell

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ ”
Genesis 2:18

Do you know that most people struggle with loneliness? I was quite shocked one time during Bible study when I asked the ladies about loneliness. No matter how close they were to God every one of them experienced loneliness from time to time. Deep inside, they all felt lonely in some way. This time of year between Christmas and Valentine’s Day breeds it the most. The holidays accentuate feelings whether they are joy or sadness. The cold, dark winter months affect the human psyche. Scientific evidence shows that depression increases when there is less sunlight. Sunlight causes the production of Vitamin D in your body and this is a natural antidepressant. If you don’t get a good amount of sunlight it is likely that you will start to feel depressed.

First we must understand that there is a difference between solitude and loneliness. Solitude is to be alone physically while loneliness is feel alone spiritually psychologically. We can feel lonely in a crowd. We can be quite content when we are all alone. Solitude is inner fulfillment while loneliness is inner emptiness.

I’ve seen people be pulled from their pit of depression and released from the snares of darkness through just being able to leave their home for the night, go to a social function, and be around people. Sometimes just some human interaction with some of our friends is the medicine. Sometimes, we need something more.

We can feel lonely because we think we don’t have close friends. Maybe we don’t know how to get close to others. Maybe we don’t feel accepted by our friends or the ones that we are trying to befriend. As humans, we want to feel accepted like we belong and that we are loved. God created us for interaction with Him, and thus with each other. We need companionship because we were created for it!

When God created the world, He knew that He could not just create Adam alone to take care of it. He knew that it was not good for Adam to be alone. So He made Adam a suitable helper. He gave him a companion, Eve. She would share his experiences, his work, and his entire life. Isn’t it great to know that we feel lonely, because we were designed for interaction? God made us this way!

We were created for love - both friendship and romantic love. Love would not exist without loneliness to inspire it. We have to risk revealing ourselves. We can’t sulk and wallow in our loneliness. We have to get the courage to open up and to reach out to others. We have to let people know us. If they reject us, then we continue to trust God. He will bring us to the right relationship at the right time.

The next time you feel lonely, ask God to identify why you are lonely. Is it because you need more of a relationship with Him? Are you not letting God meet your needs? Are you looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places instead of letting God fill those empty places? Also, ask yourself if have contributed to this empty feeling because you have neglected your physical needs. Are not eating right, getting enough exercise, or getting enough sunlight? Or is it because you have not risked yourself by trying to build relationships with other people? Have you built up walls? Have you isolated yourself? Whenever loneliness overcomes you, don’t let it envelope you and smother you. See it as a call to seek God and let Him search your heart and reveal to you His plan for you.

Pray with me: Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, we praise You! Thank You for how You designed us for interaction with You. We were made for companionship. When we feel lonely, help us to identify the source. Don’t let us remain in a pit of depression. Pull us out of the loneliness pit. Set us free to praise You! It’s in the Name above all names, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry

The Egypt Prophecy

The Egypt Prophecy
By Shirley Mitchell

“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.’ ”

Isaiah 19:23-25

Have you been keeping up with the world news lately and what is going on in the Egypt and the Middle East? Do you understand this pivotal time in our world, beloved? I do not want you to be unaware of the significant events that are happening. As your teacher, I must keep encouraging you to be like the men of Issachar who understood the signs of the times. When we hear world news, we can’t disassociate ourselves and discount that things on the other side of the world have no impact on us. Additionally, we should want to share God’s heart for all nations to know Him.

Now in the focus of Scriptures, let’s talk about what is going on in Egypt and the Middle East today so we can understand things from God’s throne room. As the people of God, we must understand His perspective and not our own limited view or the news media’s view of the world.

250,000 people have flooded Cairo’s main square to protest the regime of President Hosni Murbarak. The crowds include the young, the old, the urban poor, and the middle class professionals. People travelled from our cities to join the protest. People rallied in other cities. Almost 100 people have died in the protests, and hundreds have been injured. They are demanding for President Mubarak to leave after 30 years in power. He is accused of ignoring the needs of the poor and allowing corruption of the police and public officials to run rampant. Yesterday, President Mubarak said he would step down at the next election.

Egyptians protest movement was built on the work on online activists. They were emboldened by Tunisia. Last month, Tunisia’s president was ousted from office. Mubarak is now the second Arab leader pushed from office by uprising in recent days. Additionally, Jordan’s King Abdullah II just fired his government in face of smaller street protests.

Egypt has kept three decades of peace with Israel. They have resisted the Islamic militants. Some fear this gives a foothold for the nation to turn against Israel. The Muslim Brotherhood wants to form a state governed by Islamic law.


God’s Word includes a prophecy about Egypt in the end times. The entire chapter of Isaiah 19 tells us what will become of Israel. This passage became alive to me a few years ago when I had the privilege to travel from Israel to Egypt to pray this prophecy. There are few countries in the world that I have been to where you can feel the oppression of the enemy upon entering it. Egypt was one of them.

In Egypt, we held a prayer meeting for the nation at a mosque that sat high and overlooked the city of Cairo. We went to a garbage city where a beautiful church remained hidden and met the few but mighty Christian believers. We travelled by bus through the Egypt to pray and sing for the fulfillment of Isaiah 19:23-25 that there would be a highway between Egypt and Assyria through Israel. Assyria is modern day Iraq and some areas of Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. One day the nation will accept the God of Israel, will be blessed, and will be called God’s people.

However, the nation of Egypt has been in the tight grip of the kingdom of darkness for years and years. May the current events be the beginning of taking the enemies clutched fingers off the throat of the nation.

Isaiah 19 starts by saying, “A prophecy against Egypt: See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear. ‘I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian— brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.” Verses 5-17 describe how Egypt will be impoverished. In that day the Egyptians will become weaklings. They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand that the LORD Almighty raises against them.

Now do not be mistaken. Our God is not treacherous or evil. He does not plan and execute violent riots and wicked acts. He is good. He is loving. We must understand this Scripture through the full counsel of God’s Word. God allows mankind to make choices, and thankfully restrains us from going too far. He uses it all together to work for His plans, purposes, and good. Daniel 2:21 tells us that our God is the one who sets up kings and disposes them. He is the one in control. These riots didn’t surprise Him. He is shaking up the nations of Egypt, Jordan, and Tunisia.


Isaiah 19 also tells us that there will be a great revival in Egypt before the LORD returns. The people will be healed, repent, turn from the darkness of Islam to the one true God, the LORD Yahweh. It says that there will be an altar to the LORD in the heart of Egypt. Verse 20 says, “When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them.”


Now, do you understand why the kingdom of darkness desires to thwart the plans of God and oppress and destroy the nations of the world? He knows his time is short and he is trying to cling onto the nations he has controlled in cruelty. I implore you to seek God on this matter. Let’s pray for God’s stage to be set for Egypt to know Him and to take its most favored nation status in the eyes of God.

Pray with me: Lord, we know that You are at work in Egypt. The Egyptians people have lived under great oppression – spiritual and economically – for so long. You are working to bring healing to the people. You are shaking the nation to draw them closer to You. You will rescue them!

We know that You set up kings, and You dispose of them. No ruler has ever been put into place outside the realm of Your control. They may not have been Your choice, but You have allowed them to rule. You are preparing the stage for the return on Your Son. You tell us clearly that one day there will be a highway between Egypt, Israel, and Assyria.

We want to bless Israel. The battle for Israel is intense in the spiritual realm, and may we recognize that satan is going after the place where Your name is. Protect Israel as the new government is formed.

God, we ask You to spare lives. Show Your power and Your might. Bring the lost to know You. Fulfill Your divine plan for Egypt and the nations. It’s in the Name that someday every knee will bow and every tongue will confess it, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry