Susan's Corner

Don't Look Back

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:37:14 GMT

When you reach a certain age or stage in life, I think there is a natural tendency to look back on your life and reflect on how you got to where you are today. It makes you appreciate what you have. I had certainly found myself at that place in life, looking around and seeing how far we had come and how well we were doing. How good it was to feel secure and happy!

It had not always been so easy. When we were first married, I was expecting to settle down in the place where I was born, among my own people, and raise a family, just as my mother had done. My husband had something completely different in mind. When he told me we were leaving our home to travel with his uncle to a new land, I was taken aback. Part of me was scared to leave the only place I had ever known, and the other part was caught up in excitement of it all. My husband believed that his uncle was hearing from the one true God, the Creator of the universe, and so he had also put his faith in this God. Because he believed, I believed. I can say that God did see us through on the journey, which was difficult at times. You try traveling with your family, a bunch of farm animals, and herdsmen. Even in the best of conditions, it was sweaty and smelly and exhausting. At one point, there was a famine in the land so bad that we had to travel to another area just to survive. Secretly, I questioned if we had made the wrong decision to leave home. There were many nights I cried myself to sleep. But, God brought us through it and we were able to return to the place God had called his uncle.

All the while, God was blessing our family. My husband had acquired flocks and herdsman of his own. Pretty soon, there wasn’t enough room for all of us. Our herdsmen and his uncle’s herdsmen often quarreled. His uncle did not want these troubles to affect the family dynamic, so he suggested that we part ways and gave my husband first choice of which area to take. I was grateful to him for this kindness, and I must admit I was a little sad to leave what had become our family of wanderers. When I saw the beautiful, lush land where we were headed, I knew that the difficult journey had been worth it.

We ended up living in the city of Sodom. We had settled in the community as strangers, but over time had built strong relationships with friends and associates. It wasn’t perfect, but what place is? What city doesn’t have crime or a seedier side? You learn what areas to stay out of and who to associate with if you want to stay out of trouble. We found our place there and raised our family. We had a nice home, and my husband was a leader in the community. Our daughters were to be married to fine young men and we had spent the better part of the year preparing them for their weddings. I also had gained the friendship and respect of other women, and we would often talk in the markets about our lives. I was so proud to talk about my husband and the upcoming weddings, and they were generous with their congratulations and well wishes. I couldn’t imagine our lives being any better.

Our picture perfect life changed in less than 24 hours when two strangers arrived at the city gates. I guess it was no coincidence that my husband was sitting in the gateway of the city that evening. He invited them to spend the night in our home, which surprised me. I have say that there was something different about them. They weren’t the typical visitors who passed through our area who usually knew what to expect if they spent an evening in the town square, if you know what I mean. I knew our city had a reputation. I had always looked the other way, knowing things happened in the dark of night that were wrong in the eyes of God. I figured it was none of my business and it wasn’t my problem. I lived my life and they lived theirs.

The events that happened that night happened so fast. It was surreal. I couldn’t believe it was happening. Our home was suddenly surrounded by men, young and old, who demanded we give our visitors over to them. My husband tried to reason with them. He even had the nerve to offer them our daughters, which really angered me at the time. I was ready to kill him myself. Quickly, the two visitors stepped in and rescued my husband from the crowd. Then the oddest thing happened. The men outside our home were suddenly struck blind and they went away, stumbling about. I was beginning to understand that these visitors of ours were more than they seemed. That’s when they told us they had come to destroy the city and we needed leave as soon as possible. My husband went to our daughter’s fiancés and begged them to come with us, telling them that God was going to destroy the city. They laughed, thinking he was joking. Who jokes about something like that?

As the sun was getting ready to rise, the two men urged us to leave right away so that we would not be destroyed, too. It still had not registered with me that this was happening. Everything was quiet and still, so how could we be in imminent danger? How could we just leave? We needed to gather up food and clothing and things we would need to travel. We needed time to get ready. My husband and I just looked at each other, not knowing where to start. Suddenly, I felt a hand grab mine. One of the men had me by the hand and my husband by the other. The second man likewise had taken our daughters hands. They began rushing us out of the city, telling us to run and not look back or we would be swept away in the destruction. What destruction? I did not see or hear anything that made me think we were in danger. They wanted us to go to the mountains, but my husband begged to let us go to a smaller city far enough away from the danger. They agreed and said the destruction would begin as soon as we could get there.

We ran for what seemed like forever. I didn’t know my old body could still do that. It still seemed like a bad dream, and that I would wake up soon and be back in my beautiful home. Then I heard the first rumble and felt the earth shake beneath my feet. The smell of smoke and something that smelled like rotten eggs filled my nostrils. I was getting tired from running. My husband and my girls where just ahead of me, entering the city of Zoar. I stopped to rest for a moment and I started to cry. How could we be here in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but the clothes on our back? Why did we have to leave our wonderful home where we had everything we needed? What about all the things we had collected for our daughters’ weddings? Why couldn’t we have saved some of those things. I wanted my life back. Without thinking, I turned around and looked at the city I had called home. Everyone and everything I knew was being pummeled in a rain of fire. As my family safely made it inside the little town of Zoar, I was still just on the outskirts. I stood there in the aftershocks of the fiery storm, grieving the life I had left behind. I realized my mistake too late as I felt the wave of heat and grit begin to take over my body. If only I had listened to the two men. If only I had trusted that God would take care of me in this situation, just as He had in the past. If only I had not looked back.

Luke 17:32 - Remember Lot’s wife.

If “Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible (John 11:35), then Luke 17:32 has to be the second shortest. More importantly, these words are in red, meaning Jesus spoke them. “Remember Lot’s wife, “ He cautions. “Lot’s wife” is all we know her by, and what we know about her is found in Genesis 19. Most people just remember that she turned into a pillar of salt. What we need to remember is why.

The Hebrew word for “looked back” means more than just the physical act of glancing back over one’s shoulder. It means to regard, consider, or pay attention to something. She was not so much looking back with her eyes as she was with her heart. In that moment, as imagined in the passage above, she had more regard for what she was leaving behind than in the provision God had made ahead of her. She loved and appreciated the things of the world and her earthly treasures more than the divine deliverance that was provided to her. Even though she did not commit the same sins that had brought about this judgment, her heart was with the city and all things worldly, and so she suffered its same fate. In Luke 17, Jesus is cautioning the disciples, and us, to not make the same mistake.

Luke 17:26-33 - ²⁶ And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷ They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; ²⁹ but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ “In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. ³² Remember Lot’s wife. ³³ Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

A quote attributed to Alexander Graham Bell says, “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Such was the fate of Lot’s wife. Such could be our fate if we are not careful. We cannot harshly judge Lot’s wife, knowing how easily the same thing could happen to us. We can find ourselves living comfortably, confident in our position in life, and relying on our material possessions, if we are not careful to remember the true Provider. It isn’t a bad thing to have material possessions, but it is a wrong attitude if we value the things of the world more than we value the things of God.

When you hear someone say, “Jesus is coming soon”, do you laugh like Lot’s son-in-laws, or do you start looking up and watching for Him? Just like Lot tried to warn his son-in-laws, we need to let our family and friends know that He is coming. As Christians, we should be ready to drop everything when He comes for us, and not look back for anyone or anything. There is nothing we are leaving behind that is better or more important than being with Jesus. When that day comes, just like it came for Sodom, we have to be ready for our divine deliverance from this world. If we dare to look back, we could be left behind. Remember Lot’s wife, and don’t look back.

Prepared For Good News

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:36:00 GMT

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

No, wait! Don t send the news out in an email. You know most of them don t even check it. Let s tell them in person. I want to see the look on their faces! I said excitedly to my coworker.

We had some really good news to share with our employees. Earlier in the year, a state agency announced caregiver bonuses for anyone working in childcare who met the criteria. Since 2020, there has been an overall shortage of childcare workers and the bonuses are to help with employee retention. We could never pay childcare workers what they are worth, though our organization pays better than most. We have wonderful, dedicated employees, but sometimes pay is a deciding factor on whether they stay for long. The bonuses were to be given out it two phases. We prepared the phase one paperwork for our employees who were eligible, got their signatures, and submitted the paperwork. A few months later, they got checks in the mail for several hundred dollars. They were so elated, and we were happy for them.

When it was time to apply for the second phase of payments, we found out the final payment would be more. What we didn t expect was that the payout would be in thousands instead of hundreds. Our employees are part-time contract workers with no benefits, so knowing they were going to get a check for roughly the equivalent of one to two months pay was pretty exciting news. The paperwork was prepared for those who were eligible so that they would only have to sign their names. We divided them up and scheduled visits to 17 sites to get them signed.

I was so hyped up as I went into each site, but played it cool. I had my presentation all planned out. I gathered the staff and putting on a somber face said, I want to let you all know that this round of the caregiver bonuses is not going to be for the same amount as last time, I explained, trying to keep a straight face. Most of the responses were along the lines of yeah, we thought it might be less and that s ok, anything helps , though their faces showed their disappointment. That s when I shared the good news with them. Yeah, instead of $XXX, the check amount will be $X,XXX. And oh, the responses that evoked.

Jaws dropped.

Eyes widened.

What?!

You re kidding me.

Please tell me you aren t joking.

You punking me?

You don t know how much I need it.

Tears.

My heart swelled as I watched each person receive the good news with rejoicing. Of course, there were a few people who did not receive the news with a positive reaction. Right, I ll believe it when I see it or That s too good to be true , were just a couple of the responses. My heart hurt for those who didn t dare hope that something this good was intended for them. Whether they believed it or not, in a few months they will receive the payment. My parting advice to them all was don t spend it before you get it, because I could see they were already dreaming and picturing what they would do with their blessing.

The experience for me was exhilarating, as strange as that may sound. It s not like I was personally responsible for the bonus. It wasn t my money or any money I had the authority to disperse. But it blessed me so much to share that news with them and see the joy in their faces.

I was laying in bed one evening, reflecting on those moments with our staff and thanking God for what He was doing and the opportunity to be a part of it, and in that moment He showed me something. I should be as excited about sharing the Good News the gospel of Jesus Christ as I was about sharing this good financial news with the staff. Ouch!

I saiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
Your God reigns!

How many can say they get genuinely excited about going out and witnessing to others? I know a few who are bold and witness to everyone they come across. They take Jesus s instruction in Mark 16:15 to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, very seriously. It wouldn t surprise me if they even preached to the deer, the squirrels, their dog, and any other animals that cross their path. And then, I know some who are very shy and have anxiety about talking to people about anything, let alone their salvation. Most of us fall somewhere in between, knowing we should speak up but finding it awkward and not really knowing how to do it or what to say. We make it complicated, and often miss opportunities that come our way. At least, that is my experience.

First we have to recognize what good news we have to share about salvation through the blood of Jesus, and we should be excited about it. We should want everyone to know about it. It is greater news than any monetary bonus that we might receive. Temporary vs Eternal. We know what He did for us and the hope we now have, and we should be excited about sharing that with others. We should be excited to see the joy on their faces when they hear they don t have to live with shame, guilt, and sin. We should be excited to see them give their hearts and burdens to the Lord and accept new life through Him. It s not anything we are doing, because only Jesus can do that for them. But we get to share that good news and lead them to Him.

So how do we do this if we are someone who is a little backward or feels they don t know what to say? I have been trying to figure that out as well. And I am not a shy person. I do believe it starts with the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:8, Jesus tells his disciples, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The Holy Spirit will lead us to the people we are to witness to, and will help us know what to say.

Certainly we have to know who Jesus is and be able to explain the plan of salvation, and do so in a way the person will understand. That means we need to be reading our Bible and learning the Word of God. As our Pastor often quotes from 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We also have to know how to share our own testimony, because that is extremely powerful. The first night I went out with the street ministry, I watched and listened as Tiffany shared her testimony with some of the homeless people who stopped to talk with us. They hung on every word she said. They realized that she knew exactly what they were going through, because she had been there. She shared how Jesus rescued her from addiction and homelessness and restored her family, and He could do the same for them. I saw the expressions on their faces. I saw the tears welling up in their eyes. Everyone has a testimony that will resonate with someone, and I believe the Holy Spirit will connect us with them. I love the scripture in 2 Corinthians 1:4 that says He is the God who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Sharing your testimony means making yourself vulnerable and letting people know what you ve been through. I know that can be difficult we want to put the past behind us and there s stuff we d rather people didn t know about us. God knows all about us and forgives us, but people are not always so gracious. I am not saying publicly hang out all your dirty laundry not everyone needs to hear it. But in a one-on-one divine appointment, sharing your testimony could mean spiritual life or death for someone. That s when we should be most excited to share the Good News with someone, to let them know they are not alone in their experience and if Jesus did it for you, He will do it for them.

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

I think we should be prepared to be witnesses on two different levels. We should be able to give a general testimony about who Jesus is and what He did to save the world and be ready to share that with anyone at any time. Then I think we need that specific, personal testimony ready to share when God puts us with someone who needs to hear it. There may even be different facets of your testimony that would apply. That s where we need the power of the Holy Spirit to direct us.

A few months ago, I sat down and wrote out my testimony. I started with what was going on in my life before I got saved in my early thirties all the heartaches, loss, despair, shame, and guilt that broke my heart. I wrote about when and how I got saved and all the ways Jesus changed my life. I made an evidence list of examples of how God has worked in my life, answering prayers and bringing healing. It s not something I would share with just anyone and definitely would not publish, because it is very personal, but there are parts I know I could share that might help someone else.

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

In the Book of Acts, Paul shares his testimony of when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus in two different passages (Acts 22, 26). It was his story, and even though it is recounted only a few times in scripture, I feel confident that he shared that testimony everywhere he went. It s what he opened with. When he went into a new place, he was prepared to share his story and the good news about Jesus. So be prepared. Write out your testimony and bring it down to a concise message. Mine is down to seven pages so, yeah, I m working on getting it down to specific talking points. Make a list of the things God has done for you, the prayers He has answered, and the mountains He has moved for you. It s your story, but you may have to review it from time to time to remind and encourage yourself. Once you have your testimony ready, and you have the knowledge of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, the final ingredient we need is love. We have to love other people as much as Jesus loves us. We must love them enough to want to see them saved. What we say has to be said with love, and as Peter says, with gentleness and respect.

We are the messengers of the Good News. Our directive is to share Jesus with others. Some will accept the message with joy and tears. And some will say they can t believe it and it sounds too good to be true. We will rejoice with those who accept it, but we can t be deterred by those who reject our message. Jesus reminded us that they are not rejecting us, but Him. All we can do is pray we have planted a seed and it will be the beginning of a new faith journey for someone.

Jesus Is Better

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 19:29:00 GMT

In January, our adult Sunday School class began a study of the book of Hebrews. There are three of us who teach the class, and we go through a rotation, taking turns teaching a chapter at a time. This method lent itself well to this book, as we clearly saw how each chapter was built on the previous one. Going into this study, I was familiar with some verses and chapters that are often taught or quoted, but I had never studied the book as a whole.

The identity of the author is debated by everyone. Some scholars believe it is Paul, while others have suggested Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, and even Priscilla. We all agreed not to go there and just referred to him (or her) as the writer . I knew that Chapter 11 was known as the faith chapter and it contained the Hall of Faith, as some call it. We agreed that we couldn t go into too much detail on that one because you would have to read most of the Old Testament to get all the back stories. And lastly, I knew there were several often quoted verses, like Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever and Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen . We found new meaning in many of these scriptures as we studied them in the context of the whole book. We also agreed that there was a clear and simple message for the reader throughout the book.

Jesus is better.

Better than what, some may ask? The quick comeback answer would be everything . If you were feeling a little more spiritual, you might respond that He s better than anything and everything because, as it says in John 1:3, All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. If you really want to understand and share why Jesus is better, read and study Hebrews.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.

The writer s message was directed to the Jewish Christians of the day. They had known the ways of Judiasm and the law. Presented with the message of the gospel, they had made the choice to leave Judiasm to follow Jesus. But now they were struggling. They were being persecuted by Jews. They were being persecuted by Romans. They lacked understanding about their new faith and who Jesus really is. The writer suggests in chapter 5 that they were spiritually immature, saying they still needed milk when they already should have been on solid food, which is for the mature. They were struggling to the point that many were considering going back to Judiasm going back to what was old and familiar and comfortable. The easy way on the path of least resistance. And so, chapter after chapter, the writer lays out why they shouldn t and couldn t go back.

Hebrews 10:26-27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

During class, I asked for a volunteer to come up and ring a bell. Then I asked her to unring it. Her expression was priceless. It couldn t be done. You can t unring a bell. Likewise, once you know that Jesus is the Son of God and you know that He gave His life and shed His blood for your salvation and eternal life, you cannot unknow it. You can only reject Him and the free gift of salvation. If they were to return to Judiasm, they would be rejecting Jesus. According to the writer, they would have trampled the Son of God under foot and treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified Him and insulted the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10).

In the chapters leading up to these verses, the writer explained how the animal sacrifices offered once a year by the high priest were inferior to the sacrifice made by Jesus, our High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, who sacrificed Himself, once and for all. The Jewish high priest had to make the sacrifice yearly, atoning first for his own sins. It was impossible for animal blood to take away sin; it could only cover it, and only for a short time, so it had to be repeated. I gave the example of when I used to color my hair. The day I went to the salon to have it colored, it looked great. But as my hair grew in the next few weeks, the grey hair started coming back through. I had to touch it up every three or four weeks. I would have loved a solution that allowed me to color my hair once and never have to touch it up again. (That solution doesn t exist, unfortunately. The closest thing would be wearing a wig!)

Hebrews 10:11-12 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

Jesus gave the better sacrifice, because it did more than cover sin -- it took it away. If the Jewish Christians turned their backs on Jesus to return to Judiasm, there really was no sacrifice left for them because the animal blood could never do that.

The writer cautions the Jewish Christians not to harden their hearts toward Jesus, the way the Israelites hardened theirs toward God in the desert after the exodus. Those who did never saw the promised land, but instead they died in the desert. In Hebrews 3:12, it says See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. If they rejected God s Son, they would be rejecting God.

Starting at chapter 1 and continuing through chapter 13, the writer encourages them by explaining how Jesus is better than the angels, better than Moses, and better than the Old Testament Priesthood. The new covenant is also greater than the old, which is obsolete and aging and will soon disappear (Hebrews 8:13). It challenged their traditional thinking and old beliefs. The writer wanted them to see that Jesus is the better sacrifice, the better hope, which is an anchor for the soul. The writer also talks about how living by faith is better than going through the motions of rituals and rules, which is why there is a faith chapter that talks about OT heroes who God commended because of their great faith. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

As 21 ^st century Christians, It would be an easy thing for us to judge the Jewish Christians to whom this letter was originally written. Easy, but unfair. We have the benefit of having a complete Bible at our fingertrips, not to mention all the commentaries, Bible notes, teachings, and options for Bible study either in person or on the internet. While this letter to the Hebrews may seem like a message for past believers, it is still very relevant for us today.

Hebrews 10:23-24 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

Just like the Jewish Christians, there are Christians today who are struggling in their walk with Christ, for a variety of reasons. They could be going through a difficult life event death, divorce, anxiety or depression, drug addiction, homelessness, cancer. They could be newly converted and undiscipled, trying to figure out what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. They could have been hurt by someone, perhaps even by their church. Or perhaps their decision to follow Christ is making life difficult at home because their spouse doesn t feel the same way and it is causing friction in their relationship. They may have feelings of low self-esteem that makes them doubt their worthiness.

Whatever the reason, there are believers right now who are thinking that it might be easier to just quit and not try anymore. They think what if they could just go back to the way things were before the old, the familiar, and the comfortable. The easy way on the path of least resistance. We have to be on the lookout for them so that we can step in and encourage them. That is why we should not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing (Hebrews 10). We need to come together as a body to encourage one another, even more so as the Day approaches because the attacks will intensify as that time draws near. If you are only coming to church for what you will get out of it, I urge you to rethink that. It s also about what you bring to the body and the good you can do for your brothers and sisters by using your gifts and talents, and by encouraging and mentoring others. God will use you to minister to others, and He will use others to minister to you.

Jude 22-23 Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Just like the writer of Hebrews, we must be ready to make our case not only to the unsaved, but also to those battle-weary believers who are ready to quit and remind them that Jesus is better. There is nothing in our old life before we accepted Christ that could be better than Him. What could there possibly be in your old life that is worth giving up Jesus? What is there to go back to?

I never want to go back to who I was before I knew Jesus. He has taken my sin, my shame, my guilt. He has given me hope and love, purpose and meaning. Do I still make mistakes and sin? Of course, but now I have a better way to deal with it. I ask for forgiveness, and He forgives. Will there still be difficult times and situations in life? Of course, but now I have someone I can trust to take care of me, fight my battles, and work all things for my good. I have someone who can teach me a better way and a better life. He proves Himself faithful, time and time again. Corrie Ten Boom said, In order to realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm. If you are feeling discouraged, don t give up. The Lord disciplines those He loves. Hebrews 12:7 tells us to endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. It goes on to say that God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness and that this produces a harvest of righteousness and peace. Whatever you are going through or facing in your life, Jesus has a better way, a better plan, a better love, a better hope, and a better peace than anything or anyone else can offer.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Jesus is better.

Jesus and Me in '23

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 19:53:00 GMT

John 15:5 8 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.My daughter gifted me a 23andMe test kit for Christmas. Both she and her father had submitted their samples and received their results last year. The reports not only showed what countries or nationalities they were descendant from, but also noted health issues or conditions they may be genetically disposed to having and the likelihood by a percentage. We didn t see many surprises, except for the fact that there was no Native American in their profiles. Both me and my husband had been told growing up...

Liquid Glory

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:24:00 GMT

We have a couple of young women in our church, Amber Cook and Desireah Oliveri, who have a very special and anointed gift. When either of them ministers, it takes our worship service to another level. Some call what they do mime, while others call it interpretative dance. I don t really care what label you want to put on it, it is beautiful and moving. I think one of the key elements is their song choices. They have done a few contemporary songs you might hear on Christian radio, but most of the time they choose songs many of us are not familiar with. They are soulful and deep, rich in praise for our Lord. The combination of the songs and their heartfelt motions and interpretations draw you into God s presence.Sometime around Easter, Amber ministered to a song some may have known, but I had never heard. The song was This Blood (written by Rita Springer). It has the sound and feel of an older hymn, but it is probably less than 15 years old. The words, the music, the message the song...

Liquid Glory

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:24:00 GMT

Sometime around Easter, Amber ministered to a song some may have known, but I had never heard. The song was This Blood (written by Rita Springer). It has the sound and feel of an older hymn, but it is probably less than 15 years old. The words, the music, the message the song is anointed, as is Amber, so I can tell you that church was an exciting place to be that day and the several times she has done it since. You will find all the lyrics and a link at the end of this article, and I encourage you to read the words and to listen to the song.

A particular lyric caught my ear and introduced to me to a new term, and it has been stuck in my head and heart ever since. So pour it out and, To cleanse my soul, And let its liquid Glory flow, Because it lives, To make me whole . Liquid Glory! Liquid Glory! What a beautiful description of the blood of Jesus! There are a lot of scriptures about the blood of Jesus and a lot of songs about the blood of Jesus, but never had I heard anyone use this term to describe it. A quick Google search of liquid glory only brought up the song, This Blood , a painting, and an instrumental piano song.

The artist, Rick J. Delanty, said about his painting, Liquid Glory is about the idea that all Creation speaks of its inception at the hands of God, and reveals attributes of God in its, power, depth, glory, and creativity. I think he was on to something. In looking up the definition of glory from a biblical perspective, it means the divine presence of God; the revelation of God in Christ.

Hebrews 1:3 -- 3 The Son is the radiance of God s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

As Christians, we understand the meaning and importance of the blood. We see its power and saving grace when we read about the first Passover. The Hebrew families each took the blood of an innocent lamb and applied it to their doorposts. When the angel of death passed over Egypt that night, taking the first born male of every person and animal, their families were spared if their household had applied the blood. It was a foreshadowing of the blood sacrifice that Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, would make to take away our sins. But until Jesus came, the blood sacrifice of animals was required to make atonement.

Leviticus 17:11 -- 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one s life.

Hebrews 9:19-22 -- 19 When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. The price had to be paid. The first verse of the song says, There is a blood, That cost a life, That paid my way, Death its price, When it flowed, Down from the cross, My sins were gone, My sins forgot . The blood that Jesus shed was no ordinary blood. It wasn t like that from a lamb, or a bull, or a goat. Their blood had been accepted in sacrifices, but those had to be continually repeated. Imagine if we still had to do that today under the Law! We say it so much it can become clich , but it shouldn t Jesus shed His blood once and for all. His blood is magnificent. His blood is everlasting. His blood is glorious! It wasn t just any blood it was His blood that was shed. It is Liquid Glory the divine presence of God flowing from His Son for our forgiveness. It has the same attributes and power today that it had on the day He was crucified the power to save, to heal, to free, and to cleanse. Thank you, Jesus, for your liquid Glory!

Jesus really did do it once, for all, for me, for you. If you don t yet know Him, you can right now. There s nothing you ve done that can t be forgiven. He created you, He knows all about you, and He wants a relationship with you. He gave His life and shed His blood so that you could be reconciled to Him for all eternity. Ask Him to forgive your sins, to cleanse you, make you whole, set you free, and to become the Lord of your life. Let Him pour His liquid Glory over you and over your life. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Here is the link to listen to This Blood performed by the Prestonwood Baptist Church Choir:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_b4HiC_aPU

Here are the words:

This Blood (written by Rita Springer)

There is a blood
That cost a life
That paid my way
Death its price
When it flowed
Down from the cross
My sins were gone
My sins forgot

There is a grave
That tried to hide
This precious blood
That gave me life
In three days
He breathed again
And rose to stand in my defense

So I come to tell you He's alive
To tell you that He dries every tear that falls
So I come to tell you that He saves
To shout and to proclaim that He's coming back for you
This life, this price, this blood, this one

Oh, there is a Blood
Oh, and it sights the blind
It heals the sick
The lonely, finds
Oh, it has the Power
To free the bound
As chains they fall
Upon the ground

So pour it out and
To cleanse my soul
And let His liquid Glory flow
Because it lives
To make me whole
I owe my life
I owe my all

So I come to tell you He's alive
To tell you that He dries every tear that falls
So I come to tell you that He saves
To shout and to proclaim that he is coming back for you

And so I come to tell you He's alive
To tell you that He dries every tear that falls
So I come to tell you that He saves
To shout and to proclaim that He's coming back for you

This life
This price
This blood
This wine
This life
This light
This price
This blood
This

So I come to tell you He's alive
To tell you that He dries every tear that falls
So I come to tell you that He saves
To shout and to proclaim that he is coming back for you

This life
This price
This blood
This wine

One more time, this life
This price
This blood
This wine

Thank you, Jesus

For the Least of These

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 10:44:00 GMT

His name was Mowser, or at least that is what I called him. Sure, it was a play on the word mouser and he was a good one, but I also chose it because he was so vocal. He would show up at the back door, crying mow, mow, mow persistently until we came out to feed and pet him. He knew he could come to our house for breakfast and dinner, and anytime in between if he were hungry. He didn t really belong to us, or anyone else in the neighborhood as far as I can tell. I think he slept in a neighbor s barn when the weather was rainy. In the winter, my husband set up a heated box for him on the porch and he slept there most nights.

Before anyone berates me for keeping him outside, please know that we offered for him to come in, and he politely declined. In fact, he totally freaked out when I did bring him inside and he couldn t wait to get back out. He was always welcome if he ever changed his mind. In the meantime, we made sure he had food, water and shelter. We removed ticks and applied flea medicine, brushed his fur, and give him lots of petting. Even so, I think we didn t so much adopt him as he adopted us.

When Mowser first showed up around our property, I tried calling to him. Here, kitty kitty. Come here and let me love you. (Which is less creepy than it sounds when I use my sweet kitty-calling voice.) He would stop and stare at me. When I took a step in his direction, he bolted. This did not deter me. Every time I saw him, I would say the same thing. One evening, when I got out of the car, he was closer than I had ever seen him. I called to him again, expecting the same reaction, but was surprised to see him coming my way. Softly, I stroked his head and he rubbed against my legs. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He looked scrawny, so I gave him a little bit of food, even though I was worried about what my husband would say about me feeding a stray. That worry didn t last long when I caught him feeding the cat a few days later. I feigned righteous indignation, threw my hands up in the air and said, Well, thanks a lot; I guess we have to keep him now!

Feeding a stray animal, or helping one that is hurt or sick, isn t too hard for most people. Like me, you probably have a friend or two who is notorious for taking in strays, or aiding lost or injured animals. You may be that person. I mean, really, who can resist sad puppy eyes, or baby kitty mews that say I m hungry -- feed me! Temporarily taking in a stray or injured animal isn t too inconvenient either. You can put the animal in a cage or a box or something similar to keep it from messing in your house, to keep it separate from your pets, or to keep it from biting someone in your household, until you can take it to the vet or shelter. Often, though, you become too attached to let them go, and they become a part of your family, which was the case with our cat, Oscar. My husband found him on a job site. His mother had been run over by something. The poor kitty was all alone and crying, so of course he brought him home. At first I said no, find him a home. He did try, but had no takers. I knew once I named him Oscar that he wasn t going anywhere. Twelve plus years later, he is still my baby kitty .

To this day, I have never heard a similar story about a homeless person.

As a society, we have the animal rescue thing down to a science, with most everyone on board. Not so much with people. I get it. People are a little harder to rescue. You can t put a person in a box or a cage in your garage (can you say kidnapping ?) and it s probably not prudent to offer a person on the street your spare bedroom. Even if you did, it would be a temporary arrangement. It s unlikely the person would be invited to become a permanent member of your household. Fortunately, there are several homeless shelters for men, women, and families here in Charleston. They seem to stay full, and people are still living on the streets. I ve heard people in the know say that many choose to stay on the street, even if offered a warm bed for the night. They remind me of Mowser in that respect they don t want to come in, but they know where they can get a hot meal if they need one. Many of the homeless also struggle with mental illness or addiction, which makes assisting them all the more difficult.

Let s be honest. Most of us turn a blind eye to the homeless situation. We pass them by, thinking to ourselves that if they really wanted help, they would get it. I think the panhandlers we see at the shopping centers have made us a little jaded toward the homeless. Their will work for food signs come across as insincere. I ve had friends tell me that they have gone through a drive-thru and offered them food, only for them to snub their nose at it. What they really want is cash, whether it is to pad their pocket or to buy drugs or alcohol. You also see the same people year after year, sometimes in the same place. I guess they don t think anyone will remember what they look like?

Matthew 25:35-36, 40

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

⁴⁰ The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

For every fake panhandler, there are dozens of people who are truly homeless and need a helping hand. Scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments tell us we should help the poor and needy. We should not withhold assistance if it is within our means to help. In 1 John 3, it asks how can the love of God be in us if we see people in need and have no compassion for them? Despite what the experts say, no one really chooses to live on the street. Even if the person professes that to be the case, it is the illness talking, whether that illness is a mental one or is based in addiction. No one says that they want to be homeless when they grow up.

Within the last year, Spirit Life Fellowship started its street ministry on the east end of Charleston. One of the city s homeless shelters for women and families is in this area of town. It is also very close to our state capitol grounds. Many of the homeless of Charleston are in this area. It started with a handful of people going down to Washington Street after church and handing out water bottles and tracts. They talked to people and prayed with them. Then more recently, one of our members stepped up to lead the efforts on the street. Kathy Hudson has already made her name (and number) known among the homeless community. She and her team have prayed and ministered to people, and we are beginning to see the results. For example, a homeless man, who was in a wheelchair and very ill, has been placed in a nursing home and reunited with his family. Another family has been reunited, thanks to the team s efforts to get them furnishings for a new home so that the children could be returned to their care. It s one thing to talk to people about Jesus and hand out tracks. It s another to take the time to really listen to their hurts and their needs and take action. Yes, they need Jesus. They also need a roof over their head and food on the table and hope for a better future. They need delivered from illness, addiction, low self-worth, and poverty. Jesus can do all those things for them, and more, but we all have a role to play in the process.

Each person living on the streets is a precious soul created and loved by God. Their worth is the same as every other person on earth. They each have stories as to what path brought them to the streets. We can be a part of the rest of their story of how they found their way back through the love of Christ. What amazing testimonies they will have! So, I don t think the question is will you volunteer for the SLF street ministry, but how will you volunteer for the SLF street ministry? As a church, we have to be united in this effort. That doesn t mean that every person will actually be on the street ministering directly to the people. Not everyone is cut out for that work, but if you are willing to try, others can teach you. As Jesus told his disciples when he sent them out to minister, we must be as shrewd as snakes but as gentle as doves. Still, there is plenty of work that needs to be completed behind the scenes. Some will be collecting, organizing and packaging supplies. Some will be donating money and/or supplies. You might have to come in before a street ministry event and make 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or put together goody bags of hygiene products. Some will be praying during the street ministry outreach. Some will be teaching and discipling those new converts who choose to come to our church. More roles may emerge as the ministry grows and other needs are identified. Each of us can play a role in this ministry. Don t ever think that just because you are not physically on the streets that you are not a part of the ministry. The truth is that some of the most effective workers on the streets will be the people who came from there.

We want to touch as many lives as possible. Not every story will have a happy ending. Not everyone will accept Jesus. Not everyone will accept our help. We cannot let that discourage us from trying. We have to focus on the ones who will accept help and the message of the gospel, and continue praying for all. We each have to step up and be a part of the process. Working together, we are the hands and feet of Christ.

Speaking the Same Language: Part 2 Pentecost

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:49:00 GMT

In Part 1, we covered the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. To sum it up briefly, the people found a comfortable place and wanted to settle and put down roots, but God s plan was for them to scatter and fill the earth. The people came together and built a tower that reached high into the heavens. It was a monument to their ingenuity and skills. It glorified man, not God. God could have destroyed the tower and even the people, but instead found a better way to move them along to fulfill His purpose. He said, Come let Us go down and there confuse their language , which meant the Father, Son and Holy Spirit worked together to confuse their language, which naturally separated them into groups that then spread out all over the world. The word babel means a confused mixture of sounds or voices. So you would hear a mix of languages and may not understand them, but someone could. This is opposed to babble, with two b s, which is foolish or meaningless chatter.So what does this have ...

Speaking the Same Language: Part 2 Pentecost

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:49:00 GMT

So what does this have to do with Pentecost?

Leviticus 23:21 And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Pentecost is part of the Jewish Feast of Shavouth, or Feast of Weeks. Pentecost literally means 50. It was observed 50 days after the wave offering of Passover and celebrates the end of the grain harvest. All Jewish males were to return to Jerusalem for this sacred assembly (holy convocation). That is why there were so many people in Jerusalem when the disciples were in the upper room waiting for the Promise of the Father as Jesus had instructed them.

Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Pentecost is one of the annual Jewish feasts, as outlined in Leviticus 23. However, for Christians it has come to mean something else. It is the day that the Holy Spirit, the Promise, was given to the Church. And what happened when the Spirit came upon them? They began to speak in different tongues, or languages. They still had their native language, but now they had new ones that they didn t necessarily even understand. This ability came to them through the Holy Spirit, who was also present at the Tower of Babel when the people were given new languages. That is what ties Babel to Pentecost the presence of the Holy Spirit gifting people with languages. The disciples were all speaking in different tongues, but in this instance the purpose was not to confuse them or scatter them, but to bring people together.

Acts 2:5-11 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

At first it was confusing to the Jews who were in Jerusalem for the feast. These simple Galilean fishermen, who were not wordly men, were speaking the wonderful works of God in all their languages it was a babel, a confused mixture of sounds, but sounds with meaning. The Jews had come to Jerusalem from all over the world and spoke many different languages. Now each of them were hearing them speak in each of those languages so that everyone that day heard the same message. What once was a barrier among them was removed. Instead of dividing them as it did in Babel, it united them. It brought them back together in one mind, and in one accord.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

At the Tower of Babel, the scattering of the people by the confusion of their language may have felt like a punishment, but it had purpose for the good of mankind. What seemed like a punishment was flipped around for good on the Day of Pentecost, used by God to bring His people together.

Of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, two deal with tongues different kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues. Of course, man has come up with technology to translate languages. You can even ask Siri to translate something for you. But there are some languages that only God knows and we can speak to Him in those languages and only He will understand. The enemy can try to listen in on your conversation with God when you pray in tongues, but he will never know what you are saying. God can speak through us to others when we speak in tongues. That s when we need an interpretation of tongues. God will let the person with gift of interpretation know what the speaker has said so that he can speak it out for everyone to understand. If we speak in tongues, we are to pray to give the interpretation ourselves. With the interpretation comes prophecy and edification.

So is it nonsense language? It would be easy to argue that if it weren t for the thousands of testimonies of people who heard someone who was speaking in tongues doing so in their own language when the speaker had no idea what was being said. The following examples can be found on the web site: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/201501/201501_010_Tongues.cfm

Tongues of Praise -- While attending North Central Bible School (now North Central University), Merlin Lund prayed for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Time after time, he sought the Lord, but nothing happened. Then one day in prayer, he started making clicking sounds. The noise surprised everyone, but most told him, That s not the Holy Ghost. Just come back tomorrow, and we ll continue praying. A year later, a visiting missionary heard Lund make the clicking sounds and, as one eyewitness put it, about went into orbit. Oh, if you can hear how he s praising the Lord, the missionary exclaimed. The visiting missionary recognized the clicks as Zulu. Lund eventually moved to South Africa as a missionary and ministered among the different tribes there, including the Zulu.

Tongues of Deliverance -- Kathy Buckles went on a short-term missions trip to Costa Rica with some members of her church. Once she arrived, Kathy prayed, Please Lord, let me pray in tongues in the language the people here understand. One evening, as Buckles prayed with a distressed woman, her prayers turned into tongues. She kept praying with the woman until she felt a release from the Lord. When Buckles walked away, the thought came to mind that she had actually spoken in Spanish when praying for the upset woman. The next morning, the resident missionary, Rick Ryan, told Buckles he was standing nearby as she prayed in tongues the night before. He told her she spoke in fluent Spanish, and because of her prayer, the Lord delivered the woman from an evil spirit, saved her, and baptized her in the Holy Spirit. When Buckles asked the Lord to let her pray in the local language, she had no idea how He would answer her prayer. She simply trusted the Lord, and the Holy Spirit did a marvelous miracle.

Tongues of Prophecy -- Murray and Marjorie Brown served as missionaries to West Africa from 1940 to 1980. Not long after arriving in West Africa, the couple welcomed their first child into the world, a baby girl named Ruth Elaine. Little did they know a decade would pass before they would have another child. They prayed repeatedly over the ensuing years as they faced one failed pregnancy after another. They almost gave up, but God had a miracle in store. While serving in Dapango (now Dapaon), Togo, Marjorie overhead an African child praying in English: You re going to have another baby, and it will be a boy. When he is born, you will know nothing is impossible with God! But the African child couldn t speak English. He was simply praying in tongues. God spoke a prophetic word through the young child specifically for Marjorie a word not only of encouragement but also of promise. This promise was realized on September 9, 1950, with the birth of Murray Nelson Brown Jr. at the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Ghana. He now serves as executive director of Teen Challenge of Greater Cleveland in Ohio.

Our church is a non-denominational Pentecostal church. The designation of Pentecostal goes directly to what happened in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost. We believe in the special filling of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by the speaking of tongues. There are churches that do not believe that speaking in tongues is for today s Church. I cannot find anywhere in the Bible where it says there was an expiration date on that gift. I do read that God s gifts and calling are without repentance. I read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. I read throughout Acts of instances where the disciples were ministering and the Holy Spirit filled the people, who then spoke in tongues. Paul addresses the issue of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14, which I recommend you read for yourself.

Thank you Holy Spirit for our native tongues, which you created, as well as for our heavenly language which allows us to speak to our God our Father, indiscernible to our enemy, and for the ability to speak God s wonderful works in all languages and edify the Church.

Speaking the Same Language: Part 1 The Tower of Babel

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 10:15:00 GMT

The observance of Pentecost Sunday was almost overshadowed by a controversy that raged on social media.Did you hear yanny or laurel when a sound clip was played? The people who heard yanny were adamant that was what they heard. The people who heard laurel were equally fervent in their insistence that was what the voice was saying. It was an issue that divided couples, friends, neighbors, siblings, co workers with each person convinced that he or she was right. And they were. It turns out you heard one or the other depending on the frequency it was played on and the frequencies your brain interprets, or something like that. I was a little skeptical. I had played it on multiple devices and always heard yanny . Then they played it over the sound system at church and I heard laurel plain as day. Mind blown.It actually couldn t have come at a better time, as I was going to be teaching about the Tower of Babel that Sunday. Speaking the same language as those around you is pretty i...

Speaking the Same Language: Part 1 The Tower of Babel

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 10:15:00 GMT

T he observance of Pentecost Sunday was almost overshadowed by a controversy that raged on social media.

Did you hear yanny or laurel when a sound clip was played? The people who heard yanny were adamant that was what they heard. The people who heard laurel were equally fervent in their insistence that was what the voice was saying. It was an issue that divided couples, friends, neighbors, siblings, co-workers with each person convinced that he or she was right. And they were. It turns out you heard one or the other depending on the frequency it was played on and the frequencies your brain interprets, or something like that. I was a little skeptical. I had played it on multiple devices and always heard yanny . Then they played it over the sound system at church and I heard laurel plain as day. Mind blown.

It actually couldn t have come at a better time, as I was going to be teaching about the Tower of Babel that Sunday. Speaking the same language as those around you is pretty important. If you don t understand them and they don t understand you, it can create many hindrances. Informal sign language will only get you so far before you are doing charades to figure out where to find the nearest ladies room. However, even speaking the same language can bring misunderstanding. Your words can be misinterpreted by someone because of their filters. Someone may take offense from something you said when no offense was intended. In other cases, accents or local vernacular can trip up communications. Think about someone from Georgia talking to someone from Massachusetts, or someone from Louisiana trying to converse with someone from New York City.

Unfortunately, most of us in the USA speak only one language. While most of us take Spanish or French in high school, we rarely become conversational in those languages. I can tell you I don t know and I am tired in French, but that s about the extent of my ability. I really wish I had learned to speak another language, aside from hillbilly and sarcasm . (I am quite fluent in both, y all.)

The story of the Tower of Babel was always bothered me. I didn t get it. Might as well call it the Tower of Baffle, I thought. I was baffled by it. But when God tells you to study because it has some tie to Pentecost, you roll up your sleeves and pray and ask Him to reveal the mystery to you. I always start by looking up the definitions of important or key words. The word origin for Babel is from the Hebrew for gate of God . Its location and name would indicate this would be the place that became known as Babylon. The word babel (lowercase) means a confused mixture of sounds or voices. Imagine walking into the lobby of the United Nations building during a large gathering. You would hear people talking in many different languages at the same time. It would be a confused mixture of voices, unless you spoke or understood one or more of the languages being spoken. The word babel is often confused with babble (2 b s), but they are different words with different meanings. Babble means to talk idly, excessively, foolishly, meaninglessly; to chatter. It is talk that no one would want or need to understand. It s cute when babies do it, but otherwise it would be unprofitable or even not translatable.

Genesis 11: 1-4 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.

The whole earth had one language, but there wasn t the huge population like we think of the world today. These people were the descendants of Noah and his sons. It took many generations to increase the population from 8 people to this group of people in the plain of Shinar. In Genesis 10, which is referred to as the Table of Nations, we read about the descendants of Shem, Ham and Japeth. Shem s descendants become the Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians and Syrians. Ham s are Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites and Amorites. Japeth becomes the Greeks, Thracians, Scythians. When you think about these peoples you can picture the different parts of the world where they were found and how they spoke different languages, among other differences. This was all part of God s plan to repopulate and fill the earth after the flood.

Genesis 9:1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.

God was pretty clear in His expectations. He wanted them to grow their families and move into all areas of the earth. And multiply they did, but at this point they were all still together. But they are having growing pains. They know what they are supposed to do but they don t want to do that. They wanted to stay together, like a baby bird not wanting to fly out of the nest. But then they come upon the plain in Shinar with its wide open spaces. There is plenty of room for everyone. It is located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The presence of water means plant and animal life. It was almost paradise. So they decide they should settle there, rather than be scattered. Unfortunately, they were both short-sighted and disobedient. Shortsighted, because one day even this plain could not hold all of them. Worse, they were disobedient because it was in rebellion to what God s plan was for them to fill the earth. He didn t say settle He said go!

Christians often get caught in these growing pains. God is growing us in a direction of our calling and we are resistant. We don t wanna. It seems scary or too hard. We find ourselves in a sweet, comfy place and we don t want to move from there. We know we are called to do something more but we are content to stay in our lane and ride it out. But that course is short-sighted and disobedient. You are doing God s work today, which is good, but there is a higher calling for you for tomorrow and you are avoiding it.

The descendants of Noah are smart. They are industrious. They can make bricks to use in place of stone. They can make asphalt which would hold the bricks together to make them sturdy and waterproof (you know, against potential flooding). The say come let us , meaning us men of the world, who can do things on our own without help. They did not seek God or ask for His help or direction. We can make bricks. We will build a city and in the city a tower whose top is in heaven. It was a high monument to man, to self, to manliness, to rival God. No flood could top it, they likely thought. They wanted to make a name for themselves, not lift up the name of God or glorify His name in the land. They wanted to promote themselves and prevent the people from being scattered. We humans like control. They were tightening down on everything. If they could keep everyone together in one place they could control their lives. If everyone started scattering all over the world, they would have no longer have that control.

Genesis 11:5-7 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another s speech.

God did not stop them from building the city or the tower. He will let you go through with your plans because sometimes we have to learn things the hard way. Ever sit back and let your kids do that? Certainly you don t let them do anything that will cause them harm, but sometimes you allow them the opportunity to learn something the hard way. They didn t want to listen to your advice or direction, so let them figure it out on their own. And sometimes you have to step in and intervene.

These next verses were the ones that baffled me as a young Christian. The first time I read it sounded to me like the people posed a threat to God and if He didn t do something to stop them it would be too late. Maybe they could build a tower straight to heaven? While I was reading it in a language I understood, I didn t interpret it or understand it the way it was intended.

As Christians, we know the value of being in one mind and one accord. These people were in one mind, one accord and they all spoke the same language and wanted the same thing. They were smart and industrious. Truly they could do just about anything they put their minds to if they worked hard enough. They could have stayed on that plain and in that city and lived their lives without God. We all have that choice. But this was not God s plan. He had already started over once and He had promised not to destroy the earth by flood ever again. He doesn t say He wants to destroy them, but He wants to keep them on track to fulfill His plan because that is what is best for all mankind. I love having freewill, but I also love having a Father that knows when I need to be saved from myself.

The light bulb goes off for me when I read, Come let Us . Notice the capital U in Us. Who is Us? The Holy Trinity Father, Son and Holy Spirit working together. God had a plan. It was His will that the people inhabit the whole earth, not just one comfy recliner, bean bag, porch swing corner of it. It didn t matter how smart they were or how industrious or clever or strong willed the people were, they were never going to be stronger than God. The creation would never best the Creator. And instead of punishing their rebellion with something like earthquakes, fire from heaven, fiery serpents or other natural disasters or predators, He found a simple way to get them moving by changing their language. This was when all the languages of the earth were born of the Spirit through the Godhead. Those who could understand each other were drawn together, just like the people who heard yanny or laurel teamed up.

Genesis 11:8-9 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

With the people naturally separating into language groups, the Lord then begins to scatter them. It s hard to know how long this actually took, but it was under the guidance of God He scattered them. This would not be the only time God scattered a rebellious people. When Israel became a rebellious nation under the rule of evil kings, God allowed them to be taken into captivity by their enemies. This was known as the diaspora (which means I scatter ) or dispersion of the Jews. Israel was taken first and then Judah, ironically enough by the king of Babylon. They had turned their backs on God, serving idols and other gods. In captivity, Jews lived all over the world and adapted to the languages spoken in their new countries.

In Part 2, we will fast forward to Acts and the Day of Pentecost. Anyone see that coming?

Forgiving Me

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 10:01:00 GMT

Psalm 103:12 --As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

You know just how far the east is from the west, From one scarred hand to the other. Casting Crowns song East to West

It was a Thursday morning when God decided to have a little chat with me. I know it was Thursday because I was behind the garbage truck coming out our road. The water company is working on the road, laying new pipe, and that means we get stopped and have to wait our turn, alternating with traffic on the one available lane on an already narrow road.

Sitting behind a garbage truck doesn t give you the best view, but I am a person with an active imagination. I think about weird stuff, like hey, we produced two of the hundreds of bags of garbage on that truck. Yep, doing our part. Then I began to wonder about what all kinds of things were in all those bags of garbage and where it goes and what happens to it. The wait is getting longer and the smell of the garbage truck has finally made its way to me. Now I am a little less interested in the hidden treasures of the garbage truck and more interested in them hurrying up and letting us through. That s when the Lord chimes in.

He asks me if I would like to follow the garbage truck to the landfill and dig through the pile to find my old bags of garbage. I am taken a little aback by this question. Of course not, I say. I threw that stuff away and I paid to have it hauled off so I don t ever have to look at it again. It has probably rotted and decayed and smells even worse that this garbage truck. Why would I ever want it back? I don t know, He says, why do you keep going back to your past, dwelling on sins that I have already forgiven? Why do you go looking for them when I have already paid the price to have them washed away and removed them as far as the east is from the west?

Great question. I wish I had an equally great answer, but the truth is I don t know why we do this to ourselves, but we do. I don t know why we allow stinking thinking (a Zig Ziglar term, if you are familiar with him) to take over. I don t know why sometimes I take a trip down memory lane, open the skeleton closet, and make myself examine all the old and ugly things that are in there. These are things that I have done that I am ashamed of, things I wouldn t want anyone to know, things that unfortunately some people do know about, and I can t undo a single one of them. Those kinds of thoughts can snowball and get you to thinking that you are the worst human being ever and what is the point of trying. That s when we have to check ourselves and remember that If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). When I repented and asked Jesus to forgive me and be the Savior of my life, He forgave me my sin.

Isaiah 43:18-19; 25 -- Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we should forgive ourselves. It simply says that we must trust God. We trust that when we repented and asked for forgiveness of our sins that Jesus washed us clean. Our sins are covered by His blood and can no longer be seen by the Father. They are cast away as far as the east is from the west. We often hear people say that they have been cast into the Sea of Forgetfulness, another term you will not find in scripture either. It is a reference to Micah 7:19.

Micah 7:19 -- He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

While we aren t specifically told or directed that we need to forgive ourselves, it is something we should be able to do. Jesus takes our sin, our guilt and our shame. If we continue to carry it around with us, instead of trusting Him with it, we are saying that He isn t strong enough or powerful enough we re saying that our sin is bigger than Him, and that s just not true. It s a big lie and you know where it s from. Once we give our sin and shame over to Jesus it is no longer ours. He has already paid the price for its removal, and it s His now, just like the garbage man who comes and takes away your trash. It s not your garbage anymore it belongs to the waste removal company. Jesus covers our sin, takes it far away from us and leaves it in a place to no longer be remembered. Yet, we manage to find our way there, dig it back up and put it back on display, and then we worry about what others would think if they knew what we have done. So what if they did? The Bible may not say anything about forgiving yourself but it says plenty about forgiving others, and it says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Matthew 6:14-15-- For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Colossians 3:12-15 -- Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

I have found most people are compassionate and forgiving, but I have met my share of unforgiving people, too. It makes me sad that they have an unforgiving spirit. Forgiveness sets you free, not necessarily the person you are forgiving. It s nice to be forgiven, but I can t make someone forgive me. It would be nice to know that all is forgiven and we can have peace between us. However, all I can do is repent and ask them and God for forgiveness. I know God will forgive me, but the person has to make that choice. Forgiving isn t always easy to do. I have had to ask the Lord to help me forgive in some cases, and He did, but it took some time. The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins, meaning when we love each other like Christ loves us, we can find our way to forgiveness.

Luke 9:62 -- But Jesus said to him, No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

It s a common saying that you can t move forward if you keep looking back. When we go back to the rotting garbage, we get stuck there, more rooted in our past than invested in our future. God wants to use each one of us. He has a plan for our lives. He is a now God. He is a future God. The past is gone. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. We cannot serve God and fulfill the plan He has for us if we keep beating ourselves up over the things in our past.

Jesus has already taken out your garbage and He won t ever bring it back to you. It s forgotten. So how would you feel if the garbage man brought back all your garbage from the past year and dumped it on your front lawn? You would be upset, irate and maybe even a little indignant. You would be calling the garbage removal company to give them a piece of your mind. You paid good money to have that garbage removed and they had no right to bring it back; it s not your problem anymore. I wonder if that s how Jesus feels when we keep bringing our sins back up and reliving the shame and guilt. He paid the highest price possible to remove those sins, and we really have no right to try to hold on to them. They are no longer our problem.

Forgiving can be hard, but forgetting is even harder. Since the morning that I was stuck behind the garbage truck, I have tried to quit my stinking thinking. I am coming to the understanding that forgiving me means trusting Christ. I never meant to make Him feel like He wasn t enough; I just struggled with the idea that I really could be forgiven for what seemed to be unforgivable things. I did worry about what people would think if they knew the bad things I had done. I worried that I could never be good enough to deserve His mercy and forgiveness. I realize now that I will never be good enough in myself because that s not how it works. His love covers the multitude of my sins, and that s enough. His grace is sufficient.

Jesus Has Been There, Done That

Mon, 01 May 2017 11:11:00 GMT

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 -- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. Well, maybe not all of life s experiences are commemorated on a t-shirt, but they surely leave their marks on us. Some are physical scars that are visible and evident to others, while some are emotional scars that no one can see. A scar is a mark left by a healed wound. It is a reminder that we went through something terrible, but we survived. Because we survived, we can support and encourage others who face similar trials.

When my daughter was about 3 years old, I found out I was pregnant. My husband and I were thrilled. I had dreamed of having a little boy. I wanted to name him Luther after my grandfather and call him Luke. However, that dream ended when I had a miscarriage. We were heartbroken. It was one of the most devastating things I have ever had to deal with. It still hurts to think about it. Everyone did their best to comfort us and I appreciated everyone s kind words, but I felt so alone and so wounded to the core.

Two things helped me through that difficult time. One was from the word of God. It was a day or two after I was home from the hospital. As I was flipping through the TV channels, something made me stop on an evangelist s program I don t remember now which one and I listened as he shared about the recent loss of his wife. All the things he was saying about how he had felt really spoke to me. I was having those same feelings. He said he had found comfort in the story of King David s loss of his first son with Bathsheba. When David learned that the child had died, he cleaned himself up and ate, much to the amazement of his servants. 1 Samuel 12:22-23: And he said, While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. This was a comfort to me because it gave me hope. I had lost a child in this life, but I know that I can see him (or her) in the next. Nothing will bring him back, but I can go be with him if I keep living for Christ. We did not get pregnant again after that, despite trying for several years. It was not meant to be, but I have a peace about it. We know we are so blessed to have our beautiful daughter, who will soon be 20 years old, and I do believe that one day I will see my other child.

The other thing that helped me was talking with other women who have had miscarriages. Even though they said a lot of the same kind and comforting things that other people did, there was something about the fact that they did know what I was going through and they did know how I felt because they had been there too. Some of these women had experienced multiple miscarriages in trying to conceive, and I couldn t imagine going through that pain over and over. Later on, I found that I was also able to comfort others when they had miscarriages by sharing my story. Our shared life experience created a special bond, even it if it was just for that moment. With the same comfort that God gives us, we can comfort others who are going through the same thing, whether it is a miscarriage, the death of a loved one, a break up, a sickness any trial or trouble that life throws at you.

Hebrews 2:14-18 -- Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus was God, but He was also Man. He was fully human, and so He experienced all the physical and emotional joys and pains that we all experience. He wept when Lazarus died, even though He knew He was going to resurrect him. He experienced rejection and mockery from the Pharisees and others who did not believe in Him. He was despised, wrongfully accused and convicted, and beaten. Are you stressed? He knew all about stress. While praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was so distraught that He sweated blood. God created our inmost being (Psalms 139). He knows us from the inside out and knows how to comfort us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16 -- For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Whatever you might be going through, you can turn to Jesus for comfort. He truly knows how you feel because He has been there, too. He understands our grief, our heartaches, our disappointments and our doubt. He knew that we would make mistakes and struggle with sin, which is why He came in the flesh to do the work that needed to be done for eternal salvation. He came and lived life like we all do, but He did not sin. Not ever. That in itself is a miracle. Yet sin was something He had to experience to complete his understanding of humanity. So how could He experience sin without sinning?

2 Corinthians 5:21 -- For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 2:23-24 -- When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

As Jesus was dying on the cross, the sins of the world were placed upon Him. No doubt this was worse than any of the physical pain He had endured through the crucifixion. While those sins were upon Him, He was separated from the Father. Three of the four gospels quote Jesus as crying out, My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? , which is the first line of Psalm 22, where David says he feels that God is far from him. Through the crucifixion, Jesus experienced our sin and He experienced death. He knows the full human experience from birth to death, and so He can be the comforter for us no matter what we are going through.

No one is immune from pain, trials or troubles. These experiences make or break us. Those who trust in the Lord and turn to Him for help with be comforted and strengthened, so that they may do likewise for others. Jesus told Peter that Satan would sift him as wheat (Luke 22), but that He had prayed for him, and He told him that when returned to Him, he should strengthen his brothers. We are going to go through the fire, but when we come out of it, we will be strong enough to be a comfort to others. There is nothing so broken in any of us that Jesus cannot understand , forgive and make right, but we have to put our faith in Him alone.

But wait there s more. Because we know that He was resurrected, we know that we, too, will live after we die. It s scary to think about our death. A friend of mine told me that because she knew where she would be going, she wasn t afraid of death it was the process of getting dead that scared her. I think that is probably how we all feel. We don t know what our death will be like, but we do have the comfort of knowing and trusting that because Jesus rose to eternal life, we can do the same. He s been there, done that. He has the scars to prove it.

Let Down Your Nets

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 10:57:00 GMT

Galatians 6:9 -- And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Church, are you tired? Are you growing weary? Does it feel like you aren t getting anywhere? You show up faithfully service after service. You volunteer for every work day, bake sale, youth event, fellowship dinner, food drive or whatever program the church is sponsoring. You work in your calling, whether it is teaching, ministering, greeting, cleaning, singing, preaching, but it seems all you are doing is maintaining the status quo instead of seeing lives changed. Do you feel like you are doing everything you possibly can to contribute the work of God, but it has become exhausting? Are you ready to give up and let someone else deal with it?

Don t lose heart. You are in the right place for God to use you now.

Simon, who later was called Peter, was a fisherman. It was how he made his living, which means he was no doubt very knowledgeable about fishing. He would have known when was the best time of the day or night to fish, where the best places were, what techniques worked best and how things like weather had an affect. One day after a long and unprofitable night of fishing, he and his crew were washing their nets in preparation for the next night when Jesus came along. A large crowd was following Him and listening to the word of God. Jesus got on Simon s boat and asked if he could put it out a little from shore. The people stood along the shore and listened to Jesus teach from the boat. Surely Simon was listening also, and he had to be a little surprised at what Jesus asked him to do next.

Luke 5:4-5 -- When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, Master, we ve worked hard all night and haven t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.

Simon, the expert fisherman, had brought all he had to his fishing that night all his knowledge of fishing, all his experience in fishing, all his tools for fishing, all his workers for fishing, all his determination for fishing, all his love for fishing and yet he had not caught a single fish. Not a nibble. Not even a minnow. He had put in all that he had and came up with nothing. And now, Jesus was telling him to go back out and let down the nets. Likely, he was tired after working all night and probably a little discouraged by his failure, but something about Jesus made him do it. I can almost hear him rolling his eyes (if you have a teenager, you know what I mean by that). I know all there is to know about fishing and we didn t catch anything last night, and the middle of the day is probably the worst time to try to catch fish, but ok, I have such great respect for you that I am willing to do that for you. (That s my interpretation of Simon s response in his head; you may think otherwise.)

Luke 5:6-10 -- When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus knees and said, Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man! For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon s partners.

Much to his amazement, Simon not only caught fish, but he caught more than he could even handle. He had to call for his partners in the other boat to come out and help them. Both boats came back so fully loaded with fish that they were nearly sinking from the weight. It humbled Peter so much that he felt unworthy to be in the presence of Jesus. He admitted he was a sinful man, full of pride and self-reliance. But Jesus told Simon not to be afraid because now he would be a fisher of people. It was when Simon was tired and all his knowledge and expertise and self-reliance could no longer help him that he learned to fully rely on Jesus.

Corinthians 12:9-10 -- And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Like Simon, we often approach what needs done by first applying our knowledge and experience to the task at hand. We research, study, plan. We put in the time, sweat, tears and energy. All those things are needed, but we need one more thing to make it all work: Jesus. We need the direction of the Master, not the direction of man. Tradition has dictated how the church operates for too long. God likes to do a new thing and we have to open to that. He wants us to use our knowledge and experience and talents after all He is the one who gave them to us. But He doesn t want us to leave Him out of the equation. He wants us to seek Him for direction. Like the good Father that He is, he wants to teach us and show us how. He wants us to let go of the controls and rest in His guidance to operate in the will of God. If we will decrease, He will increase.

Isaiah 40:31 -- But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

We all have a role in the church and each is important. In addition, we are all called to be fishers of men and women. I believe that if we wait upon the Lord, if we follow His direction, our catch will be so great that like Simon, we will have to call our partners to come and help us. We should be working in cooperation with other churches, not in competition. There are enough unsaved people to fill every church in our community.

So, I ask again. Are you tired? Are you ready for a change in the status quo? Whatever job or role you have in the church, you can see change, you can see increase, you can see a difference, if you will just give Jesus the lead. Let the Master direct your steps, to show you a better way to fish -- to show you when and where to let down your nets.

Watch for Signs

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:33:00 GMT

Who doesn t love a good road trip? I m talking about loading up the car with friends and/or family, taking along snacks and your favorite tunes, and heading out for an adventure. Back in the day (yeah, saying that makes me officially old), we didn t have a GPS, or cell phones for that matter. We mapped out our route with an actual map, which never wanted to fold back into the same form you started with. We counted on the road signs along the way to keep us going in the right direction. Occasionally, we would miss a sign and have to get ourselves turned around and back on track, but we always made it to our destination.

Life is a journey, just like a road trip. You are traveling with friends and family on a great adventure, but sometimes you don t know which way to go. You pray and ask God for guidance. You listen and watch for signs that will direct you. It s a great feeling when you know you have heard from God, seen the signs He has given you, and you can move forward in confidence. However, sometimes you miss the signs and so you get a little lost. Other times, you question the signs until you are doing nothing but chasing your own tail.

Is that you, God? Is it really you, God? Is it really, really you? How can I be sure?

Gideon is known from the Bible for being a man who questioned if he was really hearing from God. He was also a man who questioned himself and his abilities. Gideon saw himself as the least of his father s house, which belonged to the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh. He was hiding from the Midianites in a winepress, threshing wheat so that he and his family would have something to eat. It was no wonder that when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told him he was a mighty man of valor and that in his might he would save Israel from the hand of the Midianites, he was a little skeptical. Who me? he might have said, looking around the winepress to see if anyone else was there. You must have the wrong guy. I m nobody special. I m the least in my family. How can I be sure it is you, God? Gideon wanted a sign.

Judges 6:17-21 -- Then he said to Him, If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me.

Gideon asked for a sign and he was given one actually two. He prepared an offering and presented it. The Angel of the Lord then touched it with his staff, and fire rose of out the rock, consuming the offering. If that wasn t enough, the Angel of the Lord then disappeared from sight. This freaked Gideon out because he realized he truly had seen the Angel of the Lord face to face, which the Jews believed meant death. Later, the Lord spoke with him and reassured him that he wasn t going to die. Encouraged by this, Gideon followed God s direction to destroy the altar of Baal on his father s property and to prepare an altar and sacrifice for the Lord. Later, as Gideon prepared to lead his people against the Midianites, he reached out to God again for a sign.

Judges 6:36-40 -- So Gideon said to God, If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said. And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.

Is that you, God? Is it really, really you?

Apparently God wasn t angry with Gideon for asking for multiple signs. After the fleece tests, Gideon no longer needed signs. As he continued to put his trust in God, he grew stronger and more confidant that he was hearing His voice. He listened and heard God and obeyed, and as a result he lead Israelite to defeat its enemies.

Throughout the Bible, we read how God used signs to show who He is, that we may believe. He set the sun and the moon in the heavens to divide the day from night, to be signs and seasons for days and years. When He made the covenant with Noah, He gave the rainbow as a sign of His promise. We see the signs of God all around us. Romans 1:20 says For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even, His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. When Moses was trying to convince Pharaoh to let his people go, great signs and wonders were done, like the waters of the river turning to blood, to let Pharaoh know who he was dealing with. Yet Pharaoh continued to go against God s people, to his destruction. God performed signs and wonders in the Wilderness, but still the people struggled to believe and obey, and so they wandered. Throughout His ministry, Jesus did many signs and miracles. This lead many to believe and put their trust in Him, while others refused to accept Him.

John 20:30-31-- And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

They were written so that you may believe. It was written for you, and me, and everyone today not just for the people back in those days. Jesus did so many miracles and there were so many signs that followed Him. He turned water into wine, healed sickness, cast out demons, raised the dead, fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes, calmed the storm, walked on water, opened blind eyes, healed the deaf, healed the mute, healed the lepers, healed the lame, restored a shriveled hand, walked away from a crowd intent on stoning Him or throwing Him off a cliff, restored an ear that had been cut off, provided a miraculous catch of fish, paid taxes with a coin from a fish s mouth, told a woman at a well everything about her life and if that weren t enough, He died on the cross and rose again on the third day to eternal life. How many does it take for someone to believe?

Is that you God? Is it really, really you?

Matthew 16:1-4 -- Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red ; and in the morning, It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left them and departed.

This request for a sign was not the same as Gideon s. Gideon wanted to believe and trust that he was hearing from God. He wanted to be obedient to Him. The Pharisees and Sadducees were the religious leadership. They had great knowledge of scriptures and would have known of the many prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. They should have been able to discern the signs and recognize Jesus. Their eyes were blinded by their greed and desire for power. They wanted a custom-ordered sign, and Jesus was not playing their game. No matter what He did, they had already made up their mind about Him.

Just as the Pharisees and Sadducees were blind to the signs, the world today is also blind to the signs of His second coming. In Matthew 24, Jesus disciples ask what will be the sign of His coming and the end of the age. Matthew 24:4-8 says: And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. We don t want to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees. We should be able to discern these signs and be the watchmen for the world.

Is that you, God? Is it really, really you?

Signs and wonders followed Jesus everywhere He went. Because He lives in those who believe in Him and have accepted Him as their Savior, it stands to reason that signs and wonders should follow believers. Mark 16:17-18 says: And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Now, that is not an invitation or a directive to throw down a bottle of poison and go wrangle venomous snakes. It means that when we are operating in the Spirit and the will of God, we are going to see signs and miracles manifest in our lives.

When we are making important decisions or looking for guidance, we want to hear from God. We pray and wait for Him to answer. He may speak directly to our spirit. Other times He directs us to a scripture or sends a word through another believer. Sometimes, even when we aren t looking for one, God will give us a sign. Hopefully, we don t get distracted and miss or ignore those signs. Even if that happens, we are secure in knowing we can turn around and get back on the right track with His help. Think of it as Him saying it s Me, it s really, really Me.

We Need a Little Christmas

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 10:43:00 GMT

"For we need a little music, need a little laughter,
need a little singing ringing through the rafter
and we need a little snappy, happy ever after
We need a little Christmas now!"

It was a couple of days before Thanksgiving. On the way home from work, I stopped to pick up a prescription and a few groceries at Walmart, enough to get me through the week. No way was I going near that place until well after Thanksgiving. Apparently, I wasn't the only one thinking ahead, because the store was bustling with activity as people were buying what they needed for their holiday meal and the workers were busy stocking shelves in preparation for Black Friday. I hurried through to get what I needed and headed out the door.

As I pushed my cart through the parking lot toward my car, I hear this very young, but very loud, voice saying, "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" I look over and see a young boy, about 3 or 4 years old, sitting in a shopping cart. As his mother pushes the cart down the aisle, he keeps repeating, "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" and he stretches out his arms every time he says it. I realize he is trying to get my attention. His face was so sweet and full of joy, full of the excitement of Christmas. I started laughing and I waved to him, saying "And a Happy New Year, too!" He gave me a wide grin and then spied another group of people getting ready to walk past him. "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" No one in the group even looked in his direction. They were actually closer to me, on my side of the parking aisle, so as they approached I pointed over to him and said "Hey, Merry Christmas!" Again, no reaction as they kept on walking past us. I looked over at the little boy and shrugged my shoulders. "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!", he continued to exclaim. He wasn't going to let their disinterest hinder his desire to celebrate the season.

That young man melted my heart that day. I had been feeling a little Scrooge-ish about Christmas. Nothing about it excited me. I dreaded even the thought of putting up the tree and decorations. I had been a regular bah-humbug up until then. But something about that little boy's joy melted my heart, much like the song of the Whoville residents caused the Grinch's heart to grow as he learns that Christmas is about more than presents and feasting. It's about the love and joy we can have, no matter the season. It's about the awe and wonder we should always have about a God who sends His only Son as a newborn baby. It's about a Son who will grow up and give His life to save ours. Yes, I know that December 25 wasn't the actual date of his birth. Biblical scholars and historians believe it occurred in the Spring. Who cares? It's the date that, down through the centuries, mankind has traditionally chosen to celebrate this great event, and we should celebrate it.

Luke 2:8-20 -- 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

From what I have read about this time period, shepherds were considered in the lower classes of society and even thought of as untrustworthy by many. They rated right up there with tax collectors. Shepherds were blue collar workers doing a job nobody else wanted to do and frankly, they were lucky to have a job because no one else wanted to hire them. They were isolated from the rest of society, spending their time out in the fields with the sheep and no one to talk to except each other. You could say they were outcasts. Yet they were chosen to be the first people to hear the Good News that Christ the Savior, who would be a shepherd to His people, was born that night.

The scripture says that after the shepherds went into town and saw Jesus, that they were telling everyone in town what they had been told about the Child. They went back to their fields glorifying and praising God. Everyone who heard marveled at these shepherds and what they had to say. I wonder, though, how many didn't even bother to listen to what the shepherds had to say because, well, they were just shepherds. How many reacted like the people in the parking lot that day at Walmart, who tuned out a young boy's happy exaltations because, well, he was just a kid. We aren't told anything else about the shepherds who first heard about Jesus, but I can't help but think that they were forever changed by the experience. I can imagine them telling the story to family and friends and perfect strangers, over and over again. Each night that they were in the fields with their sheep, they couldn't help but look up into the sky in awe of what they had seen, and perhaps hoped to see something like that again. Who knows if they even lived long enough to see that Jesus did grow up and fulfill the promise the angels had proclaimed to them? Surely the joy of that first Christmas filled their hearts and overflowed in their praises for God. A little Christmas was just what they needed in their lives and probably came at a time they needed it most all alone out in those fields, feeling unloved and unaccepted; wondering what life was really all about and concerned about the state of their country under Roman rule; feeling depressed and oppressed. And then along comes Jesus. Along comes a baby boy who brings joy and peace and goodwill toward all men (and women).

I think we all need a little Christmas, right this very minute! As a nation we have become so divided and many have seemed to have lost their hope, mostly because they have placed their hope in people instead of God. We need a little Christmas to remind us that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world and the King of Kings. All of the traditions that come with the Christmas holiday are wonderful and keep the Christmas spirit alive, but they really have more meaning when we remember the reason for Christmas to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ.

So please, decorate your tree and your home. Make baked goods. Buy gifts for families and friends, and if you can, help out a family in need. Hang up the stockings, take the kids to see Santa, go Christmas caroling, take on a role in your church's Christmas play or program. Whatever you do or whatever family traditions you have, do it with joy. Do it with the joy of knowing that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Do it with the joy of knowing that you are loved and accepted and safe in His love. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, I hope you will consider accepting the best Christmas present ever, the greatest gift of love ever given to mankind by a wonderful, great and merciful God who loves you. He knows you; He created you. He is waiting for you to give Him your heart. He already gave you His over 2000 years ago on a special night in Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

***

"We Need A Little Christmas"

Haul out the holly
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
I may be rushing things but deck the halls again now

For we need a little Christmas right this very minute
Candles in the window, carols at the spinet
Yes we need a little Christmas right this very minute
Hasn't snowed a single flurry, but Santa dear we're in a hurry

Climb down the chimney
Turn on the brightest string of lights I've ever seen
Slice up the fruit cake
It's time we've hung some tinsel on the evergreen bough

For I've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder, grown a little older
And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder
Need a little Christmas now

For we need a little music, need a little laughter,
need a little singing ringing through the rafter
and we need a little snappy, happy ever after
We need a little Christmas now!

Sometimes I Am the Storm

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 11:16:00 GMT

Psalm 107:28-29 -- Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.

Several months ago, I started going through a bit of a funk. A little black cloud hovered over me, dampening my thoughts and my mood. I was feeling like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. Ever feel like that? It's odd how suddenly you can find yourself feeling out of place in places where you had previously naturally fit and flowed and existed. It's as if everything and everyone moved on to a new place and didn't give you the forwarding address. It reminds me of that old joke about the family that writes to their son and says, "You won't recognize the place when you get home as we have moved."

I was searching for the reason for my funk and why I was being plagued with thoughts of feeling unappreciated, unloved, inadequate, and not needed. Some of it, I thought, might be attributed to the "empty nest" syndrome. My daughter had been home all summer and now she was headed back to college. Also, I have been missing my family and friends terribly. It is hard to get out and see everyone as often as I would like, and I feel guilty about it. Several friends recently have gone through devastating life events and I have felt so heartbroken for them, yet don't know what to do for them. You start to feel a little powerless, and that can allow a "victim mentality" to creep in. So you mix all these heart-wrenching emotions, throw in the hormonal imbalances of on-coming menopause, and you have what I call a Hot Mess.

Luke 8:23-25 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

One day when I was crying out to the Lord to calm these storms that were raging all around me, I heard Him say in my spirit, "Sometimes, you are the storm." That felt like a lightning bolt to the heart of the matter. I began to look at my situation from a different perspective. It made me realize that I was making the all-too-common mistake of reacting, rather than responding, to life's challenges --making mountains out of molehills. I can't control what other people do or the choices they make, but those things affect me. I can react to how those actions make me feel by wallowing in sadness, hurt or disappointment, or I can respond by continuing to love the people in my life and staying on the path that God has laid out for me. For example, I miss my daughter and sometimes my heart aches for her, but I wouldn't have her anywhere else. I am proud of the independent, beautiful young woman she is becoming. She is enjoying life and thriving in the college environment. For 18 years, my life revolved around caring for her 24/7, but that time is over. I know it is time to do a new thing. Still, it does leave a hole in your life that can feel very dark and cold and lonely.

Our faith is a lifesaver when we feel ourselves sinking into these deep, dark waters. We have to rebuke those storm clouds and ask ourselves what Jesus asked the disciples when they feared the storm, "Where is your faith?" Many times I've read the story of how Peter stepped out of the boat and walked upon the waters, just like Jesus. It was only when he took his eyes off Him that he began to sink. In that moment of distress he called out to the Lord to save him, and he did. He stretched out His hand and caught him. When we trust in Jesus, we are walking on faith. Along the way, we will lose our focus and we will sink into funks, depressions, low spirits, the blues, pity parties, whatever you want to call them. We can drown or we can cry out to Him and He will catch us. One of His promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us. Even if it were true that everyone in our life had moved on and left us behind, we would still have Him and that would be enough.

Recognizing that sometimes I am the storm has been empowering. It has helped me to recognize when I am letting emotion derail or alter my reality. When I focus on Jesus rather than my situation, the storm clouds begin to clear and the sun shines on my face. I can be honest and say that sometimes those storms start brewing again from time to time. In fact, it was a recent bout that inspired this article. I had wanted to write this several months ago, but it wouldn't come together. Now that the thoughts and the words are flowing freely, I can't help but think that there is someone reading this right now who needs to hear this. You are not alone. God loves you and He can calm any storm, even if that storm is you.

We All Need A Savior

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 11:03:00 GMT

Let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich"

Let the blind say, "I can see"

It's what the Lord has done in me.

--Recorded by Hillsong, written by Reuben Morgan

It is often said that the first step in solving a problem is to admit you have one. No one likes to admit they have a problem or an issue in their life. Instead, we put up a brave, through false, front, and forge ahead as if nothing is wrong. And, if we are confronted and have to admit to having some problem or issue, we are quick to look for someone or something to blame, rather than take responsibility for ourselves. Nothing much about human nature has changed in 2000-plus years. This was the same mentality that Jesus encountered when He began His ministry.

Luke 4:18

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

When Jesus read this passage from Isaiah 6 and proceeded to tell the congregation in Nazareth that this scripture was fulfilled that very day in their hearing, it caused quite a stir. He more or less said He knew they wouldn't believe it because no prophet is accepted in his hometown. As an example, He commented about how in the days of Elijah when there was drought and famine in the land, there were many widows in need but the prophet was sent to the home of a widow in Sidon, which was in Phoenicia. Also, there were many in Israel with leprosy yet only Namaan, a Syrian, was healed. That caused more than a stir; the people lost their minds. They tried to drive Him out of town and throw Him over a cliff, but He walked away through the crowd.

The people of Israel God's chosen people-- didn't know they needed a savior because they didn't know they needed to be saved at least not in a spiritual way. They had become entrenched in their religious practices. A better word than entrenched might be enslaved. The hypocritical Pharisees ran the show, placing burdens upon the people that had nothing to do with being a servant of God. However, if you were to stop the average Jew on the streets of Jerusalem at that time and ask him what their biggest problem was, he would have said it was their Roman rulers. What they were looking for in a savior was someone who would come and defeat the Romans and return rule of Israel to the people, and Jesus didn't seem to fit that bill. He didn't have an army or weapons or even a plan to run the Romans out of town. Instead, He came with a dozen misfits, preaching about the kingdom of God-and about repenting. In order to repent, you had to admit you had a problem with sin. Ah, there's the rub.

Matthew 15:30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.

Yet there were those who heard His message and responded. They were the people who knew they had a problem. Not only were they willing to admit it, but they were also willing to put their trust and hope in a Savior. They were those who were physically weak or ill, too poor to see a physician. They were those who were physically blind or deaf or mute. They knew that nothing short of miracle would change their situation, and that is exactly what they got. Their physical healings were witnessed by their loved ones who had brought them to Jesus and when the people saw that Jesus had healed them, the Bible says they went away praising God. They were changed forever, and not just physically.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Let the weak say, "I am strong." How many of us quote Philippians 4:13 when we need strength? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We don't really understand how He does it, but He does. It's in our weakness that His strength is at its peak effectiveness. It's when we can admit that we can't do it ourselves and that we need Him. I was trying to understand how that works, searching and asking for some clarity when I heard "nail strengthener." Now nail strengthener is not a product I have ever had to use, but I know some ladies who have. Their nails were brittle or didn't grow very strong. They would apply the nail strengthener in the same way you apply nail polish and it would help their weak nails become strong. Again, I wanted to know how it actually worked, so I looked it up and found a website for "Nails Magazine" and an article on the subject. When asked how a nail strengthener worked, this was the response from Faina Ritz, a chemist and "nail doctor".

"A good nail strengthener greatly enhances the condition of the natural nail plate by contributing two important benefits: physical protection and the delivery of nutrients to help nails grow. A strengthener acts like a protective coating, providing a flexible web-like film that reinforces the structure and body of the nail. Nail strengtheners with micro elemental formulations also impart healthy nutrition to the nail plate with a dose of vitamins and nutrients that promote growth."

Just like nail strengthener, Jesus enhances our condition by providing physical protection and giving us what we need to grow. The blood of Jesus flows over our lives, filling in the weak points with His love, mercy, compassion and wisdom, and that gives us strength. Each trial that we face with God produces another layer of strength in us that we can build on and that causes us to grow spiritually. In Romans 5:2-4, Pauls tells us: "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Let the poor say, "I am rich." The Pharisees loved their position and power over the people. Jesus said they devoured widows' houses, meaning they took advantage of the poor and the weak to enrich themselves. He said that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle than it would be for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. He also said that the poor would always be with us. In Revelation 3:17-18 is says: "Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

The issue isn't really how much money a person has, but rather it is the condition of his heart. Those who come to Jesus and accept Him don't become instant millionaires, but they become rich in the gift of eternal life. They are enriched by knowing their Savior and taking in His goodness, mercy, love and strength. One of the first times I ever heard God's voice speaking in my spirit, I was contemplating a stinging remark someone made about me being some rich girl. I was talking to God in the shower (my daughter was little and clingy at that time and that was my only quiet place) and I asked why people thought we were rich when we barely made it paycheck to paycheck. As clear as day, though not audible, I heard the Lord say, "Because you don't act poor." That was a revelation to me. Today we still barely make it paycheck to paycheck, but I am grateful that we have what we do. I may be in the same place financially that I was 10 years ago, but I am certainly richer in the things of God and hopefully it shows in how I speak and act.

Pslam 146:8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; The Lord raises those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous.

Let the blind say, "I can see." In the movie, "The Matrix", mankind has been enslaved by machines that live off the energy of humans. The minds of the people are locked into a false reality called the Matrix. It must have been a reality that kept them happy and unquestioning. Except the hero of the story, Neo, had long questioned his life and reality and with the help of rebels people who had been broken free from the Matrix he has the opportunity to know the truth. A man named Morpheus offers him the choice of a blue or a red pill. If he chooses the blue, he will wake up and remember nothing of their meeting and go back to believing whatever he wants to believe. But if he chooses the red pill, he will be set free from the Matrix and learn the truth about human life on Earth. Neo chooses the red pill and is then able to see that people are enslaved and blind to the reality of their lives. He joins the rebels in a fight against the machines to save mankind. The movie was very popular and there were 2 sequels. It's been a long time since I watched them, but I remember them being very powerful and symbolic in Christian references and themes. (Neo's love interest is named Trinity. The rebel's ship is called the Nebuchadnezzar, they call Neo the One, as in the one who would save the world.) In Neo's fake reality, the people were blinded to the fact that they were enslaved. They didn't know they needed a savior.

The same was true for the Jews who met Jesus, who saw Him but didn't see Him for who He truly is. They were blind and stubborn, unwilling to see themselves as needing a Savior. Jesus opened the eye of many who were physically blind. In doing so, He not only gave them the physical ability to see, but also the spiritual ability to see that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Because of the miracles He performed, many could see and understand. But there were still those who were not moved, even by these miracles. He spoke to the people in parables and this puzzled the disciples. They wanted to know why He didn't speak more clearly instead of in these stories about soils and seeds. In Matthew 13:13-15, He explained: This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

"You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'"

Just like the people plugged into the Matrix, people today are plugged into a world view that has cut out God from the picture. They have a fake reality that feels good right now and seems right, but it leads only to death. Unbelievers scoff and laugh at the notion that they are the blind ones. They have eyes but they don't see; they have ears but they don't hear. Just like the Pharisees, they want a sign, but Jesus said that "a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign." His resurrection would be the only sign they would have and it would be up to them to believe. Furthermore, God has always made Himself known to mankind; we have chosen not to see Him. Romans 1:20 says: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." I love what Jesus told Thomas, who doubted Jesus' resurrection. "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." That's us those of us who have accepted Christ on faith --that He is talking about.

Hebrews 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Faith is what it all comes down to. We can replace weakness with strength. We can be rich in spirit and be completely healed both physically and spiritually. First, we must know that we are sinners who need a Savior. Then all we need is to place our faith in Him. I once was lost, but now I am found. I was blind, but now I see. He is my strength and my salvation and He makes my way perfect.

Let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich"

Let the blind say, "I can see"

It's what the Lord has done in me.

Into the river, into the river, I will wade

There my sins are washed away

From the heavens mercy streams

Of the Savior's love for me, yeah, I will rise

I will rise from waters deep

Into the saving arms of God

I will sing salvation songs

Jesus Christ has set me free

Hosanna, hosanna

To the Lamb that was slain

Hosanna, hosanna

Jesus died and rose again.

Encourage Yourself in the Lord

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 11:53:00 GMT

Romans 11:29 -- For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Call it writer's block or a dry spell or just a plain old case of burn out. For whatever reason, I stopped writing.

In my mind I tried to justify it by telling myself that I could take a little break. After all, I was working full time now and didn't have the time I used to have for writing. Besides that, who was even reading these articles? Very few people commented on them, either on the web site or in person. A few in the church I know had read it, but who would really miss it if I stopped posting?

My "little break" has turned into one year since I have posted anything to the church web blog. And, it seemed to me that no one really has noticed. Yet many times in the last year, I have thought about it. Ideas for articles would come to me and I would make a few notes, but I never got back to them. I had plenty of other things to keep me busy, so I would push the idea of writing again to the back burner. Someone had noticed though, and in the last month or so, though, that someone has been turning up that back burner, urging me to get back to being about my Father's business. He has spoken in to me in my spirit and through the sermons and writings of others, and even through the Sunday school lessons I have been teaching of late. I was able to deflect it, telling myself I would get started again next month. Twelve "next months" later, I still had not started. Then He really hit me over the head with it.

A few of weeks ago, we had the dedication service for our new church location on Oakridge Drive. Many friends and former church members came for the celebration (and hopefully will be coming back on a regular basis!). One of the people who attended was a wonderful Painter of God's Heart (aka Frank Whittington). I complimented him on his latest work, which I had seen on Facebook. He thanked me, and then he said something that made my heart feel both joy and grief at the same time. I know that sounds strange. He reminded me that an article I wrote several years ago is something he goes back and reads from time to time. It was "Color Outside the Lines" and it was about creativity. He said that it was something that continued to encourage him. I can't tell you how wonderful it made me feel. I was so humbled and felt so blessed to know that it had made a difference to someone that it had an affect on someone's life. I thanked him and confessed that I had let my writing slip. He smiled and reminded me of a line about creativity from my own article if you don't use it, you'll lose it.

My feelings of joy at knowing something I had written helped someone then turned to grief, and I groaned as the realization set in that I had, as Pastor is fond of saying, "sat down on my calling." I had missed a year's worth of opportunities to write and share with others about the wonderful works of our Lord. I have always felt that we learn the most from making mistakes, and I have learned some things from this experience.

Isaiah 55:11 -- So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

When we are doing things for God, whether it be pastoring, teaching, singing, evangelizing, prophesying, helping, etc., we have to keep doing them without worrying about the results or outcomes. In scripture, it says that God's word does not go out and return void. If we are in the will of God, doing the will of God, then what we are doing will have an impact, whether it is visible to us or not. It is not necessarily our job to evaluate or measure the result. We just need to be obedient and keep doing what we are doing unless God tells us otherwise. We can't be dependent on the validation of other people to keep us motivated, which was what I may have been doing to some extent in addition to being tired and burned out.

Hebrews 10:24-25 -- And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Having said that, it is not a bad thing to receive some encouragement and appreciation from others. Even though we aspire to be super spiritual, we are still flesh and bones. We like to hear "good job". We like compliments. We like to know that we are appreciated. The trick is to not become prideful or to think more of ourselves than we should. Some kind and encouraging words often do give you a little boost to keep on going. It also gives us an opportunity to praise the Lord and give him the glory. If someone compliments you on your singing, teaching, preaching, painting, cooking, cleaning, writing or whatever it is that you do, give God the praise. And even if no one says a word, give Him the praise anyway, because He is still using you in ways you may never know or understand.

Colossians 3:23-24 -- And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

We have many talented, creative, thoughtful and faithful people in our church and they can be taken for granted. We can come and go to church each week without giving much thought that the building will be unlocked when we get there and then locked and secured after everyone goes home; that it will be clean; that there will be someone there to greet and welcome us; that there will be music along with the words on the big screens; that there will be a message preached; that there will be lights and air conditioning (or heat) and even wi-fi; and that the bills for all these things will be paid. But how often do we thank or appreciate the people who make sure those things happen? All those things and more are not getting done on Thursday night or Sunday morning. People are taking time during the week to do all the big and little things that make our church run. You get what you give. So, if your show kindness, encouragement and appreciation to others, it is more likely that you will receive the same.

Mark 6:31 --Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

I have also learned, but am still trying to put in practice, that you can't let yourself get burned out. If Jesus knew He had to take time to get away from everyone and spend time alone with the Father, then we should do likewise. Some days it feels like I go from some type of job or chore to the other without much of a break in between. I push myself and fill every moment to "get'r done." Sometimes you just have to say no, or at least no for right now, and get your priorities in order. Seek first the kingdom of God, and the rest will fall into place.

2 Peter 1:10 --Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,

So what have you put on the back burner? Have you felt the heat being turned up within you lately? Have you been sitting down on your calling? Or have you fallen into a cycle of procrastination and apathy? Whatever the case, it is never too late to get to work. God's gifts and callings truly are without repentance. I didn't lose the ability to write, but because I haven't done much of it lately, it was tough getting started and keeping up the momentum, where it used to be the words just flowed in one sitting. (It has taken me a week to write this.) Eventually I will get back to that level if I keep working at it. I believe the same will be true for you. Whatever it is you've been sitting on, its time to brush it off and start using it again. Just get started. Start small and go from there. Like David, you can encourage yourself in the Lord (I Samuel 30:6). I know you can do it! More importantly, God knows you can -- if only you will.

***

Thank you, Frank, for your kind and encouraging words. If you would like to know about Frank Whittington, Painter of God's Heart, visit his website: http://painterofgodsheart.com/index.htm . The photos can't compare to seeing these paintings in person.

If you would like to read "Color Outside the Lines", click on this link: https://spiritlifefellowshipchurch.com/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/41524/cat_id/957/Co lor-Outside-the-Lines .

Offenses Will Come

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 11:49:00 GMT

Proverbs 18:19 -- A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,

The year isn't quite over, but 2015 has already been dubbed "the year everyone was offended by everything." An Alabama army officer was inspired by this trend to write a Facebook post he dubbed "I am offended that everyone is offended by something." It went viral after he posted it, and he was even featured on Fox News. In the article, he pointed out some social injustices and important issues that need to be addressed. Here area a couple of examples from Jordan Thompson's post:

I'm offended by people who vote for a person based on the party they represent, the race or gender, age or a religion of a candidate... instead of how the candidate proposes to address each issue, respectively.

I'm offended by people who aren't open minded and think they're always right, no matter what.

I get what he was trying to say, but I think that we should consider what it really means to be offended. Some things irk me, but I am not necessarily offended by them. For example, it seems incredible to me as well that people will vote a straight party ticket instead of considering each candidate's views and positions. It troubles me, but it doesn't offend me. Like Thompson, I am often frustrated, when someone isn't willing to see something from another perspective and consider other options, but I am not offended. When I think about being offended, I think of something personal that hurts my feelings, makes me feel de-valued, disrespects me or someone I love, or insults my character or the character of someone I love.

The dictionary lists several definitions for offend. One is to hurt or cause pain to . Another is to irritate, annoy, or anger; cause resentful displeasure in . A key word in that definition is resentful. These are things that people say or do which really get under our skin and incite an immediate reaction. In other words, it will get a rise out of you, and that's where we get in trouble. For example, if someone treated me differently or unfairly because I am a woman or addressed me with a derogatory name, I would be offended by that, and rightly so. If I weren't offended hurt, annoyed, irritated -- by this unkind treatment, something would be wrong with me. We have a standard of what is socially acceptable interaction with others (and even that varies among groups of people), and when someone crosses the line, it affects us. We can't control what others say or do, but we can control how we respond to the offensive remarks or treatment. Our first reaction may be to blow up on the person and let loose with our own name calling and expletives. Others take the more passive approach by internalizing their feelings and allowing resentment and bitterness to grow within them. The better options are to address the matter directly, in a non-confrontational way if possible, or to just walk away and let it go. One of the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5 is longsuffering, the long and patient endurance of injury, trouble or provocation.

Ephesians 4:26-27 -- Be angry, and do not sin" : do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

I am not saying that you shouldn't stand up for yourself or your beliefs, just that you should pick your battles. Sometimes the best thing to do is walk away and pray for that person and the situation. Recently, someone made a snide comment to me that did hurt my feelings, and I was offended. I mean it really burned my behind. It wasn't the first time it has happened and it probably won't be the last. I started speaking and then stopped myself, because I knew I was too angry to be saying anything. Much as I wanted to let this person have it, I employed the fruits of self-control and longsuffering and bit my tongue. I knew it would do no good to respond and there would be no "talking it out". I stewed over it all night, tossing and turning before I finally just gave it over to the Lord. I realized the next day that the person had certainly not thought another second about it. That confirmed what I already knew -- I had to forgive and move on.

Ephesians 4:31-32 -- Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Another definition for offend is listed as: (in Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways . In Luke 17:1-2 it says: Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." The word offense in this passage is from the Greek work "skandalon", which was the trigger of a baited trap or a stumbling block. Jesus is saying woe to those who cause others to stumble and sin. This is why preachers and teachers are accountable to God for every word they speak. This is why it says "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). This is why our mothers used to tell us if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Romans 12:17 -- Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

Jesus acknowledged that offenses will come and it should not come as a surprise when it happens to us. How we respond to an offense is directly related to how far we are in our relationship with Christ. It will reveal the condition of our heart, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). If we let an offense get to us, then we may have a reaction that causes us, and perhaps others, to sin. Two wrongs do not make a right. We either rise above the situation, or we sink to the same level (or lower) as the person who has offended us. We have to put on the armor of God every day, using our shield of faith to deflect those fiery darts and yielding the sword of the Sprit to bring the word of truth to the situation. These moments actually give us an opportunity to live what we believe and share the love of Christ. A kind and loving response will likely be unexpected and will certainly leave the person something to think about.

The things that have offended people in 2015 have cause great division among the people of this nation. We've seen black vs. white, straight vs. gay, gun lovers vs. gun haters, Republicans vs. Democrats, rich vs. poor, cops vs. citizens, Christians vs. non-Christians. In Matthew 12:25 it says: But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." We have to get away from political correctness and being so easily offended. The more we are divided by issues, big or small, the weaker we become as a nation. Offenses will come, but woe to those through whom they come!

Don't Listen to the Caterpillars -- Fly

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 10:02:00 GMT

"When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings." author Dean Jackson

Our one and only child graduated from high school a few weeks ago. Throughout the year, as it has come up in conversation with friends and family (and a few well meaning strangers), many have asked, "Aren't you sad?" After the ceremonies, it was "Did you cry?" The answer to both questions was no, and it felt like I was letting each person down with that response. Bitterweet, perhaps. Sad, no. As a parent, my goal for the last 17 years has been to raise a responsible, kind, secure and independent adult who would grow up and out of our home. Just like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, she is making the transformation from child to young adult. I would not want to keep her a child anymore than she would want to stay one. I am excited about the next chapter of life for her and for me. It's time for her to fly, and I won't hold her back.

2 Corinthians 5:17 -- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We go through many changes in our life, but none as important as the transformation we make when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. If you are a Christian, can you remember what it felt like those few days and weeks right after you were saved? The mixture of feelings was overwhelming joy, hope, freedom, peace. You wanted to tell everyone you knew about Jesus, what He had done for you and what He would do for them. Little by little, you began to change in all areas of your life. It is a gradual process, as you change the way you think, talk and act because you are putting Jesus first. Change usually isn't easy, but if we keep pressing through and keep our eyes on Him, we can do anything. Romans 12:2 says: And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." I believe that every day we are in the process of transformation. Each day we must renew our minds and make the conscious choice not to conform to the world.

Philippians 1:6 -- being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

We'd like to think that our lives become perfect after we receive our salvation, but that is not realistic. Trials and temptations come our way, and sometimes we pass and sometimes we fail. It's for a good reason that we have these experiences, because we learn and grow through each one. Some days are dark and we question ourselves and our salvation. You have to be able to say something along the lines of, "Ok I messed that up. Jesus, please forgive me and put me back on track." He will never leave you or forsake you as long as you continue to put your hope and trust in Him. None of us will ever be perfect in this lifetime, but we are perfected through him. He will complete the work that He has started in you. We can't give up on ourselves or on Him.

I look back at my life before Jesus and where I am today in Him, and I know I have changed so much. I made a lot of bad choices, but I am no longer defined by them. I am a new creature in Christ. My lifestyle has changed. My habits have changed. My attitudes have changed. My perspective has changed. Yet on a certain level I feel like the same person. Deep inside I am the child of God that He created me to be and she is coming out more and more every day. I feel like myself and not the person I thought I had to be or the person that I had let myself become. I still mess up, but I bounce back a lot quicker than I used to, because I know who my Deliverer is.

When you become a Christian, it can be difficult for your friends and family who don't yet believe (did you catch that?). Like the caterpillars in the quote above, they want you to stay the way you were. It was comfortable for them. They think you are weird. They don't know what to do with this butterfly who wants to take off and soar. We love our friends and family, but we can't let them pull us back into our old ways. We have to be butterflies! We have to be who God called us to be. Hopefully, the caterpillars will want to become butterflies themselves once they see how wonderful it can be!

I never want to go back to my old life or my old ways. God has blessed me more than I could ever have imagined and I know even greater blessings are to come. Each day I continue on this path of transformation, learning and growing, ever changing. I am not a caterpillar anymore. I am also not a newly emerged butterfly waiting for my wings to dry. I am a mature butterfly that is ready to spread my wings and do what I am supposed to do. The butterfly goes from flower to flower, making it an important pollinator in our environment. Our job as Christians is to spread the Word of God throughout our environment. We have to be careful not to let those caterpillars try to stop us by making us feel bad for being who we are. Those caterpillars are like the Pharisees that told Jesus to tell the people to be quiet when they were shouting at his Triumphant Entry to Jerusalem. He told them that even if the people were quiet, the rocks would cry out! Isaiah 43:7: "Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him". We were made to glorify, praise and worship Him, not caterpillars.

Still a caterpillar? It's never too late change. Give your heart to Jesus and He will change your life and give you wings. Or are you still inside the chrysalis, going through a transformation and waiting to emerge, struggling between what the world expects of you and what you know you need in Christ? He is right there with you, ready and waiting for you to call upon His name. Are you already a butterfly, waiting to taste the goodness of God? You can sit on a flower all day looking pretty or you can get out there see what God has planned for you. Don't listen to the caterpillars. It's time to fly!

The Comfort of Friends

Fri, 17 Apr 2015 10:30:00 GMT

Proverbs 17:17 -- A friend loves at all times,

I was reading Job again recently. It is starting to be one of those books I go to when I don't know where to start reading and I always seem to find something new or something that directs me where to go. A few years back I wrote a blog about Job's wife called "No Write Offs", which can be found on the blog page and is one of my favorites. Not knowing what to write this time around, I was led to look for inspiration in Job and found it.

Job was a man who worshipped and lived for God, which made him an immediate target for Satan who started by attacking Job's character. We know from reading 1 Peter 5:8 and Revelation 12:10 that Satan walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and that he is the accuser of the brethren, accusing them before God day and night. The book of Job begins with God asking Satan where he has been. He replies that he has been walking the earth back and forth, and these scriptures tell us what he was up to. God asks him if he has considered His servant Job, because He knows that Job has done nothing which can be questioned. Satan, being who he is, still manages to come up with an accusation, and this is my paraphrase. "Sure he seems like a saint and it is no wonder. You have protected him and given him everything. Anyone would love you for that. But I bet if you took it all away from him, he would curse you and turn his back on you."

God knew Job's heart, so he allowed Satan to take away Job's children, livestock and servants. We can't imagine the pain of losing one child, let alone 10 at one time. Despite this great suffering, Job did not sin or blame God. When Satan comes before God again, He asks what he thinks about Job's integrity in the face of tragedy. Again, that sly old fox says, "Sure, but let him suffer in his own body and there is no way he can keep up this act. He will definitely curse you if that happens." So God allowed Satan to afflict Job, with the only limitation being he couldn't take Job's life. Satan afflicted Job with boils all over his body. I have never had a boil, but I know some people who have. Just the one boil was extremely painful and nasty to deal with. I can't imagine the agony of having them from the top of your head to the soles of you feet. Still, Job remained faithful to God.

Job 16:1-5 --Then Job answered and said: "I have heard many such things; Miserable comforters are you all!

This was the verse that jumped out at me when I was reading Job and got me thinking. Job is speaking to his three friends who had come to visit him. Their visit started with them weeping and tearing their robes upon seeing the condition of their friend. They sat with him for 7 days and nights saying nothing, just being there. It's great to have the comfort of friends who will just be there for you . . . their presence alone is a comfort. But then Job speaks and laments his condition, even cursing the day he was born. Instead of receiving comforting words or a hug or even prayer, his three friends start in on him. Just like Satan, they begin to attack his character. Surely Job's suffering is the result of some sin, they surmise. As Job said, they were not very good comforters. I had to agree with him and thought to myself what terrible friends they were. Immediately I felt a prick in my heart and heard "haven't you done the same thing?"

At one time or another we all have been guilty of thinking like Job's friends. When people come to us when they have a problem, how quick are we to point out what they've done that put them in that situation? Do we ever look at someone who is going through a tough time and wonder what they might have done to bring it on or wonder if God was trying to get their attention? Countless times over the years I have heard people ask "Well, did he or she smoke?" when told that someone had cancer. It is in our nature to want to find out the cause or find something or someone to blame when bad things happen. We even do it to ourselves. Why am I going through this? What did I do to deserve this? Bad things do happen to good people and to bad people alike. Matthew 5:45 says "for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust".

Job 6:14 --"To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

It isn't anyone's job to judge or condemn a person, and yet we do. Job told his friends that they should show him kindness, even if what they were saying about him were true, which it wasn't in this case. Job didn't need a lecture -- he needed the comfort of his friends. He needed someone to bring him fresh water and dressings for his injuries. He needed someone to bring him a meal. He needed someone to pray for and with him and encourage him. We need to do likewise for our friends in their time of need. If in the course of time, a friend confides that he or she has sinned, then we can pray for the person and prayerfully provide guidance. Galatians 6:1-2 says "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We can't come at a person from an "I told you so" or "you should have known better" attitude. Everything we do must be done with the love of Christ at its center.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Job's friends thought they were doing the right thing and that they were helping Job by telling him he must have sinned or done something to deserve such a great punishment. Job knew he was innocent, but having someone say that to you is painful whether it is true or not. Their comments could have easily incited Job to curse them or to curse God. If a friend comes to us for comfort only to find judgment or rebuke, then where is he to turn? We certainly have not pointed him toward the Lord. We may have weakened him further to where he is more susceptible to things like alcohol and drugs for escape and comfort. He may find that his friends who are not Christian are more comforting and supportive. Instead of character assassins, we need to be loving comforters. John 3:17 says "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Matthew 7:1-2 -- Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Job's friends had judged him a sinner with no evidence other than tragedy had struck him and his family. We cannot leap to those kind of conclusions based on casual observation. It may be true or it may not be true, but it isn't any of our business it is between God and that person. We need to show mercy and compassion to those who are suffering, regardless of the circumstances. God could have judged Job's friends as they had judged Job. He was angry with them for not speaking right about Him. They had tried to judge Job and speak to him like they knew what God was thinking and doing and tried to speak for God. God directed them to take their burnt offering to Job to be burnt and that Job would pray for them. He said he would accept Job's prayer for them instead of giving them what they really deserved. It's just like when God sees what Christ did for us and forgives us instead of giving us what we really deserve. Therefore, let us heed the words of 1 Peter 3:8 which says "Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."

Truly a friend should love at all times. As good as the comfort of friends may seem, it is nothing compared to what we receive from our great Comforter.

2 Corinthinas 1:3-5 -- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Submit or Fight

Fri, 06 Mar 2015 13:54:00 GMT

Ephesians 5:22-24 -- Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

If you want to stir people's attention at church, there are a couple of topics you can speak about. One is tithes, because most people do not want to talk about their money. Another is the role of women in the household and the church. You will get a wide range of responses, and they will certainly be strong and vocal.

The problem most people have is with the word "submit". Our society looks at submissive people as being weak. If you are submissive, you are giving up your power and control. You'll be pushed around and walked all over. You no longer have self-worth or standing and are at the mercy of someone else. This perception has formed because of the reality that people in positions of power used their authority to hurt those they were supposed to be caring for. This is unfortunate, because they were not placed in their position to be tyrants or to be waited on hand and foot or to be put on a pedestal. They were put there to be leaders and to provide for others. If you continue reading in Ephesians, you read that husbands are supposed to love their wives the way that Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church." (Ephesians 5:28-29)

1 Peter 2:13-17 -- Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Submit does mean to give over or yield to the power or authority of another. We submit to others every day when we stop at red lights, wait in line at the grocery store, pay our taxes, drive the speed limit, etc. Otherwise, chaos would ensue. Yet we struggle with the idea of being submissive. The American spirit is one rooted in independence and self-reliance. Our forefathers fought to gain freedom from the tyranny of England's rulers. The pioneers forged a new life in untamed and often dangerous territory. We are made of hearty stuff; we are not weak and submissive. We have been programmed to believe that we don't need anyone and we can do it all on our own. This mindset has to change, because the truth is that we are not weak when we submit to another's authority. Instead, we are positioning ourselves to be strengthened and supported. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Romans 8:7 (NIV) -- The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

The opposite of submit is fight. It is a choice we have to make either we submit or we fight. In order to serve the Lord, we must submit ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. If we don't submit to God then we are fighting Him. I think this is one of the biggest barriers people encounter as they are coming to Christ and even during their Christian walk. It is difficult giving up control and yielding to someone bigger than ourselves. It's a tough thing admitting that you can't get through life on your own and that you need the love and the power of Christ to take over your life. Being submissive is not about being weak or allowing yourself to be treated badly. It is about trusting in something bigger. We know that we can trust Christ when we submit ourselves to Him. He gave His life so that we may live eternally with Him. He provides for all of our need and He knows the desires of our heart. He loves us and cares for us. You are not weak when you submit yourself to God, because you now are in His strength. Being submissive to God actually puts you in a position to receive His blessings.

Sadly, we cannot always be so trusting of people. We should honor and respect the position and the authority that goes with it, but we do not have to continue submitting ourselves to those who abuse their power and position and do not have our best interests at heart. Wives, submitting to your husband doesn't mean you become a doormat. Husbands, having a submissive wife doesn't mean you get to boss her around and micromanage her life. Marriage is representative of the relationship between the Church (the Bride) and Christ (the Bridegroom). If we are not careful, we can allow worldly thinking to prevent us from having the relationships that we are supposed to have with our spouse, our children, our friends, our co-workers and most importantly with our God. If you do not submit to God, then you will inevitably submit to something else. The idea that we are totally self-reliant is a lie and we will eventually find ourselves in need. Without God, we could find ourselves allowing other things to take over and control our lives.

James 4:1-3, 7 -- What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. . . . Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

When we overstep the lines of authority, we have chaos. If everyone on a job site tries to supervise, nothing will get done. If every soldier in a unit tries to command the mission, it will fail. If everybody in the church tries to be the pastor, we have no unity. On an airline flight, do you want the trained pilot at the wheel or other untrained members of the flight crew? Do you want the surgeon or the orderly wielding the scalpel during your operation? There are positions and powers and authority in place for a reason. There are leaders and followers and we need both. It doesn't mean that one is better than another. In one situation, you may be the leader, while in another you must be a follower and submit to another authority.

Regardless, we all must submit ourselves to God. When Solomon dedicated the temple that he had built for God, he didn't beat his chest in triumph or look to the people for applause. He knelt down before the assembly of Israel, humbly raised his hands to heaven and prayed. No one would ever describe Solomon as weak. He was a man who loved and submitted himself to God and as a result he was the wisest, wealthiest, most knowledgeable earthly king who ever was. While it's true that he faltered later in life because of his desire for foreign women, it serves as a reminder that to submit or fight is choice we have to make every day.

Just Say No

Fri, 06 Feb 2015 12:38:00 GMT

Matthew 26:41 -- Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

January the month of the resolutions. It's the month of do-overs. We resolve to go on a diet and lose 20 pounds. We resolve to be more organized, spend more time reading our Bibles, watch less TV, spend more time with our families, be kinder to people, do more for charity, etc. Each of us has things in our life we want to change and we have the best of intentions . . . for about a week or two and then we fall back into our old patterns. February rolls around and we realize we haven't made any progress toward our goal.

Then there will be that one person who makes it. You run into him about March and you notice that something is different about him. Something about this person has changed. If you are not afraid to ask, the person might share with you what he has been doing and how he did it. More than likely, it could all be summed up that he started saying "no" to something and "yes" to something better.

Titus 2:11-12 NIV -- For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

As Christians, the biggest change we ever made in our lives came when we asked Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives. When we said "yes" to Christ, we had to start saying "no" to our old ways, and it wasn't always easy. The more we learn about Jesus and the closer we are to Him, the easier it becomes. I've said before in other articles that unsaved people have their thinking about salvation turned around the wrong way. They think they have to clean up every aspect of their life before they come to Jesus, when He just wants to come to them with a willing, repentant heart. He will take things from there and do the transforming work.

When I was in a preschool mothers group at a local church, a woman shared with us the story of her husband's salvation. For years she went to church without him, but prayed for God to save him. He started going to church with her occasionally and then more regularly, and he did get saved. However, he loved hard rock and heavy metal music, which has some pretty bad language and concepts in the lyrics. He had a huge collection and listened to it all the time. He told her when he got saved that he wasn't going to give that up. She told him not to worry about it, because she knew that God would take care of it. He continued to listen to his music at home and in the car, and he continued to go to church. Gradually, over time he spent less time listening to his much loved music. One day she had to drive his vehicle for some reason. She turned on the radio expecting to hear rock and roll, but found that the dial was set on a Christian music station. You can imagine the smile on her face, knowing that indeed God had done the work that needed to be done.

My favorite part about the above scripture from Titus 2 is that is says God's grace teaches us how to live "godly lives in this present age." Some might say that the people who lived in the days when Titus wrote this don't face the same challenges and adversity that we do today in 2015, but certainly we face the same enemy with the same agenda. Each generation has its own demons, but the power of God is greater than any of them. Hebrews 13:8 says: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." We see that year after year, the morality of this world gets worse, but we have to remember that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20).

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV -- For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

This scripture in the NIV reads "power, love and self-discipline". Change requires self-discipline and self-control. I think where the struggle comes is with that word "self". We think that because it takes self-control, then it has to come from our own self, our own strength within ourselves. However, the ability to have self-discipline comes from the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:22-23 says: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Self-control is produced through the Spirit of God working in our lives. If we need to have more self-control over something in our lives, we can remind ourselves that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

If we really want to make changes in our lives, then we have to do things differently. As someone at church reminded us recently, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Change is hard, but you don't have to go through it alone. The Spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. We can only strengthen ourselves and win the battle against the flesh by growing in our spirit life. Galatians 6:8 cautions us: "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

James 1:14-15 -- But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Before you embark on a change or make a resolution, pray about it. What is your ultimate goal in making this change? Is it in the will of God? Ask God for guidance on the best way to accomplish this goal. You will need His strength and power to "just say no" to your flesh and everything else that will try to stand in the way, and you will need it to keep saying "yes" to the better life He has for you.

The Principles of More

Fri, 19 Dec 2014 10:15:00 GMT

Proverbs 30:7-9 -- "Two things I ask of you, Lord ; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, Who is the Lord ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

"Can I have some more mashed potatoes?" asks a child at the dinner table.

"You haven't finished what is on your plate," replies his parent.

"But I know I am going to want more; they're so good," the child says.

"When you've eaten what's on your plate, then you can have more," the parent replies.

The scenario repeats itself several times. Later that night, the child complains of a belly ache.

"I wish I hadn't eaten all those mashed potatoes," he says wistfully.

"Sometimes more isn't better. A belly ache is a hard way to learn that lesson," says the wise parent, who also had to learn that lesson as a child.

Tis the season of more. Kids are excited to be getting more toys for Christmas, even though most of them have a stockpile in their room that would rival a toy store warehouse. It's the time of year when we eat more food, especially Christmas cookies and treats. We spend more money -- usually more than we actually have to spend. We try to outdo what we did the year before, with better presents and better decorations and better parties. In the process, we add more stress to our lives by trying to make everything perfect and make everyone happy.

Ephesians 3:20-21 -- Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

More isn't necessarily a bad thing. In this scripture from Ephesians, Paul tells us that God is able to do much more than we ask or even think. We often see this fulfilled in our prayer life, when we pray for something and God not only answers that prayer, but does so in a big way that goes beyond what we were looking for. However, sometimes we are like the little boy who wanted more mashed potatoes. We keep asking for more of something we really can't handle, and the wise Father allows us to learn that lesson.

1 Timothy 6:6-9 -- But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Before we ask the Lord for more of anything, we need to assess our current condition. If you are asking for more, then it means that you now have what you're asking for in a certain quantity or state of being. You have to have "some" before you can have "more". You can apply these questions to things of this world, like money, or to spiritual things, like wisdom and gifts and callings. Think of them as the Principles of More.

If you took a poll on the street and asked people what they wanted more of in their lives, the top answers would probably be time and money. We've all experienced that Catch 22 of having the time but not the money or having the money and not the time. Maybe it's not that we need more time but we need to examine how we are using the time we have. As our lives change, our priorities often shift and we forget to shift with them. The same goes for money. In Philippians 4:12, the Apostle Paul says: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Paul knew that his happiness didn't hinge on how much money he had in the bank, but instead it was anchored in his relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus was the only thing he needed more of in his life. John the Baptist said that he must decrease so that Jesus could increase. In order for Jesus to increase in our lives, we must allow our self our fleshly, worldly, more, more, more self to decrease.

Luke 6:37-38 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Another Principle of More is that you give what you need. Do you need love in your life? Then give love. Do you need a friend? Then be a friend and be friendly. Do you need kindness and understanding or mercy? Then give those things. Jesus told His disciples, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). He also tells the parable in Matthew 18 of the servant who was forgiven a large debt by his compassionate master. Instead of paying that kind act forward, the servant has one of his fellow servants thrown in prison for not paying him back for a small amount he owed. When the master learns what the servant is done, he has him thrown in jail to pay back his debt in full. The parable ends with the warning that this is how our Heavenly Father will treat us if we are not able to forgive our brother. If you need forgiveness, you need to be forgiving.

Matthew 25:29 -- For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

When we have more of something, it comes with more responsibility. When we were growing up, our parents gave us more freedom to make our own choices, but it meant that we had to make good choices or we would lose some of that freedom. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, the master gave his servants a certain amount of money, according to their abilities. Sometimes we think people get more than us and it isn't fair. Whatever you have, it has been given to you by God according to your ability to handle it. If you want more then you have to be like the two servants who put the money to good use and made it increase. The master rewarded them by giving them even more, because they had been faithful with a few things. The third servant took the money and hid it away. He didn't do anything with what he had. Not only did he lose out on the opportunity for more, but he also had what little he had taken away from him and he was sent out from the master's presence.

Our Praise & Worship Team sings a song called "More" (written by Mary Alessi). The lyrics say "we ask for more of your power and more of your glory" and "more of your Spirit and more of your presence like we've never known before, all we ask You, Lord, is for more." These are good things to ask more of from God, and we know that He will give us the desires of our heart. When we ask for more, we need to be sure we are ready for it. If we want more of God's presence, then we are going to have to give Him more of our time and attention. You don't invite someone to visit you in your home and then ignore them. If we want more of His power, what are we going to do with it? Freely you have received; freely give. That's not just a principle of more it's the power of more.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, blessed new year!

Come, Lord Jesus, Come

Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:48:00 GMT

Revelation 22:12-20 (NKJV) -- "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

All my life, I have been hearing that "the end is near." As a child, I can remember people talking about the things that were happening in the world and how it couldn't and wouldn't be long now. In cartoons and TV programs, a poorly dressed, scraggily looking man carrying a sign saying "the end is near" has become comic shtick, so it seems no one takes it very seriously. Many movies have been made about the end of the world, brought about by either natural or man-made disaster or alien invasion. Only a few have depicted the end of this world from a Biblical perspective, with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I first started reading the Word and began to hear teachings about the end times, I admit that I felt a little frightened. I simply didn't want to think about the world coming to an end. Like a little child, I would pretend I wasn't hearing it. I was a new Christian, full of excitement about the future. I was a new mother, excited to watch my little girl grow up, to see her graduate, go to college, perhaps marry and have a family of her own. I wanted the world to be a safe, happy place where all that could happen. I also had things that I wanted to accomplish and places I wanted to see. I thought, okay Lord, I know that you are coming back one day, but could you wait until I get to see my daughter grow up and maybe even my grandchildren?

Fast forward about 15 years, and I have a little different perspective. I have grown and matured in my walk with Christ. I see the world in a different way. I see the things that are happening in the world and I think that it can't be long now. Instead of covering my ears or pretending that everything is okay, I say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come." The world is only going to get worse and I am really tired. I am tired of nothing changing and feeling powerless to bring about change. I am tired of evil being called good. I am afraid that the world is not going to be a safe place for my daughter and maybe my future grandchildren to live. Let's just skip all that bad stuff and go home. I am ready for my mansion, the place He has prepared for me. I am ready to lie at His feet. I am ready for no more tears, nor sorrow, nor crying, and no more pain (Revelation 21:4).

However, our God knows best. He knows that there are still many people we need to reach with His message of salvation. There are husbands and wives, children, friends and even nations that are not ready for the day of the Lord. It isn't meant for us to know the day or hour. Not even Jesus knows, but He waits for the Father (Mark 13:32). We are only meant to be ready for it and to be preparing others.

Psalm 119:28 (NIV) -- My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

The easy thing to do would be nothing, which is a response of the flesh and not of the spirit. We can go to church two or three times a week and keep hoping and praying that things will get better. We can maintain the status quo and just quietly sit and wait for the Lord to return, secure in our own salvation, but we were created to do more than that. Believe it or not I heard the most amazing words of wisdom from pop princess Taylor Swift on a TV show this week. She was mentoring young artists and helping them improve their performances. These may not be her exact words, but it's close. She said, "If you are not moving forward, you are backsliding."

In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-14, Paul addressed the people about their idleness. Some false teaching had been introduced that had the people believing that the Lord was coming back any day, so they felt they could just sit back and wait. They didn't have to plan, work or tend to responsibilities. Their idleness didn't bring them closer to God. Instead it drew them into sinful behavior. Instead of being busy, they became busybodies. Paul warned that theses people needed to "settle down and earn the food they eat." It is a warning we should heed today. Are we earning the food we eat? Are we doing our part in the Body of Christ?

Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV) -- And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The right, and harder thing, to do is to not grow weary of doing good, as Paul suggests. I have been tired lately and I need to take responsibility for that. I know that I can rest in Jesus. ( Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28) I can refresh myself in the Word. It takes action upon my part and yours. I look forward to the day of Christ's return, but I know that in the meantime I need to be about my Father's business. I have to do what I can to make this life a better place for me and my family. Evil only wins when we do nothing. I've heard preachers and teachers say it many times, and it is a true saying: we've read the end of the book and Jesus is victorious. That's all we need to know. We don't have to be afraid of what's happening or what is to come as long as we are trusting in Him.

Revelation 22:17 (NKJV) -- And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

We can still look forward to Christ's return, and it should inspire us to become the Church He is looking for upon his return. We should be saying "come Lord Jesus, come". We also should be saying "come" to the unsaved people of the world. Let him who hears, who thirsts, who desires come to the Lord. Let us be the Church that is ready to receive the harvest. Let's us be the Church that encourages and builds up, not one that beats down. We have to motivate the people of the Body, not shame them by telling them what they are not doing enough of for God. I don't want the Church to "tickle" anyone's ears. Share the truth and the love of God and then fan the flames. A plant grows and bears fruit when it receives plenty of food, water and sunlight. Like a plant, the Christian will grow and bear fruit with plenty of food (the Word of God), water (the Holy Spirit) and Son light.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV):

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Removing the Blinders

Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:10:00 GMT

I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see. John Newton, Amazing Grace

When I was in about the sixth grade, my mother took me to the eye doctor. I don't remember if I had complained about not being able to see the board or if my teacher had expressed a concern to my mother. I just know one day Mom told me we would be going to see an optometrist. We very rarely ever visited a doctor of any kind, so it was a big deal. Before we left the office, I tried on a variety of eye glass frames and selected a silver pair. Think John Denver. I can't remember if it was a week or two later that we returned to pick them up from the doctor's office. The optometrist placed them on my face and made some adjustments. It was a strange feeling when I first put them on, but the noticeable difference came when we went outside. I remember walking down the street and looking up at a tree. I could not believe the detail I was seeing and how far up the tree I could see it. Before, it had been just a fuzzy green outline. Now, I could make out individual leaves and branches. Until that moment, I had no idea how impaired my vision had been.

Most people do not realize their current condition and don't recognize it until they get away from that situation or place in their life. Have you ever recovered from a bad illness, not realizing how sick you were until you got better? Have you ever looked backed on a stressful time in your life and wondered how you got through it? I was nearsighted, which meant I could see things that were close, but as things were farther away they became less clear. It was all I knew, so it was my normal. For some people, constant pain that they have lived with day after day becomes their normal. If you work in a stressful job, that harried schedule becomes your normal. In my case, a simple pair of glasses changed my normal by literally giving me a new perspective on life. Even though wearing glasses wasn't a new thing, it was new to me and it seemed like miracle.

Perhaps because I am a writer, I have wondered about the "rest of the story" when it comes to the miracles of Jesus. What happened to Jairus' daughter after Jesus brought her back from the dead? What did she see or hear or experience? How did it affect how she lived the rest of her life? I wonder about how life changed for the man from the pool of Bethesda. He had been afflicted for 38 years and was healed instantly by Jesus. Did he go on to live a "normal" life? Did he get married or get a job? Jesus opened blinded eyes, including a man who had been blind from birth. He opened the ears and loosed the tongue of a deaf-mute. Being blind or being deaf were all these people knew, until Jesus came on the scene. They didn't realize what it meant to be blind or deaf until they gained the gifts of sight and hearing. Can you imagine what it was like when they heard the sound of a loved one's voice for the first time or saw their own face for the first time in a mirror? They would not even have known they had an affliction if someone had not pointed it out.

1 Corinthians 2:14 -- But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

In the same way, I didn't know how lost I was until I learned about Jesus. There are a lot of unsaved people out in the world, and the majority of them don't even realize their condition. (The rest know and have made that conscious choice.) If you have ever tried to tell people that they are lost, they probably looked at you like you are crazy. I'm not lost; I know exactly where I am , they are thinking. We are using our Christian lingo with people who don't speak the language. We are expressing spiritual concepts in a worldly realm where they are often misunderstood or not considered, and perhaps even scorned. That's why walking up to someone and telling him that he is lost and going to Hell is not the best conversation starter, even if it is the truth. John 1: 5 says "And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." We must pray that God would open the person's eyes and his heart to the truth. We can share our personal testimony and explain who Jesus is and what He did for us. We can show the love of Christ and live what we believe before people. We can tell them the truth, with love, by the leading of the Spirit. We can do all these things and more, but it will take a spiritual experience with the Lord to reach that lost person. They key is that they have to be willing to see and to hear. Some may listen, but others have become so blinded and hardened that you wonder if they could ever be reached.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 -- But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Zachariah 7:11-12 -- "But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts.

If you read about the life of John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace , you learn about the hardships and abuse that he endured. Even though his mother had taught him about God as a young child, he had not lived with religion of any kind in his life. Then one evening a storm at sea was about to sink his ship, and he cried out to God and they were saved from destruction. In that moment, he recognized the grace of God and committed his life to Him. He realized that he had been blind to the things of God, but now he could see God's presence in his life. He realized that he was a lost soul who had found his way to God. Not everyone has such a dramatic testimony as nearly being washed away at sea, but each of us has a story. We need to think back to the time when we first realized our condition, when we realized that we were indeed lost and needed Jesus. You might call it your soul's "aha" moment, a moment of realization of the truth. That's a moment we can share. That's a moment that could reach someone or, at the very least, plant a seed of hope. We need to remember where we came from in order to humbly lead another person to Christ. You can't beat it into someone or scare it into them. It takes love, empathy and encouragement. In the end, when you have done all you can, the rest is in God's hands. He has told us that if we are rejected we should realize that it is Him they have rejected and not us.

The powers and principalities of this world are doing all they can to keep people blinded to the truth of Jesus Christ. We need to remember that we are in spiritual warfare and should always be ready for battle. We must pray, fast, seek God and read our Word. It seems like the people in our society today are a lot like the people that Jesus encountered in his ministry. The people had grown cold. They didn't really want to hear about God and especially didn't want to hear about their sin. The religious leaders were self-righteous. The same is true today. The Bible warns us about those who have a form of Godliness but deny the power of God, and we are to turn away from them (2 Timothy 3:5). However, we should not be discouraged. Jesus also encountered people who were not just accepting, but hungry for the things of God. They followed Him by the thousands. God is still calling His people in; it is our job as the Church to be ready for the harvest. 1 Peter 3:15: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear". With love, we can help remove the blinders and help the lost be found. We can lead others to their "aha" moment with Jesus.

Jesus 101

Fri, 12 Sep 2014 10:10:00 GMT

Hebrews 6:1-8 -- Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

I have a daughter who is a senior in high school, so our mailbox is full every day with information from colleges. She's taken her SATs and ACTs, and we visited a couple of college campuses over the summer. Soon we will be filling out applications and finding our way through that process. She is excited by the thought of leaving home and has even been looking at bedding and decoration ideas for her dorm room (mind you, this is a year away). She knows what she wants to study and do with her life, which is more than most young people can say. She has a vision and she can see herself graduated from college and working at what she loves. I am just not sure if she realizes what college is really like and the hard work that lies ahead.

College life probably sounds pretty glamorous to her and her friends. It was one of the best times of my life, but I don't know that I would call the first year glamorous. We lived on the basement level of the dorm in a room right across from the laundry room, which had its pros and cons. We had to eat cafeteria food or not, which meant ordering pizza nearly every night. Back then, we had one TV room on the floor that nearly 20 girls (and whoever was doing laundry) had to share. Our phones hung on the wall of our dorm room and you had to have a calling card to phone home. (Now the dorm rooms have cable and Wi-Fi!) The first year of courses largely consisted of what you might call beginner classes, like English 101, History 101, etc. That "101" designation beside a course name let you know it was the introductory level class. Once you passed that course, you could move up into a deeper study and understanding of the subject.

You cannot take the next level course unless you have completed, the "101" course. Some students are bored with "101" and want to "get on to the cool stuff", but they don't have their basics down. Then they wonder why they fail when they try to delve into the harder classes. Other students are too easily distracted and never really get it and end up having to take the course over, or worse, they give up and drop out.

As Christians, we are disciples, or students, of Jesus Christ. Many churches have a class for new believers to learn the basics of our Christian faith. You could call it "Jesus 101". We have to get the basics and know in whom we believe. We have to know who Christ is, what He did for us and who we are in Him. New believers are great to be around. They are like little children in their excitement for the Lord. They are ready to go out and tell everyone they know that Jesus has saved them. They also think they are ready to go out and slay the giants and take on anyone who would come against their God. They would do well to read in Acts 19 about the seven sons of Sceva who thought they could perform an exorcism. It didn't go so well. They were not disciples of Christ. They hadn't had "Jesus 101". It's not a step you can skip and "get on with the cool stuff."

2 Timothy 2:15 -- Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

New believers are great, because they help you remember how excited you were when you gave your heart to the Lord. However, new believers need to get those basics (Jesus 101) firmly rooted in their spirits so they can move into the higher things of God. You see a lot of new believers who will say that they know that God has told them they are called to preach, teach, sing, prophesy, pastor, etc. Knowing your calling is a gift in itself, because figuring that out is a struggle for most Christians. Before you can serve in that calling, you have to complete "Jesus 101" and start building on that knowledge. It's just like when you learned to read. You first learned to recognize letters, then words, and then phrases. Once you had those basics, you could put them together and you learned to read and write. It's the same in your walk with Christ. You know the plan of salvation and have accepted His invitation to eternal life. It's the beginning of a new life and you become the student or disciple. It doesn't mean you are going to be the pastor of the church the day after you got saved. It means you start preparing for that calling. It means reading and studying the Word of God. It means prayer and fasting. It means praise and worship. It means maturing in your spirit and growing in knowledge, faith and wisdom. It is understanding that life isn't always going to be a bowl of ice cream with cherries on top. There will be battles, which make those basics all the more essential.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have people who can't seem to get past Jesus 101. They keep running back to the altar and repenting for the same sins over and over. They think that every time they mess up it means their salvation has been lost and they have go get saved again. Apparently they were not paying attention in class. When you genuinely, sincerely ask Jesus to forgive your sins and be Lord over your life, it is done. When He was on the cross, He cried out "It is finished!", not "I'll think about it and get back to you." Yet they keep going back, and as Paul says in the above scripture from Hebrews, they are crucifying Jesus again. We have people who have been in church all their lives and still aren't sure if they are saved. If you are saved, you are saved and no one can take that away from you. No one is perfect we have all sinned and fallen short. When we fall, we have an advocate with the Father. We can repent, asking Him to forgive us and to set us back on the right path.

Somewhere in the middle, we have the majority of the church who have moved past Jesus 101, but are at different levels. Some have moved up a little and are getting a taste of what is possible with God. Others have moved up into higher spiritual realms, walking in their gifts and callings. The rate at which we move up in the things of God is directly related to how much we trust Him, how willing we are to let go of the reigns and let Him drive, and how willing we are to allow Him to use us for His purpose. We need to wade out into those deep waters. It may seem a little scary out in the deep, but we know that our Lifeguard walks on water!!

The Message version of Hebrews 6:1-3 reads like this: So come on, let's leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on "salvation by self-help" and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we'll stay true to all that. But there's so much more. Let's get on with it!

Let's move beyond Jesus 101 and look ahead to our graduation day. Just like my daughter can envision working in her dream career, let's envision walking in our callings and doing the work of the Lord. Let's keep our eye on our graduation day, when we get to spend eternity with our Savior. The Church has a great work ahead of it. But it can't get done unless we get up and get on with it!

We're Still Here

Fri, 22 Aug 2014 11:30:00 GMT

James 1:2-4 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

On August 24, 2014, Spirit Life Fellowship will celebrate its 20 ^th Anniversary. The theme of the celebration is "We're Still Here." That may sound a little odd, or maybe even a little dull, to someone who is not familiar with our church and its 20 year journey. We're still here big deal, you might say. A lot of places are still here. Even some of our newer members may not really get it. But those of us who have been with the church for a majority of those 20 years understand the significance of that statement.

If you knew some of the trials and difficulties we have encountered along the way, you would know that "We're Still Here" is a testimony to what God has done for us. Many times people outside the church said that we would never make it and that we would have to close our doors. I'm sure each of us at some time also wondered if we would be able to survive. It was especially hard to watch people leave during the hard times. Despite how the circumstances looked, God had a plan for us. We are still here and we surely know that with God, all things are possible. Not only are we still here, but we have grown. The Lord has sent new members and He has called former members to return! We have been blessed and strengthened. Our house is surely built upon the Rock.

As we move forward, the next question we have to ask ourselves is "Where is here?" Twenty years after the Israelites fled Eygpt, they were "still here", but "here" was the desert wilderness. Keep in mind that they were only halfway through that experience! I wonder about where we are after 20 years. Are we still wandering the desert, trying to reach the Promised Land? The Lord has sent many people to us with the same prophecy about what our church will do and become, but we are not there yet. It seems like much of the last 20 years has been about surviving, and now it is time for something more. With the growth and great things happening in the last several years, it seems that we are positioned for the transition from surviving to thriving. Casting Crowns has a song called "Thrive". Part of the lyrics say, "We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives, It's time for us to more than just survive, We were made to thrive".

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

"We're Still Here" is our testimony for today, but it cannot continue to be our only testimony. It is time for us as a church, and as individuals, to do more than just survive. God wants so much more for us. What will it take for us to thrive? It will take every member of the body functioning in their gifts and callings. We all have to know who we are in Christ and believe in His promises for us. We have to put our trust in Him and truly believe that all things are possible. We all must have the same vision and come into agreement as a body. We have to be one congregation, in one mind, and in one accord. We have to yield to the Spirit and allow God to lead us into that Promised Land without any doubt or fear. We must seek God and His righteousness first, and then He will add all things to us.

I am tired of just surviving, as a church and in my personal life, as well. I am tired of being tired. It is time for a refreshing and it is time to do a new thing and sing a new song. What I want for all of us is what Casting Crowns sing at the end of their song: "Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable, Anything is possible". I am glad that "We're Still Here", but now I am excited to see what happens when we get "there", wherever that place is that God is taking us.

A Body Divided

Thu, 10 Jul 2014 12:03:00 GMT

1 Corinthians 12:14 - For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

Recently, I attended a memorial mass at a local Catholic church for a dear friend of mine who passed away. I had been to a Catholic wedding of a college friend many years ago. The things I remember about that wedding was that it was long (almost an hour compared to the usual 15-20 minutes in most weddings) and there was a lot of up and down in our seats. There was also a lot of kneeling and recitation. I was grateful when a lady next to me kindly told me that it wasn't necessary for me to do what "they" did. At that time, I was not it church so I didn't have a whole lot to compare it to, but I knew it was very different from a church like my grandfather's Methodist one.

The memorial mass also lasted about an hour and there was a lot of standing up and sitting down. It was a very orderly service, completely outlined for us in print. The handout gave you the responses to repeat at certain points in the service, as well as the lyrics to the songs. At the end of the service they had communion with a common cup, which was different from the cute little individual plastic cups we use at our church. The pamphlet said if you were not prepared for communion you could come forward with our arms crossed in an "X" and receive a silent blessing. My friends and I did neither, simply staying in our seats and respectfully letting the Catholic believers exercise their faith. I thought about the lady at the wedding and was thankful for her words all over again. She didn't think any less of me for not participating and I certainly didn't fault her for what she was doing.

While these things were quite different than I was used to in a service, there were many things that seemed very "Protestant". During the service there was a time of fellowship where we greeted each other with handshakes, hugs and "bless you". Several family members eulogized my friend. We prayed, praised and sang hymns to God in the name of Jesus. The priest read from the Word and offered us words of comfort. Most importantly, though, I felt the presence and the Spirit of God. In those moments, it was no longer a Catholic service versus a Protestant service. It didn't matter that the congregation was made up of people from different denominations or even non-believers. We were a body of believers in Jesus Christ who had come together to seek God's comfort in our time of loss.

During the mass, I thought about my friend, about how much I missed her and loved her. She had a profound impact on my life and was truly a blessing. What if when I first met her, I turned down the opportunity to be her friend because she was Catholic? I would have missed out on knowing a wonderful person. Thankfully, it was never an issue. Catholics are different from Protestants. Among Protestant denominations, there are also many differences. However, we love and serve the same God, the same Jesus, the same Holy Spirit. Yet the differences have fractured the Body of Christ to the point that it doesn't feel like one body. Our individual church may seem to be a unified body, but sometimes it feels like we have been amputated from the full Body of Christ.

1 Corinithians 12:4 - There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

It greatly troubles me when I hear someone -- and I mean someone who claims to be a Christian -- speak against a denomination or church. At first I thought the word I would use was "angry", but I think the better word is "disheartened", which means "to discourage the hope, courage or spirits of." I am disheartened when I hear Christian people disparaging someone or their church because they are a little different or perhaps for the way they all dress. I am disheartened when one church won't associate with another church because one church worships a little more exuberantly. I have seen the look in the eyes of other Christians when I tell them that I attend a Pentecostal church. But I have also heard Pentecostal believers being judgmental toward churches that worship in a quiet, conservative manner. It works both ways, and neither is right.

For example, I have never been to a Church of Christ service. It seems strange to me that, from what I understand, there is no music during their services. Though I find it different, I do not condemn them. I would attend a service if invited and would keep an open mind and seek God. There is no room for prejudice among Christian believers. Prejudice is defined as unfavorable opinion formed beforehand or without any knowledge, thought or reason. If someone has a prejudice about another church or denomination, it causes a separation in the body of Christ. Yes, I am disheartened by this, because I don't know how we are going to stand as the Church in the future if we keep allowing these types of differences to divide us. We are supposed to sanctify ourselves from the world, not from each other. Jesus said that a house divided against itself will not stand. In the same way, I do not believe that a body divided against itself can stand.

Romans 14:5-10 - One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Our associate pastor often says that the name over the door isn't what is important, but it's the relationship with Jesus of those who worship there that matters. One church doesn't have music during service but another has music throughout. One church is quiet and reserved, while another has shouting and singing. One church believes that women should dress a certain way, while another has a pastor in blue jeans. One church sprinkles for its baptism, while another performs them with full immersion. Each one thinks they've gotten it right and the others have it wrong. All this kind of thinking does is keep us from bonding as the full Body of Christ, which is exactly what the enemy wants. Instead of focusing on what makes us different, we should be looking at what must be the same and consistent standard for each of us Jesus Christ. The Newsboys have a song that pretty well sums it up. The chorus says:

We believe in God the Father, We believe in Jesus Christ

We believe in the Holy Spirit, And He's given us new life

We believe in the crucifixion, We believe that He conquered death

We believe in the resurrection, And He's comin' back again, we believe

What we believe is what matters. How we express it through worship is personal preference. I prefer a church where the people raise their hands and shout amen, but I can also respectfully worship in a more reserved setting when I am a visitor. As long as the preaching and practices line up with the word of God and nothing is being added to the plan of salvation, we can be unified in our beliefs and respectful of our differences and preferences. Even if you prefer not to attend one another's services because of these differences, you should still love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Romans 12:10 says: "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another". Can we all not come together outside the walls of the church to go out into the highways and byways and compel them to come in? Who cares which church they go to as long as they go? Let the Spirit guide them because no matter what we do or whatever clever marketing ploy we use, we are only going to draw those that the Spirit has drawn.

Philippians 2:1-2 - Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

A body is nothing without the head. When we look around at the Christian body, we must remember that it has one head. We are urged to be of one mind and one accord, and that mind is not the pastor's or the deacon's or the singer's or the prophet's. We are to have the mind of Christ, because He is the Head and we are His body. Imagine your own fleshly body having members that are in conflict with one another. There are some illnesses that illustrate this, such as in autoimmune diseases where the body actually turns on itself and attacks healthy tissue. Now how imagine how the Lord must feel when He sees the members of His Body acting like they don't know each other and not working together to fulfill His purpose. He is coming back one day for His Bride, the Church. Right now, she is a hot mess. It is time to set our differences aside and concentrate on what makes us the same. Every family has a crazy uncle or an odd cousin (and it might even be you or me), but they are still family and we have to love them because Jesus loves them. If God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11), then I doubt He shows favoritism for one church over another. Why should we?

The Pharisee in Me (And You)

Mon, 02 Jun 2014 10:27:00 GMT

Luke 18:9-14 -- Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The Pharisee in the Luke 18 was an example of what Jesus saw in nearly all the Pharisees at that time. They were self-righteous, ego maniacs who reveled in their position and power over others. For those who may not know, a Pharisee was "a member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1 ^st century BC and 1 ^st century AD and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of the Messiah." (From Dictionary.com) The Pharisees and Sadducees were the two main sects in the Jewish community. (This seems simple when compared to today's hundreds of denominations, each of whom thinks that they are the best one and the only one who has God figured out.) The Pharisees and Sadducees have a long, bloody and violent history in battling each other, but they found a common enemy in Jesus. Even though they were the religious leaders and the teachers and believed in the coming of the Messiah, the Pharisees couldn't see who Jesus was. They even accused him of being of Satan (Matthew 12). The Pharisees thought they had God all figured out and they didn't see Jesus as part of the picture.

Because of their character and actions, the word "pharisee" has come to mean "a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person." People outside the church would probably say that describes most church people. I know that this isn't a fair assessment, but perception is reality to the person with the perspective. It only takes one self-righteous person to turn off someone you are trying to win to God, and that self-righteous person could be you if you are not careful. In Matthew 23, Jesus described the true nature of the Pharisees to the disciples and warned them to not act like they do. What were they like? They dictated to people how they were supposed to act but didn't practice what they preached. They put conditions on people that were impossible to meet. They made sure to wear the finest clothing and be seen in all the right places. They loved to be praised in public and to be recognized for who they were. They were all these things and more as you read in this chapter. Jesus spoke "woe" to them, and "woe" is a pretty bad thing. It means anguish, grievous distress, affliction, trouble, tribulation or wretchedness. Jesus said woe to the Pharisees because of their ways, and that means woe to the Pharisee in me and in you, also.

A Pharisee in me? In you? Yes, we all have one inside us that can rear his ugly head. The Pharisee in me and you is judgmental, prideful, boastful, self-centered, self-important and usually in denial about his own condition. The Pharisee in me and you likes to be recognized in the church, never misses a service and has to have a hand in every thing because it feeds his ego, not because he wants to serve Jesus. Sometimes that makes him hard to spot, but eventually motives shine through. We should always be watchful for the Pharisee in us so that we can put him in his place. That's why the Apostle Paul told us we had to die daily (I Corinthians 15:31). We should pray that the Lord would humble us daily and let us see if we are becoming like the Pharisees. Jesus said that the Pharisees had become an obstacle for people who were seeking the kingdom of God. There are Pharisees in the church doing the same thing today. Jesus said "woe to you" to the Pharisees and called them a brood of vipers! Woe to us if we allow the Pharisees to take over our churches.

Jesus said that he who exalts himself will be humbled. Being humbled is not a pleasant experience. Being humbled requires being tumbled from your high horse, and it might be a very hard fall depending on how high up you started. You have to fall hard enough to break your pride and self-reliance. We might even feel some humiliation when people see us being humbled. I believe that God humbles, but people humiliate. People love to see when "the mighty have fallen". Despite any pain and embarrassment it might bring, being humbled is something we should ask God to do for us.

In order to become a truly humble person, it takes time and experience and the bursting of a few bubbles. Some people are really good at acting humble, but true humility only comes through the realization that we are not the center of the universe and we cannot control everything in our lives. We must rely on Jesus Christ and put all our trust and faith in Him. It seems like a fine line to walk knowing that we are children of the King and a member of a royal priesthood, yet we are to be humble servants of God. It's okay to know you are a child of the King and that you are blessed and highly favored. It's not okay to use it as a platform to brag or pat yourself on the back or run over others.

Proverbs 3:12 tells us that the Lord corrects those he loves. God will correct us in order to humble us, and we would be wise to accept His correction. It is important to recognize the Pharisee in me and in you-so that we can self-correct before God has to humble us, because He will. You don't understand why Sister So & So can't pay her tithes? God will let you go through a financial dry spell and then maybe you'll understand. You think it's a shame that Brother Whatzhisname can't make it to church every service? God will let you have an unreliable vehicle or an unaccommodating boss who won't let you have Sundays off, and then maybe you'll understand. There goes the Brother asking for prayer for the umpteenth time to be delivered from cigarettes and I don't know why he just can't quit. Maybe it will take an umpteenth time plus 10, but he is humbling himself to seek God's help. What will it take for you to walk a mile in his shoes and come to understand? Why do you we have to understand at all? Why can't we just accept and love? Matthew 7:2 says, "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

The Pharisee in me and you has to go if the Church is to become what God called us to be. You have to throw away that little scorecard you have been keeping of "who showed up for service, who spoke to you or didn't, who was hanging out with the Pastor after church, who put something in the offering, how long the service was or wasn't, who had to get up and leave before it was over, who forgot to mention that you were on that committee, questioning why someone was chosen for a certain job, and how dare that person sit in your seat". We need to put all that junk away and be about our Father's business. The Pharisee loves himself, but the child of God loves God's people. The Pharisee asks "What's in it for me?" The child of God says let this be done to the glory of God. There is no room in the Body of Christ for the Pharisee. He who exalts himself will be humbled. He who humbles himself will be exalted. Woe to those who do not take heed.

A Peculiar People

Fri, 18 Apr 2014 22:24:00 GMT

I hang out with some very peculiar people. The world really doesn’t know what to make of us. They roll their eyes, shake their heads or snarl in disgust. No, we are not hormonally-crazed teenagers on spring break. We are Christians, living our lives for Jesus in a lost and dying world.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

In his writing, Peter described Christians as a peculiar people. The King James Version uses the term “peculiar”, while most other versions say “special”. We often think of the word peculiar meaning strange, odd or unusual, and in the eyes of the world that’s what we are. For example, you have probably heard a news story about someone who has been convicted of killing a person and a member of that person’s family spoke up and said that he or she forgives the killer. Your first thought is to ask how that is possible. Who does that? How do you forgive someone for taking the life of a loved one? It can only be done through the love of Jesus, and I would imagine it takes a lot of prayer.

Here is another example of peculiar Christians. I was watching “19 Kids and Counting” about the Duggar family. They were attending a wedding of a friend who was from a big family like theirs. The young couple being married had never kissed! Their first kiss was during the wedding ceremony when the preacher told the young man he could kiss his bride. Who does that? I admire these young people for holding fast to their values, but the “world” thinks they are crazy. Probably some Christians think that, too, but we understand why they made that commitment and we are encouraged by their faith.

Christians do a lot of other really strange things, too (at least they should anyway). They don’t drink or swear or tell dirty jokes. If a cashier gives them back too much change, they hand it back to her. They will make you dinner if you need it and schedule a week’s worth of meals to be cooked and brought to you if you are sick. They will spend their last dollar to help a person in need even if they don’t have anything themselves. They will tell you that they love you and mean it and show it every time they see you. They will accept you as you are. They will keep telling people about Jesus, even when people slam doors (literally and figuratively) in their faces. They will praise His name in the good times and praise His name in the bad times. They keep their fire stirred and their lamps lit and continue shining for Him, regardless of the circumstances.

Deuteronomy 14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Peculiar also means belonging characteristically to or belonging exclusively to some person, group or thing. We are peculiar to Jesus Christ, belonging to Him and striving to exhibit His characteristics through speech and actions. Why do we this? We do it because we love Him and because of His mercy and grace. Most people who receive a gift want to keep it to themselves to enjoy. The gift that Christ gave us is one that we want to immediately give away, but who does that? We do it because we want everyone to have what we have – hope, salvation, joy, peace, love.

We are peculiar Christians because over 2000 years ago, the Son of Man, the Son of God did the most peculiar thing. He, being innocent, accepted our guilt and shame and endured the punishment that we deserve. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.” He was crucified and shed every drop of blood as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Who does that? The world cannot believe that anyone would do such a thing and call it a fairy tale. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

On Sunday, April 20, 2014, Christians everywhere will observe Easter by celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Jesus not only died so that we could be saved and have eternal life, but He also rose from the dead on the third day and is living today. He is at the right hand of the Father and lives in the heart of every believer. He is our savior, friend, guide and provider. The world thinks we are crazy, but we think the world is crazier. Jesus freely offers his love, mercy and grace to anyone and everyone who wants it, yet people turn Him down every day. Who does that?!?

So, how about you? Are you peculiar? If not, do you want to be? Stop by your local church and check out the peculiar people inside. You might find yourself wanting what they have, and the best part is that they are crazy enough to share it with you!

Love Your Neighbor

Fri, 14 Mar 2014 15:06:00 GMT

Luke 10:30-36 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

Everyone loves a good news story about an ordinary person coming to the rescue of his fellow man. We are awed by people who put their own lives on the line to save another. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things make a difference and become somebody’s personal hero. The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 is a Bible story many of us learn early in Sunday School. Even those who are not Christians are familiar with the principles behind the story and have heard of the Good Samaritan laws. Most states have Good Samaritan laws that provide legal protection to people who come to the aid of others in distress so that the thought of being sued won’t cause them to withhold assistance. It’s sad that you have to have a law like that, but it is unfortunately needed in today’s litigious society.

When Jesus tells this parable in the Bible, it is important to know who He is telling the story to and who the people in the story are comparatively. Jesus had been asked a question by a lawyer, a man who was an expert in Jewish law. Having established that you should love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself, he asked, “Who is my neighbor?” This is such a great question because it is a door opener. The man had opened the door for Jesus to teach an important principle – everyone is our neighbor.

The man in the story had been robbed and wounded. Left for dead. He probably didn’t look very good. Can we be real here for a minute? If you were driving down the road and saw a dog that had been hit and was trying to get off the road, you would stop and help it. You would try to find the owner. If you were driving down the road and saw a possum that had been hit, you would probably just keep on driving. You might swerve to miss it, or not. Apparently the priest and the Levite who were walking down the road saw a possum. They didn’t want to get involved so they swerved around him. But the Samaritan man saw a person who needed help -- a person who was somebody’s son or who maybe was a husband and father. He stopped and helped him out of the road and even paid for his care. So, Jesus asks, who was his neighbor?

What makes this story more interesting was the fact that the merciful man was a Samaritan. This fact would have been hard for Jesus’ Jewish audience to swallow. The Jews would have nothing to do with Samaritans (people from Samaria). They were dogs, or worse, to them. Jews would not even travel through Samaria, which is why it was a big deal when Jesus went there. Remember the woman at the well? She was a Samaritan. So who were these people? Here is the brief description: After King Solomon’s reign, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom was known as Samaria and the Southern Kingdom was called Judah. The Northern Kingdom had evil kings who led the people into idol worship and into bondage under other countries. Eventually, the kingdom was taken over by the Assyrians who took nearly all of the Jews out of the country and dispersed them throughout the Assyrian empire. Then the Assyrians brought in foreigners from their other conquered nations and settled them in Samaria. These foreigners brought their various gods and idols with them and intermarried with the remaining Jews. Samaria was then made up of foreigners and half-Jews that were looked down upon by the Jews in Judah.

So who is your neighbor? Is it the person living next door to you? Is it the person you know and love? Do they have a certain religion or have a certain skin color? If your life was in danger would it matter who came to your aid? Jesus’ parable doesn’t say who the wounded man was, but I am sure it didn’t matter to him that a Samaritan was his hero that night. He was grateful that mercy was colorblind.

Some in Jesus’ audience that day may have said, “well I guess there could be one good Samaritan, but that doesn’t mean they are all good.” People still make those kinds of statements about groups of people out of ignorance. There is good and bad in everyone. I could tell you some of the “good” things I have done. I wouldn’t want to, but I could also tell you about some of the “bad” things I have done. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. God knew we were not perfect, so He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through our faith in Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

After Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan, the lawyer recognizes that it was the Samaritan – not the religious men – who showed mercy. Jesus says to him, “Go and do likewise.” Long before Mr. Rogers, Jesus was promoting a bigger, kinder neighborhood. We cannot share the love of Jesus just with certain people because of prejudices or preconceived ideas we have about them. It’s His will that all should come to repentance and know Him as their personal Savior. All. Everyone. Every single person. If there are any “Samaritans” in your life, ask the Lord to help you overcome those prejudices and love them as He does. As Mr. Rogers used to sing, “Won’t you be their neighbor?” Jesus commanded it.

Heal Our Water

Fri, 07 Feb 2014 11:07:00 GMT

2 Kings 2:19: Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

Life for our pleasant community changed in an instant when it was announced on January 9, 2014, that a chemical had leaked into the Elk River, the water supply for 300,000 plus people. The chemical that was leaked was 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol, or MCHM for short, which is used in the coal refining process. It has a distinct, sweet black licorice smell, which led investigators to find the leak. How fortunate that we had some “bloodhounds” at the Department of Environment Protection who tracked down the source of the smell after neighbors complained. The DEP told the company, Freedom Industries, that they had a leak. Apparently nobody’s nose at the site was working that day! Someone had to come in and tell them they had a leak. Because of the leak, our water was deemed unusable for any purpose other than flushing toilets and fire fighting. A couple of communities within our area were not affected because they had their own small water systems that used a different water source. Even though over the years they may have been pressured to join the large water company that serves most of the area, I am sure they were glad that they had held out and remained independent.

They were fortunate, but the rest of us faced major changes in our routine. My daughter thoughtfully taped signs on the kitchen and bathroom sinks reminding us not to use the water. You don’t realize how much you do out of habit without thinking about it. I am a big hand washer, and there were several times I went to the sink to wash up and was thankful for her reminder sign. While hand sanitizer is nice, I don’t think it is a replacement for soap and water. We had to get bottled water to use for everything from drinking and cooking to washing hands and brushing teeth. One of my best friends lives in one of the unaffected communities, so she told us to come on down and get a shower and do our laundry. While we were there we filled up containers with tap water. What a blessing!

2 Kings 19:20-22 : And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord : ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’” So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

About a week later, it was determined that the levels of the chemical had declined below the Centers for Disease Control’s acceptable criteria of 1 part per million. With the acceptable level reached, citizens could begin flushing their pipes to move the contaminated water out of the system one region at a time. The smell of black licorice filled our homes as we ran our hot and cold water taps to send the infected water on its way. As I was flushing our pipes, I thought about the story of Elisha healing the water and I prayed that God would heal our water. Elisha threw salt into the water to heal it. We, as Christians, are salt and we need to bring our saltiness to this situation. We need to pray for God to heal our water and our land.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 it says: “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” This water leaked happened to everyone – rich, poor, young, old, all races, all religions. I certainly am not saying that someone’s particular sin caused this water contamination, because the responsibility for the leak rests on the shoulders of Freedom Industries. However, our government and our society have become lax in monitoring and regulating such entities, so we as a community have to take some responsibility also. Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Freedom Industries couldn’t smell its own stench of neglect and irresponsibility until someone alerted them. Sometimes we can’t smell our own stench of sin and it has to be pointed out to us. We need to listen when we are alerted and take corrective, rather than evasive, action. We need to be humble and accepting instead of disdaining toward those who are trying to help us.

None of us had any control over what happened. The only thing we can control is our reaction and response to the crisis. Let’s all pray that the Lord will heal our water. I know it will take some time before we trust man’s report that the water is safe. We are still using bottled water for cooking and drinking. I do believe that in time our water will be healed. We need to trust in God and we need to learn from what we have experienced. So here are a few things I’ve learned from our “water crisis”:

Best of friends and family are there for you, no matter how many years or miles have separated you over time. They love you and care about you. They let you shower at their house and do laundry. You might get a check in the mail with a note letting you know that they are praying for you and wanted to do something to help. They will offer to drive hundreds of miles to bring you water. You will get phone calls and emails and Facebook messages asking if you are okay and if you need anything. When you get to be older and your parents have already passed on and you don’t see much of your extended family, you forget that there are people other than your spouse or child that love you unconditionally and truly care. I have been moved to tears at times by the outpouring of kindness and love. I am blessed to have a wonderful family, extended family, church family and friends.

Even though people went a little crazy in the first hours of the crisis -- and by crazy I mean hoard-buying bottled water and running out of stores without even paying – once things settled down, people started acting like considerate human beings. Neighbors checked on neighbors, especially those who were elderly or sick and couldn’t get out for supplies. Water distribution sites were set up so that people could get free bottled water or bring containers for bulk fill. The surrounding communities not affected by the chemical leak opened up their water supply for people to fill containers at no cost. People volunteered to work at the distributions sites. I was especially proud to see all the kids who helped out by volunteering at sites and some that set up recycling centers for bottles. Everyone had a story about a friend or family member outside our red zones that let them take showers and do laundry at their homes. It was nice to see people helping one another.

Bottled water is an added expense to the grocery budget, but at least it is fairly cheap compared to other items. When I think about our previous “crisis”, which was the 2012 derecho that left us without electricity for nearly 2 weeks, I think about the money we spent on gasoline to keep our generator running. That was way more expensive that buying water.

We take a lot of things in this life for granted. Our water supply was certainly one of them. We can’t take anything for granted anymore. I have learned that the only thing I can always rely on is the grace of God, and I sure don’t want to take Him for granted! I am thankful for the “living waters” that nourish my soul.

Strength

Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:03:00 GMT

Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (KJV)

If you asked a dozen Christian friends to share with you their favorite Bible verses, Philippians 4:13 would no doubt be mentioned by more than one person. It’s one of those verses that people hang on to during tough times. It’s an encouraging word to remember when you are getting ready to step out and do something in faith. However, it is not a word that gives us license to do just anything. Certainly, I am not going to jump off a skyscraper and expect to survive – an extreme example, I know.

Paul wrote these words in his letter to the Philippians. He was thanking them for their financial support, not necessarily because he needed it, but because it was a good thing that they do it. Paul had achieved a state of being that most of us find hard to reach – contentment. In the verses preceding Philippians 4:13, he says: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Some might say that it is easy to be content in times of plenty. I can rattle off the names of many rich men and women who had everything in terms of materials goods that they possibly needed or wanted, and yet they turned to drugs, killed themselves or otherwise self-destructed. The majority of people are not billionaires or celebrities, or on the flip side they are not homeless – those who are have their own unique issues respectively. Most of us are regular people who are living our lives and making our way through the ups and downs that life brings our way. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum – rich or poor – everyone needs the strength of Christ to do all things. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “for without Me you can do nothing.”

As Christians, we know that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We know that we are to trust in Him and seek Him. Psalm 31:24 says: ^“ Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.” Not only can we trust and lean upon the Lord, but also He makes us stronger. This is sort of the litmus test for “I can do all things.” After you did the thing you said that you could do through Christ, did it make you stronger? Let me give you an illustration.

We live up on a hill. The road to our house is very narrow and it winds around through the hollow (aka holler) and then up the steep hill. There are several of us who all go to the same church and at the time we always rode together to every service, potluck dinner or other activity that might be going on at the church. We didn’t let anything stop us from attending, including snow. As you might expect, we had quite a few harrowing rides in the winter time as we drove home in the evenings in snow and tried to make it up that hill. As we approached the hill, we would start praying that God would get us up that hill safely and we would speak Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ! Keep in mind that this was a regular car and not a four-wheel drive, even though we were praying it would operate like one. After we made it safely to the top, we thanked God and promised we would never do it again. We lied. We would do it again and I would be just as scared driving up that hill as I was the first time. I would cry and pray and promise, and I was lying because we would do it again. Finally a time came where we didn’t make it up that hill. I remember the car sliding backward down the hill and all that I could think about was the lives that were in my hands. In addition to my friends, my daughter was in the car, as well as my friend’s son. God was looking out for us though, because we stopped in a part of the road where the road levels off before it goes up again and it was wide enough to park the car and get it off the road. The husband of one friend and his buddy came in their four-wheel drive vehicles to take us home. It was several days before the snow melted enough to retrieve my car.

I had learned my lesson, and this time I meant it when I promised God I would not put myself or anyone else in that potentially dangerous situation again. So does that make me stronger or smarter? Yes. If you look up “strength” in the dictionary, these are the first few definitions:

1. the quality or state of being strong; bodily or muscular power; vigor.

2. mental power, force, or vigor.

3. moral power, firmness, or courage.

We’re not really talking about physical strength here, but numbers 2 and 3 apply. Yes, I am smarter now – smart enough to know that if we are expecting an accumulating snow I should stay home and be safe. This also makes me stronger, because I know that is sound and wise decision making. God let me learn it the hard way and I have grown from that and can apply it to other decision making. Yes, I can do all things through Christ because He strengthens me, but that doesn’t mean I can do stupid things that could be harmful. I have to make decisions that demonstrate a strong mind and strong character.

If you are not getting stronger or growing, then maybe you aren’t doing it through Christ, but in your own strength or wishful thinking. 1 Chronicles 16:11says: “Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” Unfortunately, sometimes we jump into things without seeking Him about it, and then we are pleading to be rescued, like in the example above, because we thought that surely we can do all things through Christ since we are, after all, Christians. However, that’s not the same as operating under the strength of the Lord. Once you are strengthened, that strength should stay with you. You should be able to build upon it. In Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a lame man at the gate of the temple who is asking for alms (charity). Peter tells him he doesn’t have any money to give him, but he does have something better – Jesus Christ.

Acts 3:7-8: And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

This man received strength from the Lord in his feet and ankle bones. After a lifetime of being lame, he could not only stand, but also walk and leap. He was changed and he was strengthened both physically in his body and spiritually in his faith. Where do think he was the next day? Was he sitting at the gate begging alms because he was lame? Of course he wasn’t, because he was healed and he was strengthened. He didn’t go back to being lame. Christ and His strength became a part of who he was. It wasn’t a momentary fix – it was a permanent condition. When you are truly strengthened by God, you are not just rescued in the moment but you are filled with His strength. How could you not be permanently changed? We may sometimes forget that we have that strength or forget to draw upon it but it is still there. Isaiah 40:31says: “But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength ; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

You can do all things through Christ, which strengthens you. You can face whatever trial or triumph that comes your way. You can learn to be content in any and every situation. When God is the source of your strength, then you have the power of the Holy Spirit guiding you. Just don’t use this scripture as an excuse to do something that is out of the will of God and then pout and wonder where God was and why it didn’t turn out right (and by right, I mean the way you wanted it to turn out). David wrote in 2 Samuel 22:33 that “God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.” It may not be your idea of perfect, but it is perfectly what God knows is best for you. He is your strength, not your “genie in a bottle”. He will be with you and strengthen you and grow you into the person he called you to be. You’ll build those “faith muscles” with each experience He brings you through. You can do all things because you are operating in His strength and the strength He has imparted in you.

Jesus, Snowmen and The Meaning of Christmas

Fri, 13 Dec 2013 12:12:00 GMT

I heard one of my husband’s friends say, "I'm not impressed with snowmen and Santas." So I playfully interjected, "I don't care. I like snowmen," and we all laughed.

I had said that I wanted a "snowman" Christmas and God blessed me with the love of church friends and family who gave me lots and lots of snowman decorations throughout the year. I kept wondering why I was receiving these gifts and surprises of snowmen all year long. At our annual Ladies Ministry Christmas party, they finally let me in on the secret. They had declared a “snowball fight” and the snowmen gifts were all the snowballs they threw at me – the only target! Thanks to them, I now have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with all the trimming --all in snowmen. I love it! And God's not against us enjoying Christmas, Christmas lights and decorations.

But as I'm looking at all the snowmen, I think about how I don't have any other kinds of decorations around the house. I start saying in myself, "Since Christmas is all about Jesus, shouldn't I have only Nativity scenes, Baby Jesus, Wiseman, stars, etc.? If I really love Jesus like I say I do ...I should." Then I start feeling guilty. I go on to say to myself, "I replaced Jesus, who is the only reason for the season, like the non-Christians do with Easter. Jesus dying on the cross for Deliverance and Salvation was exchanged for an Easter Bunny delivering Easter eggs to good little boys and girls with nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity! Shame on me!” Then I realize I have allowed the joy of Christmas and God's blessing for me to enjoy to become sorrow and all of the shoulda, coulda, woulda’s come to mind.

Then as I'm thinking another thought comes to mind: "thou shalt not make any graven images." Then Isaiah 58 comes into my mind:

Isaiah 58:5

Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the Lord?

Christmas is a happy time of the year, but it isn't just about lights and decorations. Jesus isn't "impressed" with our Nativity scenes or our snowmen. Christmas is Jesus' birthday. So what would please Him?

Isaiah 58:1-3

¹ “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins.
² Yet they seek Me daily,
And delight to know My ways,
As a nation that did righteousness,
And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice;
They take delight in approaching God.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen?
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’

Judah was seeking God every day as though they desired to know His ways; yet at the same time, they were living in sin and in indifference to His Righteous commands. Today many Christians and congregations may worship the Lord outwardly, appearing to delight in praising Him and seeming eager to know His ways. At the same time, they may be conforming to the ways of the world. Neglecting the diligent study of His written Word... such 'worship' is an insult and an abomination to God. In verse 3 above, God's people were complaining that He would not help them. But God knew their worship and their fastings were hypocritical; He tells them that no religious act has any value to Him if it does not come from those who humbly seek to obey His commandments and who compassionately reach out to those in need.

Isaiah 58:6-7

⁶ “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

The fast that God approves of is one that is accompanied by love for Him and genuine concern for those who are oppressed. We must make a sincere effort to determine the needs of others and to commit ourselves to helping in whatever way we can. Read the rest of Isaiah 58:8-59:1 and I believe you will say what a sister in our church would say -- "WOW!" It is a powerful word.

It really doesn’t matter what kind of decorations we have at Christmas or if we have any at all. I realize all the presents and decorations are nice, but what God wants is our hearts. A very special lady made a statement to me when I commented on a vase of beautiful roses that she had received from her husband. I smiled and told her that she was blessed. I'll never forget her comment back to me:

"Thank you, but they're just roses. It's easy to just give flowers. What I really want would be to spend just one day with him laughing and playing... having fun and relaxing in each other's arms. To hear him say, "I love you." I would love to be as important to him as everything else is around him. Everything else has taken our time together. No, sis, you are the one who is blessed. You seem to have no possessions, but you still have all the love and laughter, enjoying spending time together as you and Craig do. I would give anything to have that! The flowers are nice but what I want is his heart."

This is what Jesus wants for Christmas. This is what He wants from us for His birthday.

So what IS Christmas all about?

Read Luke 2. First of all, it's about the birth of God's only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who came to us born of a Virgin in the form of flesh as man to save a world on its way to Hell. We were headed for eternal destruction with no light at the end of the tunnel. John 1:4-5 says: “ ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The Bible tells us in Matthew 25:40: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

So this Christmas, do something for someone else where you get no credit, no glory, no recognition of any kind, but somebody else gets the benefit. Enjoy your family time together. It is so important. Love one another but do this every day of your life. There's more to Christmas though than just family get-togethers, food, games, Christmas plays, etc. We need to remember who Christmas is all about. It’s not just about us-- it’s about serving others. Why not start a new family tradition? Do something for someone else that is truly anonymous.

Here's an idea to get you thinking. Maybe you've never volunteered to work Christmas Day in a soup kitchen. Find out if there's one in your area and show the love of Jesus on Jesus’ birthday. We need to be teaching our children and ourselves that it's not just about us, but it's all about Him! Working one day in a soup kitchen may not change their lives, but again, who knows what one simple act of kindness may do? I guarantee that selflessly giving of yourself with no recognition or expectation of any kind of "thank you" or reward will change you. Just maybe in doing so, we'll find the true meaning of Christmas.

Don't only do it on Christmas Day, but do it throughout the entire year!

Jesus IS the reason for the season!

God Bless you and Merry Christmas!

Belinda Cook (aka Bk or Bekay) is the First Lady of Spirit Life Fellowship and a member of the Praise & Worship Team.

Give Thanks to Our God

Thu, 14 Nov 2013 13:33:00 GMT

I was asked to write the blog for November, and in so doing my mind goes back to 1620. In the month of November we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is more than turkey and warm pumpkin pie. It’s more than families gathering around a table.

In August 1620, the Mayflower – a 180 ton ship – set sail from Southampton, England with 102 passengers. Their intended destination was off the coast of Virginia where other pilgrims had begun a colony, but because of the stormy weather they had to endure, they spotted the coast of Massachusetts instead. They anchored at a place called Plymouth Rock.

Before disembarking to explore the territory, the Pilgrims devised the Mayflower Compact. It was to serve as the basis for governing their new colony, where all would have the freedom to worship as they chose. They came seeking religious freedom. However it was not without cost, as many died that first harsh winter. Some days as many as two or three a day died because of infections and sickness.

Today as I look back I see clearly the blessings and favor of God on our country and our personal lives. Let us never forget what built this country. And let us always give thanks to our God for all his blessings.

Psalms 92:1: It is a good thing to give thanks unto our LORD, and sing praises unto thy name, O most High.

Be blessed!

Paul Smith is Associate Pastor of Spirit Life Fellowship Church.

Be Ye Holy

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 13:30:00 GMT

It is pleasing to me to see the hand of the Lord at work in our lives, all our lives, and the wisdom that He has given man to invent some this day’s instruments. It really amazes me, and finding time to use most of the day’s inventions is not really hard for most people. What’s really hard for them is to find time to read His Word, or maybe to witness, or hey -- how about praying? Or fasting, seeking His face? Or how about something that is really rewarding to do, more than these games the world has gotten caught up in – Playstation, Wii, Xbox and others.

But with my four year old grandson, what really blesses me the most is to talk to him. Instead of talking about this game or that game, he tells me of this fish or that fish he has caught and sometimes of Jesus, or heaven where Jesus is. Sometimes he sings me a “Jesus song” as he calls them. To me these are important things, more than games, more than material contents. It’s about seeking the Lord’s face and not His hand; coming into His presence; reading His Word to see how one should live and teach our children to live in all His ways.

It is so sad to see the world in the shape it is in and it will only wax worse. But if we keep our eyes on Jesus and run this race to the end, He and Heaven shall be our reward. But if we faint or can’t let go of the things of the world, we shall surely die. What is death? What is life? To live your life in misery and in sickness, with no blessing to look forward to at all would be death to me. But to die a sinner without ever knowing the Lord Jesus and all He had done to save you from sin and death and hell would be sudden death. No overtime in that type of death – so sad.

Now you hear how times a ending and His appearing is at hand,
But in sin you stand a doubting he could ever be your friend,
But His grace is all sufficient, this you just can’t understand,
All your sins can be forgiven by the blood of this one man.
So to know Jesus, and to walk with Him, and let Him be your guide,
To love on Him with praise and prayer and worship,
To die then my friends would be gain,
Because then, my friends, all heaven shall be your reward.

These aren’t just words – they are a way of life we’re asked to live for the glory of the Lord. So with all that is within us, let us live according to His Word and will. God bless you!

The Book of Joel

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:16:00 GMT

Joel’s name means “The Lord is God.” He was the son of Pethuel. Joel was a prophet to Judah and Jerusalem (Joel 1:1). “Hear this, ye old men, and give ear” (Joel 1:2). The people of God had been overwhelmed by a plague of locusts (Joel 1:4). Joel believed that God had permitted this plague because of Judah’s sin. The elders and the people needed to repent and turn to the Lord (Joel 1:5).

The day of the Lord is a major point in this book. It refers to a present judgment of God on His people and God’s final judgment at the end of time (Joel 2:1-11). Sound the alarm – the Lord is coming. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. We must have the right spirit before God, with fear and trembling and a contrite heart (Joel 2:13). Call for a broken and contrite heart. God calls us to sincerely repent. In Joel 2:17, it says when we see God’s people hurting we should lead the way and turn to God with a broken heart, weeping and intense. Pray and believe. We are all ministers and we are all supposed to be our brothers’ keepers.

Peter explained on the day of Pentecost that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:14-21). This prophecy is a promise to all who accept Christ and Lord, for all believers can and should be filled with the Holy Spirit. When we look at world events, we know we are in the time of this prophecy (Joel 2:30-31). Thank God for His Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ (Joel 2:32).

Danny Campbell is the Assistant Sunday School Superintendent and wears many other hats at Spirit Life Fellowship. He is currently in the Ministerial Preparation Program.

He Knows Our Heart's Desires

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:17:00 GMT

What started out as an ordinary day turned out to be the beginning of an extraordinary adventure. I was sitting in my sewing room when my husband, Steve, came in and announced that we were going on a trip. He told me to quickly pack a bag and to be ready to get on the road right away. The Bible tells us to be ready in season, so I hurried and packed a couple of changes of clothes, our pillows and a blanket. I never know what to expect with Steve, so I wanted to be prepared. Within 15 minutes we were on the road and the adventure began.

After we were on the road, he told me we were going to Amish Country in Ohio. I love reading stories about the Amish and the slow pace of their life, and I have always wanted to meet an Amish family. I was also excited about going there because I needed some new material for quilting. We had visited the area several times, but this was the first time that Steve and I had gone alone. It was mid-afternoon when we arrived and we ate at the Der Dutchman in Walnut Creek. After lunch, Steve went next door to the Carlisle Inn to get us a room. However, there was no room at the inn. The people at the inn checked to see about a room at their Sugar Creek location, but it was the same story – no room at the inn.

We decided to go to Berlin to see if we could find something. I wanted to look around in the Helping Hand Quilt Shop, so Steve said he would go look around in some of the other shops and come back. After I finished my shopping and bought some new material, I waited for Steve. After some time when he didn’t return, I went looking for him. I found him in the shop next door talking with a young lady at the counter. She was on her computer trying to find hotel room for us. We weren’t having much luck, and as we were discussing the situation, she spoke up and said we could stay in her cabin. I was very surprised by her offer and said, “Oh, you have a cabin?” She said that it actually belonged to her mom and dad, but the people who were living there had moved and it was empty. She said there wasn’t any furniture, but they could put a box spring and mattress on the floor and we could stay there if we like.

Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Brenda and Henry invited us to stay for dinner. We thanked them but said we had planned to eat in Berlin that evening. They told us to stop back by later for a snack – maybe some fried pies – and we took them up on that offer. We met their son Josh, who works at a local auction, and they invited us to attend an auction the next morning. Anyone who knows Steve knows that he loves to shop and go to auctions, so we said we would love to go. The conversation then turned to playing music and Steven mentioned that he plays guitar. Josh also plays guitar and they invited us to come the next evening and have a singing. I remarked that I didn’t know they had music, but they said that they sing without music in church but they have no objection to playing instruments at home.

The next morning we got up early and went to town for breakfast at Boyd’s Restaurant. The food was plentiful and the prices were good. We ate and visited some shops before time to go to the auction. We tried to follow the directions they had given us, but we went a little too far and made a wrong turn. When we realized we were lost, we backtracked and found the right way to the auction. It turned out to be an estate auction, which was not as exciting as I thought but I did bid on and won some dishes. If you know me, you know I love dishes. When you go on an adventure, you never know where you’ll end up! On the way back, we stopped at yard sales and then had lunch in Berlin. After some more shopping, we returned to the cabin for a rest.

It was nearly dark when we returned home. Josh was playing the guitar and everyone was singing. Imagine my surprise when I heard them sing the same spiritual songs that we sing – “Amazing Grace” and all the old red hymnal songs. They had such beautiful voices and we sang for a long time. They asked if we would like to go to church with them the next morning. A part of me wanted to say no because I didn’t know what to expect. But I knew that if I didn’t experience this now, I never would. We agreed to follow them to church the next morning.

The service began with a welcome and singing. Then the teacher taught a lesson, and we sang again, without instruments. They sang as one voice and it was beautiful. Next came Sunday School for the children. They had all the children come forward on the front row and the teacher taught a lesson on how a soft answer turneth away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). He gave an example of a young girl who was building a block tower when her brother turned around and knocked it over. She got angry and her brother told her that he was sorry and that it was accident. He said he would help her build a new one and build it higher. This made the girl happy. A soft answer turneth away wrath. It was so nice to be a part of the children’s class. We had more singing and then the message, which was very good. There were a few more songs and announcements were made. A final song was sung and we were dismissed.

Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Wow – what an adventure! God will take you on adventures. He will give you the desire of your heart . . . even if you don’t realize that it is what you wanted! As I said, I always loved learning about the Amish and always wanted to meet someone who was Amish. I never dreamed I would have an adventure like this. Each week at our church, we recite a pledge asking God to bless us. He certainly gave us gifts and surprises on this adventure. And what better gift than new friend!

Ella Hoffman is an Associate Pastor and a member of the Praise & Worship Team at Spirit Life Fellowship Church.

Using All Our Muscles

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:49:00 GMT

Science says there are anywhere between 640 and 850 muscles in the body. Anytime we do something we’re not used to, we tend to pull one we didn’t know we had. The same thing happened to me on Monday while I was weed-eating. I found a rock under the weeds that I was cutting down and twisted my lower back. Good news: I kept my balance. Bad news: I was in pain.

Certain people suggest when something like that happens, it only means that the injured person didn’t do any exercises or stretches before doing the work. While I despise the “e-word” (exercise), those people have a point. If I had stretched my back before taking on the job, perhaps it wouldn’t have been injured as badly.

As much I didn’t want to, God has told me to compare this incident to what He requires of us as Christians. He wants us to exercise our spiritual muscles so that when the time comes for them to be unusually stretched, our spirit won’t be unprepared.

2 Timothy 4:2 states: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” We need to be prepared in season and out of season. That means not only do we need to be ready for the weeds and hidden rocks during summer time, but we also need to be ready for anything that is thrown our way no matter the timing.

1 Peter 3:15-16 states: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” We have to have a ready answer for the questions about what we believe. If we aren’t, we lose that opportunity and Satan has won that battle!

1 Corinthians 9:24 states: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” How are we able to realistically run to get the prize unless we stretch, train, and go through the *ahem* exercises?

2 Timothy 1:7 states: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” We are not in this exercise routine by ourselves! God helps us by providing others to train alongside us and to coach us! Discipling is a key part to our spiritual growth and strengthening!

Hebrews 12:11 states: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” This is the hope I know I can hold onto when I’m going through the spiritual stretches in which God trains me.

All this said, if you’re like me, you don’t want to do the work to get the benefits. However, if it is only handed to us, we won’t enjoy it nearly as much. We would take it for granted at some point and not cherish it. However, if you allow God to train you and put you through the exercises, you will be MUCH better prepared when the time comes to gather the fruit of your labor!

Jim Fershee is the Youth Pastor at Spirit Life Fellowship.

A Mother's Day Tribute

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:44:00 GMT

The scriptures tell us in Isaiah 55:8: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." And in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

She was the mother of two sons, Matthew and Mark. When Matthew was born, he was very ill. He had diabetes, with diarrhea among the symptoms. He was diagnosed with a disease so rare that it did not have a name. He was rushed to Cincinnati Children's Hospital in the governor's private jet. This disease affected his immune system. This child endured so much, but he seemed to be a happy baby, even when he had to have an IV pole to push when he finally began to walk. Matthew did not live long past his second birthday. Most of those two years were spent in the hospital.

Mark lived to be nine years old. He was in and out of the hospital during those years. But he was pretty much your normal child and was able to attend school and have friends and lived an almost normal life. He did have to endure insulin shots, meds, checking blood sugars and doctors appointments and hospital stays, as well as symptoms of the disease.

On the day of Mark's funeral, the church youth group called Awanas had their meeting at the church. The pastor told the youth about Mark and what a courageous child he was and how he was now in heaven. Several of the youth went forward to be saved. What an awesome testimony that was.

This story is a bittersweet one. If Matthew and Mark were still alive, then Bethany would not be here and given a happy life. But as the Bible says in Psalms 30:5, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." So Becky's greatest loss as a mother was turned around into something good. Today, I give thanks and praises for the work God has done in my sister's life. It has not been easy, but she has trusted God's wisdom and He gave her faith and strength over the years. This story has been condensed, but there is so much more that can be told. But I want to close with the following.

***

"When God Made Mothers"

The angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No way!" said the angel. The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem; it's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!”

The angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish." "But I can't!" the Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my heart. She already heals herself when she is sick and can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower." The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "But I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish." "Will she be able to think?" asked the angel. The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride." The Lord said. The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!" The Lord looked at the angel and smiled and said, "I’m afraid you are wrong again, my friend. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"

Facing Your Storms

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:54:00 GMT

We all have to face and go through storms in our lives. Sometimes these storms seem to never end. They seem to take us apart a little bit at a time. These storms come and they seem to rage and try to devour us. They seem to never end. We try to face these storms alone and then fear overtakes us. We start to lose our way and our faith starts to falter.

Storms are a fact of life. Storms in your life come in many different forms: serious illness, disease, accidents, catastrophes, unemployment, lost retirement savings, death, loneliness, hardships, personal problems, lost love and divorce. How do you weather the storms of life? We need to call on Jesus and the Father to calm and take us through the storm. We read in the book of Matthew that when the disciples were in fear for their lives in the midst of the storm, they called upon Jesus.

Through our prayers and faith in the Father and in Jesus, we can and will make it through all the storms that come into our lives. The calm may not come and that moment is when we call upon Jesus and on God. They will calm the storms that rage in our lives. Jesus not only calms the physical seas, but He can also calm the seas within our minds and souls. Sometimes in life we just try to outlast the storm, forgetting to call on the One who can calm it. Do we need to wait until the storms get totally out of control? No, we need to have faith and need to know that God is always there. He never leaves our side. God tells us in Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

We are not to have fear, because we know that God is always with us. It is through our faith in the Father and in Jesus that our calm in the storm will come. It is our faith in Jesus’ calming power and our hastening to call for His help that allows Him to calm our hearts during life’s storms. Let go and let God have total control of the things in your life that you know you have no control over. Pray and pray some more. Fall to you knees and seek the Father there and give Him all of your troubles and fears. Let Jesus calm that storm!

Jesus did not leave the disciples and he will never leave us. He is with us to hear our pleas for his help. He is there to answer us in the midst of our troubles. He tells us in Psalm 50:15: “and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” So in our storms of life, rely on Jesus to carry us through them and, if it is His will, to deliver us from them by putting an end to them. Be delivered! Put all your faith and trust in the Father and in Jesus. In Proverbs it says that he who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered. There is no storm, trouble, heartache or trial that your faith in God and in Jesus will not get you through. Pray, mediate and seek the will of God in your life. Jesus will say, “Peace be still,” and He will calm your storm.

Robert Staton is a member of Spirit Life Fellowship and its Praise and Worship Team.

Hearing and Recognizing His Voice

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:45:00 GMT

In 2013, there is such an urgency for us to be able to hear and recognize God’s voice. It is more important for me to recognize and hear God’s voice and the sounds of heaven than anything else at this time.

John 10:2-5
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

I am a grandmother to three wonderful and unique grandchildren. Though the circumstances of each one’s birth were different, one thing was the same. We started talking to each of these little babies while their moms carried them. Even before birth, they began to respond to things we would do. Their moms would read to them, and we would sing and talk to them. After they were born, these little ones would hear our voices and they would recognize us. They didn't know who we were or what face and voice went together, but they still recognized our voices.

Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God:

Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Melinda Smith is the Worship Leader and Music Director at Spirit Life Fellowship Church.

I Am a Watchman

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:33:00 GMT

Several weeks ago, I was posting questions like these on Facebook:
• If someone was robbing you blind, would you want me to tell you?
• If you were jumping from an airplane, should I tell you that you have no parachute?
• If you are going bungee jumping, should I tell you if it’s a rope instead of a bungee cord?
• If you are drowning, should I call for a lifeguard?

I am just trying to get some straight answers.

Many times, we as watchmen try to warn others of the coming of Christ and what His word says. People tend to get mad because of what the Bible says and accuse the watchmen for judging them, when all we are doing is speaking what God is saying to the body of Christ. Noah warned the people for 120 years and no one trusted the words he preached.

Ezekiel 3:16-19
16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Ezekiel 33:1-9
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Many of you who read them said you would have wanted help in the scenarios I posed on Facebook. But when I warn you of what the Bible says, you get upset and mad because the word is what cuts and judges – not the words I speak but the Word of God in the Bible. The Truth, the breath of life – this is what cuts.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Luke 12:39
And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

I am the watchman. Get your house in order.

Pastor Craig Cook is the Senior Pastor of Spirit Life Fellowship Church.

Let Trust Prevail

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:30:00 GMT

I was going through a period of time when it seemed like everyone who approached my car from the rear must have been seeing a “HIT ME” sign. It was like everyone wanted to play real life bumper cars. I’m talking about this was a three-time occurrence. I really became a major rearview mirror user. I was on “Red Alert”, wondering when the next hit would be. I had allowed myself to get in that pattern of thinking. Was that type of thinking pleasing to God? No!

Was thinking about another bumper car involvement right thinking? No. A good prayer would have been to ask God to only allow fully alert drivers behind me at all times. (It probably would have been good to broaden the scope on that as well.) Here is a story I read on Facebook that I felt was worthy to include.

Carrots, Eggs or Coffee
(Which Are You?)

A young woman went to her grandma and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it. She wanted to give up. She stated that she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed when one problem was solved, a new one arose.

In about 20 minutes, she turned the burners off. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Lastly, she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did. They had softened. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled as she tasted its rich flavor and smelled its wonderful aroma. She then asked, “What’s the point, Grandma?”

“Which are you?” she asked her.

2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

In this walk on this earth, situations are going to arise that we really don’t want to come our direction. We would rather they just do a quick disappearing act. But in reality God uses things to make us grow. We don’t like it but, guess what? Father knows best. We don’t know all the whys. God doesn’t feel we need to and He is definitely a “know it all” in the truest sense. Hallelujah! He tells us He will never leave us or forsake us.

Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

Whatever boiling water event that comes your way, remain steadfast, immovable and trusting. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” The key is to TRUST . . . trust God. Desire to be known as a truster – a truster in God.

Dianna O'Connor is a licensed minister through and member of Spirit Life Fellowship Church .

A Fresh Start

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:07:00 GMT

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

A fresh start is the ultimate “do over.” We can wipe the slate clean and start again. Why do you think all these makeover shows are so popular? Because we crave that opportunity to start over from scratch and do it over – to get it right. Remember the movie “Groundhog Day”? Bill Murray’s character wakes up every morning to the same day and relives it until he finally gets it right and gets the girl. On January 1, people will make resolutions to start on new diets or fitness regimes. Many will fail, but they will do it again next year because they have that inherit desire to start over and try again.

Thankfully, we serve a wonderful God who is in the “do over” business. He has given each person that opportunity for a start fresh, to wipe the slate clean. We can repent of our sin and accept Jesus Christ in our lives as Lord and Savior. We can become new creatures in Christ. That doesn’t mean we will become perfect people, because . . . well, we are people. His mercies are new each day so each day is a fresh start when we live a repentant life. Lamentations 3:40 says “Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD;”.
When New Year’s Eve rolls around, it will be natural for us to look back on the good and bad of 2012 and to begin planning for a better 2013. Many of our resolutions will be about things like our health, weight and finances. But let us not forget to examine our spiritual life. If you don’t have a relationship with God, it is never too late for your fresh start. Certainly there are plenty of churches around and if you pray about, He will lead you to the one that is right for you. If you have been serving the Lord, but maybe have not been as committed or faithful as you should, it is not too late to get the relationship back on track – His mercies are new each morning.

***

Merry Christmas and Happy, Blessed New Year! Thank you for reading and sharing these devotionals. This will be the last devotional for 2012. I am not sure what direction this will take in 2013, but the words I am hearing are “fresh start.” May you have a wonderful holiday season, full of God’s graces.

Overflowing With Thankfulness

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:50:00 GMT

Psalm 5:12
For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

I do try to keep my house clean, doing the weekly maintenance work regularly. But lately things had piled up and I just hadn’t had the time to deal with them, leaving us with the clean-but-cluttered look. When I got a couple of days notice that we would be entertaining some special company last Saturday evening, I kind of freaked out. I didn’t know how we would get the inside and the outside ready to where I felt it needed to be. So I did the only the thing I knew to do . . . I prayed. I worked some in the evenings and then all day Saturday. Over several days, my husband got all the wood chopped and stacked and also got the grass cut. I still can’t believe that we got everything done, so I know that it was only with the Lord’s help that it happened.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Our visit went well, but I was glad when it was over. As I was getting ready for bed, I was telling God thank you for the help in accomplishing this major task and for the doors He is opening in our lives. Then in the next breath, I was saying to myself how tired I was and wouldn’t it be nice if I could just sleep in. After all, I had worked very hard, and my sore back and muscles were agreeing with me. The next day was Sunday and I had already arranged for someone to teach my class. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to miss. Then I heard Him say, “Is that how you thank Me?” In the words of Pastor Cook: “Eech, ouch, ooch!” There’s so much more to the story of that day that I won’t get into, but God was right. He had made a way that I didn’t think was possible and He had truly blessed us. I should have been more thankful. Staying home in bed instead of going to church and worshipping Him would not have been “overflowing with thankfulness.” I prayed for forgiveness and set my alarm!

2 Corinthians 9:10-13 (NIV)
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

God loves us and blesses us, but He doesn’t do it so that we can sit on those blessings. He blesses us so that we can bless others. Perhaps it is in the sharing of material goods or finances. But more often I think it is sharing our experience and faith with others and encouraging them. With my experience Saturday, I can say to someone that if God will do it for me, He will do it for you. Nothing is impossible with God. Each week in these articles, I try to share with you my experiences and what God has done for me or taught me through my trials and errors. I do it to encourage others, even if it is just to let them know that they are not the only one going through something and that God is always there for them. I can rest in my blessings, because I know that He is faithful, but I cannot rest on them – they are meant to be shared.

1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

This week is Thanksgiving, so everyone’s minds are on their blessings and what they are thankful for. Many of my Facebook friends are listing one thing each day that they are thankful for, and it is nice to read their posts. However, we need to be thankful all year round and not just at the Thanksgiving holiday. Our thankfulness is more than the words we use to express it. We demonstrate our thankfulness by always being faithful, kind and loving, just like our God, and serving Him every day.

He's In Control

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 12:21:00 GMT

As much as I love surprises, I was not very happy to wake up last Tuesday and see eight inches of snow. I am not a big fan of snow anyway, but perhaps if it were mid-January I wouldn’t have been so taken aback. It was October 30 -- I have never seen a snowfall like that so early in the Fall. In addition to the snow, our electric was out and didn’t come back on until Saturday.

Isaiah 45:6-7
That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

The next day I was overwhelmed by the long lines for gas and food and wondered if we would be able to get what we needed. We waited until early evening and went straight to a gas station that still had gas and only had to wait in line about 10 minutes. During those 10 days, we never missed a meal. We were able to run our generator every day so that we didn’t lose any of our cold foods. While we had no control over the weather or how fast the electric company would restore service, we did have control over our response to the circumstances. You choices are: 1) whine, pout, complain and otherwise be miserable or 2) make the most of what you have and be grateful. Like the apostle Paul, I have “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.”

The untold story of these storms is what eventually results from them. The landscape is changed because trees fall and must be cleared. That lumber becomes firewood, which people need. When the trees are cleared, there is a place for new growth. The rain and snow water seeds that have been planted. Communities rebuild, often with better and stronger structures. What we see as storm damage is often actually the beginning of something new and better in our lives. It just takes a while to see and appreciate it. The same is true in our personal lives. Problems, challenges, and setbacks come into our lives and we tend to focus on the damage. However, if we will continue to trust in the Lord, He will surely turn all these things around for our good. We have to remember that He’s in control and turn it all over to Him. What seems like the end could be just the beginning of the plans He has for you.

Your Investments

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:26:00 GMT

When the stock market took a big hit several years ago, so did our retirement account. Like many of Americans, we lost a lot of money as years worth of saving and investing were gone in instant. We may have not been robbed by thieves, but it sure felt like it! Times have been tough, but we’ve always had a roof over our head and food on the table. My trust is in the Lord and not the stock market.

Mark 8:36
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

Galatians 6:7-9
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

If you can rattle off the week’s prime time TV schedule, but don’t know the books of the Bible, you might need to adjust your investments. If you can name every player on your favorite professional team but you can’t even name three of Jesus’ disciples, you might need to adjust your investments. The reverse can be true also. You might know the Bible front and back, but if you don’t know the names of your children’s closest friends and associates, you might need to adjust your investments. We reap what we sow. If we will seek Him first with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, then everything else will fall into its proper place. You will get a great return on your investment.

Let the Light In

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:08:00 GMT

I have been fighting my way through darkness of late. Grief has hung over my heart like a dark storm cloud ready to burst. As a result, I have been overwhelmed by the responsibilities of work, home, family, school and even church, to the point it feels like I am slowly going down into a mire of quicksand and I am almost neck-deep. I always try to give my best in everything I do, but lately my best hasn’t been that great. It feels like I am being pulled in a million different directions, with everyone – including myself – pushing me to perform. I am making mistakes that I don’t normally make and letting things go too long before I take care of them. I have been short with people, angry in tone and impatient. Just when I feel like throwing in the towel and giving up, God makes a way. A ray of light comes in the way of friend lending a hand, a situation miraculously being turned around, an unexpected respite from the world or a word from God that strengthens me. Each day has its challenges, but it also has God’s mercies. They are truly new every morning.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I am not looking for sympathy. We all go through tough times, whether they be emotional, spiritual, physical, financial, etc. When the darkness seems to be closing in on us, we have to remember to let in the Light. We have a place of refuge and comfort, and when He is in our life we are never alone. I leave you this week with some scriptures on the strength of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

Nehemiah 8:10
Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Psalm 20: 7-8
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10
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.

Jeremiah 17:5
This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

Zechariah 4:6
"Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit" says the Lord God Almighty

Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Go With the Flow

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 13:17:00 GMT

Our Ladies Ministry group had its annual retreat last weekend in the Hinton area. Twenty-five women spent three days in a house with only six bedrooms and two bathrooms. In theory, this should have been a disaster. However, we knew the obstacles going in and everyone knew that it would be worth it. Everyone agreed to make it work and it did. People were understanding of those who needed real beds because of physical needs. Each night you could hear the hum of electric pumps filling up air mattresses. A shower schedule helped everyone get up and ready on time for worship and teaching sessions. There was no bickering or fighting or long lines for the bathroom, which you might expect with that much estrogen in one place. What we will remember from that weekend will be how close we felt to each other and to God, not how long we had to wait for a bathroom.

When you can go with the flow, it makes life a lot easier. On Saturday afternoon, I used my “free time” for a little nap. Then I spent some time in a rocking chair on the back porch watching the river. In the section of river the house overlooks, it is somewhat shallow and there are a lot of rocks. A little island sits in one area in the middle. The water runs swiftly, so when it encounters these natural obstacles, it flows quickly around them. The water looks choppy and often has white caps. Once it has passed these obstacles, the water becomes more smooth and calm as it flows on toward Bluestone Dam.

Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

John 7:38
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

If we can’t go with the flow in the natural world, in our flesh, then how can we expect to flow with the Holy Spirit? If our response to the hurdles of the world is to shy and hide away, what is our response to spiritual challenges? We are creatures of habit and we tend to have the same responses, whether natural or spiritual. We need to get a hold of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We need to believe it and live it. Jesus said that the living waters will flow out of our hearts, which means it comes from the depths of our souls. By nature, then, we have to be flexible vessels that allow that flow. If we shut ourselves off because we think life has gotten too hard, those waters will stagnate and then eventually dry up.

We don’t want to become spiritual hermits or hoarders. Get out there every day and fight the good fight and run the race, sharing Jesus and yourself with others. It isn’t always easy, but we really can do all things through Christ. We are not alone as long as we remember He is always with us. We also have to learn to quit sweating the small stuff and let some stuff go. I know I have had to overcome some obsessive-compulsive ways and learn to let others do things. I don’t have to do it all and it doesn’t have to be done in one certain way. (It takes some people years of therapy to get there!) Going with the flow is so much easier than trying to fight my way upstream. I know that there will be obstacles to overcome, but once I get past them, the waters will be calmer and I will keep on flowing.

***

This reminded me of a song we used to sing called “The River is Here.”

Down the mountain the river flows
And it brings refreshing wherever it goes
Through the valleys and over the fields
The river is rushing and the river is here

The river of God is teeming with life
And all who touch it can be revived
And those who linger on this river's shore
Will come back thirsting for more of the Lord

Beating the Chinese Finger Trap: A Lesson on Frustration

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:38:00 GMT

Some days I feel like I am beating my head up against the wall. And I might as well be talking to the wall as to talk to some people. It seems like I take two steps forward and three steps back. I should probably go to my room and scream into a pillow so I don’t lose my cool at yell at someone. No matter how hard I try, it seems things never go according to plan. If it weren’t for bad luck, I would have no luck at all. I have to laugh to keep from crying. Is it Friday yet?

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Most of the time, we can find a way to deal with minor frustrations. But sometimes they become more than we can handle. You really do feel like you are beating your head against a wall and it’s bleeding. You are going nowhere fast. That’s when it’s time to put the situation into someone else’s hands. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

I have found that when I stop fighting a situation and give it over to Him, things get better. The impossible becomes not only possible, but it happens. Have you ever played with one of those Chinese finger traps (aka Chinese handcuffs)? It’s a woven cylinder and you place your index fingers into each end. When you try to take it off, your instinct is to pull them out, but the harder you pull, the tighter the grip becomes on your finger. The secret to beating the Chinese finger trap is to push in, which loosens the cylinder and allows you to easily remove your fingers.

Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Follow the Leader

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:12:00 GMT

“Waiting Here For You” is a beautiful worship song that our Praise Team often sings. We practiced and worked on it for a while before singing it in service, and it is a song the congregation really likes. I like it, too, but it has given us singers fits. There is a bridge in the song that is kind of tricky and when we mess it up, it is painfully obvious. So we had to practice some more and figure out our mistakes.

That may sound kind of simple, but most of life’s greatest lessons are. Most of our life seems to follow script – we get up, eat, go to school or work, participate in extracurricular activities, eat some more and go to bed. But along the way, we run into people and situations that we don’t know how to deal with. When we try to handle them on our own without any guidance or insight, we often mess up and it is painfully obvious.

Many years ago, we started hearing “WWJD?”, or “What Would Jesus Do?” This is more than a catch phrase or a bumper sticker slogan. It is sound advice for those moments when life goes off script and you don’t know what to do. The way that Jesus handled conflict or difficult situations is very different from the way the world or our flesh would want to handle them. When someone comes against us, we’d like to pop them in the face. Jesus said to forgive our enemies and to turn the other cheek. When people do bad things to us, we’d like to do them back. Jesus said to treat people the way that we want to be treated and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. When people are getting on our nerves because they complain and whine about things in their life, we just want to get away from them. Jesus demonstrated great compassion to those in need and told us that we should pray for one another.

Sometimes in life you do hit the wrong note. Life does take practice, because none of us are perfect. It can be unsettling. But instead of focusing our eyes on the situation and problem we need to look to and follow the leader. If you are a Christian, then Jesus is that leader. We can ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” We can pray and ask Him what we should do. John 10:27 says: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” I have learned over the years that I can do things my way – aka “the hard way” – or I can do things His way. I am sure you can guess which way had better results.

No Greater

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:23:00 GMT

The following was written by Pam Dunham on April 18, 2008. She shared it with the Spirit Life Fellowship Ladies Ministry at their September 2012 meeting as part of a devotional.

There is no greater Father than having your Dad known as Almighty God.
There is no greater Husband; He alone is gentle, loving, good and kind.
There is no greater high than getting one soul saved from the torments of hell.
There is no greater price that was paid for my life on Calvary’s hill.
There is no greater hunger that the Bread of Life cannot fulfill.
There is no greater thirst that the Living Water of Jesus Christ continually refills.
There is no greater promise than John 3:16.

There is no greater work than the work at the cross.
There is no greater plea than saying the sinner’s prayer to be saved.
There is no greater creation than man.
There is no greater victory than the risen Christ.
There is no greater purpose on earth than doing His will.
There is no greater song than singing His praise.
There is no greater cross, for it was there I was raised.

Praise God forever more.

Written by Pam Dunham, 2008

Where I'm From

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:20:00 GMT

Where are you from? That question is a great conversation starter, whether you are welcoming a visitor to church or you are on vacation and start talking with other tourists. People love to talk about where they are from. Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. But there is a difference between “where do you live currently” and “where are you from”. For some people the answer is simple because they’ve lived in one place their whole lives. Then there are families like mine that moved every two years because of Dad’s job. My family, going back several generations, is from Eastern Kentucky, but I was born in Michigan and have lived there, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and multiple places in West Virginia. When I was growing up and people asked me where I was from, I was never sure what to say. Now I just say I am from West Virginia and leave it at that.

What got me thinking about this was a homework assignment I had. (That’s right, I am 48 years old and I have homework. It almost sounds like I need a support group, huh?) I have to take a class for work, one night a week for four semesters, and I am in semester one. We have multiple homework assignments each week. For the first week, one of our assignments was to write a poem called “Where I’m From”, as a way for our teacher to get to know a little about each of us. The catch was that we weren’t to write about where we were from in terms of geographic location, but from a standpoint of what experiences we have had or what things we love to do.

At first, the assignment seemed a little silly, but when it came time to write I took a long look at my life and all the places I have been. I thought about the difficult times I have been through. I thought about the joyous times and happy memories of childhood. All the places I have been and all the experiences that I’ve had – good, bad or ugly – made me into the person I am today. When I think about some of the situations I put myself in and how differently they could have turned out, I am so grateful for the grace of God. He brought me through it all, and the things I learned along the way have shaped me and made me a better, stronger person.

Some people can’t get past where they are from. They hold on to the pain, never forgiving themselves or others for mistakes. What they haven’t figured out is that where they are going is even more important than where they are from. Everyone is from some place, but they are also going to some place. Just like Nathanael had to “get over” Jesus being from Nazareth, we need to “get over” where we are from. When God forgives our sins, thanks to the saving grace of Christ, our past is gone. We are new creations in Christ. We are from Him and we are going to Him. Where you are from is a moment in time that came to pass, but you wouldn’t be you without it.

I am from a place of faith and grace,
Finding my Savior and seeking His face,
Fighting the good fight and running the race.
I am from knowing that He will make the way
For whatever the world brings today.

Where are you from? How have your experiences helped shape you? How can you use your experiences to help others or lead them into a relationship with Jesus? If all things truly work together, then no experience you’ve had was wasted. It can be used for some good. So if you are letting something from your past hold you back, it is time to get over it. Give it to God, and start moving toward where you are going.

Missing the Boat

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:20:00 GMT

Let me let you in on a little secret: I am not perfect. I know – you are shocked. Of course, I have always known about my imperfections, but I wanted to make sure that you did, too. You might think because I write these articles, teach Sunday School and sing on the Praise Team that I’ve got it going on, that I have things all figured out. It’s a long hard fall from a pedestal like that, so please don’t place me or anybody else up there. I stumble and fall and fail as much as the next person. And I am probably harder on myself than anyone when it happens.

James 1:22-24 (NIV)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

Then on Sunday I was in morning service and the pastor preached a message called “Walking on the Water.” It was about getting up and doing things for God, instead of sitting back and waiting for someone else to do it. He talked about stepping out and doing the things we know we can do through Christ and that we have been called to do. He spoke about getting out of the boat, like Peter, and walking on the water in faith. Ouch – that one hit home!

The key to walking on the water is to stay focused on Jesus. If we look away, then we may allow fear or doubt to distract us, and we’ll sink. We’ll freeze up. Peter was missing the boat when he started sinking. He missed its safety and security. He wanted back in that boat ASAP! He was putting his faith in the boat instead of in Jesus.

Doubting God

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:59:00 GMT

After reading this passage from 1 Kings 17, I was struck by the widow’s response at the end. She basically tells Elijah, “Now I know God’s words coming out of your mouth are truth.”

So many times people doubt God when they think they are questioning Him. Doubting and questioning are two different things. For example, Crystal and I have each been told by God that Josiah, our son, will be healed from his spina bifida condition and that God will get the glory out of it when that happens. To doubt God in this example would be to not believe He is going to heal our son. A result of doubt would be that hope would be lost and we would try to get all the doctors in the world to do something about it, instead of trusting in His timing and promise. But to question God’s promise is a little different.

It is alright to ask God questions, but not okay to doubt Him. To doubt the Creator of the Universe is akin to calling Him a liar. If we did that, we would not have a leg to stand on in our faith in Christ. If we doubt one part of God’s Word, what part can we trust? This is an all or nothing life we need to live! Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV) says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Bottom line? Be doubt free, but feel free to ask the Creator questions. If He’s big enough to create anything out of nothing but His Word, He’s certainly big enough to hear questions from His creation.

Jim Fershee is an Associate Pastor and Youth Minister at Spirit Life Fellowship.

A Marvelous Mystery

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:47:00 GMT

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved a good mystery. Cartoons and television shows that had mystery themes were my favorite as a young child. (Remember “Scooby Doo! Where Are You?”?) When I was in fourth or fifth grade, my mother took me to the library which was a few blocks from our house and I got my first library card. I can’t remember, but perhaps the librarian asked what kind of stories I liked, because I came home with several Nancy Drew books. I read them in no time and went back for more. Then I discovered the Hardy Boys and other mystery series. And so it has been my whole life. I just love a good whodunit!

Romans 16:25-27
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

In a good mystery novel, it is not enough to know “whodunit”. Once we know who, we want to know how and more importantly why they did it. What was the motive? Jesus is a mystery to those who don’t know the how and the why. The Holy Bible tells us all we need to know. Just like those mystery novels I liked to read, the answers were in the book – but I had to read it. You may tell someone that Jesus died for their sins, but you can’t leave out the who, how and the why. Otherwise you leave them scratching their heads and wondering who is this Jesus and how did He die and why?

If you want the answers, you have to read the book! The Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ. We see examples of Him and patterns of Him throughout its books. The prophets speak of Him and gave signs to watch for, such as where He would be born and how we would know Him. Many people read and studied the scriptures, but they missed the clues. In the New Testament, we have the revelation of the mystery. Jesus kept telling His disciples what was going to happen – that He would suffer many things, be rejected by the religious establishment, be killed and be raised to life on the third day (Luke 9:22). They didn’t understand, even after these things came to pass and they saw Him crucified. It wasn’t until Jesus’ resurrection that they finally got it, and even then He had to explain it to them. Luke 24:44-45-- “Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

When we understand and comprehend the scriptures, we begin to solve the mystery. We come to understand who Jesus is – the Son of God, born in the flesh as a man by a virgin birth, who preached the kingdom of God, healed the sick and gave His life as a sacrifice. We come to understand how He died – at the hands of the misguided religious elect and the pagan world who did not recognize the Messiah when they saw Him because they were literally clueless, not having understood the prophecies they had read. And then there is they why – the motive. He died so that we might live. He saw our sicknesses, sorrows, pain and sin and knew that it was the only way to meet the needs. Even understanding this, we still wonder why anyone, especially the Lord, would make such a sacrifice for us. But He explains it so simply in the most commonly known scripture of the New Testament. John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The “why” is not about who we are, but who He is and who we become when we believe in Him. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Love is the very nature of who He is and it is why He made a way through His son, Jesus, that we may be reconciled to Him through the cleansing of our sins.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Another mark of a really good mystery story is that even though it answers most of the important questions, it still leaves us pondering some others. Have you read the Bible and accepted Jesus as your savior? Then you understand the mystery of Christ. But do you still have questions? I know I do, and most of them start with “why”. If we really knew everything, we wouldn’t have to keep reading and studying and praying. The answers are all in there, but we have to be observant and discerning . . . and patient. God may choose to reveal the answers to us while we are here, but we may have to wait until the great day when we go to be with Him for eternity. In a song we sing at church, called the Revelation Song, there is a line that says, “Such a Marvelous Mystery.” Jesus is a marvelous mystery, ready to reveal Himself to those who are willing to open their hearts and minds to Him.

A New Creation

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:14:00 GMT

If you were to talk to people who only knew me back in the day, they might be surprised to know that I am a Christian. They might even be a little skeptical, especially if they are not Christians. They know my sins and could probably recount them for me in detail. My behavior and habits back then defined the person they knew. However, if they, too, have become Christians, they should be accepting of the news of my transformation. After all, they’ve had a similar experience. But that is not always the case.

How many times do we hear news that someone has gotten saved and the first thing we do is doubt? We roll our eyes or give that little sigh that says, we’ll see if they stick with it. We start thinking about all the things we know about that person and wonder if they can really make it as a Christian. It’s hard to get a fresh start when the world is reminding you of your past. But if we are Christians, we are not a part of this world. We should not be looking upon our brothers and sisters in Christ from a worldly viewpoint. The world says they’ll never make it. The Word says that they can “do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We need to see people through God’s eyes. When He sees the blood of Jesus applied to them, He forgives them of their sins. We should do the same.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19(NIV)
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

A few years back, we were asked in our church to write down the things we wanted God to do for us in the coming year and to be praying about them. At the top of most lists, including my own, was that our loved ones would be saved. It is a good thing to desire. However, when doubt attaches itself to our prayers, it makes them less effective. Matthew 21:21-22: So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” We are really good at asking for things in prayer, but we are not as good at believing it will happen.

If we want to see our friends and loved ones saved and serving God, then we need to change the way we think about them. We need to change the way that we see them -- not as the world sees them but how they are seen by God. We need to be forgiving and quit bringing up their past. We need to replace our “they’ll never change” stinking thinking with the mindset that with God, all things are possible. Then when our prayers are answered and the person does give their heart to Christ, we need to prepare ourselves for the change in them. We should be encouraging them and allowing them room to become this new creation in Christ. We can’t hold them back by hanging on to who they used to be.

The world may remember who I used to be and try to define me by that, but what counts is who the Lord sees me as today. I am not who I used to be. I am a new creation in Christ. I am becoming the person He always intended me to be – the way that He has always seen me.

Totally Awesome

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:19:00 GMT

Genesis 28:16-17
Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

Psalm 66:5
Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalms 89:7
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.

We need to humbly remember who God is. Job got his reminder from God. In Job 38:4-7, God says:

In Deuteronomy 28:58-59, the Israelites were warned: “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.”

I'd Rather Be a Chicken

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Acts 2:21a
And it shall come to pass,

Chickens are early risers.
They are up a dawn. From Genesis in the Old Testament to James in the New Testament, the Bible speaks of rising early. Proverbs 8:17 says, “and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Chickens are patient.
They wait upon the farmer in his timing for their daily allotment of food. Psalms 145:15 says, “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.”

Chickens are protectors.
They know when storms are approaching or danger is near their chicks. Chickens with chicks appear to be quiet and keep themselves, pecking around the barnyard and minding their own business. One would think they could snatch one of the chicks and the momma hen would not be aware of it. Well, just let her sense that a chick is in danger and watch the mother instincts kick in. The wings drop and the talons come out to flog the predator. She then calls all her little ones to her and hides them under her wings. Psalms 91:4 says, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”

Chickens are givers.
They give their eggs for our nourishment. II Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” When a chicken’s life on earth has been exhausted, she gives it for us. Greatness is not ruling over others but serving them. Matthew 20:28 (NIV) says, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Pitfalls of Life

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:38:00 GMT

Proverbs 22:5
In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

2 Corinthians 2:11
lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Just as a good driver should be scanning the road ahead of him for possible hazards, we should always be aware of what’s going on in our lives and watching out for pitfalls. A distracted driver will hit potholes or succumb to other hazards, which can cause vehicle damage or accidents. A distracted Christian will miss opportunities to share his testimony. In fact, our ugly behavior or reaction to a situation could destroy it altogether. We have to guard our hearts and our spiritual space by keeping Christ in the forefront of everything we say or do. The saying goes that the best offense is a good defense. We need to recharge ourselves daily in the Word and in prayer. We need to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

We all encounter difficult situations along life’s road. The difference comes in how we handle them. Just because you come upon a pitfall, it doesn’t mean you have to fall in. You can go around it. Instead of losing your cool, you can remain calm and resolve things in a better way. Instead of the situation controlling us, we can control the situation, or at least our reaction to it. We can practice the self-control that God has given us. We can learn to say no and mean it. We can refuse to be drawn in to conflicts and disagreements.

Most of our roads are well marked. We have signs to tell us if there is construction ahead or a bump in the road. Signs advise us how fast to take a curve or that deer often cross the highway. We don’t have signs like that as we go through life, but there are plenty of bumps and hazards along the way. We have to keep our spiritual eyes on the road in order to avoid the pitfalls of life.

Lost and Found

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:06:00 GMT

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

It was one of those movies that kept me thinking for days and weeks and even months. When it came out it 1999, “The Matrix” was an exciting action thriller with new special effects that wowed audiences. It was a high tech presentation of a simple message about living free and escaping bondage. At a pivotal point early in the movie, the main character, Neo, has a choice to make. If he takes the blue pill, he will return to the only life he has known, which turns out to be a false reality created by the world’s machines that have enslaved mankind. But if he takes the red pill, he will be freed from the machines and wake up in the real world. Neo chooses red and, for the remainder of the movie and the two sequels, fights to free all mankind.

2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Matthew 13:13-15
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

John 8:34-36
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

At some point in his or her life, each person has the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, like the character Neo, they have a choice to make. Our Heavenly Father didn’t create us to be obedient machines. He gave us freewill, which means we may choose to accept Him and take our place in eternity . . . or not. It is a life-changing decision either way. After Neo starts to see the big picture and the magnitude of what is at stake, he asks his liberators, “I can’t go back, can I?” Once you know the truth, you can’t go back. In the same way, those who have come to the knowledge of Christ cannot go back. It is one thing to not know who Christ is and what He did for mankind. It is another to know this truth and turn your back on it.

We read in the Bible where Jesus healed some people who were physically blind, which was a good thing for them. But more importantly, all who follow Him are healed of their spiritual blindness. Like Him, we are to reach out to liberate the captive and the oppressed. But they aren’t necessarily sitting around in jail cells. The lost and found coexist. They are sitting next to us at work or they are in line behind us at the grocery store. Or they are sitting down next to us at the dinner table at home. And much like a lion in zoo, they don’t realize they are captives and they won’t know unless someone tells them. They might not understand when you tell them they are lost, but we can at least begin to plant the seeds. We must do our part to help the lost, but at some point, they have to want to be found.

Put on Your Son-screen

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:35:00 GMT

The day was bright and hot, and we all huddled with our lawn chairs under the only shade tree. Fortunately, it was a big enough tree to give off a lot of shade and a nice breeze was blowing. I was on the end of the row and apparently close enough to the edge of the shade that parts of my arm and leg were not protected. After the game, I noticed several sunburned patches just on my right side.

It hadn’t occurred to me that I might need some sunscreen. Sunscreen is one of those things that I know I should wear, but often forge ahead without. Sometimes I remember to take it with me when I am going to be out and about, but I still forget to put it on. Certainly, we have all been enlightened in the last decade about the importance of wearing sunscreen. We know the dangers to our health if we allow our skin to be burned. Several years ago, I lost a friend to cancer that started out as skin cancer and spread to other areas. I understand the risk and should do more to protect myself.

James 1:22-24
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

If you haven’t read your Bible in a while, it’s time to wipe the dust off the cover. I know it isn’t always the easiest read, but the more you read, the more you will understand. I recommend a good study Bible with lots of notes. My favorite Bible is called, appropriately enough, Life Applications Study Bible. It helps because not only am I reading God’s Word, I am figuring out how to apply it in my life. In Acts 8, Philip comes across an Ethiopian man reading the Word and asks him if he understands it. The man says, “How can I unless someone explains it to me?” Once he learns who Jesus is, he understands and wants to be baptized. He immediately begins applying what he has learned. That’s why it’s nice to attend a Bible study or Sunday School class, or have a good study Bible to help us understand. And certainly, the Holy Spirit will bring understanding if you are truly seeking the Truth.

When we were teenagers, we would sunbathe every day in the summer. We listened to the radio, and on the half hour they would play a little jingle that said, “It’s time to turn, so you don’t burn.” How about you? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Are you applying His Word to your life? If not, perhaps it is time to listen to that prodding in your spirit and turn to Him. It’s not enough to say that we know that what’s in the Bible is good for us. We have to open it up and apply it to our lives. One day our time on this Earth will be up and we will go to one of two places. I hope that each of us has on our Son-screen when that day comes.

A Picture of Kindness

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Clogging in Heaven

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:16:00 GMT

Revelation 21:4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

We knew this day was coming, but it came much quicker than expected. A little denial on our part didn’t hurt either. Of course, if we had our way, it would not have come at all because of the hurt it has caused us. But that is our selfish desire, and it would have kept her here with us in pain. Instead, she is healed and home with Jesus, and I know she is clogging in heaven for Him.

She is Lesley Meadows. For the past seven years she has been my daughter’s clogging teacher. We first met Lesley when she transferred to our school to teach kindergarten. My daughter joined her kids clogging team, the West Virginia Kickers, when she was in third grade. Lesley taught them clogging and so much more. She instilled in them a love for this form of dance that spoke to their Appalachian heritage. She made it cool. She made it fun. Every Thursday afternoon, they gathered in her basement to practice. She praised, encouraged and pushed them to be the best they could be. She was a friend who listened when they needed someone. The hard work paid off and the Kickers danced at many annual events, including the Bob Evan’s Farm Festival, Symphony Sunday and Charleston’s Good Night on New Year’s Eve.

About four years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, ironically enough, in her leg. While it kept her from participating on her own women’s clogging team, it didn’t deter her from directing them or the Kickers. As long as she felt up to it, she worked with them every week. When she had to be away for weeks at a time for treatment or wasn’t feeling well, she had former clogging students or members of the adult team come in to work with the girls. Even in the last month or so when she was mostly confined to bed, she wanted to have the girls there practicing. I think she loved hearing their taps clicking on the basement floor beneath her. I think it was one of the things that helped keep her going.

Something else that kept her going was her faith. I marveled at her bright outlook and hopefulness. She praised God when she got a good report and she praised God when she didn’t. When it comes to faith, a lot of us talk a good game, but you wonder how you would do in the face of real adversity. Lesley walked the talk. Her faith was unshakeable. It came through in her conversation, as well as her many posts on Facebook and her online CaringBridge journal. One of her entries reads: “I just can't say what this journey has meant to me. Cancer is not good to have it -- is scary, stressful, bad, but there are good things that do come from this...GREAT FAITH in GOD...is one. If this touches one person it is worth it...and it has. My prayer chains have done this -- the love that is felt around me....”

A couple of years after Lesley was first diagnosed, she thought that she had beat the cancer. For a while we were able to celebrate and relish in her return to health and dance. But then it came back and it shook us all. Again, her strength amazed me. She got up to fight once more. She wrote: “So I am giving it to God and letting him worry and take the wheel on this because it is out of my hands.... Keep me in your prayers…next week. God is looking out for me through your prayers.”

Psalms 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

There is one journal entry in particular that spoke volumes about Lesley’s faith and her outlook on life. “Please continue to pray for a treatment plan that will work...the goal is to keep going until something else comes along. I love you all my prayer warriors. I am reading a great book called "Off Script" written by Cary Schmidt. It talks about when God sends your life off script and you weren't ready for this and how you can deal with it. He has cancer also; it hits home in many places. He feels the same way I do -- you can pout and feel sorry for yourself or you can live life the best you can. I plan to live...the best I can. People ask what they can do. . . just be my friend and pray for my kids and Tracy. I am sure there will be a time we will need help and we will call. Thank you so much for being there. Love you all, Lesley”

In today’s society, there aren’t many heroes for children or adults. Lesley was that to both. She faced every day with a smile and a positive attitude. She wrote: “Prayers have kept me here and I ask that they keep coming. She [the doctor] told me I could do whatever I feel like as long as counts are good. God came through financially as well and I praise him for letting me be able to go to MD Anderson and pay the bills. Praise to him always. Please keep praying for me. I know it has been a long time but I know that is why I am here.” In another entry she writes: “Please keep prayers going. I praise the Lord for all he has given me during this illness. I am so lucky I have so many prayer warriors and friends. He sends people and money to help when he knows we need them and it. There are so many angels out there that really help us.” And her last entry says: “Please pray this goes away. I love all you and your prayers. I know I am here through God’s Grace.”

Lesley’s Facebook page is filling up with stories from people whose lives she touched. She was a loving wife and mother, dedicated teacher and loyal friend. She may have been my daughter’s teacher, but I also found myself learning from her. Her faith, perseverance and love for life have been an inspiration to me and many others, and it is a legacy that will live on in all of us who had the privilege of knowing her. In Psalm 149, it says “Let them praise His name with the dance”. I know that’s exactly what she is doing. She is home and healed and clogging in Heaven.

Face the Giants

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:48:00 GMT

It was one of those weeks where everything seemed to hit all at once. It felt like the perfect storm was washing over me. I sat down and made a list of the things I needed to take care of as soon as possible. These things involved phone calls to banks, insurance companies, medical offices, and repair shops. Any one of these things by itself in a week would have been enough to take on. I was now looking at a list of six or seven places I needed to contact and there was no putting it off. All the things on the list had the potential to cost me financially if it didn’t go my way. Overwhelmed, I did the only thing I knew to do – pray.

I asked the Lord to give me favor when I called each place. I asked Him to make sure I spoke to someone who would be knowledgeable and professional and would know how to help me. Even though some situations looked impossible, I asked Him to go before me and make a way, because I know that all things are possible with God. Not knowing where to start, I simply started at the top. I took a deep breath and stepped out in faith. I decided to tackle the biggest issue first and made the call. When I spoke to the person, she was extremely understanding and helpful and took care of the problem right away. After hanging up, I did a little shouting and celebrating and then made the next call. Over the course of the next few days, I managed to take care of everything on my list, without incurring any extra costs or penalties or problems. In one case, I even saved money! God is so good!

In life, we are going to have troubles, but that doesn’t mean our troubles have to have us. Problems come up like giants, frightening and threatening us. We wring our hands or hide, hoping they will go away. Or we hope that someone will come along to take care of them for us. In 1 Samuel 17, you can read the well-known story of David and Goliath. David, obeying his father’s instructions, had gone to visit his brothers on the battlefield and take them supplies. He learned about the champion, Goliath, a giant who had challenged the Israelites to send out a representative to fight. But when the men of Israel saw him, they ran away frightened.

David, however, was not afraid. Despite his youth, he had successfully killed both bear and lion that had tried to attack his flock. He knew that if God had delivered him from these animals, He would surely deliver him from the hand of this Philistine. Some may call him brave, and that may be so. But more than brave, he was confident. David had confidence not in himself, but in God. Looking at it from a worldly perspective, David should not have won. David was a young, inexperienced boy with nothing more than a sling and a few stones. Goliath was an oversized, strong, and experienced warrior with sword. The game changer was God. Romans 8:31 asks: If God is for us, who can be against us? God was with David and it was by His might and power that Goliath and the Philistines were defeated.

1 John 5:4-5
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

We need to face the giants in our life in the same way that David looked at Goliath. Sure that giant was big. Sure he was scary. Sure he carried a big sword. But David had something bigger – the power of the Lord God Almighty on his side. And remember that David had a great reward coming to him – great riches, the hand of the king’s daughter in marriage and a tax exemption for his father’s house were promised to the man who could defeat Goliath. While I am sure this was a motivating factor, David didn’t fight Goliath only for that reward. “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,” he said to Goliath (1 Samuel 17:46).

David’s victory was a testimony to God – everyone would see what God had done for him. So it is when you face your giants with the confidence and knowledge of God. Think what it would do to our Christian testimony if we ran around scared and defeated all the time. We can face our giants know that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). And, if God is for us, then who can be against us?

A Place For Us

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:04:00 GMT

A mom will do almost anything for her children. I am sure it was no surprise when the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked Him to give her sons a place at his left and right hands in His kingdom. Most likely, she envisioned an earthly kingdom with her sons in a high and honored position. Like any mother, she wanted the best for her boys. She could see that Jesus was on the rise to power and she wanted her boys to get in positions early in the game.

Matthew 20:22-23
But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

There is a place for us in the body of Christ, but it is not necessarily the one of our choosing (or our mommy’s). God gives us those gifts and callings that are without repentance. He gives us the ones He wants us to have. It’s funny how some people find themselves running away from their callings, while others are jockeying for that very position, even if it is not their calling. The church is not the place to make a name for yourself or to make a power play. Despite the way the world wants to label and rank positions, all parts of the body are equal. All play an important role.

Philippians 2:3-4
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others .

Jesus said that “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” I don’t know if you have ever had to be humbled, but I can tell you it isn’t a fun experience. Paul was right on when he advised that we ought not think more highly of ourselves (Romans 12:3). But if we humble ourselves and accept the place that God has given us, then we will know the satisfaction of walking in our calling. We will receive our reward. But the reward can’t be our sole motivation. We must be motivated to serve God in our calling because He is God and we love Him. We also must realize that when He does place or promote us into positions, it isn’t so we can throw our weight around or act self-important. With power comes responsibility. In whatever work we are doing, we are serving others, just as Jesus came to serve.

Matthew 20:25-28
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

As a church body, we should honor and respect all parts. We should encourage and uplift each other. Each of us should be able to plant ourselves and grow spiritually in our callings. And it should be done with all manner of kindness, respect and love for one another and for our Creator. There is no place for jealousy, back-biting, false flattery, self-ambition or gossip within the body. We are connected and interdependent. Truly when one hurts, we all hurt. We may not always like each other, but we always have to love one another. Our flesh will naturally war against us, but our spirit must be supernaturally victorious in order for the body to function properly. That means we have to be humble, forgiving, understanding and gentle, even when we don’t feel like it. There is a place for each of us in the body, and in that place we will find fulfillment and peace, and God will recognize what we have done for Him alone.

A New Song

Fri, 11 May 2012 11:45:00 GMT

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

I was pondering this earlier in the week when our Praise Team at church was doing a song about all the earth singing a new song. “A new song I’ll sing, Lord I will glorify and bless your Holy Name,” says one line. If there is nothing new under the sun, then how can we sing a new song?

Psalms 96:1-3
Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

You might think that anything you might say to praise God has been said before and wouldn’t be new to Him. That may be true, but it isn’t just what you say, but how and when you say it. Those words of praise have existed, but when you discover them and their meaning for your relationship with Him, they become a new song in your spirit. If you have typically been a worrier or a complainer, and you begin to trust God and cry out to Him, then it is a new song to you. Praising God in your worst situation may seem unfamiliar or strange -- a new concept or idea -- but once you experience it you understand the power it has. It will change your spirit and bring forth other new songs of praise.

Psalm 40:2-3
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.

A Child's Tender Heart

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:26:00 GMT

For the past 3 years or so I have been writing about things and situations in my life that I believe are messages from God to me. I keep them in a 3-ring binder and occasionally go back and read them. What a blessing for me. I want to share one with you from 2010 when my granddaughter Abby was 4 years old. – Pat Kail

"A Child's Tender Heart "

I never would have imagined that the very thing I needed would come from something so small. In my mind I was thinking, I needed a big answer to a big problem.

For the past three weeks, I have been ill with a case of vertigo. I not only have had the dizziness and light headedness from this, but I also slept a lot and have just felt so tired and run down. I have missed a lot of things because of it, including church. I was becoming discouraged and downhearted. My blood sugars have been running too high and still are. I have taken antibiotics, as well as Meclizine. Then I finally went to the doctor and he prescribed Ativan. I am feeling better and have stopped the Meclizine, but have continued taking the Ativan, at least for a few more days. I have become a bit depressed because the house is such a mess and needs a good dusting and mopping. I had been in the process of working in the spare bedroom cleaning out the closet and had a big mess in the room from sorting and trying to organize things a bit when the vertigo hit. So needless to say the work in the bedroom had ceased for three weeks.

Then I got word on Friday that Baylee and Lexi would be coming in for the week to visit. I love my granddaughters very much, but I was beside myself with concerns that I was in no way ready to have visitors. I was still not well and I just didn't know how I was going to have that bedroom in shape for the girls to sleep in, as well as have everything else done that I needed to do. I just could not seem to get my husband, Buzzy, to understand my point of view and my feelings about this. I am always happy to see Baylee and Lexi. But because I was ill, I was not really able to do what I needed to make their visit enjoyable. I was just so disheartened. Buzzy said I was yelling at him when really I was desperate to have him help me find a solution to my dilemma. Now, I know better than to depend on people to solve my problems. I know that I can only depend on God to help me with the answers I need.

On Saturday, we had Abby, my other granddaughter, here while my son, Kevin, went to get a haircut. That day I was feeling so overwhelmed and so sick, I began to cry. I told Buzzy that I did not feel like going out to eat with them and to just go on without me. But he said he didn't want to go without me and that we would just stay in and he would go get us something. Well, Abby saw all of this. She saw me crying and heard what I was saying. I finally ended up going out with them. I was just so miserable and just wanting to be home in bed. But God had other ideas for me. As usual, Abby sat beside me in the booth at IHOP. I know that she was sensing my mood and unhappiness. She was just so loving toward me. She just kept hugging me and kissing me. She would kiss my shoulder or my cheek or my hand, etc. She would pat me on the back or arm. This small child understood the need to show love and compassion to a person who was hurting and needing love. I was reminded of the scripture that says a little child shall lead. Well, this little four-year old led me. She led me back to where I needed to be -- remembering to turn to God first when I have a problem instead of trying to find solutions from people.

I found that after my little girl gave me love and caring, I became calmer about my problems and that I started to feel better physically. I still have some weakness and need to regain my strength, but thank God I have not had any dizziness for the past few days. I have relaxed and not stressed over getting ready for the girls’ visit. Buz and I worked a bit in the spare bedroom Sunday evening, and at least the bed is ready to be slept in. The girls arrived today but are both sleeping at their other grandparents’ house tonight. Buz told me that Alex had asked them if they would mind if both girls slept at their house as needed because I had been sick and needed a break. I am so appreciative of that and I am thankful to God that finally someone understands enough to try to help me out. I am going to try to not get upset about things this week and just try to concentrate on enjoying the girls while they are here and also to try to get stronger and recoup from this illness.

My God is so patient and so faithful. Sometimes I have to have a reality check that makes me realize that God is my source and my friend who sticks closer to me than a brother. He will never leave me nor forsake me or fuss at me because I get upset. He has the answers I need and I just have to let Him know that I need Him. He knows best and that is all I need to know. It took a child to lead me back to that point. Imagine that!

Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Get Over It

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:43:00 GMT

There is a commercial on television (I can’t remember for what product or service) where a woman is watching the cost rack up on the pump as she fills up her car. When she is through filling up, the price suddenly changes to free. The smile on her face tells all – you can see her joy and happiness. She looks around, almost as if she is wondering if this is really possible. I know I would be doing the happy dance if I got a free tank of gas.

While a free tank of gas would be great, it can’t compare to a free life we can live thanks to the price paid by Jesus. Each day we go around racking up a sin debt – we are, after all, human. None of us is perfect. Romans 6:23 says: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus paid the sin debt for us when He went to the cross. It wasn’t bought with silver, gold or American Express. It was paid with every drop of blood that He shed, and He shed it all.

Just like that woman in the commercial, we should be smiling from ear to ear in the knowledge of what Christ has done for us. We should be doing a happy dance. We should be celebrating our freedom every day. And yet, many walk around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. We ask God to forgive our sins, and then we hang onto them and beat ourselves up with them. We wonder how we can be used of God when we think about the things we’ve done. We bind ourselves with our own anxieties, insecurities, guilt, shame and doubt instead of trusting our Savior.

John 8:32, 36
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. . . Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

We know that we are supposed to forgive others, but we forget that we also need to forgive ourselves. If you can’t do that, then you are basically saying that the work Jesus did on the cross was not enough and lacks the power to set you free. You are saying that the work He did was in vain. And that would be a lie. We know that His sacrifice was more than enough and it is more than powerful enough to cover you and anything you’ve done. When God sees the blood of His Son, He can no longer see your sin. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

People keep score. People remind you of who you used to be. People would like to pull you back into the world where you can be miserable with them. If you have people like that in your life, maybe you need to get some new people! People aren’t going to determine where you spend eternity. Your relationship with Christ is going to determine that. If you believe and accept that He died so that you could be forgiven and set free, then live free right now. You don’t have to wait until you get to Heaven. Your salvation doesn’t begin when you die, but it begins when you start to live for Him today. Quit hanging on to your stuff. It’s time to get over it and get on with being about your Father’s business.

And while you’re at it, smile and do a little happy dance. Let people see the freedom and joy of the Lord working in you.

We Are Being Watched

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:23:00 GMT

Certainly it was not one of my better moments, either as a mom or a Christian. I appreciated her holding up that mirror and letting me see myself as she was seeing me. I also appreciate that she loves me and does understand when I get tired and grouchy and loves me anyway. Our home is supposed to be our sanctuary – a place where we can be free and unburdened and be relaxed. We can let our hair down and be ourselves. We are comfortable around the people we live with. They see how lovely we look in the mornings. They do see us when we are grumpy. They see how we spend our time and they hear how we talk about people and issues. We are being watched. Our families are watching our lives and making decisions about whether it is the kind of life they would choose.

Ruth 1:16-17
But Ruth said:“Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”

After her sons died, Naomi learned that the famine was over in Judah and she wanted to return to her homeland. She started out with her daughters-in-law, but didn’t get far before she released them from their obligation to her. She blessed them and encouraged them to return to their own mothers. Naomi felt she had nothing to offer them since she had no more sons for them to marry. Orpah was finally persuaded and returned, but Ruth would not let go. Naomi did have something to offer her, and it was greater than having a son to marry. Naomi had God in her life. You notice in the scripture she doesn’t exactly say, “I love you so much that I can’t bear to leave you.” I do believe she loved her mother-in-law, but I think what she loved even more was the love of God she saw in her. If she left Naomi and stayed in Moab, she would be separating herself from God, whom she had come to know and love because of seeing Him through Naomi and her sons. Returning to Moab would mean returning to pagan worship, and after knowing the real, true, living God, she couldn’t go back.

Naomi probably had no idea that she had such an impact on Ruth. We don’t know what kind of impact we might be having on our family or friends because of the way we are living our lives. We do sometimes need to speak directly to them, boldly and lovingly sharing the gospel of Christ and extending the invitation of salvation. But often, our actions speak louder than words. There will be times when they see us at our worst, because we are human. At least they will know that being a Christian doesn’t mean being perfect. But we won’t be judged by them for one bad day, but how we consistently live from day to day. If we are grouchy and hateful all the time, it doesn’t say much about our relationship with God.

Color Outside the Lines

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:09:00 GMT

Highly creative people are seen as . . . well, a little different. They color outside the lines. They dress to suit themselves and not the latest trends. They seem to walk to the beat of a different drummer. They find beauty and worth in things that the world takes little note of. They willingly give up the material things of this world in order to pursue their passions (hence the term “starving artists”). They draw, paint, sculpt, write, design, sew, cook, act, dance, sing, play musical instruments, and invent. They do it because they must. It is as essential to their being as breathing.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Many of us may feel that we don’t fall into this creative category. However, every person is creative, though some demonstrate it more than others and in different ways. We can’t help but be creative, because we have a Heavenly Father who is The Creator. He created the heavens and the earth. He created the sun, moon, stars, animals, and plants. And He made us, male and female, in His image. Like Father, like son, as the saying goes. In John 5:19, it says: Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

As Christians, our goal is to be like our Heavenly Father and to be Christ-like. God is a Creator, so one of those Godly attributes, then, is creativity. I think many of us are more creative than we realize. Being creative is more than being able to paint or dance or sing. It’s also coming up with new solutions and finding ways to make what you have work for you in the moment (think MacGyver). You have a creative mind that God can use if you will allow Him to do it. You may not be destined to write worship songs, but maybe you will come up with a creative way to lead people to Christ. Perhaps you can develop an innovative way to serve the hungry and the homeless. Look at how the church is different now than 20 years ago. Who would have thought back then that people could watch a church service live from their home computer? The possibilities are as wide and endless as you can imagine them, if only you will imagine.

Romans 11:29
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Yet people are holding back in their talents and gifts. For every singer we have on the Praise & Worship Team, there are probably two or three in the congregation who have beautiful voices that are never heard. Just as surely, there are people among us who could teach, preach, play music, write, design, plan and implement events, paint, and reach out to others in ways that no one else can. But they are sitting in their comfort zones, afraid to step out. The poet Sylvia Plath said, “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” We are afraid of trying and failing. We judge ourselves harshly and deem ourselves unworthy. But if your gift or talent is truly from God, then you need to replace doubt with faith. If God has meant for you to do it, then He will help you do it. His anointing will be there. We need to trust in Him, rather than in our own abilities. It can’t be about us, because it is all about Him.

Colossians 1:16
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Creativity is a lot like muscle in that you must use it or lose it. In order to use it, we have to put aside self-doubt and fear. We also have to be humble, giving thanks to the Lord. We, as a church, must develop an atmosphere of freedom in which people can discover and grow in their gifts and callings. I came across this quote by an author named Julia Cameron, which echoes the scripture from Colossians. She writes, “We are ourselves creations. We are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves. This is the God-force extending itself through us. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using creativity is our gift back to God.”

It’s time to get out of the comfort zone. It’s time to color outside the lines. It’s time to be free to be who God called us to be. If you are in Christ, you are a new creation! It’s a new beginning and a fresh start. You weren’t meant to crawl in a corner and dry up. You can do things that no one else can. You can do more than you can possibly know or imagine. Through Christ, you can do all things. We know that all scripture is God-breathed (God inspired). Well so are you. He gave you life and breath and soul. But what you do with it is up to you. Let His love, joy, mercy, kindness, and goodness inspire you to do a new thing for Him.

Roll Away the Stone

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:59:00 GMT

It is time to roll the stones away.

Inside each heart are secret places where things have been buried alive. They are things like emotional hurts, grief, guilt, shame, humiliation, betrayals, and disappointments. They are painful things that we cannot bear to deal with, so we bury them deep and cover them with a hardened resolve to not let them out where they can be seen or felt.

In doing so, we build up walls of stone in our heart. Walls serve two purposes: they keep things in, but they also keep things out. We build walls in our heart to protect us from being hurt again, but those same walls keep us from receiving the fullness of love and joy and peace. There have been many times when I have prayed for a person and felt my prayers hit those stone walls. If we really want healing and peace and spiritual fulfillment, then we need to roll away the stone or stones in our heart.

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

You may be able to hide them from people, but God knows all your hurts and the secrets of your heart. You have been trying to take care of them on your own by burying them. The problem is that they truly are still alive. Sometime we do such a good job of burying them that we forget about them for a while. Then something will knock one of those stones loose. It might be a photograph or a song on the radio that reminds us of that painful thing. Suddenly it is there and you feel it as fresh as if it had just happened. It is still alive.

Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

This is Holy Week, ending with Easter Sunday – the day we remember the resurrection of Jesus. But let us also remember what Jesus endured for us. He was betrayed, mocked, beaten, unjustly tried and convicted, spit upon, denied, deserted, stripped and striped, and nailed to a cross. In addition, He took on all the sins of the world so that through Him we might be saved. They buried Him in a tomb and sealed it with a stone, hoping that He would never be seen or heard from again. And He could have stayed there, but He had a better plan. Despite all the pain, hurt and evil that was done to Him, He forgave and rolled the stone away. That’s what we need to do – forgive others and ourselves and roll the stones of our heart away. We need to set those old hurts free so that they are no longer living inside of us and keeping us from being what God called us to be.

Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

The walls that you have built in your heart are not protecting you from being hurt. They are holding those hurts inside. They fester and grow like a cancer to your soul. So why not roll away the stone and let them go. Give them to Jesus. When you do, you will have room in your heart for new things like love, friendship, joy, and peace. You will enjoy a closer relationship with the Lord, because those walls have been keeping Him out, too. You know how when you are going to paint a room and you have to go around and fill all the nail holes with spackle? The Holy Spirit will fill in those broken places in your heart and begin the healing process.

John 7:38
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Does that mean that you will never be hurt again? We know that as long as there are hearts there will be heartaches. But you will have a new way to deal with them. Instead of burying them, we can forgive and give them to Jesus. And move on. Get over it.

You want to go further in the things of God? How can living waters flow from a walled up heart? You have to have an open heart that He can use. You have to love others, which means making yourself vulnerable. Tennyson wrote in a poem: “’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:1: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” We cannot love with a heart of stone, and without love we cannot be who our Creator intended us to be.

It is time to roll away the stone.

Bellows for Christ

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:35:00 GMT

When you hear the word “bellow,” what do you think about?

Do you think of it as a verb that Dictionary.com states is:
1. to emit a hollow, loud, animal cry, as a bull or cow.
2. to roar; bawl: bellowing with rage.
3. to utter in a loud deep voice.

Or do you think of it as a noun:

1. a device for producing a strong current of air, consisting of a chamber that can be expanded to draw in air through a valve and contracted to expel it through a tube.
2. anything resembling or suggesting bellows in form, as the collapsible part of a camera or enlarger.

While it can be a good thing to yell sometimes to get the stress relief we need, that’s not what this message is about. I am referring to the noun version described above.

What is the purpose of a bellows? It is used by blacksmiths and others to increase the flames of fire—to increase the heat to get the desired temperature with which to work on the project.

How does it work? It seems complicated at first glance, but when you read the definition, the idea is simple: It inhales oxygen in one tube by pulling the handles apart and exhales it back out when pressed together.

Now replace the bellows with yourself. How are we built similar to a bellows? In Genesis 2:7, we are told “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (KJV). God has given us breath, but we can choose when to inhale. What implications does this fact have on our lives?

It means we can choose what we breathe in (i.e. God’s Word vs. the world), but eventually we will have to exhale or we die. What will we exhale? We will exhale whatever we have chosen to breathe into our spiritual lungs.
The old saying “you are what you eat” could easily be changed to “you are what you breathe” in this case. What you watch, listen to, or read has a great effect on your outlook on life and how you react to situations around you. What happens when you mix Wordly and worldly together in your life? In James 3:10-12, we are warned that “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh” (KJV). We need to choose to have the Wordly mindset; aka things of Christ.
Why is it so important to have the things of God breathed into our life? God is the blacksmith trying to increase the heat of His children’s relationship with Him. He tends to use His other children to be used as the bellows. If we have worldly things breathed into us, all we are going to be breathing onto others is a worldly breath (i.e. man’s knowledge and solutions). However, if we have His Wordly breath in us (i.e. His Scripture and a strong relationship with Him), then we will be able to be successful bellows.

I don’t know about you, but when God wants to use me, I’d like to be successful. That way, I know I’m doing my part in building His Kingdom and obeying His Will for my life.

Getting Personal

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:27:00 GMT

“I know you were writing this for me.”

These are examples of comments on blog articles written in the last couple of years. In fact, March 23 marks the two year anniversary of the blog on our church website. When I started writing for it back in 2010, I wondered if I could keep it up for six months. I wondered if anyone would read it or even care. Then I reminded myself that if God was in it, then it would continue and it would make an impact. I just had to be faithful in doing my part.

Looking back over the various articles (this one will be number 77), some received several comments while others didn’t get any. It seems like the ones that receive the most comments are those in which I let down my guard and shared personal information, whether it be about grief, a heart breaking experience, how I feel I fall short of where I need to be, how my family drives me nuts sometimes (LOL) . . . the feelings and challenges of every day life. These are things we all go through, but it always seems to make us feel better when we know that we are not alone and that we are not crazy for feeling the way we do.

In other words, with God’s help I have been able to establish an intimacy with the readers of these articles. That’s something every writer tries to do. But in order to do so, you have to be open. You have to share your personal space and let people into your heart, and it is easier said than done. I have always considered myself to be a private person. I don’t usually share it all, even with my closest friends. I play things close to the vest. I have tried to be more of a listener for others than one who has to spill her guts about everything . . . that was until I started writing about the things of God and then, for some reason, I became this open book.

Luke 10:16
“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

Most people who hold back from sharing their personal thoughts and feelings do so because of the fear of rejection. We think that if people know what we are thinking or feeling or going through, they will either laugh or turn away from us. But it is actually the sharing of those personal experiences that bridges the gaps between us and brings us into closer, more intimate relationships.

Consider the example of the Apostle Paul (read in detail in Acts 9). He started out as Saul, a well-educated and steadfast Pharisee who saw the early Christians as a threat that needed to be eradicated. Anyone who proclaimed faith in Jesus was arrested and often killed. (Read about the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7.) While on the way to Damascus to round up those troublesome Christians, Paul had his own personal encounter with Jesus, and he was never the same after that. He was so changed that even his name changed! He was a new creature in Christ. And everywhere he went, he preached about Christ and he shared the life-changing experience that he had on the road to Damascus. It wasn’t just about what he believed, but why he believed it.

As Christians, we know that it is our obligation to share our testimony and tell others about Christ. But knowing it and doing it are two different things. Believe me -- I know how hard it can be to try to talk to family or friends. It can be awkward and uncomfortable at times. You try to bring it up in conversation casually or make an upfront, direct appeal, only to get brushed off. But sometimes they listen, even if it is for a few moments. I have loved writing for this blog because I have unsaved family and friends who have been reading it. I can say things to them through the written word that I often don’t get to say in person. And since I know that God’s word will not go and return void (Isaiah 55:11), I know that it is having an impact on everyone who hears it. Accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior has totally changed my life and brought me a peace and joy that I never knew before, and that’s what I want for all my family and friends.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:59:00 GMT

My neighbor called several days ago with a heads up on local gas prices. He wanted to let me know that the price had jumped to $3.95 in the downtown Charleston area, but it was still $3.79 at our local station a few miles away. His purpose in calling was a practical one that I appreciated – he wanted to save me some money. Also, there was apparently a rush on the local station, as people were sitting in line to fill up before the price changed. I had filled up the night before, so I already had a tank of $3.79 gas in my car. A few days later, the prices at our local station did catch up with those downtown.

Philippians 5:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Psalms 37:25
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

Today it is the gas prices going up, but tomorrow it could be something else. One of my parents at work told me that her summer day care provider had raised its rates 50 percent and that she was really going to miss me (our afterschool program, that is). I don’t know what tomorrow might bring, but I am not going to worry about it. I am going to trust in the Lord and His provision. And we will keep doing our part – earning a paycheck and managing the resources we have to the best of our abilities and counting on God for the rest (and having done all, to stand).

Father Knows Best

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:27:00 GMT

In the midst of my hissy fit, God reminded me of a conversation we had years ago. Emma was little and I had become a stay-home mom by that time. I was having some health issues and I was afraid I might have heart problems. It turned out to be some other things that were causing me to have rapid heart beat and symptoms that mimic heart problems, and a few simple changes to my diet and medications corrected the problem. However, when I was first going through this, it had me scared. I prayed and asked God to heal me so that I could live to take care of my family and see my daughter grow up. He did and I was happy to get back to being a wife and mother full time. I did everything around the house, inside and out (except for cutting grass). It was often exhausting, but I felt like it was what I needed to do, especially given that I had asked God for the job.

“Yes, but I didn’t intend to become the maid and pick up after them nonstop,” I protested. “Surely they could do something!”

I had to stop and think about that one. When I started staying home with Emma, I had all day to devote to taking care of her and taking care of all the household chores. When she was in third grade, I went back to work part time, so I didn’t have as much time to devote to household work. By that time, they were used to me doing it all, and I really didn’t ask for things to change. I was the one who had spoiled them. I was the one who allowed this to happen. I was the one who kept trying to do it all in less time because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do.

The reality was that I was doing them and myself a disservice. By doing it all for them, I was allowing them to become slovenly and dependent. And truthfully, they had also become unappreciative and took the work I do for granted. What if something did happen to me? This place would become uninhabitable within a week! All joking aside, I knew that this was especially bad for my daughter. In less than four years, she will be out of school and off to pursue her life as an adult. Waiting on her hand and foot was not a good preparation for life. I learned that part of “taking care of” her was also teaching her how to take care of herself. So things have been starting to change and I am holding her more accountable and making her do more for herself. She is even learning to cook a little. I spent a lot of years spoiling them, so I know it will take some time to retrain!

For example, let’s say you wanted to buy a home and you prayed and asked God to find you a perfect home – great location, ideal amenities, and affordable price. Do you then sit home and wait for a realtor to call you? Sure it could happen like that, because we know that all things are possible with God. But more than likely, you are going to have to start looking at real estate listings or perhaps find a realtor to help you search. You trust that God will be with you and guide you through the process, but you have to take the first step.

We have to quit treating God like He is the genie in Aladdin’s lamp. It makes us unappreciative and we take Him for granted. Philippians 2:12 tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. James encourages us to be doers of the word and not just hearers. Ephesians 6:13 says that having done all, we should stand. God does have our best interests at heart. He does have a plan for our lives and works things out for our good. But we cannot just sit around idle. We have to do our part in this relationship with Him. And when we have done all (and done it in a Godly way), then we can stand in faith, knowing that God will take care of the rest.

Change is In The Air

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:12:00 GMT

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Then finally, you see and hear signs that Spring is on its way. You begin to see signs of new life. I know my neighbors have had robins in their yards, and we have heard frogs and birds singing their praises unto their creator and our Savior. Gone is the feeling of depression and in its place comes hope. Gone is the feeling of death and in comes life. Change is taking place. Change is in the air, along with the fresh smell of rain and flowers. Even though we have a hard time letting go of the old dead things in our lives, God has a whole new world for us to explore and be apart of. When we come out of our slumber, doubt disappears and renewal enters. Oh, to be able to just breathe in deeply and be able to know that God has kept us through yet another season in our lives is so wonderful.

Written by Melinda Smith, Minister of Music at Spirit Life Fellowship.

No Write Offs

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:00 GMT

Our society tends to unfairly label people based on one thing that they said or did. We never let them forget their mistakes. We never forgive them. We may feel justified in feeling that way because that one thing they did was a terrible crime, but that doesn’t make it right. God still cares about that person. It is His will that all should come to repentance, even if that isn’t ours. I think that is why it takes very special people to do prison ministries – people who can look past the deed and see the person that God loves.

Undoubtedly, Job was a man who suffered greatly, ironically because he loved God so much. Satan couldn’t believe that a man could love and serve God under great affliction. He was sure that if Job lost everything he would curse God. God had faith in Job (isn’t that a wonderful thing?!) and allowed Satan to bring the afflictions upon him. We read in chapter 1 that Job first lost all his livestock and most of his servants to thieves and fire. Then all 10 of his children are killed when the house in which they were feasting collapsed under a heavy wind. We try to picture these things happening to us and we can imagine how devastating this would be to Job. We wonder how he could hold up under such painful conditions.

People respond to great tragedy in a number of ways, and some of them are not good. It says that Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job didn’t become a drunk. He didn’t start doing drugs. Job didn’t look around for someone to blame. He didn’t take his pain and anger out on others. He didn’t give up and mentally check out of life. What he did was fall to the ground and worship his God. I think that would be hard for most of us to do if we were in a similar situation. Job had an extraordinary relationship with God that is a great example for us to emulate.

Job 2:9
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

And that’s where most of us have left her . . . sounding foolish and angry and bitter. In one of my study Bible notes, it ponders the question of why Job’s wife wasn’t taken away from him like his children and property. The writer suggests that she was left behind to add to his suffering! I thought that was a horrible thing to suggest. I know a lot of jokes have been made about marriage relationships (Take my wife . . . PLEASE!). But a wife (or husband) is supposed to be a source of love and comfort, not a thorn in the other’s side.

Job 42:12-17
Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days.

As Christians, we are all ministers of the gospel. We are to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone. In our church this year, our Pastor put up board with a tree on it. He told us that God said to write the names of people we wanted to see saved and in church. Everyone rushed to write the names of their family members and friends. Then he told us that God said to add the names of people we didn’t want to come to the church. What?!? That really caused some head scratching. I heard a few people say they wanted everyone to come, and they may have been sincere. But I wonder if we are really honest if we would do it. Would we have written the name of someone like Job’s wife on there? Would we write down the name of the drug dealer down the street? Do we want him to come to our church? What about a person that hurt our feelings, and who we think is bitter and hateful? Do we want her to come to our church? What about the young people with piercings, tattoos and pink hair hanging around on the corner? Do we want them coming to our church?

Matthew 7:1-2
Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Make a Place

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:50:00 GMT

Psalm 16:11
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

When I am studying and putting together a Sunday School lesson, I am always excited to see what will be revealed. Often there is a wonderful nugget of information or the revelation of a Godly principle that comes out that I hadn’t expected. That was the case a few weeks ago as I was preparing a lesson from Lamentations.

The book of Lamentations, which was written by the prophet Jeremiah, is not a book that most people are very familiar with, which is one of the reasons we are studying it. I think that we need to be knowledgeable of all the books of the Bible, not just the four Gospels. Each of these books is in there for a reason. Lamentations is exactly what its name implies – a lament, a song of mourning. Jeremiah is grieving over the destruction of Jerusalem around 586 BC by the Babylonians. Once King Nebuchadnezzar’s army broke down the wall around Jerusalem, they destroyed or burned down most homes and buildings, including the Temple, God’s Dwelling Place. Most of the people were taken into captivity, leaving only a few poor people behind to tend the land. You can read about the final fall of Jerusalem in 2 Kings 25.

The people of Judah had been warned that this day of destruction was coming, but they didn’t listen to Jeremiah. As early as in the day of Moses, they had been warned what the consequences would be if they turned their backs on God, but they didn’t listen. Instead, they served other gods and idols. They went through the motions of serving God, but their hearts were far from him. They watched the same thing happen to their brothers in Israel in 721 BC when Assyria took them into captivity, but seemed to think it couldn’t happen to them. In Lamentations, Jeremiah speaks as Jerusalem, acknowledging that God is the one who brought the destruction upon them as punishment for their sin against Him. Jeremiah goes on to talk about God’s love and mercy, and how there was still hope for a relationship with the Lord. God would use the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the people to bring them back into a right relationship with Him. And one day they would return and rebuild the temple and the walls. But in the meantime, He allowed the Babylonians to destroy their homes . . . and not just theirs, but His as well.

Lamentations 2:6-7
6 He has done violence to His tabernacle,
As if it were a garden;
He has destroyed His place of assembly;
The Lord has caused
The appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion.
In His burning indignation He has spurned the king and the priest.
7 The Lord has spurned His altar,
He has abandoned His sanctuary;
He has given up the walls of her palaces
Into the hand of the enemy.
They have made a noise in the house of the Lord
As on the day of a set feast.

With the temple gone, there was no longer a place for God in Jerusalem. There was no place for the people to gather and worship Him. Several times a year, many thousands of people poured into Jerusalem to celebrate certain feasts and observances mandated by God. Now there was no place to celebrate. There was no place for God, but mostly it was because the people no longer had a place in their hearts for Him. They were caught up in their own selves and had allowed other gods, idols and worldliness to fill up their lives. Sound familiar?

Where there is no place, there is no presence. If we want the presence of God in our lives, then we have to make a place for Him. We have to spend time in prayer, talking with Him, not at Him. We have to read and study His Word, so that we can learn from Him. We have to listen to His instruction and be obedient – and we know that obedience is better (and a lot less painful) than sacrifice. We have to seek His face and search Him out, examine ourselves daily, and as Paul said, “die daily” as we pursue a relationship in Christ. If we do these things, then we will feel and know the presence of the Lord in our lives, which is a wonderful thing to experience.

And here is the even better part. If you have made a place in your life for Him, then He will make a place for you.

John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Have you made a place for God in your life? If so, how much room have you given Him? He has prepared a mansion for you. If you are just giving Him an hour on Sundays, then He doesn’t have much room to work with. When you open your entire heart to Him, your life will be transformed. Let God be present in your life; in His presence is fullness of joy.

Really

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:01:00 GMT

When Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers hosted Weekend Update , a mock news program on Saturday Night Live , they had a recurring segment called Really!?! They would feature the most outrageous news stories of the week, giving voice to what most people said when they heard them Really!?! When we hear about some of the crazy things that people believe, say and do, we find ourselves shaking our heads. That particular segment ended when Poehler left the show, but I find myself thinking about it and saying Really!?! when I hear things on the news and especially when I hear about things some people believe.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The other news stories that leave me shaking my head are the ones about alien abductions and UFO sightings. In 1938, Orson Welles brought to the radio an adaptation of H.G. Wells novel, War of the Worlds . He performed it as a series of news bulletins and set off a great panic among the public, who really believed that the earth was being invaded by aliens. There are many people who swear that they have seen a flying saucer or were visited by alien creatures. Yet many express disbelief at the numerous stories of people who have been visited by angels. On the night of Jesus birth, the shepherds out in the fields near Bethlehem were visited by an angel and then a whole host of angels appeared in the heavens. When they went to Bethlehem, they found the child the angels spoke of and they told everyone of the marvelous things they had seen.

Many UFO enthusiasts try to make a Biblical connection by saying that the vision Ezekiel had in chapter one of his prophetic book was of an alien craft. Really!?! God sent little green men in a flying saucer to call Ezekiel as a prophet? Maybe these people should actually read the book not just Ezekiel, but the whole word of God.

Luke 3:22
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

When you are baptized in the Holy Ghost, you will speak with a new tongue. Many people today are freaked out by this. Comedians love to make jokes about church people speaking in tongues. They think we are nuts. Really!?! Did you know that there are people who speak Klingon? For those of you who may not know what that is, Klingons are a fictional race of aliens on the fictional television show Star Trek . An entire language was created for them by a linguistics expert. More than 300,000 copies of the Klingon dictionary have been sold. Thousands of people have learned to speak the language. And we tongue-speaking Christians are the crazy ones. Really!?!

Mark 16:17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Another thing on TV that drives me crazy is the commercials for miracle drugs. We can lose weight, look younger and improve our sex lives if we take their magic pills. But have you listened to the disclaimers that list all the adverse side affects that can come from taking those magic pills? People actually believe that there is a medicine to cure everything, but they don t believe they can be healed through faith and prayer. Really!?!

James 5:14-15
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

The president is not your Messiah. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie can t save you. Alex A-Rod Rodriguez may be the one of the highest paid baseball players in history but his money can t buy you eternal life. People have all kinds of time and money to support politicians, go to movies, and follow their favorite sports with an unbridled passion, but they don t have time for God in their lives. Really!?! I am not saying that going to ball games or movies is bad. But we have to get our priorities in the right order and give the right amount of importance to the things in our lives. God says that if we will seek first His kingdom, then everything else we need would be added (Matthew 6:33).

The world tries to make fun of Christianity and belittle us for what we believe. Don t be offended, but remember who you are in Christ. And remember that there are some crazy things that the world believes in, none of which can save it. Only Christ can do that, and that is something you can believe in. Really!

Breaking the "Busy Cycle"

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:09:00 GMT

“Lather, rinse, repeat.” These are the directions you’ll find on many shampoo bottles. I always wondered why you had to repeat the shampoo – you should be able to get it clean the first time. And if you took the directions literally, you would be caught in a continuous loop of washing and rinsing that would continue until something interrupted it, like running out of hot water or shampoo.

That sounds silly, but often we do find ourselves caught up in the cycle of a routine that seems to take on a life of its own. You become so busy that you don’t have time for the things you enjoy or that you need in your life. I have found that to be the case lately. A couple of weeks before Christmas, I put this blog on stand-by for the holidays, with plans to restart after the first of the year. I knew the week before and after Christmas would be hectic, with shopping, wrapping and traveling.

Life hasn’t been any less hectic in January. Since we started back to school the day after New Year’s, we haven’t had a regular full week of school. My “Mondays” have fallen on Tuesday or Wednesday, which has totally thrown off my usual schedule. I haven’t been able to get back into my routine. It would be easy to ride that wave and continue to just let things go, but it is time to break the “busy cycle.”

Luke 10:40-42
But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

It is easy to let work, errands and daily chores or activities fill up our days. We sometimes marvel at all we accomplish in a day. But to what good? If you have left time for God out of the picture, what good has come of it? If you didn’t have time to spend with your spouse or children, what good has come of it? For some things we do have deadlines that must be met, but there are other activities that we could be more flexible about where we create self-imposed deadlines. So what if your house didn’t get cleaned today? It will still be there tomorrow. Grass didn’t get cut this afternoon? It will still be there tomorrow. I am not suggesting we become slobs or let things go. I am just saying we should prioritize them properly.

If we listen to what Jesus told Martha, spending time with Him and reading the Word and focusing on the things of God are much more important. We need to give time to them every day. That is what will give us strength and wisdom and purpose as we go through our day and take care of those necessary tasks, whether at work or at home.

It feels good to break the “busy cycle” and get back to my Father’s business. I think you will find that if you prioritize your “To Do” list every day and put God at the top of the list, you will have time for all the other things you want to get done.

****

A word: I was thinking about some of the people in my life who don’t go to church and wondering what their beliefs are. I thought, well I know they believe in God. I heard in my spirit, (paraphrasing as best I can remember) “A lot of people believe or say they believe in God. But do they believe in who Jesus is? That’s what is important. That’s what you need to be asking them.”

The First Noel (And the Last Note of the Year)

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:51:00 GMT

As I got older and outgrew Santa, my love for Christmas music continued. In junior high (no one had ever heard of “middle school” back then), all the kids in our neighborhood got together to go caroling. I made everyone a song book with all the words and we even practiced. For several years we entertained our neighbors with carols ranging from “Rudolph” to “Silent Night”, and ending each time with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” There were a few people who gave us cocoa or cookies, but we didn’t care if we got anything or not. We were having too much fun.

Luke 2:8-14
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

“The First Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!”

1 Corinthians 13:103
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

So go ahead and decorate your Christmas tree. Buy gifts for family and friends. Enjoy the wonder and awe in the children’s eyes when they sit on Santa’s lap and share their wish list. Sing about a reindeer with a shiny nose and drink your egg nog (none for me thanks, yuk!). But let your first noel be for Christ. Let your first fruits and your first praises be for Him. Instead of trying to impress everyone with your use of the term “Merry Christmas”, go out and make it a merry one for someone. Share the gift of Christ with others. “Freely you have received, freely give,” (Matthew 10:8).

This is the last blog article for 2011. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year, so go out and enjoy it to the fullest with your family and friends. Don’t get overwhelmed by the hustle and busyness that seems to come with what is supposed to be a time of worship. Instead, put Christ first and allow Him to lead you in this time of celebration. Thanks for following this blog . . . I hope it has helped you in some way or provoked your thinking. I do wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. See you in 2012!

Making It Complicated

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:52:00 GMT

You can tell a lot about a television show’s target market by the kind of commercials that run during that program. If you are seeing a lot of commercials for deodorants, shoes or cleaning products, the target is mostly women. Ads for trucks, anything Black & Decker and oversized hamburgers are aimed at men. Commercials for toys, theme parks and candy are aimed primarily at children, who then bug their parents to run out and buy, buy, buy. You get the picture. Apparently the primary target audience for the courtroom shows that air weekday mornings are the unemployed who need to get off the couch and go back to school and get “the skills to pay the bills.” Now, I am not unemployed . . . my hours are just later in the day. But there must be a pretty good market for these technical training schools, because you may see seven or eight commercials for them during a one-hour episode of “People’s Court” or “Judge Mathias” (a guilty pleasure . . . something to have on while I am working around the house before going to my “real job.”)

The pitch in most of these ads is very traditional and subtle. They have a man or a woman who has completed the program to talk about their experience and about how quickly they found a job after graduating. They talk about how much their lives have changed since they attended the school and that they encourage anyone who wants to better their life to enroll. As they are talking, you see footage of them hard at work fixing a computer or interacting with people in an office, as well as scenes of them enjoying time with family and friends. But there is one series of commercials that is a little different and probably, I think, a little more effective. The spokesman is a young, hip guy who faces the camera and speaks directly to the viewer, urging you to take some action. He points out that sitting around isn’t getting you anywhere. He asks “why are you making it so complicated?” Changing your life is as simple as going to this school to get the aforementioned “skills to pay the bills.” He tells you how easy it is to sign up and that you can even get financial aid. In other words, you are the only one holding yourself back. You are the only one making it complicated.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

When we share the good news of the gospel and invite people to church, we are like a spokesperson for our faith. Like the people in the television commercial, we share our own testimony about how our life has been changed for the better since we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We can explain how simple it is. Romans 10:9 says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” So why does the person we are witnessing to want to make it so complicated?

Psalm 130:3-4
If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

Our greatest desire when we share Christ with others is that they will immediately receive what we have said and accept Him, too. But more often than not we run into the “Yes, I believe and I know I should, but” response. There is some reason given for why the person won’t take that first step on the road to salvation. Many believe that they have to give up some bad habit or make a lifestyle change before they can “come to church.” They need to understand that if they truly want Christ in their life, they just need to say “yes” and leave the clean up work to Him. He can help you quit smoking, drinking, etc. In fact, you’ll be more successful with His help than trying to do it on your own. Some people think they have done too many terrible things to ever be worthy of God’s love. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Still others may have a hard time believing that it could really be that simple . . . that God loves each and every one of us and it’s His will that none should perish. All we have to do is be humble and repent and let Him have the driver seat in our life.

When witnessing to others, many take the laid back, subtle approach. We don’t want to be too pushy or upset anyone. But maybe we should. Maybe we should be more like the young, hip spokesperson for the technical school and ask people why they are making it so complicated. We need to keep it simple and be ready to answer their excuses or objections. Just like the unemployed need the “skills to pay the bills,” the unsaved need a Savior for their souls. We need to be able to say to that person we are witnessing to, “What are you waiting for? It isn’t complicated – you’re the one making it complicated. Choose Him now – sitting around doing nothing isn’t getting you anywhere.” When you realize the consequences – life or death – is it really that complicated?

Thankful Every Day

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:21:00 GMT

It seems fitting to write something about Thanksgiving this week, though I have to say that the holiday has kind of slipped up on me this year. My grandmother always told me that the older I got, the quicker time would fly by, and she was right. My life right now revolves around the public school calendar, and to me it seems like we just started school yesterday. Here it is Thanksgiving time already and Christmas will soon be breathing down my neck. It’s all going by too fast.

Psalm 107:22
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Thankful A-Z:
Air (it makes all the rest on the list possible after all), Baby cousin, Candy, Dogs, Ears of corn, Food, Giving thanks, House, Irrigation (something we don’t often think about but it is important), Juice, Krab (I blame Spongebob for the spelling), Lakes, Melodies, Nose (it goes with Air, got to have it), Organs (I’m not sure if she meant in the body or the keyboard instrument, but both are good), People, Quilts, Rabbits, Sewing Machines, Truth, Understanding things, Viola (the stringed instrument, which she plays), Washing machines (Amen on that one, don’t want to be without it), X-rays, You (and by you, she means me, how cool is that), and Zebras.

Sing With Me

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:13:00 GMT

Last weekend I experienced my first “Christian” concert. I haven’t been to any kind of concert for years, but when I heard that contemporary Christian artist Chris Tomlin was coming to Charleston, I knew I had to go. Other Christian artists have been here, but I never had a desire to go hear them. I wasn’t even sure that “Christian” and “concert” were concepts that went together. But this felt right and so I made plans to go with some of my friends from church.

Matthew 23:12
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

As I was taking it all in, I thought about the ways this “concert” was like and different from mainstream concerts. Here are some of the ways it was alike:

I was surprised by how many of the songs I knew and that I didn’t even realize that Tomlin was the artist on some of them. Again, it was about the songs and not the singer. It was about praising God and not the performer. That was the biggest difference in this show compared to a regular concert. But there were additional differences in this show and others I’ve attended.

Psalms 9:1-2
I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 96:11-13
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

Now that I have experienced the “Christian concert,” I may be open to attending more of them. I can’t say that I have a list of “stars” that I am dying to see perform. But I would look forward to another opportunity like this one to come together with my brothers and sisters in Christ to sing and praise and worship.

Call of Duty

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:51:00 GMT

I knew we would be at church Thursday evening, which left Thursday morning the only time I could make the special brownies (read “special brownies” with a sarcastic tone as that is how I thought it). Thursday mornings I usually try to write and work on my Sunday School lesson before I have to go to work. The last thing in the world I wanted to do today was make homemade brownies from scratch. But I did it because I am her mom and she is my daughter and I love her.

We all have moments when we really don’t feel like doing what is expected of us or what we have obligated ourselves to do. For example, I love going to church. I don’t mind getting up early on Sunday and I look forward to being there . . . most of the time. But like anyone else, there are some days when I want to pull the covers over my head and turn off the phone. When I start to feel that way, I usually push myself to go anyway. The results can vary. Sometimes when I make myself go, I find that I am glad that I went because we have an awesome service that really touches me. Other times, the mood follows me there and I am watching the clock until I can get back home.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

I have heard numerous stories of men and women who have spent all their lives – 40, 50, even 60 years – in church and then one day realized that they did not have a relationship with God and weren’t saved. This was a shock to their family and friends. After all, they had faithfully attended church and been active in all church activities. Others in the church looked up to them as examples of what it meant to be good Christian men and women. But they had responded to what they saw as a call of duty with their “outer man” and had left their heart out of the process. They had committed to a certain behavior but had never committed themselves to God. They had put up a good front, but there was no substance to sustain them. Thank God that they came to this realization and asked Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. Imagine the joy they felt when their love for God lined up with their faithful actions. Imagine how effective they became. And it proves that it is never too late to give your heart to God.

This scripture says “whatever you do”. That means anything you do, and not just church things. Whatever you do, do it for God. Let the love of Christ shine through in your words and actions. You’ll be surprised how much more you enjoy what you are doing when you approach it with the right heart. Don’t work just to please people, because you will be disappointed. He wants you to always give your best and give it cheerfully, that people may see Him in you and He will be glorified.

Now I just have to keep her dad out of them.

Get Off the Fence

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:25:00 GMT

Sitting on the fence gets you nothing, except maybe a few splinters in your rear.

Most people seem to have trouble making decisions. Perhaps it is because they have too many options to choose from. Or maybe they had a parent or friend that made all their choices for them, so they never learned the decision making process. Many are afraid of making the wrong choice, while others are waiting to see which way others go so they can follow them. They think sitting on the fence and not making a choice will keep them safe in their non-committal world. After all, they think, they have plenty of time to decide. Why rush? But deciding not to choose is itself a choice, and one which can have dire consequences.

Joshua 24:15
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

When it comes to deciding if you are going to choose to accept Christ as your Savior and serve God, you don’t want to be dragging your feet. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Sometimes we put off decisions for so long that when we finally make a move, it’s too late. God created man and then made the most unselfish move – He gave us free will. That means we are free to choose serving Him . . . or not. The opportunity to choose to spend eternity in Heaven with a loving God is one that you don’t want to take for granted. We are all going to spend an eternity somewhere. The question for each of us is do we want Smoking or Non-Smoking? I’m not trying to make light of it . . . it’s an important decision to make. There isn’t an “opt out” button. If you don’t choose Heaven, you’ll get Hell by default. It’s not about if you are a “good person.” The Bible says that no sin will enter into Heaven. Revelation 21:27: “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Jesus is the Lamb of God that cleanses us of our sin when we repent of them.

Critics would say that I am another Christian using scare tactics to convert people to my faith. You bet! We should be afraid. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. But no wants to “scare” someone into choosing Christ. The fear you have for the Lord isn’t like the fear you have of the dark or of spiders or whatever it is that scares you. The kind of fear you should have for God is a reverent respect – the knowledge of who God is and how mighty and wonderful He is. You should choose Him because of this knowledge and the knowledge that He loves you and it is His will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance. We love Him because He first loved us.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

It’s funny that when you try to talk to people about God, they get evasive or try to change the subject. They’ll talk about how they grew up in church or how they do believe in God, but they don’t talk about having a current relationship with Him. Others will say that they have wanted to go to church, but they just aren’t ready or they haven’t had time. I’ve had people tell me they are afraid the church walls would fall in if they walked in the building. I hate to tell them, but Satan comes to church every Sunday and the church building is just fine.

You think Christians are trying to scare people into church? The devil is trying to scare them out of church. He has some classic lines:
• You’ll have to give up drinking your beer. Say goodbye to Margaritaville!
• You can’t serve God because you smoke.
• You’ll never get to have fun anymore if you start going to church.
• If those people at church find out about the things you’ve done, they’ll toss you out on your ear.
• You can’t serve God with all the things you’ve done. You’re not good enough.
• You’ll have to give up your whole day on Sunday.
• You work on Sunday . . . you’ll lose your job.
• You won’t get to sleep in on Sunday and get your rest for work on Monday.
• They are going to expect you to give the church all your money.
• What will your friends think if you start going to church?
• Church is just filled with a bunch of hypocrites.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Becoming a Christian is a life-changing experience that will transform you. When you talk to people about being a Christian, some think they have to clean up their act and change their ways first, but that is putting the cart before the horse. Once you are saved, through the confessing (or stating) that Christ is your Lord and repenting (or turning away from) your sins, then the Lord will do the clean up work. A drug addict may attend a revival one night and hear about Jesus and accept Him in his life. That addict may then choose to get into rehab to get off the drugs. Jesus will be there to help him through it, but he will still have to go through the withdrawal process. He will still have to make the choice every day not to do drugs. Some addicts relapse . . . that doesn’t mean God stops loving them. He will be your strength when you are weak if you will turn to Him for help.

Most people aren’t drug addicts, but we all have behaviors or habits that we realize don’t line up with a Christian lifestyle. But no one should expect everything to change overnight. I remember hearing a lady speak about when her husband started going to church with her and then he got saved. He was into heavy metal music and had it playing all the time. He told her that he didn’t want to stop listening to it. She told him that was fine -- it was between him and God. As the months passed, she began to notice that he was listening to the music less and less. Finally, he wasn’t playing it at all and she asked him about it. He told her that he just wasn’t into it anymore. She didn’t say anything else to him about it. She had seen the change in him as he began to fill his life more with the things of God. The moral of this story isn’t that heavy metal music is bad and will send you to hell. The moral is that when be begin to fill our lives with the things of God and get His Word into us, it transforms us and changes our priorities. We do become new creatures in Christ.

Changing your life takes time. When you make that first step to accept Christ, it is a moving, emotional experience. But then what? What is a Christian supposed to act like or feel like? Joyce Meyer posted this quote on Facebook recently: “If you will start choosing to do what you know is right, your feelings will catch up with it.” I like that. Every day we have to choose God and make Godly choices. As we do, we’ll develop that relationship with Him and then we’ll be able to walk on faith, not feelings. When you become a Christian, you don’t get a list telling you how to dress, act or talk, and you should run from any church that tries to dictate things like that to you. However, you do get an instruction manual. If you will read your Bible and pray and seek God, the change will come. It will start deep on the inside and transform you. But first you have to get off that fence. Choose for yourself this day whom you will serve.

A Rewarding Service

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:08:00 GMT

Last Sunday was Pastor Appreciation Day at our church. We honored and celebrated our wonderful pastors and their wives, thanking God for sending them to our church. Each year on Pastor Appreciation Day, our Pastor also gives out two Ministry Service Awards. He has been doing it for three or four years now, and it’s his way of saying thanks to people who have given their time and talents to the ministries of the church.

Each year, Pastor gives me the names of the people he wants to recognize. I prepare their individual awards and have the plaque that hangs in our hallway engraved with their names. When he said that he didn’t want to do the awards as a part of the program this year, but wanted to give them out at a different service after the first of the year, I should have known something was up. I know it sounds bad, but I was just glad to have one more thing taken off my To Do list, as this month has been an especially busy one on all fronts. All I had to do for the service was type up an agenda and make sure everyone knew their role in the service.

Much to my surprise, at the end of the program, the Pastor came up front and presented the Ministry Service Awards to me and to Earl and Trish Anderson. Because the three of us are all involved with the planning of the Pastor Appreciation Service, the only way to surprise us was by telling us that the awards wouldn’t be given out. So, okay, Pastor, you got us! Good job, because I am not easy to surprise.

Matthew 6:1-4
“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

It was very nice to be recognized and I was honored by all the effort it took to pull off the surprise. We all want to feel appreciated. And I am not writing about this award because I want to boast or get more recognition. I want to share what I have learned from it. When I was standing up front and looking at the award, I had a personal revelation that showed me how much I had grown.

There was a time in my life when that award would have meant everything to me. I would have been working and been doing all that I could to earn that award. I needed approval. I needed confirmation that what I was doing was not just good, but outstanding. I needed to be the best and to be recognized for it. Standing up there last week I realized that while it was nice to be recognized, I didn’t need it. I was satisfied with the work I had done and didn’t need public affirmation for it. The old adage is that a job well done is its own reward.

Revelation 22:12
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

I am sure that Earl, Trish and the past recipients of these Ministry Service Awards feel the same way that I do. While it is nice to be recognized, we don’t do what we do to win awards. We do what we do because we love God and we want to serve Him. If we perform our service well, then we give Him the glory and honor and thanks for giving us the ability and talent to get the job done.

And we must remind ourselves that no matter how many good works we do, we are not saved by our works. We are only saved by the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus. However, we will receive rewards by being obedient and serving God. The greatest reward is, of course, eternal life.

2 Chronicles 15:7
But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

Serving God is not always easy. Sometimes we get discouraged and wonder if what we are doing is really worth it or making a difference. Serving God isn’t always easy, but it is always right. It seems like whenever I am getting discouraged, God sends someone with a kind or encouraging word and I am refreshed and recharged. Receiving this award is not a cue to sit down and take a rest. Instead it is a call to action – to live up to it and to do more for God. Ephesians 4:1-2 says: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Ask yourself if you are living your life in a way that is worthy of the calling that God has given you. Are you using the gifts and talents He has given you? How are you using them – for His glory or your own person satisfaction?

I am going to finish this article off with the parable of the talents. A talent was a monetary unit, but I think that if you read it as talent the way we think of – natural ability or gift – you’ll get the same meaning out of it and it will speak for itself.

Matthew 25:14-30
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

How to Appreciate Your Pastor

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:42:00 GMT

Do you really appreciate your pastor? How do you show it?

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This Sunday our church will have a Pastor Appreciation Day Service to honor our pastor and associate pastor and their wives. We’ll have a guest speaker and special guests followed by a dinner. I’m sure there will be cards and gifts and flowers and warm hugs to let them know how much we love them. And we do – we are truly blessed with wonderful men and women of God as our leaders.

But is it enough to take just one day out of the year to say thank you for all that they do for our church and its people? And are cards and gifts enough? Let’s think about it this way: If a husband only brought his wife flowers and told her he loved her once a year on their anniversary, how good would their relationship be the other 364 days of the year?

While it’s great to have a special celebration once a year, we need to make sure our pastors know we appreciate them all year round. Despite the fact that they often exhibit superhuman abilities, pastors are just people after all. Like us, they need encouragement from time to time. They need to know that their flock cares, respects and appreciates them. They really don’t expect special gifts or offerings, but I am sure those are appreciated. I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from giving gifts, money or gift cards or other tokens of appreciation, but I think there are some other ways to really show your appreciation for your pastors. (Note: These apply to pastors, associate pastors, youth pastors, etc. both men and women, but I will just say “pastor” to cover them all.)

1. Show the pastor respect. Romans 13:7 says to give honor to whom honor is due. The Pastor is the head of our church, just as Christ is the Head of The Church. He should be addressed as Pastor or Reverend or whatever title he has in your church. You may be on a first name basis with him, but at least during services and official church activities, he should be addressed properly. I think it’s best just to address him that way all the time. Give honor.

2. Pray for the pastor. Our pastors are at the top of the hit list for Satan, our Enemy. After all, they are preaching the word and working to bring salvation to the unsaved. They are the leadership of the church, and you always go after the leadership in battle. If the wolf takes out the shepherd, then the sheep are easy prey. We need to keep them in prayer daily. God has sent these men and women to be our leaders. Jeremiah 3:15 says: And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Pastors have a big job. We probably don’t know more than half of what they do. Give prayer.

3. Support your pastor. You may not always agree with everything your pastor says or does. He can’t make everyone in the church happy at the same time. The worst thing you could do is to go behind his back, telling everyone that he is wrong and why. Then you are undermining your pastor, which causes a lot of harm within the church body. Our earlier scripture from 1 Thessalonians reminds us to be at peace among ourselves. 1 Chronicles 16:22 says: Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” If you have a problem with your pastor, go talk to him. I am sure he will listen and talk things out with you. Give support.

4. Get over yourself. I started to say be less sensitive, but I think “get over it” goes to the heart of the issue. Don’t get offended so easily, because an “offense” is a baited trap. James 3:16 says: For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. If the pastor didn’t shake your hand before service, go shake his. He may have meant to say hello and was sidetracked by another member of the flock that needed him. He is one person and he can’t be there for everyone at the exactly the same time. But Jesus can. So if the pastor isn’t available at the very second you need him, call on the One who is always there for you. The pastor wants to be there for you, but he can’t read minds. He can’t go see your uncle’s cousin’s girlfriend’s boss in the hospital if he doesn’t know he is there. And he can’t be in two places at the same time, but he will be praying for you even if he can’t be there in person. Give him a break.

5. Walk in your calling. I think the pastor would appreciate this so much. If every person in the church would walk in their calling, the pastor’s job would be so much easier. Romans 11:29 says: For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. They are also non-transferrable. They are your gifts and callings, not the pastor’s. But when you don’t do your job, he has to try to pick up the slack. So if you have been called to teach, then teach. If you have been called to sing, then sing. If you have been called to greet, then greet. Whatever it is you have been called to do, commit to doing it. Give your commitment.

If you haven’t told your pastor how much you appreciate him, now would be a great time since it is that time of year when we recognize our pastors for their hard work. A card, a note, or just a warm, sincere thank you in person would be a great way to start. Then you can remember to give all these other things year round. If you don’t currently have a pastor, I highly recommend mine: Pastor Craig Cook and Associate Pastor Paul Smith. Keep them in your prayers daily. Also remember our pastors’ wives, the First Ladies of the church, Belinda “Bekay” Cook and Susie Smith. We can all show pastors our appreciation by loving them the way they love us.

Judge Not

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:05:00 GMT

Of all the people with television ministries, I would have to say that my favorite is Joyce Meyer. Actually, she is the only one I watch anymore. I like her down to earth, tell it like it is personality. I like how she sticks to the Word and always gives God all the glory. I like her so much that I “liked” her on Facebook. What I didn’t realize is that when I “liked” her, it meant that I would start getting messages from her. They don’t seem to come on any particular schedule – at least not one that I have noticed yet. They just seem to show up now and then, and they always seem to be exactly what I need to hear at the time.

That was the case when I was studying and thinking about what to write for the blog. I knew that the topic would be judgment and I had some scriptures and thoughts about it, but I couldn’t seem to pull it together. Later, when I was on Facebook, I saw that I had a new post from Joyce. This is what she said: “Judging people is a fruit of not loving people.”

As Christians, we all want to bear good fruit. We want to have those fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I had never really thought about having bad fruit. I guess that would be things like bitterness, hate, racism, self-centeredness, gossiping and being judgmental. Judging people, when it is not our place and when it is by our own standards, is what grows out of not loving people. If we truly loved them, we would not judge them.

Exodus 2:13-15
And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!”

We’ve heard people say, “Who died and made you king?” when someone has gotten a little too bossy or judgmental. That’s pretty much what this Hebrew man was saying to Moses. It was hypocritical of Moses to judge this man considering he was himself a murderer, having killed the Egyptian. Later, God would promote Moses into a position where he would serve as a judge of the people. Exodus 18:13 says, “And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening.” In fact, Moses spent so much time judging the people, he couldn’t get anything else done. Fortunately he had a very wise father-in-law, Jethro, who showed him that he would be better served by appointing qualified men to serve as judges for the people. (You can read more about it in Exodus 18. It is a good lesson for someone who has taken on too much responsibility.)

John 7:24
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

There is a big difference between being a judge and judging someone. A true judge is someone with position and authority. The dictionary defines judge – the noun – as: 1. a public officer authorized to hear and decide cases in a court of law; a magistrate charged with the administration of justice; 2. a person appointed to decide in any competition, contest, or matter at issue; authorized arbiter; 3. a person qualified to pass a critical judgment. So unless you have been elected or appointed to serve as a judge in some official capacity, it is not your responsibility to judge others. But we are human, and by our nature we tend to be judgmental. To judge others – the verb – means to form a judgment or opinion of; decide upon critically; to infer, think, or hold as an opinion; conclude about or assess. Most of our judgments are superficial, based on what we casually observe. Judgmental thoughts or statements should make you cringe. She’s a loser. He is a deadbeat. They are trashy people. She thinks she is better than everyone else. He’ll never amount to anything.

Romans 14:12-13
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

So how do we overcome our judgmental ways? By loving people. If judging people is the fruit of not loving people, then loving people is the way to get rid of that bad fruit. Loving people means seeing past their present circumstances of who they are now and seeing them how Christ sees them, as who they can be – saved and spirit-filled and doing the works and will of God. It is His will that none should perish. That’s what the Word says. Wisdom will tell you, “That guy is a drug dealer or is an alcoholic.” Judgment will say, “That guy is a loser and bad news and is going to Hell.” Love says, “That guy needs God in is his life. I am going to pray for him.”

John 12:46-48
I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Judgment causes us to write people off. It is an unrighteous judgment because it isn’t our place and it isn’t within our realm of authority. We have to stop writing people off. They need God and it is our job to point the way. We need to be like those guys with the signs that say $5 pizzas hot and ready, turn here. We need to be a light for those who don’t know God. We should be walking billboards that say, “Salvation – no charge, the price has already been paid. Turn here for redemption and freedom! This offer is good for eternity!” In the above scriptures from John 12, Jesus says that He didn’t come to judge world, but to save the world. If you are being judgmental then you are not being like Jesus. We will all be judged by the Word of God one day, each according to their works (Revelation 20). When you are showing people the way of salvation, then you are being Christ-like.

Luke 6:36-38
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

The principal of getting what you give, or reaping what you sow, is a sound one. If you want mercy, be merciful. If you don’t want to be judged unfairly, then don’t judge others. If you want forgiveness, you have to be forgiving. If have a need, then give and you’ll get it back -- multiplied. Remember that you were once among the unsaved. What if someone had written you off because you were a loser, or a deadbeat, or an alcoholic, or a druggie, or just a lost soul with no direction or purpose in life? Thank God that He doesn’t give up on us. He has made a way for all to come to repentance. Be glad that man isn’t your judge.

1 Corinthians 11
For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

The best judging we can do is to judge ourselves. We need to do a daily check to make sure that our hearts and mind and behavior all line up with what we believe and what we know of God’s word. Self-correction is always less painful. Don’t write yourself off, either, when you make a mistake. We have a merciful, forgiving, loving God.

If you find yourself thinking or speaking judgmentally about another person or persons, then self-correct. Stop yourself and say, “I am going to pray for that person.” Or ask yourself if there is anything you can do to help that person. Sometimes you can’t and all you can do is pray. But isn’t that better than writing them off and condemning them? For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Nobody died and made you king. Jesus died so that we might all be saved. He is the King of kings and our Lord of lords. He loves people and we should love them the way He does. Then we’ll see the good fruit grow in our lives and be a blessing, not a curse, in the lives of others.

Here Comes the Bride

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:10:00 GMT

They had a “back to school” dance last week at the elementary school where I work. I’m not sure how much actual dancing gets done, but I think it doesn’t matter. The kids just have fun being with their friends and listening to the music. We didn’t have dances in elementary school when I was a kid. The first dance I remember going to was in eighth grade. This was in the disco era, so we were doing “The Hustle” and I think another dance was called “the bus stop”. It was a lot of fun, until the DJ decided to play a slow song.

I was an awkward 14-year old then and new to the school. The slow song was my signal to go to the bathroom or hide out near the refreshment table, because I knew no one was going to ask me to dance. As the year progressed and I got to know more people, I would be occasionally asked to dance a slow dance. I was a pretty good dancer when it came to faster paced music, but I had two left feet when it came to slow dancing. My biggest problem was (and still is) that I tried to lead and I could never relax and enjoy the dance. Though I was excited to be asked, I couldn’t wait for the song to be over.

A few Sundays ago, I danced the most graceful, beautiful, and enjoyable dance. It was more like a waltz than the body-hugging sway of my junior high days. Picture Belle and the Beast from the Disney film. For once, I didn’t want it to end. For once, I wasn’t trying to lead but was allowing myself to be transported and twirled around the floor, almost like we were floating on air. I was dressed in a beautiful white lace wedding gown with a long train, which I held fan-like in one hand. My partner was dressed in a black tuxedo with tails. I couldn’t see his face, but I felt his presence – strong and commanding. I felt safe, secure and loved, which only added to the enjoyment of the dance.

I wouldn’t say that this happened all in my head, but rather in my spirit. It was during the Praise and Worship portion of our service at church. We had some soft music playing and some people were being prayed for at the altar. While this was going on, I found myself swaying to the music and quietly talking with God – trying to put away all other thoughts and cares and focus on Him. It was then that I had this vision of myself as a bride dancing with the bridegroom. It probably lasted only a few seconds, though it felt longer, and when I opened my eyes, I heard “here comes the bride.” And I felt such a peace and wonder and excitement.

Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

We need to remember that the Church is the bride of Christ. I am not talking about my church or your church, but The Church – the whole body of believers worldwide. We can break into all the little denominations we want, but God sees us all as The Church. In an earlier article (“A Better Place”, 3-18-11), I wrote about the Jewish wedding customs and how they were a pattern for the relationship between Christ and the church. The bride and bridegroom imagery is used throughout scripture. Jesus is the Bridegroom, and He is waiting for the Father to tell Him when it is time to return and claim His bride. In the meantime, He has prepared a place for us to be with Him in Heaven. As the bride, we are to be preparing ourselves and to be ready for when the day comes, because no one knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:6).

Matthew 25:10-12
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Matthew 25 tells the story of the 5 wise and the 5 foolish virgins. When the call came that the bridegroom was coming, the foolish ones didn’t have enough oil in their lamps and had to run out and buy some. They weren’t ready when He came and He didn’t wait around for them to get back from the store. He left with the wise that were ready. The question I have to ask myself, and that each of us should ask ourselves, is this: am I among the wise or the foolish? If today were the day that Jesus comes back for His bride, would I be going to the marriage supper or would I be left behind?

When you are at a wedding and hear the music to, “Here Comes the Bride”, you know that the marriage is about to take place. Many people are pointing to the signs that indicate that the time of Jesus’ return is drawing near. It could be today or still be many years off – again, no man knows the day or hour. But certainly, it is drawing closer. We shouldn’t focus so much about when, but about how we are conducting ourselves until that day comes. Are we living the life that God has called us to? Are we sharing the Good News with the unsaved?

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is the reception – especially if it is a dinner/dance event. The reception usually kicks off with an introduction of the bridal party, followed by the wedded couple’s first dance as husband and wife. Then the party begins! We shouldn’t look at the coming of Jesus as an end, but the beginning of a never-ending celebration of our life with Him. As Christians, our ultimate goal is to spend eternity with Him. So make sure you have yourself ready and keep your dancing shoes on! You never know when you will hear “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him,” and you certainly don’t want to be late for your own wedding.

We Are All One in Christ

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:26:00 GMT

I am prejudiced.

You are, too. In our oh so politically correct world, it’s not an admission most of us want to make out loud. But the fact remains that every single person, without exception, has some prejudice.

The dictionary defines prejudice as: 1) an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason; 2) any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable, and 3) unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.

The first definition could be something as simple as saying that I don’t like sushi. The first time I heard of it, I decided I didn’t like it. I have never tried sushi, so it is an opinion I have formed without any knowledge or reason. Perhaps if I tried it, I would like it, but I don’t look for that to happen anytime soon. We can make those kinds of judgments about people who are different from us, as well. We buy into the stereotypes that society has created, and the result is mistrust. Once we take the time to get to know someone, then those barriers of prejudice can be removed. A little prejudice has its place, though. If I am walking down the street alone and I see a group of young men dressed in suits and carrying briefcases coming my way, I probably will have no concerns. But what if those young men are dressed in ripped up jeans and tees and have multiple tattoos and piercings? I might hold my purse a little tighter, or duck into a store until they pass by, or even cross the street. Call me prejudiced, but I am not going to take any chances with my safety. They may be a group of great kids who just happen to dress that way or they might be thugs. Until I can tell the difference, I am going to be cautious.

The second definition tells us that prejudice can be a favorable or unfavorable opinion, so you can give prejudice a positive spin here. I am prejudiced when it comes to my daughter. I think she is one of the smartest, kindest, and prettiest young ladies you could ever meet. Most parents feel that way about their kids. If you have a favorite sports team, you are prejudiced. Same goes for a team you don’t like. When I was at West Virginia University, each Saturday we rooted for the Mountaineers and anyone who was playing Penn State or Pitt.

The third definition is the one we most often think of when we talk about being prejudiced. Let’s be honest in discussing this. It used to be that we only thought about white people being prejudiced against black people. Unfortunately, there are plenty of prejudices to go around: blacks, whites, Asians, Mexicans, women, Christians, Muslims. Despite all the work of the multicultural movement of the last twenty years, I believe that people in general are becoming less tolerable of others. In the time since the September 11 attacks, can you honestly say that you haven’t become a little more suspicious or anxious when you have encountered an Arab person? Our prejudices may be mild – perhaps you just feel a little anxious or guard your feelings in your encounters with people you see as different but you don’t say anything or treat the person poorly. Other people may be blunt in their feelings toward people they are prejudiced against, and they may act accordingly. We call those people jerks. (Was that a prejudiced statement?)

I am NOT a racist.

The dictionary defines racism as: 1) a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others; 2) hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Racism goes beyond prejudice. Prejudice can be overcome with knowledge and experience – getting to know someone or something and reducing your anxiety. For example, I use to think I didn’t like foreign doctors. Then I reluctantly took my many friends’ recommendations when I chose my daughter’s pediatrician, who was Korean, and I was pleasantly surprised. He was a wonderful doctor and helped me so much. I was sad when he retired. But racism goes beyond having a favorable or unfavorable opinion. Racism is a deep seated belief that your race is superior. Racism says that all other races are inferior and should submit to your authority – that they have no rights. Racism is about hatred and putting others “in their place”, according to its rules. Racism is not so easily overcome. Again, people most commonly associate racism as a “whites against blacks” thing. Unfortunately, history backs that up. So does the media coverage we see of white supremacy groups that actively advocate their beliefs. But racism comes in all colors. History’s most devastating example of racism was the Holocaust – the extermination of 6 million Jews at the hands of the Nazis.

Jewish refers to a race of people, as well as a religion. I can’t think of any other people that the name of their race is also the name of their religion. What happened to the Jewish people in the Holocaust was a terrible thing – the result of an evil hatred. However, it is also sadly ironic, because history shows that the Jewish people themselves were at one time racists.

Acts 10:24-28
And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”

Jews of this day did not associate with non-Jews, and they had their own laws about it. In this passage from Acts, Peter has gone to the home of a Gentile, which is any person who is not a Jew. The only people they were less tolerable of than Gentiles were Samaritans. They called Samaritans dogs. Samaritans were half-Jewish people created when the Israelites were taken into captivity and the Assyrians resettled the land with people from other nations. They intermarried with the Jews who were left in the land, resulting in a half-breed race. Their hatred of these people was so bad that they would travel hundreds of miles out of their way to avoid Samaritan villages when traveling to the Galilee area. Contact with Samaritans made them “unclean.” That’s why the woman at the well in John 4 marveled that Jesus, a Jewish man, would even speak to her, a Samaritan woman. He was breaking all the rules she had come to accept. How fortunate for her, and the other Samaritan people who came to know Jesus that day.

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Christ, there is no prejudice and there is no racism. God is not persuaded by your skin color, your socio-economic status, your sex, your political affiliation. He is persuaded by the condition of your heart. We are to separate ourselves spiritually from the things of this world, but physically we cannot be separate from the world. We could move to an area and create a Christian-only community, but then how could we fulfill the call of God? We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. In doing so, we are going to battle our own prejudices. But we cannot pick and choose who we are going to witness to based on their race or what neighborhood they live in or their age or how much money they have.

James 2:1-4, 8-9
My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? . . . If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

The book of Acts chronicles the beginnings of the Christian church. The Jewish leaders who hated Jesus also hated His disciples. They lectured and threatened and imprisoned the disciples for teaching in Jesus’ name. Through Saul’s leadership, they aggressively imprisoned and killed those who claimed to be Christians. It’s another irony that Saul would have his own personal encounter with Jesus and be transformed, becoming Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. Despite their persecution, the Christian church continued to grow and thrive, and part of that was because they opened themselves up to the Gentiles, which was God’s plan. Peter’s visit to Cornelius’ home was a significant turning point.

Acts 10:34-35
Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”

So God doesn’t care what country you live in or what color your skin is or how you voted in the last election. The only prejudice He has is against sin. He is a Holy God and no sin will be permitted into heaven. Revelation 21:27 says: “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” God loves each and every person, without exception. But He does hate their sins. Thanks to the work that Jesus did on the cross, we can be cleansed of our sin and be reconciled with God. If we accept Jesus as our savior and repent of our sins, then God will forgive us.

In God’s eyes, sin is sin. People, however, tend to assign value to sins. For example, murder is worse than stealing in society’s eyes and the punishment is more severe. Some people believe they have sinned too great to ever be forgiven, but that is not true. Perhaps we cannot get man’s forgiveness, but we can receive God’s. That means that no matter how hard it is for us to understand, God can forgive murderers, rapists, thieves, and pedophiles, if they repent. I might not think that my sin is so bad compared to these, but it will send me to Hell just as quickly. I thank God that He shows no partiality. I thank God that He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

I am also prejudiced when it comes to God. I think He is the best! Nothing else compares to Him. I have no interest in any other gods, and I never want to go back to my old life without Him. I love God’s people and I enjoy being in church to worship Him with my brothers and sisters in Christ. As for my other prejudices, I am learning to love others that are different from me through Christ. Walls are coming down and bridges are being built. That’s what it will take to overcome prejudices and racism – a sincere love for others. It’s the kind of love that God has for all us.

This Is Not Our Home

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:25:00 GMT

If you listen to Christian radio, you have no doubt heard the song “Blessings” by Laura Story. It’s a beautiful song that brings tears to my eyes each time I hear it. Earlier this year I wrote about having a pity party . . . this song helped me out of that dark time.

There is a line in the song that says: “The pain reminds this heart that this is not, this is not our home – it’s not our home.” What is not our home? Earth. That’s right, fellow Christians --you are an alien.

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Of course, I don’t mean you are an alien like you are from another planet. You aren’t E.T. I am certainly not supporting the theory that the human race was planted here by extraterrestrials. I know who my Creator is. We are born into this world and grow in this world. But at some point in our lives, we come to the realization that there is more to it . . . that there is something bigger out there and that we are not alone. We either seek it out or ignore it.

That something bigger is, of course, our God. When we come to know the true, living God, we realize that we belong with Him, and His place is not of this earth. We learn that through a relationship with Jesus Christ, we can have eternal life in a place where there is no more death, sorrow, crying or pain (Rev. 21:4). Once we have come to this knowledge, we have the challenging task of living in this world without becoming worldly. So what does that mean? The dictionary defines worldly as devoted to, directed toward, or connected with the affairs, interests, or pleasures of this world. In Romans 12, Paul cautions us not to be conformed to the world. In other words, don’t get so caught up in this place that you forget to keep you eyes on God.

James 4:4
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

In this passage, James is reminding us that you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. We have to choose – either God or the world. The opposite of being worldly is being godly. The dictionary defines godly as conforming to the laws and wishes of God. That’s why Paul said we had to transform ourselves by the renewing of our minds. Each day we make a choice of how we are going to live our lives. We have to become spiritually minded and have control over our flesh and desires. We have to become devoted to, directed toward, and connected with the affairs and interests of God and please Him.

Because we have a relationship with Jesus, someday we will return to our real and permanent home in Heaven. But in the meantime, we are here, which isn’t so bad. I have been fortunate enough to travel around our country and have seen some beautiful places. What I haven’t seen of the rest of the Earth, I have seen in photographs. God created a beautiful place when He created the Earth. He gave us everything we would need while we are here: food, shelter, energy, medicine, companionship, purpose. He wants us to thrive and be blessed. Just because we are not of this world, it doesn’t mean we are just supposed to sit down on God and wait to be taken out of here. He wants us to live our lives here to the fullest until it is time to go home.

We read in the Old Testament about how Israel and Judah – the divided kingdom – were each taken over by their enemies and the people taken into exile by their captors. The people had turned their backs on God, worshipping other gods and living like the pagans. They had become worldly. He allowed their enemies to overthrow them, but He did not forget them.

Jeremiah 29:4-7; 11-14
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;

These scriptures seem to back up the old adage: bloom where you are planted. God has placed you where you are for a reason. He has a plan and a purpose for the life you are living here on Earth. If we seek Him with all our heart, we can’t help but find Him and He will certainly bring us home.

John 15:19
If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Living here on Earth isn’t always easy, though. While there is great beauty here, there is also great ugliness and evil. Humans endure many hardships – pain, sorrow, loss, sickness, poverty, hunger, to name a few. No one, regardless of their religious beliefs or economic status, gets by unscathed by the world. These heartaches of life often drive people to search out escapes, like drugs and alcohol to cover up the pain. But God wants us to draw closer to Him in these times and seek His comfort and peace.

So let’s review. We are living in a world that we know is a temporary home until we can be with the Lord. We have to live our lives to the fullest in this world without being conformed to it. Life here isn’t going to be easy – in fact, much of it will be very hard. Because we have chosen to serve God, we have become an enemy to the world and it hates us. (How much Christian-bashing have you seen lately?) However, we have to love the world and demonstrate to it what it means to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is a daunting challenge, but it’s one that we do not do on our own, but with God’s help.

Jesus knows what we are going through because He lived it, too. He witnessed both the beauty and the evil of this world. He knew pain and loss and all the troubles of life. The world also came to hate Him, to the point that His own people whom He came to save plotted to have Him crucified. When He was questioned by Pilate about being a king, He testified to the fact that He was not of this earth. And if He is not of this earth and we abide in Him, that means we are not of this earth either.

John 18:36
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

In our world, we watch the struggle for power and position – kingdom building. You can see it on as big a scale as international interests at war for land and power, or as small as a power struggle at your local PTA. There was a popular bumper sticker in the 1980s that said, “He who dies with the most toys wins!” The worldly view is to amass as much material goods and power as we possibly can. But where does that get you? Matthew 16:26 says: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” It is even worse for those who have known the truth and then turned away from it.

2 Peter 2:20
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

The saying goes that home is where the heart is. Having money, material goods, position and success in this world are not bad things. What is bad is when we take our focus away from God and it’s all about us. What is bad is when we forget about pleasing God and try to please people. What is bad is when we put these things before the things of God.

Life is full of good and bad times. In the good times, we count our blessings and thank God for His provision. We should do the same in the bad times. A child who is ill or hurting goes to his parents for help. When we go through bad times, we should turn to our Heavenly Father for help, comfort and strength. We weren’t meant to go through this life alone. Like the “Blessings” song says, when the pains of life come along, remind yourself that this is not your home. One of my favorite phrases used in the Bible is “it came to pass.” We go through things – but at least we go through and are not stuck in place. They will come to pass. One day we will pass from this life and return to our home, and we all know that there is no place like home.

Time Bandits

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:24:00 GMT

Just because a phone rings doesn’t mean you have to answer it.

Sounds simple in theory, but it is more difficult in practice. We have become a lot like Pavlov’s dogs. Ivan Pavlov produced a conditioned reflex in his experiment with dogs. At feeding time, he would ring a bell. The dogs soon associated the ringing of the bell with dinner. In time, he could ring the bell and the dogs’ mouths would begin to water before food was present. Likewise, the telephone companies have trained us to answer the phone when it rings. Now that we have cell phones, we don’t even have to get up to answer it because they are usually in our pocket or hanging on our waist bands. (Don’t even get me started on people answering their cell phones at inappropriate times! That would be another article all on its own!)

My husband was the one who showed me that I didn’t have to jump every time the phone rang. He explained to me that’s why we have Caller ID and an answering machine. You could look to see who is calling and then decide if you want to answer it. However, this may still require getting up at the sound of the phone ringing. His preference is to let the machine do its job and answer the phone. If he hears the person leaving the message and wants or needs to talk to them, then he can pick up the call. Or you can call them back at your convenience. This approach has served us well. We can get more work done and I rarely, if ever, have to speak with a telemarketer.

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

It’s not that we don’t want to talk to people. We love keeping in touch with friends and family. All of our family live many hours away, so the phone and internet are the ways we keep in touch between visits. But it can be hard to get any work done if you are on the phone all the time. On television shows, you hear the boss say to the assistant, “Hold all my calls.” When you are working on something that requires your focus and attention, interruptions will drive you crazy and impede productivity. A friend of mine was lamenting this problem on Facebook recently. Her status said that her day had been hijacked by others. My comment to her was that those people are time bandits.

We have a lot of time bandits in our lives. In addition to the telephone, we can add the television, the internet, video games, etc. These things are not inherently bad – I love all of them. It’s the way we use them that can steal away our time. There are many times when I know that I should be reading and studying my Bible or preparing a Sunday school lesson. Yet I will sit on the couch and watch television. There are maybe half a dozen shows that I really like (Jeopardy! – please don’t call me between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m.) and make an effort to watch. But probably 80-90 percent of my television watching is just because it is on. I could be doing so much more with that time, but I allow it to be stolen away from me. With things like TiVo and DVRs, we can record the programming we want to see and watch them later. You can also find many programs on the internet. But often the television is like Pavlov’s ringing bell – if it is turned on, we are drawn to watch it.

Proverbs 24:30-34
I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.

Time bandits steal our time with God and with family. They can hinder our productivity and our ability to do the things that God has called us to do. But they only succeed because we allow it. We are not Pavlov’s dogs. We can overcome our conditioned reflexes. Really they are just bad habits that we can break. We know that if we want a closer relationship with God, we have to set aside time for reading and studying our Bible and a time for prayer. We also have to go to work every day and spend time with our family. There are a lot of demands for our time, so we have to use it wisely. It takes discipline and willpower. If we put the things of God first, then He will add to it. You may even find that when you do, you have more time in your day. After all, He made the sun stand still for Joshua. But you have to put the Lord first. Let Him plan your days, because He certainly has a plan for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Don’t allow anyone or anything to steal that away from you.

The Serenade

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:04:00 GMT

A troubadour stands below the window of his truelove. His heart aches to be in her presence . . . to see her face again. Lovingly, he begins to sing a song expressing his undying love for her. The rest of the world fades into the background as his thoughts are only of her. As the serenade continues he anxiously watches the window for any sign that she is listening. He pours his heart and soul into his song, pushing through the fear that she isn’t. His persistence pays off. As she throws open the window and smiles down upon him, his heart bursts with joy.

This was a vision I had recently during Praise and Worship service. Our Praise and Worship Team was on the platform singing. Our purpose in doing so is not to entertain, so if you come for a show, see the hostess at the door for your refund. Our role is to welcome the presence of the Lord into the service and to lead the congregation into worship. That day it felt like our songs were going out and hitting a brick wall. Ever see on TV where someone tells a joke and no one laughs? They play a sound effect of crickets chirping. That’s what it felt like.

So I began to pray and ask the Lord why the service seemed so dead. We were singing a song saying that we should get to dancing and leaping and shouting, and we might as well have been saying get to slouching and snoozing and sleeping. Then God gave me the vision of the singing troubadour. Who were we singing to -- the congregation or to God? At once I envisioned myself as the troubadour singing at the windows of heaven. My heart ached to be in His presence. I sang with praise in my heart and on my lips. The rest of the singers and the congregation faded into the background. I looked for any sign that He was listening as I poured my heart out. Finally I felt that the windows had been opened as His presence, a sweet Spirit, filled the room and my heart was joyful. I began to see the change in others as they also felt His presence.

Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

God desires our praise and worship. Praise is defined as the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship: a hymn of praise to God. Worship is reverent honor and homage paid to God. If we sing a song just to sing it or because we like how it sounds or to hear how good we sound, it doesn’t do anything but make a sound. But if we sing a song from a place in our heart that loves the Lord and wants to shower Him with our love and affection, then we are making a joyful noise and He will be moved.

2 Chronicles 20:21-22
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.” As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

When King Jehoshaphat learned that a massive army was coming against him, he sought the help of the Lord. He called the people of Judah to a fast. God answered their cries and assured them that the battle was not theirs, but His. They were to go out and position themselves, but they were not to fight. They were to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Jehoshaphat then appointed the singers who went out at the head of the army. As they began to sing and praise the Lord, He fought the battle for them. Our praise and worship moves Him.

When Paul and Silas were sitting in prison (Acts 16), they weren’t crying and wringing their hands. They were singing hymns and praises to God, and it says the other prisoners were listening. A mighty earthquake shook the prison and they were freed from their chains. It wasn’t just Paul and Silas that were freed, but everyone in the jail. How many people come into our services bound down by sin, sorrow or pain? We sing a song about this event in Acts. One verse says, “Some midnight hour, if you should find you’re in a prison in your mind. Reach out and praise, defy those chains, and they will fall in Jesus name.” Our praise and worship moves Him.

Ephesians 5:19-20
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise and Worship isn’t just an agenda item to be checked off during Sunday service. It is a time to set aside all our cares and worries and anxiety and fears and focus on God. We can’t just get up and sing four songs and say, “whew, that part is over – next”. We shouldn’t feel rushed or bored. Quit thinking about where you are going to eat lunch or checking out what everyone is wearing or worrying what someone might think of you if you got to dancing, leaping and shouting. This is our time with God, so don’t waste the opportunity. We need to be in one mind and one accord. I think that’s why sometimes I feel the presence of God more during our praise team practice than I do on Sunday mornings. But you don’t have to limit yourself to Sundays. You can sing and praise Him at home and get into His presence. Our praise and worship moves Him.

We need to be like the lovesick troubadour whose only desire is to be in the presence of his truelove. He doesn’t care if people passing by think he is a drunk or some lovesick fool. He doesn’t care how he looks to the world. He only cares that his truelove will come to the window and shine the light of her love down upon him. He clings to the hope that one day they will always be together.

Invite People to the Real Church

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:30:00 GMT

“I want to invite you to our church. You will love our Pastor – he is such a nice guy and makes you feel welcome. He is a great speaker and his sermons are never long and boring.”

“I want to invite you to our church. We have the best singers – you’ve just got to hear them. They can sing anything from traditional to contemporary.”

“I want to invite you to our church. The people are so nice and get along so well. And we have some of the best cooks you’ll find. You can’t pass up one of our church dinners – everything is so good.”

“I want to invite you to our church. We have a great youth program. There are classes for every age group. They do lots of activities with the kids and take them on field trips.”

“I want to invite you to our church. We have installed all the latest technology in the sanctuary and the Bible study classrooms. You could even watch the sermon from home and not even have to get out of bed!”

Luke 14:23
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

We are encouraged to invite people to church. After all, how will the unsaved become saved unless they hear the word of God? (Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.) We extend our invitation to friends, family and even strangers we might encounter in the course of our day. But our invitation is usually more than giving someone a place and time to show up. We feel compelled to “sell” our church. After all, there are a lot of churches around that people could choose from. We want them to know what makes our church special or different from all the others. The size and location of the church, the pastor, the teachers, the choir, the social connections, youth programs, music style and aesthetic appeal can all be factors to someone who is “church shopping.”

If our goal is simply to fill every seat in the sanctuary, then this is a great approach. All we have to do is make sure we have a great pastor, who preaches brief, non-boring sermons. We’ll need a rocking choir that will keep the people on their feet. We can paint the place inside and out and install new fixtures and amenities. We can plan lots of family friendly activities and events that will appeal to young and old alike. We’ll keep the engaged and entertained – they’ll never want to leave.

Has your church become more like a social club than a house of worship? Has it become the place to come see others and to be seen? A church is indeed what we call the building that is designated for Christian worship. But as I have quoted before, being in a church building doesn’t make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car. However, the real church isn’t the building, regardless of its architectural excellence. The real church is the body of believers united by their faith in Christ. This is the church we should be inviting others to join.

With this in mind, let’s rethink how we can invite others to our church. As good “fishers of men”, we want to cast a wide net. We shouldn’t pick or choose who we ask based on how they look or what we think about them. God says it is His will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Also, when inviting people, we shouldn’t think about what our church does or doesn’t have in terms of programs or amenities. Maybe you haven’t invited people because you think your church is lacking in some area – like not enough programs for youth or maybe you think the music is bad. Maybe the person you invite will become a youth pastor or a great singer or musician! But that won’t happen if you don’t do your part. We need to trust God to take care of these things.

In extending the invitation, think spiritual instead of material. Who cares if you just put down new carpeting or if your praise team includes a cool dude who plays drums? Are they looking for a place to relax or a place to rest their soul? Instead, invite them to a place where they can feel and be in the presence of God. Invite them to a place where they will hear the word of Truth preached, that will go out and not return void. Invite them to a place where they can find out what it means to have a personal relationship with their Creator. Invite them to a place where they can become a part of body that loves Christ and loves one another. Invite them to a place where they can learn who Jesus Christ is and what He did for them – a place where they can freely choose whether or not to accept Him as their personal savior.

Philippians 3:18-21
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Not everyone you invite is going to stay. We take it so personally when we invite people and they either don’t show up or they never come back after the first visit. Did you invite them to church or did you invite them to a relationship with Christ? If all you did was invite them to come hear the choir or a sermon in a building, then they just missed a show – no big deal. There’s another one next Sunday. But if you have shared the Gospel with them and invited them to hear the Word of God and be changed, then you have done your part. If they reject the opportunity, they have not rejected you, but have rejected Christ.

Not everyone who comes to your church should stay there. In John 6, Jesus said that no one could come to Him unless the Father draws him. We need to do our part – inviting and welcoming people – and let God do His, which is determining who will become a part of the body of Christ. Just because someone attends your church doesn’t mean they are a member of the body of Christ. If they have no intention of following Christ, then we need to let God remove them from our midst instead of fighting to hold on to them so we can keep up our precious attendance numbers. Otherwise, they might become a cancer to our church body.

If we aren’t inviting people to church for the right reasons, then we are in danger of becoming like the hypocritical Pharisees. Jesus said to them in Matthew 23, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” There is more to church than a building or rituals or traditions. To be a part of a church is to dwell in Christ. In Revelation, we read about the New Jerusalem and the new heaven and earth. Here there are no churches on every corner. There are no denominations. There is only the Body of Christ dwelling with God.

Revelation 21:22-27
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Our churches – the buildings – are special places. They are God’s house and we do want them to be clean and look nice and have nice things. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, we get ourselves in trouble when we neglect God’s house. But people do not come to worship a building. They come to worship the One, True, Living God. It’s all about intention and motivations. Do you want to just fill the house or do you want to fill it with saved souls. Do you want your church to be the hip place to be or the place that leads hearts to salvation? Promotion and marketing might bring them in, but only the Spirit of God will cause them to remain.

Practicing What You Preach

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Each day when I get dressed, I usually put on the same jewelry, even though I have several boxes that hold a variety of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. The only ring I wear is my wedding ring. I wear a pair of silver hoop earrings that my mother-in-law gave me. My watch is a $7 Walmart special. And I always wear a small gold cross on a gold chain . . . until about a week ago when the clasp broke.

I was washing my hands and when I looked in the mirror, I saw the chain dangling on my shirt. My immediate fear was that the cross might have slipped off and was lost. But as I carefully picked up the ends of the necklace, I found it was still there. The necklace has great sentimental value to me. The cross, of course, is symbolic of my faith in Jesus Christ. The necklace is also special to me because my husband bought it for me for Christmas about 10 years ago. That may not seem like a big deal to most people, but to me it meant something. It meant that he understood the change that I had made in my life and the commitment I had made to serving God. Even though he has not made the same choice (yet), he has never held me back or begrudged me any of the time or effort I have made in serving God and supporting our church.

Even though I wear the necklace every day, I am surprised by how often I am complimented on it – especially by people who see me every day. Every baby I’ve held wants to, of course, put it in his or her mouth. My kids at school will touch it and look at it and ask me about it. It has been a conversation starter with adults who have commented on it. I never realized how often I touched it while wearing it until it was gone and I found myself reaching for something that wasn’t there. It has become a part of me and I have felt kind of naked without it.

Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

One of the thoughts that ran through my mind was would people know who I am without it? Of course, I know that wearing a cross necklace doesn’t make me a Christian any more than wearing a stethoscope would make me a doctor. I guess I had felt like the necklace was a way to “advertise” Jesus and to let people know what I believe. That led to other thoughts as I wondered if my actions and behavior were where they needed to be. Matthew 7:16 says that “you will know them by their fruits.” Actions speak louder than words or anything you might wear. I wondered how many times when I was wearing that necklace that my actions and words didn’t line up with what it represented. What mixed messages had I been sending?

When our church used to have a van with the church’s name on it, we would joke about being on our best behavior while driving or riding in it. It was in jest, because we all fully understood that our behavior should be the same whether we were in the church van or in our own personal vehicles. While this is true, it would also be true to say that we took our behavior more seriously when we were in that van. We can often get more lax when we are in our comfort zone, like at home.

Recently during prayer, God spoke into my spirit that I needed to check my behavior at home. We feel comfortable with our family at home – they see us at our worst and love us warts and all. But I need to be more careful of my words and actions and be on guard. My husband is unsaved and my daughter, though she has always gone to church with me and has been baptized, is at an impressionable age. He cautioned me to make sure that I am not just giving them the love of a wife and mother, but that I am also demonstrating Godly love. I need to be more patient and understanding and less short-tempered. In other words, I need to quit sweating the small stuff and focus on what counts. This has been easier said than done, because they both do things that get on my very last nerve. But I am trying, because I do want them to see Christ in me and I do want to “practice what I preach.”

As Christians, we have a responsibility to behave in a way that brings honor to Christ. People are watching and some would love to use our failures as an excuse not to serve Him. Does that mean you have to be perfect? No, but it does mean you have to be more open. How will people know that we have a God that forgives us if we aren’t even willing to admit our mistakes?

Hopefully in the next week or so I will make it to a jewelry store and get the clasp on my necklace fixed. I look forward to wearing it again. I had always thought that wearing it said something to others. But now I think it is more of a reminder to me that I need to always be aware of who I am, who I represent and what I am to be doing. Practicing what you preach and keeping it real is essential in winning people to Christ.

A Great Pity Party

Fri, 27 May 2011 11:25:00 GMT

Life is full of ups and downs. Highs and lows. Mountaintops and valleys. It can often feel like you are on a roller coaster that never goes back to the gate. Just when you think the ride is over, it takes off again. We try to maintain our composure through these changes, presenting a strong front for others. A polite “how are you?” is often met with an equally polite “fine, thank you”. Sometimes it’s the truth – we are fine. But sometimes we aren’t.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Often we push through the pain and heartache of the day. We appreciate the blessings that each day brings and so we put our best foot forward and smile, even though we may be hurting inside. If we are lucky, we have a good friend or family member whom we can confide in and who can give us some comfort and encouragement. Even better, we have a God who knows our situation and knows our heart. He is our comforter and our shelter.

Some days, though, you feel very isolated and alone. You feel like just giving up and walking away from everything. This year has been an especially tough one for me on nearly every front, from personal to professional to spiritual. I have had to struggle with difficult situations and decisions. I have had to have difficult conversations with people that I knew could have painful outcomes. I have been hurt and betrayed by people I never thought would do so. I have felt overwhelmed, unwanted, undermined and underappreciated.

So, not long ago I had myself a little pity party, and it was GREAT! You may think that sounds awful, but I am glad I did it. Here’s how to throw yourself a great pity party. First, you have to be alone. Wait until everyone leaves the house or find an excuse to get rid of them. Put on something comfy and if you are a woman, remove all make up. (This is a practical tip, since crying will only mess it up anyway.) Then start thinking about how hard everything has been and about all the awful things that people have done to you. Complain about how unfair life has been. Oh, and eat some chocolate or another favorite food. Eat as much as you want – do not count calories at a time like this. Scream, cry and beat a few pillows if you feel like it. (I am more of a crier.) Contemplate why you were ever born if you were going to have to endure this kind of pain and hardship. Think about what it would be like to run away from home. That would show them! Then cry some more . . . let it all out.

A constructive pity party has to have a proper ending. (Otherwise, you may have to seek professional help.) When my little pity party was ending, I started to think what life would be like if I weren’t in it. While there were people I had difficulties with, they were a small minority compared to how many people there are in my life that I love and that I know love me. I realized that my blessings outweighed my challenges tremendously. When I started getting away from focusing on myself, I began to talk to God. I poured out my heart to Him, asking for His strength, comfort and wisdom. Those situations and relationships that were plaguing me needed to be put in His hands. I needed to forgive and move forward. I needed to look at my own actions and take responsibility for them.

As parents, we see our children throw temper tantrums when they don’t get what they want. They scream and stomp and throw themselves down on the ground. The proper way to handle a tantrum is to walk away and not give the child an audience. I use to tell my daughter she could cry and throw a fit all she wanted, as long as she did it in her room. Once they get it all out and realize that no one is watching, they come to themselves. Before you know it, your child is crawling up in your lap with tears in her eyes, saying she is sorry. That’s when you can tend to her real needs and give her the comfort and guidance she needs to move on. Looking back, I see how silly my pity party seemed. But God let me have my little pity party, and when I was done, I was able to come to Him and say I was sorry. I was able to turn to Him for comfort. If I had done that in the first place instead of letting everything build up, I wouldn’t have needed the pity party.

When I was mulling over this idea as a topic for this article, the Lord showed me someone in the Bible who had himself a pity party. When we think about the prophet Elijah, we think about his great miracles, like holding back the rain or raising a boy from the dead. In I Kings 18, we read the story about how he confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. He showed the people of Israel and the followers of Baal that the Lord is the only true God when the fire fell and consumed the altar and sacrifice. After this happened, all the prophets of Baal were seized and killed. It was a great and victorious day for Elijah, who was so faithfully serving God and revealing the sin and idolatry of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel.

As soon as Jezebel heard what had happened to her Baal prophets, she was furious. Maybe Elijah had hoped that this awesome display of God’s power would turn Ahab and Jezebel around. But we learn by reading 1 Kings 19 that it only infuriated her more toward Elijah, whom she already hated. She sent a messenger to tell Elijah that she was going to kill him like he had killed her prophets of Baal. You would think that Elijah, who had just seen God’s power in a dramatic and miraculous fashion, would have laughed at her threat. Instead, he turned tail and ran away, afraid for his life. How quickly he lost his victory!

I Kings 19:4
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

Elijah had had enough. He wanted to just give up and die. Jezebel was bad news. She was a mean, wicked, evil person. As long as she wanted him dead, he would never be safe. He would always have to be looking over his shoulder. He would have to live alone in the wilderness. He thought, what is the point of going on? He wanted the Lord to just take him and put him out of his misery.

1 Kings 19:5-7
Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”

After Elijah had his pity party, he was able to sleep and to eat. He wanted to die and give up, but what he really needed was to rest. The Lord allowed him to sleep and provided him with food. Like Elijah, we often let ourselves get run down and wrung out. We push ourselves trying to live up to man’s expectations. We don’t allow ourselves time to hurt and mourn and deal with our emotions. We push the feelings down and we push our bodies onward, trying to be all things to everyone and always saying we are just fine, thank you.

I Kings 19:15-16
Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

After Elijah has his food and rest, he travels to Mt. Horeb and seeks refuge in a cave. God speaks to him in a still small voice and asks him what he is doing. It says that Elijah pulls his mantle over his face as he explains to God how everyone except him has turned away from the Lord and that everyone wants to kill him. In my mind, I picture that as a childlike gesture – as if Elijah knew he had been shamelessly pouting. Then God gives him instructions on what he is to do. He is, after all, God’s prophet. He still has a work to do. And in verse 18, God assures Elijah that there are still those who are true to the Lord and that he is not alone.

Some days we do feel like Elijah. We feel beat up and deserted. In those dark moments, we need to listen for the still small voice. God is there for us, to bring us peace and comfort and to remind us that we are not alone. But He isn’t just going to just baby us and say, “There, there, it will be okay.” He is also going to remind us that we still have a work to do for Him. We may feel like we want to crawl in a cave and die, but we have to go and return to the life He has given us. We have to put our trust in the Lord each and every day. We’ll still have those good days and bad days. But if we remember that God will never leave nor forsake us, we can get through anything.

I don’t know what I would do without Him in my life – a constant companion, comforter, confidant and conqueror. How can I wallow in self pity knowing that I belong to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Now that’s something to celebrate!

Children of God

Fri, 20 May 2011 14:01:00 GMT

Jerry Lewis announced this week that, after 45 years, he is retiring as the host of the MDA Labor Day Telethon. Lewis has devoted his life to helping children who suffer from muscular dystrophy and has been the driving force behind the successful annual fundraiser. In an interview, Lewis said, “I’ll continue to serve MDA as its National Chairman – as I’ve done since the early 1950′s. I’ll never desert MDA and my kids.” His love for these kids and for this cause is evident when you watch him in action during the telethons. While age and health now limit his ability to participate actively in the event, nothing can stop the love and commitment he has for “Jerry’s Kids.”

I know how he feels. My friends often hear me talk about “my kids”. I frequently use them as an example in my Sunday school lessons, so it was only a matter of time before they would be used in an article. Now, I am the mother of one lovely, smart, kind and wonderful daughter. I thank God for her every day. She is my joy. But God has also blessed me with the opportunity to work with many children. Each weekday, my staff and I care for around 60 kids who are in kindergarten through fifth grade in an afterschool program called Third Base. It can be challenging and a little crazy sometimes, but I love it and I love them – all of them. Even the ones who act out and misbehave on a regular basis? Especially those . . . they usually need it the most.

Recently my daughter attended her middle school formal and I was there taking pictures of her and her friends. I saw several students who had been through our program when they were in grade school. I felt a sense of motherly pride seeing them all grown up and dressed up and I took pictures of them as well. I asked one of them to stop and let me take a picture of her, because she was one of my kids, too. She laughed and said she was too old for Third Base. I told her that it didn’t matter, because no matter how old she got, she would always be one of my kids. That’s how I feel about these children. I will always care about them, pray for them and cheer for them.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As much as Jerry Lewis loves his kids and as much as I love mine, it pales in comparison to the love that God has for his children. 1 John 3:1 says, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” Once we belong to Him, we are His forever. The only way we can lose that relationship with Him is if we freely give it up. Even then, He doesn’t stop loving us. We can reject Him, though He will never reject us.

John 6:37-39
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

God never stops loving us. Psalm 136 tells us that His love endures forever. However, that enduring love doesn’t give us a license to do as we please. As the director of our afterschool program, there have been times when I have had to suspend students and even expel some from the program. I am sure there are some who don’t have any love for me, regardless of how I feel about them. (I still love them.) However, their behavior made it impossible for them to remain in the program with the other students. It’s the same with God. He will always love every person, but He can’t allow sin to enter into heaven. He is a Holy God and only those who are holy can enter in. That means we better have our sins washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and be walking daily with Him.

John 10:27-28
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

It is comforting to know that I am secure in the love of Christ. No matter what the world or the Enemy tries to throw at me, I am safe as long as I remain in Him. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus cautions us, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” God’s love is always there for the taking. We are the ones who can be fickle. God wants us to love Him with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. It sounds cliché, but “love will keep us together.”

At this year’s MDA Telethon, Jerry Lewis will make a guest appearance to sing the song he sings every year – “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” When we have Christ in our lives, we will never walk alone. We will always have someone who loves us unconditionally. We’ll have someone who always wants the best for us and will always encourage us. He is our loving Father and our forever friend. I am glad to be one of “God’s Kids.”

Sheep Say What?

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:35:00 GMT

Anyone coming into our revival services last week might have thought we had gone a little crazy. Most people in traditional churches think that we Pentecostals are a little out there anyway. We raise our hands and may shout out a word of praise as the pastor is teaching and preaching. But instead of hearing an “amen” or a “hallelujah” last week, they heard everyone say, “Baa, Baa.”

John 10:4-5
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

It all started when our guest preacher, Brother James Humphrey, opened revival services with a lesson on the revelation of Psalm 23. The first thing he said about it was that it was not a funeral message. I was very excited when I heard this. Just a few months back in the March 18th blog when I was writing about my grandmother’s funeral, I had made a similar statement. I wrote, “He started out reading from her obituary and then gave some of the expected scriptures, like the 23rd Psalm. (I still don’t understand the use of it at funerals, but maybe I’ll get into that in another article!)” I remember studying this psalm in Sunday school a few years back, and our teacher also believed it wasn’t a funeral message. Instead, it is a picture of the true man of God. When the Lord is our shepherd, we don’t want for everything. He saves us, tends to our needs, guides us and protects us. It speaks life, not death.

John 10:27-28
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

If Jesus is our shepherd, then that makes us His sheep. And sheep say what? Baa! Baa! The sheep listen for the voice of their shepherd and follow his commands. The sheep know that when danger comes, be it a thief or a wolf, the shepherd will protect them. The sheep know that if for some reason one of them gets separated and lost, the shepherd will leave the flock and come look for him. The sheep know that if they follow their shepherd’s voice, he will not lead them astray. The sheep know they shall never want for anything as long as they follow the shepherd. The sheep put all their trust in their shepherd, knowing that he would give his life for them.

John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Are you one of his sheep? You say you know Him, but does He know you? Before He can be your shepherd, He has to be your Lord. The definition of a lord is: one who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler. So is He really Lord over your life? In Luke 6:46, Jesus says, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” A lot of people go around saying that they are Christians and that they believe in Jesus, but their life and their actions do not reflect it. If He really is the Lord of your life, then you will live according to His Word. But most people want to have their cake and eat it, too. They think they can do whatever they want and go to church on Sunday and everything will be fine. But it doesn’t work that way.

Other people may say they don’t want to blend in the crowd and be just another sheep. They see conformity to Christian life as a barrier to showing their individuality, but they’ve got it wrong. We have great freedom in Christ. God gave each of us multiple gifts and calling. He made each of us special and unique. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, a marvelous work (Psalm 139). He wants our light to shine for others. But we can’t shine when we are burdened down with sin, and guilt and shame. It was for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1). He wants you to be free to use your gifts and talents . . . but for His glory, not your own.

Saying “Baa!” may have seemed silly to some at the time, but I think most everyone caught the real message. The old saying is that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck. If we are sheep, then we should walk and talk like we are His sheep. If people do not recognize us as sheep of the Good Shepherd, then there must be something wrong with our walk and our talk. It’s time to get your “Baa!” on. When the enemy is giving you a hard time, just say “Baa!” When trouble comes your way, just say “Baa!” When God checks to see if you are listening to Him, just say, “Baa!” And don’t be sheepish about it. (Sorry, that was a BAAd pun.) I am glad to know that the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want. BAA!

Anyone who wants to hear Brother Humphrey's teachings from revival can go to the Audio/Visual section of our web site. Some of the other topics he covered during the week were signs of the end times and the difference between praise and worship. Just a word of warning: he’s not normal. But that’s a good thing!

Like a Mother

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:53:00 GMT

I had the most wonderful mother, and easily, I could devote a whole page telling you about her. She was loving, helpful, hard working, self-sacrificing, encouraging, and gave the best hugs. She died from colon cancer at the young age of 51, and I miss her every day. It boggles my mind that it has been almost 20 years. She never got to meet my husband, my daughter and her other grandchildren. I have longed for the times when we would sit close together and talk. I have needed and missed her advice, comfort and reassurance. Still, she is very much with me every day. There are things that I find funny or interesting that I know we would have laughed and talked about, and I think about her. I find myself getting on to my daughter about something and I hear my mother’s words coming out of my mouth. I go through situations and challenges, and I realize they are ones that she faced, too -- and I hurt for her, knowing now what I didn’t know then.

Romans 16:13
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

In the years since my mother has been gone, I have been blessed with women in my life who have been like a mother to me. “Like a mother” is not a designation to be taken lightly. Even the greeting card companies realize its importance, making cards under this title. While no one can ever take the place of my mother, these women have filled in the gap, sharing their love and wisdom with me. Words can’t adequately express what that has meant to me. They are my grandmothers and aunts; friends and mothers of friends; sisters and sisters-in-law.

My mother-in-law, Clare, has also been an important woman to me. The first time my husband took me to his parents’ home it was Christmas time. This was before we were married and they had only met me a few months before. On the way, I started feeling bad and by the time we got to their home in Pennsylvania I was really sick with a cold. I knew his mom was looking forward to having her kids home for Christmas, and I thought, “She’s going to be thrilled to have a sick girlfriend messing things up.” Of course, she was wonderful. She took great care of me, making sure I had medicine, soup, and a warm blanket. By Christmas day, I was feeling much better. It was also the first Christmas I had been away from my family, so I felt a little homesick, too. She made me feel special and loved.

When our daughter was born (almost 14 years ago now), Clare came and stayed with us for a week. I had a Caesarean, so I was especially appreciative for the help, because I wasn’t moving around too well those first days. I was really missing my own mother, and it helped so much that she was there. Her presence was reassuring to us as new, inexperienced parents. I enjoyed watching her bond with our baby girl – and they have been tight ever since. Many times over the years, she has listened, advised, comforted and encouraged me. She is a wonderful mother, mother-in-law and grandmother.

John 19:26-27
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

In these verses from John 19, we see the example of “like a mother.” While Jesus was on the cross, His mother and John were standing near. Even through His own pain, He was concerned for His mother. And though Mary had other children, Jesus asked John to take care of her as if she were his own mother, and likewise, He asked Mary to be like a mother to John. Most of the women who have filled that “like a mother” role in my life have been mothers. Even though they had their own children to care for, they still had enough motherly love to share with someone who needed it. But not all were mothers. Just because you don’t have children of your own doesn’t mean you don’t have a motherly love to share with others. It’s something you either have or you don’t. After all, there are women who give birth to children, yet have no motherly instinct or love. The ability to give birth is not what makes you a real mother.

Leviticus 19:3
Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

You would think we wouldn’t have to have God or anyone tell us that we should revere and honor our parents. But let’s face it – we are imperfect humans. God even has to tell us that we have to love Him, so we must need to hear it. God knew what He was doing when He created mothers. He gave us someone whose love is the closest thing on earth to His love for us. This Sunday is Mother’s Day. Honor your mother, but also take a minute to thank the other women in your life who have been like a mother to you. If you are a mother, thank God for your children, as well as the other people God has sent your way to mother. I miss my mother and will be thinking of her, but I especially want to thank all those women who have been like a mother to me.

Real Faith Is Work

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:34:00 GMT

“Faith and Works” are a topic that can, at times, be confusing to people and maybe even seem to be contradictory. Most people have an opinion about it, while others find themselves going around in a circle trying to make sense out of it.

It’s no wonder, because our culture today considers work in a different way than we do spiritually. When you talk about successful people, you hear stories about how they worked their way to the top and how they have paid their dues. Their individual effort and commitment got them where they are today. We tell our children they can be anything they want to be if they work hard enough. Most people understand that unless you win the lottery or are born into wealth, you will have to work to earn your living. Within the blue collar industries, we especially see the sweat and energy that is poured into making a living. The reward for hard work is promotion and pay, and hopefully a retirement account. There is no free lunch – everything you have, you work to get it.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The idea of working hard to get what you want is deeply ingrained in our culture. Because of that, many unsaved people may walk around thinking that they surely will go to heaven. They think, “I am a good person. I pay my taxes, am a law-abiding, productive citizen and I help others.” There was a time in my life, before I knew Christ, that I thought I was okay because I was a “good” person (well, most of the time anyway). But then we are presented with the gospel and we are told that our works will not save us. No matter how many good deeds we do or how many years we spend doing them or how hard we try, our works will not make the way for us to enter eternal life with Christ. We are saved by our faith in Christ only. We must repent of our sins and accept Him as our Savior. His blood must be applied to our lives to cleanse our sins. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So you cannot earn your way into heaven. It is a gift from God bestowed on those who have faith.

James 2:26
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This is where it can get confusing. My works will not save me, but without them, my faith is dead; and it is my faith that saves me, so if my faith is dead then how can I be saved? See where your thinking can start going into a circle, much like the dog chasing his tail? Works do play an important role in your Christian life, but you can’t put the cart before the horse. Your works follow your faith.

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 7:16 says, “You will know them by their fruits.” That means you should be able to recognize a Christian based on their actions. A person cannot say they accept Christ and then continue in their same old ways. A conversion results in change. There should be evidence of a change – in behavior and attitude. If there isn’t, then perhaps they really haven’t made a true conversion or commitment to Christ and need to reevaluate. He said that if we loved Him, we would keep His commandments. We are to love God and to love others. That means showing our love through our actions. Think about it this way. You can’t just tell your spouse that you love him or her. You also have to show him or her – through affection, through doing helpful things, showing kindness, spending time together, fidelity to the relationship, etc.

In James 2, the author gives us another example. In verses 15-16: If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? In other words, you go around saying you’re a Christian, but when presented with someone who has a need, do you just say, “Well God bless you, I’ll be praying for you”? Or do you try to really help that person? Now, I know that you can’t help everybody with everything, but there are lots of times when we could and we don’t. James goes on to say in chapter 4 that if we know to do good, but we don’t do it, it is a sin.

Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Our works that we do once we have been saved are important and do matter. We will be rewarded accordingly. When we do the work of and for the Lord, we are storing up our treasures in heaven. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul tells that “each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” In Isaiah 3:10-11, we read, “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them!” John cautions us in 2 John 8-9: “Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.”

Revelation 22:12
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

Faith without some demonstrative action is not really faith. If you say you trust someone, but refuse to lean on them, do you really have faith in them? If you say you love someone, but never give that person affection or a kind word, is it really love? Real faith trusts. Real faith reaches out to others. Real faith doesn’t sit in a corner and wait to die. It lives and breathes and grows through our everyday lives and actions. Real faith is work. And if you can’t see it, then maybe you never had it to begin with. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Philippians 1:6 says: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ . . . .” So, maybe we need to quit trying to be a “good” person, and instead focus on being a Godly one. Then only good can follow.

A Safe Exodus

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:56:00 GMT

Tall chocolate bunnies wrapped in colorful foil – the bigger the better. Little chocolate eggs, likewise wrapped. Jelly beans were okay, but were usually eaten last when all the good stuff was gone. Robin eggs, with the chocolate hidden beneath a pastel layer of sugar. These were standard items in our Easter baskets each year, along with some small toy that we had longed for. It was all about the chocolate for me. Easter was the last “candy” holiday until Trick or Treat rolled around again. That’s a long time for a kid.

Easter was a lot of fun growing up. Typically we would spend it with my mom’s family. The five cousins (me, my brother Tom and my sister Jennifer, my cousins Brian and Melissa) would have thrilling egg hunts. The plastic eggs were filled with change, and the person who got the most money “won”. We would have so much fun that we would have the grown ups hide the empty eggs and let us do it all over again. The day also included a delicious dinner with ham and mashed potatoes and all the fixings. Later that evening, we might hide the eggs again in the house and hunt tirelessly for them.

I can remember a few times when I was very small that we went to church on Easter Sunday. My daughter and I were recently looking at some old family photos and there were some from Easter. My brother and I were all dressed up -- me with a little hat and him with his bow tie. There was a classic photo of our Aunt Glenda with a beehive hairdo. (It was the late 1960s.) I remember us all being together, but I don’t remember much about the church service.

Easter is a lot like Christmas, in that it is a religious holiday that has been hijacked by worldly traditions that have tended to overshadow its significance. How much time do we spend during Christmas telling people to remember the Reason for the Season? Shouldn’t we do the same for Easter? I am not saying get rid of your Christmas tree or Easter baskets. Let’s just put them in their proper place. Honestly, even as an adult, I never understood the significance of Easter until I accepted Christ. It wasn’t until I understood the sacrifice He made. I had always heard that Easter was about when Jesus died on the cross, but that is only part of the story. Easter is about the Resurrection – His victory over death, which is our victory when we accept Him in our lives. Easter is about everything it means to be a Christian.

Exodus 12:12-13
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Christ’s crucifixion occurred during the Passover feast in Jerusalem. This feast celebrated the first Passover, which made the way for the children of Israel to make their exodus from Egypt, set free from their slavery under Pharaoh. With the blood of a lamb applied to the door frames of their homes, they were safe from the final plague on the firstborn. The blood from the lamb shielded them from the judgment, which left Egypt overwhelmed with grief. (. . . there was a loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. Ex. 12:30b).

John 1:29
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

It was no coincidence that Jesus’ crucifixion came during Passover week. He is the Lamb of God, and when His blood is applied to our lives, we too are shielded from judgment. When we accept Christ as our Savior, He saves us – that’s what a savior does. We can make a safe exodus from our sinful life, where we were slaves to sin, to eternal life with Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

So while you are enjoying your chocolate bunny and watching kids hunt for colored eggs, remember the reason for the season. Remember that Christ sacrificed His life for you and shed His blood to cleanse your sin and to save you. Remember that though He died and was buried in a tomb, on the third day He rose in victory over death. He did it once, and for all. He is alive today, sitting at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the day when He will return. He is coming back and only those who have His blood applied to their lives will be saved. Have you accepted Christ as your Savior? Are you covered by His blood? Will you make it in this final exodus? That’s what Easter is about – it’s about remembering what He did for us and checking ourselves to make sure we are ready. Though we celebrate it once a year, it’s something we should do every day.

A Good Testimony

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:12:00 GMT

This is a challenge for all believers in Christ: Why do you believe in Him? How did you come to know Him as your Lord and Savior? Why should others believe?

In other words, are you ready to testify?

Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In a courtroom, a witness is called to the stand to testify. The witness shares with the court what he saw and heard. Credible eyewitness testimony is among the strongest evidence that can be presented and will likely be the deciding factor, unless the opposing side can find a way to discredit the witness or undermine his testimony.

As Christians, we are to be witnesses for Christ. We are to tell people who Jesus is and about the saving work of the Cross. We can be even more effective when we share with others what Jesus has done in our lives. Do you remember what lead you to Christ? For some it was a traumatic experience that shook them. The Apostle Paul had such an experience on the road to Damascus, when Jesus appeared to him. For others, it may have been seeing the joy and faith of another Christian and wanting what they have that lead us to Christ. Each of us has a story – a testimony that we can share with others about Christ and what He has done for us.

Acts 5:32
And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The Holy Spirit is also a witness that Jesus is Christ. That means that anyone who reads or hears the Word of God, but who doesn’t have another person around to testify about Him, can still be reached through the witness of the Holy Spirit. Many of us are content to let it happen that way. We think that if we live Godly lives and set a good example, we can just let the Holy Spirit do the rest of the work. But in this scripture from Acts, Peter says that we are His witnesses and so also is the Holy Spirit. We are also required to give our testimony. Isaiah 43:10 says, “You are My witnesses,” says the LORD. John 15:26-27 says: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

For some reason, testifying to others about Christ is a scary proposition for most believers. What are we afraid of? Mostly we fear rejection. But we have to remember that Christ said that when others reject the truth we tell them, they are really rejecting Him and the one who sent Him. We may be afraid that we won’t say the right thing. Jesus assures us that we need not worry about what to say. When the time comes, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say. Others may challenge us and try to discredit our testimony. That’s all the more reason to know what you believe and how you came to believe it. Jesus makes in very clear in Matthew 10 that we should not fear men, but fear God instead. If we deny Christ before men, then He will deny knowing us before the Father. Which is worse: to undergo some awkward moments and personal embarrassment or to lose your salvation because of pride and fear? We shouldn’t be ashamed to tell others about Christ.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

No witness comes to the courtroom unprepared. The attorneys meet with that person and go over his testimony. They talk about questions that may come up in the cross examination. They rehearse what they are going to say and how they are going to say it. We can do the same with our testimony for Christ. First, we must have the Word of God inside us. Reading, studying and listening to the Word are so important. Peter says that we are to sanctify the Lord in our hearts. Our hearts must be reserved for Him alone. He tells us to be ready to give a defense for why we believe. Think about what you would say if asked why you believe. Don’t just wait to be asked. Be prepared to speak up when you have an opportunity to testify to someone. You could keep a diary or list of things that God has done for you and prayers that have been answered. Perhaps it even would be helpful to write down your testimony and then read it aloud to yourself. When you read Paul’s testimonies before councils and kings in Acts, the wording is very similar. Paul had a story to tell and he told it consistently and passionately. If you find you are at a loss for words, pray and the Holy Spirit will help you and give you what you need to speak.

Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Your testimony is extremely powerful. That is why the Enemy spends so much time either trying to scare you out of sharing it or trying to discredit your character. We all have people in our lives who “knew us when.” They know our sins and secrets of the past and may not accept our testimony . . . but some may. This verse from Revelation is the secret to overcoming Satan. The blood of the Lamb – the blood Christ shed for our sins on the cross – is more powerful. There is nothing Satan can do about it – he cannot undo the work that Jesus has done. Once we are covered by that blood we are saved. The word of our testimony brings others to the knowledge of Christ, so that they, too, may be saved. And when we do not love our lives more – when we are not afraid to speak and live our testimony, we are effective witnesses for Christ.

Psalm 66:16
Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.

As Christians, we have an obligation to share Christ with others. We cannot just keep Him to ourselves – His light cannot be hidden. Jesus told his apostles, “Freely you have received, freely give.” It is His will that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If we truly have the love of God in our lives, then we must love others. And if we love others, we want to see them saved. When a witness is in the courtroom, he takes the stand to give his testimony. When you testify for Christ, you are also taking a stand for what you believe. You have to step out of your comfort zone and start telling others what God has done for you. Your testimony can change a life by saving it.

****

I read a very powerful testimony last week when our power was off. Our house may not have had any electricity, but I sure felt the power of God when I was reading it. The book is called “Heaven Is for Real,” by Todd Burpo, with Lynn Vincent. Todd’s son was four years old when he suffered a burst appendix. He shouldn’t have survived, but he did. And in the months and years following this, Colton talked about his visit to Heaven. He was able to tell his parents where they were and what they were doing when he was in surgery, because he said he had been sitting in Jesus’ lap watching them. He tells of the people he met and describes Heaven. He describes things that, while scriptural in detail, are things a four-year old could not know. I could go on and on and tell you all about it, but it would better to read it for yourself. It really stirred up my faith. That’s what a good testimony should do – stir up faith.

Fooled

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:23:00 GMT

Most of the movies I have seen at the theater over the last 10 years or so have been mostly animated features with “G” ratings. They were not my first choice for a night out at the movies, but you go with your child because she wants to see it. Some were quite good – like the “Toy Story” series. Others, like “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl”, were terrible (as in bad script and bad acting). So when the opportunity presented itself for my husband and me to take in a movie while our daughter was away for the night, I was excited.

The last movie we had seen together at the theater was, I think, the new version of “Star Trek.” We like the sci-fi genre, though he probably likes it more. We always try to find a movie we’ll both enjoy – I don’t make him sit through chick flicks and he doesn’t put me through gory and scary ones. When I looked through the movie listing, I found a movie called “Paul.” I had seen the trailers on television and it looked like a sci-fi comedy, which appealed to both of us. I checked out the web site for the movie and checked the ratings. It advised that it had some bad language, which I would expect from any movie involving the actor Seth Rogen. Though I am not thrilled with profanity, I can put up with a few words now and then if the movie is good.

Here’s the storyline: Paul is an alien who came to earth more than 60 years ago when his spacecraft crashes on a farm. When he crashes, he kills the family dog, whose name was Paul and he adopts the name. A young girl (home alone at night for whatever reason) takes care of him until the Men in Black arrive to take him to a secure government location. Fast forward to present day, and two chums from England are vacationing in the states. They are self-proclaimed geeks who take in Comic-Con and rent an RV to visit all the touristy UFO sites in New Mexico. One evening as they are driving along, a car speeds pass them and crashes. The driver turns out to be Paul, the alien, and he is not the cute Spielberg E.T. Paul smokes and curses and has a smart-aleck attitude. After their initial shock passes, the two men agree to help Paul, who is running away from the government to meet up with a rescue ship from his home planet. Seems the government has learned everything they can from him and now they want to cut out his brain and study it. Hilarity ensues as they dodge the Men in Black and make their way to the rendezvous site.

Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

If that’s all there were to it, I would have loved the movie. But they just couldn’t leave it at that. Apparently the writers, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, who also star as the traveling friends, have issues – religious issues. Looking for a place to rest for the night and not be spotted, they find an RV park where they can blend in. The park is run by a religious fanatic and his daughter, Ruth, who is blind in one eye. One of the men is smitten when he meets Ruth, and she seems to like him, as well. That evening she notices that there are three voices and three sets of legs around the campfire, but doesn’t get to see the third person. The next morning she stops by to collect the rent. Paul hides in the bathroom, but comes bursting out after a debate on Creationism. He turns Ruth’s world upside down, basically saying that he is proof that God doesn’t exist.

Ruth faints and the gang decides to take her with them because she has seen Paul. When she awakes, she is again frightened by Paul’s appearance and calls him a demon. Paul’s response is something like, “These people, what can you do with them?” referring to Christians. His eyes roll when he says it and he and the men have a laugh. That hurt. What was really hard, though, was the laughter the line evoked from the audience. I looked around and suddenly felt like a lone minority. Paul finally gets tired of listening to Ruth and lays his alien hands on her forehead and she receives all of his knowledge and experience of the universe. She comes out of it with her faith in God gone. She is almost giddy as she says that now she can curse and drink and fornicate all she wants because it isn’t a sin if there is no God. For the rest of the movie, every other word that comes out her mouth is a curse word. There were some words and expressions she used that I hadn’t heard before.

About that time my husband leaned over and said, “I can’t believe you picked this movie.” I told him I couldn’t either. None of the trailers I watched and nothing I read even hinted at this being a theme in the movie. I thought about getting up and leaving, and probably should have. But I kept thinking that down the road something would happen and Ruth would have her faith renewed and Paul would also be changed. And my husband and I rarely get the chance to go out. So I decided to stick it out and see what happened. Unfortunately it didn’t get any better, though the latter part of the movie got away from Christian bashing and back to the story of Paul’s escape.

I did find it interesting that even though the writers were definitely pushing Darwinism over Creationism, the story carried some very Christian like themes and influences. First of all, the names Paul and Ruth are from the Bible. Paul apparently has the ability to heal and raise the dead. He heals a dead bird – and then promptly eats it. (“I’m not going to eat a dead bird,” he quips.) When asked if he can do it for people, he says yes, but it is dangerous for him to do. (Hello, foreshadowing – you know it’s coming.) On the trip, he lays hands on Ruth’s eye, which is just a mass of white, and restores it. At the end of the movie, Ruth’s religious fanatic father shoots the man she likes in the chest. The wound is fatal. Despite the danger, Paul feels he has to try to bring back the man who has protected him and helped him. He lays hands on the man and slowly the chest wound heals and he begins to breathe again. At the same time, Paul begins to fade and weaken, apparently giving his life to help his friend. After a few moments, though, Paul comes back to life and after a few rounds with the bad guys, he is back with his people on a starship home. Another thing I noticed was that whenever the action became intense, the characters cried out, “Oh God!” Like I said, I think the writers have issues, and I will be praying for them.

Proverbs 29:11
Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.

I was not happy when I left the movie. I felt like I needed to do something or say something, but I wasn’t really sure what. I chastised myself for not walking out when the thought first occurred to me. Later I thought about how Jesus had cleared the temple of the merchants and money changers (John 2). His was a righteous anger, and He had the authority to do what He did. I was angry and indignant at the portrayal of Christians as ignorant, backward and gullible. I was angry that God had been dismissed as an urban myth. I was angry that a theater full of people found this funny. I was angry that I didn’t say or do anything. I didn’t stand up and interrupt the movie or make a whip and run people out of there – that would have only gotten me arrested and labeled a crazy religious fanatic (not that I mind really, lol).

James 1:19-20
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

What I can do is tell people about it. I can remind myself and everyone else that we must always guard our minds and our hearts. The old saying is “garbage in, garbage out.” You are affected by what you read, watch and listen to. I thought I had done the due diligence in checking out the movie and knowing what I would be watching, but I was surprised. I wonder how many other unsuspecting Christians paid $9 to watch their faith be bashed and undermined. I wonder how they reacted.

God always manages to turn all things around for good, though. The one good thing that came from seeing the movie is that on the way home, it opened the door for a conversation with my husband about God and salvation. Seeds were planted. That made sitting through the movie worth it. However, I don’t recommend anyone else see this movie. In fact, I hope that anyone who reads this will warn others not to give this movie any of their time or money.

Now more than ever, we need to stand up for what we believe and for the One we believe in. Christianity is under attack on many fronts. The world is trying to limit our ability to worship, pushing the limits of our freedom of speech and freedom of religion. If that isn’t successful, it tries to demean us and make us look like fools. But the real fools are the ones who say there is no God. In the end, they will have to stand before Him, as will we all. Jesus said that if we deny Him before men, He would deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). “Paul” is just a fictional character in a movie. But the men who wrote this and the people who acted it out will be held accountable for their words and their portrayal. Even worse are those who watch and condone it. We need to be aware of what we let into our lives and what we condone, because we will have to answer for it.

I was fooled by the humorous ads about this movie, but I was not fooled by the movie’s message. My faith was not shaken, but only reinforced. If anything, the anger I felt has fueled my passion for sharing the Word of God.

Just Do It

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:54:00 GMT

This week marks the one year anniversary of this blog. It’s hard to believe that I have been writing it for a year. I really appreciate everyone who reads it, and I thank you for your comments and feedback. Most of all, I want to thank God for giving me a gift that I can use to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to glorify Him.

When I started writing articles for the blog, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know if anyone would even read it. I wondered what I would write about each week. Many times I wanted to back off and write it only once a month. Sometimes I wanted to just quit altogether.

Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

But like any good parent, my Heavenly Father encourages me. He sends me the idea for an article, whether it is inspired by a scripture, an observation of daily life, or a personal experience that I can share. He gave me a cheerleader in my friend, Ella, who proofreads for me each week. The times when I have felt the lowest, I have received either a comment or a personal email from someone who had really been affected by an article. Apparently, some people even look forward to reading it each week. Who knew? God, of course.

When I get those “I want to quit” moments, I remind myself that it is not about me. It’s about Him. This experience is nothing new. I go through the same struggles with preparing for my Sunday School class. Some weeks the lessons come so easily and freely, and other times it is a struggle. I would imagine that other teachers, leaders, preachers, pastors, singers, musicians, etc., go through the same thing. Even in our daily Christian walk, we can feel this way. Serving God can be hard at times, and our human nature is to just give up. Our pastor touched on this last week in his sermon and he used a boxing analogy to explain it. We are in a fight – a spiritual battle. The fighter cannot throw in the towel. The coach knows what the fighter has in him -- what he can take, and also what he can give. Only the coach is allowed to throw in the towel. So I guess I will keep writing until God tells me it is time to quit. That might be next week or it might be next year.

Matthew 21:21
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

“Just do it” is one of the best corporate slogans around. I was hesitant to start this blog last year. I had no idea what I was going to write about, but God said “just do it” and that He would provide the way. Each of us has a work to do for God, but most people are holding back. You can tell this because if everyone were doing what they were supposed to be doing, our churches would be full. We would be seeing more of our family and friends being saved. We would see a change in our community. (Ooch, Ouch, as Pastor says.) The truth does hurt.

I am not saying that I have it all figured out. I am preaching to myself, believe me. I still have other work that I have to do, too, and I have held back. It is hard. There are only so many hours in a day. We question ourselves and think things to death, when really all we need to do is trust God and just do what He has called us to do. We need to be like the disciple, Peter, and get out of the boat. People say you’ll either sink or swim. But there’s a third option – by faith, you might just walk on the water, move mountains and accomplish the will of God.

A Better Place

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:56:00 GMT

When you get that phone call in the middle of the day in the middle of the week from a relative you don’t typically hear from at that hour, you know that it’s bad news. I received that call last week from my aunt. She was calling to let me know that my grandmother, who has been in the nursing home for most of the last year, had passed away at the age of 93.

If you would have asked me a few years ago, I would have said I believed she would live to be a hundred – and she was close. In fact, I often said she would probably outlive all of us. For the most part, she was very healthy. But then the dementia began to set in and advance quickly. We were used to her telling us the same old stories each time we visited, but I actually enjoyed them. They were stories about her growing up with 9 siblings, about dating and marrying my grandfather, and about my mom and aunts when they were little. Then we began to notice that the details of some stories were getting mixed up with ones from other stories. Trying to correct her only made things worse, as she became agitated and confused. Finally, she had a shortened version of her stories that she told you. If you left the room and came back, you heard them again. And again. And again. It was painful to witness and difficult to live with. I don’t know how my aunts did it, but when it is your mother, you do all that you know to do.

The weekend before she passed, my daughter and I traveled to Kentucky to visit her. It was the first time I had seen her since she had moved to a nursing home. She had been ill and in the hospital for several weeks, but had been back in the home for about a month. She was sleeping soundly and we couldn’t wake her up no matter how hard we tried. So I prayed with her and we gave her hugs and kisses. I am so grateful we had that time to tell her we loved her and to say goodbye. We had no idea that just a few days later she would be gone.

The funeral arrangements were made by my aunt and uncle, working with a funeral home that has served our family over the years. The funeral director found a minister to preside over the service since neither they nor my grandmother had a home church. Even though she didn’t have a church, my grandmother was a Christian. She prayed every day for her family, which I am thankful for considering some of the stupid things I’ve done over the years. When I was talking with one of her old friends at the service, one of the things he remembered most was about her going to church and how faithful she was. I don’t know why she ever stopped going to church, but I am glad she never stopped serving God. His comment really touched my heart. I thought, what a great way to be remembered – as someone who loved God and was faithful in serving Him.

I am not sure if I ever got the name of the minister, or if in the blur of the moment I forgot it. Funerals tend to be a little surreal for me – trying to hold it all together and make sure you honor the person and the moment. He started out reading from her obituary and then gave some of the expected scriptures, like the 23rd Psalm. (I still don’t understand the use of it at funerals, but maybe I’ll get into that in another article!) I was afraid that we were in for a “cookie cutter” funeral service, and I really wanted and I knew that my grandmother would really want a word from God for her family.

John 14:2-3
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

When the minister quoted these words from John 14, he began to talk about the loss of his mother, who was about my granny’s age. He talked about the comfort of those words. Then he started giving the meaning behind this scripture, which lies in the wedding customs of the Jews in that day. This was something that I had also studied and had taught in our adult Sunday school class. I began to smile and cry at the same time, which is sort of like when it rains and the sun is shining. I knew what he was going to say and I knew it was the Word I was hoping for. I wanted to run up and hug him.

In a nutshell, these are the wedding customs. The groom’s father would select a bride for his son. He would negotiate the wedding contract with the bride’s father and would pay a bridal price (or gift) to her family. Then the couple would have a ceremony in which they became betrothed or engaged. They would exchange vows and gifts, and were basically considered married. However, the marriage was not consummated. In fact, they would live apart for the next year. During that year they bride and groom would prepare for their marriage. She would sew the wedding garments. He would return to his father’s house and begin building on rooms to prepare a home for his new bride. According to the Rabbis, the place he took her to must be better than the place she was coming from.

Matthew 24:36
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Though the bride and groom knew that in approximately a year they would be married, neither knew the exact date. The only one who knew was the father of the groom. That meant that the bride had to always be ready. She had to keep on living her day to day life, knowing that at any moment she could have to be ready to go with her husband. Once the father told his son it was time, he would leave to go to his bride’s home. One of the groomsmen would go in advance announcing that the bridegroom was coming. Then the shofar (like a trumpet) would be blown and the entire wedding party would go through the streets to the bride’s house. This was often at night, so they carried torches. The wedding ceremony was then performed and the wedding supper was held. This celebration would last seven days. Then the bride would return home with her groom.

With the year 2012 approaching, a lot of doomsday talk has been bantered around. That’s the last year of the Mayan calendar and some see that as a sign. It was just 11 years ago that the world was going to come to an end because of Y2K, remember? The truth is that no one but God knows when this world will come to an end. In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us the signs to watch for, but even those are just signs of the beginning of the end. And Jesus tells us that even He doesn’t know when that day will be. Jesus is the bridegroom and we, the church, are His bride. He has gone to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house, and it will be a better place than where we are now. Since we don’t know the exact date that He is coming back for us, we have to be ready at all times. That means that we have to have our hearts and our lives right with Him every day. One day, the Father will tell the Son that it is time to collect His Bride. Will you be ready? Are you like the five wise virgins (Matthew 25) who have their lamps filled with oil and are carrying extra along with them? Or are you one of the foolish who didn’t have oil for their lamps and while they went to buy some, the bridegroom came and they missed Him?

I believe that the message of salvation is what my grandmother would have most wanted said at her funeral, so when it was my turn to speak, I shared this with our family and friends. She wanted all her family to be saved. She is the fourth person we’ve buried at our family plot. One by one we are getting older and we will all eventually face death. But we can all be reunited in eternity if we make the right choice and choose Jesus Christ as our Savior. Being a “good person” is not going to save you. I realize that some in my family still don’t get this – but I am going to keep on saying it. You have to choose Christ and repent of your sins. Jesus said in John 14 that “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Dedicated in memory of Kansas Irene Smith.

The Greatest Story

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:28:00 GMT

“And the Oscar goes to . . . .”

The Academy Awards show is the Superbowl of Hollywood entertainment. Fans tune in to see what their favorite stars are wearing and who will be named the best actors and actresses for the year. I have stayed up late to watch the Oscars before – more so in the days when Billy Crystal hosted the show. Now I am content to read the list of winners in the newspaper the next day and watch the highlight clips on the morning news shows. I get a lot more sleep that way. Each year it seems I know fewer of the movies and actors. The only movie nominated this year for Best Picture that I had seen was “Toy Store 3”, on DVD. That should tell you a little something about my social life.

Movies are a great escape. For a couple of hours, we are transported into another world. We can watch a comedy, drama, sci-fi, love story, action thriller, horror, documentary, mystery . . . a wide range of choices. Some movies simply entertain us, while others challenge our minds and our perceptions. Good writing is at the heart of any good movie. I love seeing those words brought to life on the screen, because I am a visual person. Even when I am reading a book, I am creating a movie in my head.

As exciting as some movies and books can be, with unexpected plot twists and outrageous characters, I have not found one that can rival the Good Book – the Holy Bible. The Bible is full of wonderful true stories – dramatic and epic, sweet and touching, mysterious and amazing. Hollywood has tried to bring these stories to the big screen, with mixed results. How many of you still picture Moses looking like Charleston Heston from the classic movie, “The Ten Commandments”? How was your view of the gospels enhanced by watching Mel Gibson’s “The Passion”?

I understand that the Bible can be an intimidating read. The language of the King James Version can be off-putting, with “thee” and “thou” type wording. Many churches are also very strict about using this version in their teaching. However, in the real world we have low literacy rates. In the real world we have a new generation that downloads everything from the Internet and wants immediate information. We have to be able to reach people with the Word of God in a variety of ways.

First of all, to have a true understanding of the Word, we have to have the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It says in 1 Corinthians 2:11, “Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” If a person has difficulty with the language, there are many versions that you can turn to for help. The New International Version (NIV) uses more modern language, but sometimes it omits things that are in the King James Version (KJV). Sometimes even the NIV challenges me, so I look at a version called “The Message”, which puts it in a more conversational type language. That will then give me a little more insight, and I can go back to my KJV or New Kings James (NKJV) version for accuracy. I don’t own all these different versions. I go to a website that allows me to switch the versions with a click of a button. I can go back and forth and compare and it helps me to understand it better.

If you can’t read or don’t like to read, don’t let that stop you from enjoying the Bible. There are websites with audio that will allow the computer to read it to you. You can buy an audio version of the Bible – something like an MP3 player – with headphones that can go with you anywhere. You can get the Bible on DVD or CD. There are really no excuses for not receiving from the Word of God. If you are hungry for the Word, there is a way to get it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

When I think about all the wonderful stories in the Bible, I get so excited. When I read them, I am seeing them as a movie in my head. They come alive for me. These are the stories of real people like you and me. They weren’t perfect. They messed up a lot. We can learn from them – we are supposed to learn from them. We learn so much better from example than from simply being given a list of do’s and don’ts. These stories are given to us so that we can know who God is, how much He loves us, what He expects and how we can live our lives for Him. If we are entertained in the process, that is just a bonus. The main thing is to get the Word of God into our hearts, minds and souls so that it can do the work in us. It’s not just reading. It’s reading with comprehension.

So, just for fun, these would be some of my “Oscar” nominees from the Bible.

Best Actress
Tamar (Genesis 38) -- for her portrayal as a prostitute. She seduced her father-in-law to become pregnant with a child that would gain her dead husband’s inheritance.

Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39) – for her portrayal as a supposed victim of sexual assault. She accused Joseph of attacking her when he refused to sleep with her.

Delilah (Judges 16) – for her portrayal as a loyal lover. She tricked Samson into revealing the secret of his strength, which allowed the Philistines to capture him.

Leah (Genesis 29) – for her clever portrayal as her sister Rachel. Jacob married her, thinking she was her sister. He then had to work for their father for another seven years in order to marry his true love, Rachel.

Best Actor
Abram (Genesis 12) for his portrayal as his wife’s brother. Fearing the Egyptians would kill him to take his beautiful wife, he told everyone he was Sarai’s brother. This brought a curse upon Pharaoh.

Isaac (Genesis 26) also for his portrayal as his wife’s brother. Like his father, he was afraid the Philistines would kill him to gain his beautiful wife, Rebekah.

Jacob (Genesis 27) for his portrayal of his brother, Esau. By posing as his brother, he was able to receive his blessing from their dying father.

Joseph (Genesis 41-42) for his portrayal as Zaphnath-Paaneah, second in command to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Even his own brothers didn’t recognize him.

Best Special Effects
The Burning Bush (Exodus 3) God speaks to Moses and calls him to lead Israel out of captivity.

The Plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-11) A river of blood, locusts, boils, killer hail . . . and more.

The Parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) God allows Moses to part the Red Sea, making a way of escape for the Israelites, who are being pursued by Pharaoh’s army.

Jonah and the Whale (Jonah1-2) Jonah tries to ditch his assigned task of prophesying to the wicked Assyrians. God sends a whale that swallows Jonah for three days and nights, before spitting him out and sending him on his way to Nineveh, lesson learned.

The Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the king’s golden idol. The three emerge unharmed, without so much as the smell of smoke on them. And who was that fourth person the king saw in the furnace?

These stories are a very small sample of the wonderful adventures awaiting students of the Bible. I am going to skip any nominees for the Best Picture and go straight to the winner, Jesus Christ. His story is a picture of love and hope for all generations. It is full of drama, as He clashed with the religious traditionalists of the day and challenged the Jewish people to believe what the Word of God had already told them about the Messiah. It is full of “special effects” – God’s power and glory demonstrated through Jesus’ healings and miracles, and the ultimate miracle in His resurrection and victory over death. It is a love story – His great love for us and the sacrifice that was made so that we may be saved. Truly it is the greatest story ever told.

Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”

If you haven’t taken the time to read your Bible, I encourage you to start now. You can start slowly, taking in little bits at a time. Find a resource you are comfortable with, be it the KJV or an audio version. Join a Bible study group to help in your understanding and talk with others. Do whatever it takes to get that word inside you. It is a living word that will change your heart and your life. You won’t get an Oscar, but you’ll get a much better award when you believe on that word and put your trust in Christ. You will win eternal life.

The Hardest Word

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:41:00 GMT

“I know you are sorry . . . now apologize.” The first time that a friend said this to me, it really tickled my funny bone and instantly put us both at ease. I have used this line also just to be funny if the offense was mild. For example, I am sorry I stepped on your foot, or I am sorry I ate your last piece of cake. You have to be careful using humor, because not everyone gets it. (Even now, someone who is reading this is saying to themselves, I don’t get it.)

Apologies are important, but they seem to be rare thing these days. Celebrities, politicians and other public figures have learned that the public apology is essential to rebuilding their image. Of course, it only comes after they’ve been caught in the act and the public has demanded it. The most recent example that comes to mind is Tiger Woods, following his messy marital scandal. His apology was crucial to reconciling with the public, if not his wife. He will be forgiven (especially if he continues to perform well in golf). However, people will never forget.

Psalm 103:12
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

People may forgive you, but they will never forget what happened. Unfortunately, we can’t forget, unless we develop amnesia or dementia. Our brains are wired with memory that record every experience we have. I think it’s probably a good thing we remember – not to hold a transgression against someone forever, but to learn from it and use wisdom. For example, if a person lies to me and apologizes, then I must forgive them. But I am not going to forget it. I am going to proceed carefully with that person and consider their truthfulness before acting on anything that person has told me. If they lie to me again, then I know that I cannot trust their word. I can forgive them, but I’ve learned that I cannot trust them, and that’s a good thing to know. That’s just using wisdom.

Fortunately for us, God can forgive and forget in a way that man cannot. Many people quote Psalm 103:12 when they talk about God’s mercy and forgiveness. However, the verses just before that also reveal God’s perfect mercy. “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him . . . .” When we repent (or apologize), God forgives us of our sin. It is now covered by the blood of Jesus and He can no longer see it. It’s as though it never existed. Micah 7:19 says: He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

I am grateful that God is so merciful and that if I confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Forgiving comes easy for God because He loves us so much. He is our heavenly Father and we are His children. I know that when my child tells me that she is sorry and I see her tear-filled eyes, I cannot refuse her. I forgive her and I take her in my arms and tell her that I love her. That is how I imagine it is with God. We are the children that He loves and He is moved by our sincere repentance. He forgives us and takes us into His arms and reminds us of His love.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

It can be hard to say that you are sorry. Some people have an equally hard time forgiving. They hold onto their forgiveness like it some kind of prize. They may feel that the person doesn’t deserve forgiveness, whether they have apologized or not. Withholding forgiveness doesn’t hurt the person who wronged you. It might hurt their feelings, but if they have repented and apologized, God has already forgiven them. If you withhold your forgiveness, it will only hurt you, because God will not be able to forgive you of your sins if you have unforgiveness in your heart.

Some may find these verses from Matthew to be contradictory to 1 John 1:9. God says He will forgive us our sins if we confess them, but there is an exception? If I don’t forgive others then I can’t be forgiven? This is not contradictory. What God is telling us is that to be unforgiving is a sin. Jesus gives us the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 to illustrate this principle. A servant owed the king a large sum of money and couldn’t repay, so the king ordered that the man and his family be sold into slavery to repay the debt. The servant begs the king to give him more time to repay the debt. The king, moved by the man’s plea, forgives the debt completely and sends the man home. The forgiven servant then goes out and finds a friend that owes him a small sum of money. He demands that his friend repay him immediately. The friend begs for more time to repay the loan, but the servant refuses and has him thrown in prison until the debt is paid. Word of this incident gets back to the king, who is furious with the servant. Verses 32-35: Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Elton John had a song out years ago that said, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” Sometimes it is hard for us to apologize. Our pride and our ego get in our way. But to say “I am sorry” (or I repent) is the only way to reconcile ourselves with someone we have wronged, whether it be a person or God. And if we do truly repent, then we must be forgiven. We know that God will forgive us, because His word tells us that He will, and God doesn’t lie. If we sin against another person and we truly repent, that person must also forgive us. Luke 17:3-4 says, “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

We know that this is easier said than done. If someone keeps doing the same thing over and over again and keeps apologizing for it, it wears a little thin with us. We may doubt their sincerity. However, Jesus said that if they say they repent, then we must forgive them. We may need God’s help to do it, because it is not our nature but His that we have to take on. So what about the people who sin against us and don’t repent? What do we do about them?

I believe that we still must forgive them. Some people will never apologize for the things that they have done, and they will have to stand in judgment for that one day. If someone hurts you and you know that you are never going to get an apology for it, you have two choices. You can hang onto that hurt and let it become a bitter, angry root in your heart. Or, you can accept the facts and forgive the person, letting go of the pain and heartache and turning it all over to God. That doesn’t mean you have to allow that person to be in you life or that you have to be buddies with them if they are in your life, but it means that you have to let go and let God deal with them.

“I am sorry” and “I forgive you” can be hard to say when we let our pride get in the way. As long as we are human, we are going to step on each other’s toes and offend each other in big and little ways. We have to have a repentant heart, and we have to have a forgiving heart. We have to accept that we are not perfect. We all make mistakes, and hopefully we learn from them. Certainly we have to take responsibility for them, and that means apologizing when we are wrong. It also means that since you recognize your own imperfections, you should be willing to accept them in others and forgive them as you wish to be forgiven. We do need to be kind and compassionate with one another, forgiving each other the way God through Christ has forgiven us.

A Friend of Jesus

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:16:00 GMT

Proverbs 18:24
A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother

Is Jesus your BFF? (That’s “best friends forever” for you non-texters.) We sing several songs in church about Jesus being our friend. “Oh what a friend we have in Jesus” and “Ain’t nobody do me like Jesus, He’s my friend” come to mind right away. Jesus is the Lord of my life and He is my Savior, but I found myself asking, “Are we friends?”

Friends can be a very general term. There are probably a lot of people that you know that you really aren’t friends with. If you are on Facebook, take a look at your friends list. How many of these people do you really, really know? When I see someone on Facebook who has 400 or 500+ friends, it astounds me. There is no way you could have any kind of quality friendships with that many people.

When I think of a friend, I think of someone who knows me well, and I know them, too. We are always there for each other, whether we just need someone to talk to or someone to help us out in a situation. A friend knows my secrets, my hopes, and my fears. A friend understands when I have a bad day and I just want to be left alone – but I know that he or she is there when I am ready to be comforted. With a friend, I can be myself and we enjoy each other’s company. A friend will kick my butt and tell me when I am going in the wrong direction. A friend forgives me when I mess up. A friend will stand up for me and stand by me. A friend always wants the best for me and always has my back. We can read each other’s minds and finish each other’s sentences. A friend will laugh and cry with me. No matter how many miles or how many years might separate us, we will always be close in heart. As it says in Proverbs 17:17, a friend loves at all times.

When you think about these and other qualities of a true friend, we can see that we really do have a friend in Jesus. He is always there for us and He knows us better than we probably know ourselves. He will listen when we need someone to talk to and we know that we can pray and ask for help in His name. If we stay in fellowship with Him, He will give us guidance in our life. When we mess up (sin), we know that if we repent, He will forgive us.

When I think about Jesus and all He has done to change my life, I know that I have a true friend in Him. But friendships are supposed to be a two-way street. Did you ever have a friend that made you feel like you were doing all the work in the friendship? It seemed like everything always went one way – theirs. You always did the things they liked or always talked about their problems. This kind of a one-way relationship can drain you. As I thought about having Jesus as a friend, I wondered if it was a real friendship, or was I being a drain? I remembered a recent Sunday school lesson where we talked about how Abraham was called a friend of God, but I wondered if there was anything in the Word about being friends with Jesus.

John 15:12-17
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

I really can’t be what we think of as an earthly friend to Jesus. He doesn’t need my shoulder to cry on or anything else from me. But I can be a friend to Him if I am obedient to the Word of God. It was Abraham’s faith and obedience that made Him a friend of God. When we are completely obedient and do what He was commanded us, then we will be in perfect fellowship. He said that he would share with us what He has heard from the Father. With more knowledge will come spiritual growth that will take us to a new level in our relationship with Him.

James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Another way I can be a friend of Jesus is to live a holy life. James cautions us about getting friendly with worldly things, because they will put us at odds with God. Some people try to walk with one foot in the things of God and one in the world. There are many practices in today’s world that have become common place and generally accepted that clearly go against the Word of God. The world would like to shut Christians up, but we need to stand strong for the things of God.

Luke 9:26
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

You or someone you know may have had a fair-weather friend at some time in your life. Perhaps it was someone in your neighborhood that you played with after school who acted like they were your best friend – until other people came around. At school, in front of his cool friends, you were just someone who lived on his street. That’s not a real friend. Do you ever treat Jesus that way? It’s easy to talk about Him in front of our church friends. But when you are out in the world, do you let others know that He is your friend? When they take His name in vain, do you speak up for Him? Do you introduce Him to your friends so they can have the chance to get know Him, too?

I’ve heard the saying that to have a friend you have to be a friend. I know what a friend I have in Jesus. He is always there for me and always will be. But I can see that I could definitely be a better friend to Him. It starts with my faith and obedience and is reflected in how I live and conduct my life. If people aren’t seeing Him in me, then I need to re-examine this friendship and see if I am really living up to my end of it. I do want Jesus as my “BFF”, and that means doing my part and being a true friend to Him.

True Worshippers

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:49:00 GMT

Excitement filled the air as thousands of visitors began pouring into the city. Merchants, eagerly anticipating their arrival, made sure to have plenty of inventory in stock (and ready to sell at “tourist” inflated prices). Rooms at every lodging place in the city were booked and people were being turned away. Overnight, the population of the city could grow as much as ten-fold, boosting the local economy. The local authorities were sending in extra patrols to maintain the peace and to quickly disperse any brawls that might break out in the overcrowded streets.

This scene could take place in a number of locations. It could describe New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. It could have been North Texas during last Sunday’s Superbowl. It might be peak season at Myrtle Beach. It could have even been Charleston back in the grand old days of the Sternwheel Regatta Festival. But it is also an accurate description of Jerusalem in Biblical times during Passover and other feasts.

Several times a year, Jews came from different lands to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. They brought with them a sacrifice, or the money to purchase one from the local merchants. Rooms at local inns filled up quickly. Some visitors were able to stay with family, but many others had to stay in tents. The Roman governor would send soldiers out to keep the crowds under control and to quash any riots incited by zealots hoping to spur a rebellion against Rome. Feast time was a guaranteed economic boon for the city because of the dedication of the Jewish people to honor God by returning to Jerusalem for worship.

Today, that kind of dedication and turn out seems to be reserved for sports teams and rock stars. Last week’s Superbowl was the most watched television show in history. The stadium was sold out, with temporary seating areas being set up (and then closed by the fire marshal, resulting in an angry crowd). People traveled from all over the country and the world to attend. The tickets were $800 or $900 each, though many fans paid more, buying from “moneychangers” taking advantage of the fans’ desire to be at the game. People will part with their money, travel long distances, sleep in their cars, paint their faces and cheer until they lose their voices in support of their favorite team.

I am not being critical of football (or whatever kind of sport) fans. In fact, I admire their loyalty and tenacity. They are excited about something and they give it their full support. They aren’t afraid to display what team they support and will fight to defend their team’s honor. They aren’t afraid to don a colored wig or face paint or a giant foam finger to let people know who they support. I think that we, as Christians, could learn a lot from these dedicated fans. What if we displayed our love for Christ with the same passion?

2 Samuel 6:22
I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.

When King David brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, it was cause for celebration. The Bible says the people brought the ark into the city with shouting and the sound of trumpets. King David was dancing and leaping before the Lord. His wife, Michal, who was Saul’s daughter, felt that his behavior was unbecoming a king. In other words, she was embarrassed by her husband. But he was not the least bit embarrassed. In fact, he told her he would become even more undignified if that’s what it took to worship and praise God. Michal’s attitude resulted in her womb being closed up. What in our lives has been shut up or closed off because we are not open in our worship of God?

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These days it is certainly easier to fill up a stadium with rabid football fans than with worshippers of Christ. It does happen on occasion. Groups like the Promise Keepers and Women of Worship follow a concert-like schedule and draw in groups around the country . . . for a season. Billy Graham was guaranteed to sell out any venue where he took his ministry, but those days have passed. Others like Joyce Meyer and Joel Olsteen can fill stadiums and civic centers. There are mega-churches in many communities that draw big crowds. But this is still small in comparison to our Superbowl example. And despite the rise of the mega-church, statistics say that church attendance continues to decline. This scripture from Hebrews tell us that we shouldn’t be skipping church service because we need to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we may strengthen one another. And it says we should be doing it even more as we see the Day, as in the Day of Christ’s return, approaching.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Worship styles can be a sore spot among Christians. Let’s just tell it like it is. The traditionalists that prefer a more solemn and quiet worship frown with distaste upon the more exuberant worshippers that prefer music, dance and shouts of praise. In fact they think the “Holy Rollers,” as they call them, are a little nuts. The Praise & Worship people think that the traditionalist are uptight, fuddy-duddies that need to loosen up a bit. The merits of each kind of worship could be debated until we are blue in the face and they won’t be resolved.

Jesus said that true worshippers will worship in Spirit and Truth. That is the first requirement for worship. How we express that is going to differ among people because people are just different. Together we make up one body. Ecclesiastes tells us that there is time for everything under heaven. That means that there is a time to worship quietly and solemnly, and there is also a time to worship with celebratory shouts and praises. Instead of churches judging one another, we should respect one another. Instead of examining the outward expression of worship, we should be looking at the heart of the worshippers. If the people are not worshipping in spirit and truth, then their worship, regardless of the style, is empty and dead.

Our church is one that favors Praise & Worship. We don’t care if you call us Holy Rollers. We don’t care if you think we are crazy or foolish for dancing and raising our hands and shouting praises for God. We hope that you will be touched by the Spirit and the presence of God and one day join in the celebration. And we are certainly by no means in a position to judge how others worship. Even though we say we are “praise and worshippers”, our worship of late has not always reflected what we believe. People are still a little hesitant. They need to quit worrying what others might think and step out and worship God the way they really want to. Don’t let some Michal keep you from being a David.

We are to let the Spirit lead us in worship. As you grow in the Lord, you should also grow in your worship of Him. There is a time to worship solemnly and there is a time to rejoice with a shout of praise. Likewise, this is true for the body of Christ. We need to take a cue from the Superbowl fans and not be afraid to express our loyalty and support of our favorite team – The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Think how many more people we could win for Christ just by demonstrating our love and enthusiasm for Him. Are you excited about what Jesus has done for you? Have you told anyone? Have you invited them to join you at church? Psalm 22 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. True worshippers will worship in spirit and truth. They will praise the Lord and He will be there with Him. And where He is, there is salvation and hope for all people.

Psalm 150:1-6
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

New Wine

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:37:00 GMT

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

Change is good. Change is hard. Change is never easy. You need a change of scenery. Change your mind. Change a life. Time for change. Some things never change. The more things change, the more they stay the same. There are hundreds of sayings about change, and there is some truth in all of them.

Luke 5:37-39
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

Change is inevitable, whether we like it or not. By nature, we are change resistant. We don’t like to be moved from our comfort zone. We are happy with our “old wine” – it has served us well in the past, so why change? Does new necessarily mean better? We have become so comfortable where we are that we don’t even consider the possibility and therefore miss opportunities for growth.

We often take offense at the thought that we need to change, because we think it means we are doing something wrong or bad. That is not the case. The ways we have done things in the past were right for that time in our lives. But if we continue to do them, then we are going to remain in a holding pattern. Another familiar saying is: if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you have always gotten.

Deuteronomy 1:6
“The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain.

It’s easy to change when times are tough. When we are struggling and fighting to survive, we are ready for things to change and change quickly. We will do whatever it takes to get our heads above water again. But what about when you are riding high on the mountain top? Things are going good – good home life, good work life, good church life, good financial life. If anything, we hold our breath and hope to ride up there for as long as possible. We have to keep in mind that before we were on that mountain, we had to walk through the valley of trials and challenges. These are the times that we changed and grew. God will allow us that time on the mountain – to feel the sun on our faces and to appreciate His goodness. But He knows that if we stay there too long we will forget how we got there. If we stay too long we will become stagnate and ineffective. When we have dwelt long enough on the mountain, He will move us back to the valley to learn and grow and change some more.

Revelation 21:5
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

We talk about and quote verses about the fact that God does not change. Hebrews 13:8 says: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. What this means is that God’s character does not change. We can always count on and believe in His promises. However, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t do new things. We become new creatures in Christ when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. God wants us to be always learning and growing and changing. If you are a parent, there were moments when your child was little that you would have loved to have frozen them in time . . . like those sweet moments when they are lying in your arms in the innocence of sleep. But we know that would be selfish on our part. We want them to grow up into happy, healthy adults. God wants the same for us.

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

In order to change, we have to be willing to let go and let God, as the saying goes. We may cling too tightly to our past or to our position or to things, when all we really need to hold onto is God. The words “can’t” and “won’t” should be red flags that tell us we need to examine what we are doing and why we are doing it. Traditions or routines are nice because they make us comfortable and keep us on track. But they can also hold us back from receiving something new and wonderful that God wants to bless us with. We have to be open and watch for the new things that God is doing. Shall we know it? Or will we be sitting back, sipping our old wine and slowly drying up?

American novelist Ellen Glasgow wrote that “the only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions.” We all get stuck in ruts in our lives, but it’s never too late to change. If we are to be effective Christians, we have to be willing to change. We have to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We have to get out of our comfort zone and be open to doing a new thing in God.

Psalm 40:3
He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the LORD.

Recently, I have begun to feel the winds of change. I can feel God wanting to do a new thing in my life and in our church. I have dwelt long enough on the mountain. I could continue doing what I am doing now, but I would get the same results. Or, I can let go and let God do a new thing in me. And I am going to have to change and become a new wineskin if I am going to hold the new wine God has for me. Change is never easy, but I know that it will be for my good.

Being Present

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:56:00 GMT

I have been standing a lot lately. Physically, I am on my feet a lot. I don’t have a desk job, so that means I am up and moving about most of the time. However, the time on my feet pales in comparison to the time I have spent spiritually standing.

Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The conflicts, troubles, situations and attacks that have come my way have taught me to rely on God. I’ve learned to trust God more and am learning to seek Him first when I have a problem. That’s a big accomplishment for me. I used to think I could fix everything myself, but I learned that I cannot control everything or everyone. So now, I turn things over to God and allow Him to take care of things.

We are supposed to trust God with the situations in our lives. How many of us quote Romans 8:28 on a regular basis? It’s easy to throw up our hands and just say, “let God take care of it and it will all work out in the end.” However, turning a problem over to God does not excuse us from being present in the solution. What that means is, God will win the war for you, but you still have to go through the battles.

For example, if your house caught on fire, would you pray for God’s help and then sit down and wait? No -- you still need to call 911 and make sure everyone gets out of the house safely. Or what if you have hurt someone with your actions or words and you want to restore your relationship. You can pray for God’s help in restoring the relationship. That’s great, but have you apologized to the person yet? God will always do His part, but we have a part to play as well. The scripture from Ephesians doesn’t say that you recognize a problem and stand . . . it says having done ALL, then stand.

Ephesians 6:14-18
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints --

The pieces in the armor of God are the tools He has given us to use when adversity comes our way. Spiritual warfare is our training ground, where faith is tested and built. We couldn’t build faith if God just took care of all our problems. What happens to a child who has a parent that fixes all their problems? He becomes an adult who doesn’t know how to deal with conflict or adversity. That’s not what God wants for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Yes, we need to trust God in all situations. Yes, we should allow God to fight our battles. No, that doesn’t mean we can go hide under the covers until it’s all over. We have a role to play in our battle, and when we have done everything – scripturally, morally, ethically – that we should do, then we stand. Then we turn it over to God and allow Him to be our strength. Here’s what I have found to be the case. If I keep going back and trying to fix the situation and it is going nowhere or it’s getting worse, that means I’ve done all, but I am not standing – I’m not trusting God to do His part. I need to back off and let God work. On the other hand, if I am avoiding the situation and trying to dodge a confrontation in hopes that it will all go away and it doesn’t, then I know that there’s probably more that I need to do. I need to take responsibility for my part and do what needs to be done, and then turn it over to God.

2 Timothy 4
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Faith is an action word. Every day we have to step out and live the life God has called us to. There will be troubles along the way, but He equips and trains us how to deal with them. When we have done all that we know and are capable of doing and when our strength has been exerted, He is there. In Him we have our victory. Being present in that victory is what will grow our faith.

Psalm 18 :6, 28-29
In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

God has promised that He will be there for us – He said we wouldn’t leave us or forsake us. His word says that we can do all things through Christ, which strengthens us. But we must be present and accounted for – we must be willing to walk in faith and willing to stand when the time comes.

Superiority/Inferiority Complexes

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:14:00 GMT

Jesus had to go through Samaria. Well, He didn’t have to. It wasn’t like it was the only way or that He had no other choices. Most Jewish travelers took the long way around Samaria, avoiding the Samaritan people at all costs. Jesus had to go through Samaria because that was the only way to reach the people there.

John 4 gives us the story of Jesus’ meeting with the woman at the well. The woman was shocked and surprised that Jesus spoke to her that day. First of all, she was a Samaritan and Jews did not associate with them. The Jews considered them to be an inferior people, part Jew and part a lot of other nationalities. Hundreds of years prior, Assyria had captured the northern kingdom of Israel and had taken most of the people into exile in Assyria. Then Assyria brought in people from its other lands and settled them in Israel. They intermarried with the Jews who remained in the land, creating the Samaritan people. The Jews felt they were superior to them, making the Samaritans feel inferior. Being a Samaritan in those days was even worse than being a Gentile.

The Samaritan woman was also shocked that Jesus spoke to her because she was a woman. Men did not speak to women in public – especially women they didn’t know. Men considered themselves to be superior and women were inferior. In addition to being a woman, she was a woman with a bad reputation. Why else would she be coming to the well at noon instead of in the early morning with the other women? She felt inferior because of her sin.

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

When Jesus looked at the woman at the well, He didn’t see her the way others did. He didn’t see her as a Samaritan woman or a woman with a bad reputation and write her off. He saw her as a person who needed salvation and needed the love of God in her life. Even though He knew her sin, He spoke to her with respect and kindness. He offered her the “living water” that would quench her spiritual thirst. When she shared her experience with Jesus with others in town, they came looking for Jesus and found their salvation also.

The culture of that time had created barriers between the Samaritan people and God. The Jews thought they were the only ones going to heaven because they were the seed of Abraham. They thought their place was secure and that gave them a feeling of superiority over the Samaritans and the Gentiles. When Jesus came, he broke down those barriers. He spoke to Nicodemus about being born again – it wasn’t enough to be a descendant of Abraham. He spoke to the Samaritan woman about how we worship is more important than where we worship. It was about faith, not religious ritual.

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Feelings of superiority and inferiority still cause barriers in the church today. You have people who feel they are superior Christians. They have been serving God longer or better. They have titles and positions that they think elevate them above others. They also tend to be judgmental and do not associate with other Christians that they feel aren’t at a certain level. They may think their church or denomination is better than others. They put themselves on such a high pedestal that they miss opportunities to do what God has really called them to do. You can’t lead others to Christ from a superior position.

The Christians with the inferiority complexes are just as challenging. Even though they claim that Jesus is the Lord of their life, they walk around defeated. When a blessing comes their way, they think they don’t deserve it. They have a calling from God, but they don’t feel adequate to walk in that calling. They put themselves down and are constantly comparing themselves with others. Their lack of self-esteem makes them an ineffective witness for Christ.

James 1:9-10
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.

In our journey, we can each fall into these categories at different times. There are times when we get on our high horse and we have to be knocked back down to earth. And there are times when we sink into self pity and have to be lifted up again. We are always growing and hopefully maturing so that we reach a middle ground. In that place, we can walk confidently but humbly for the Lord. Confidence should not be confused with superiority. Confidence means we know who we are in Christ and we know the promises of God are true. Likewise, humility should not be confused with inferiority. Being humble also means knowing know who we are in Christ – we know that he is our all in all. We submit to His authority and commit ourselves to His service.

Between Christians and non-Christians, these issues come into play. We, as Christians, do not want to become like the Jews from Biblical times. We should not see ourselves as superior over those who are not Christians. People know if you are looking down on them and they are not going to be receptive to you if you are making them feel inferior. God loves all mankind and it is His will that none should perish.

There are also times when people who are unsaved may say something along the lines of “you Christians think you are better than everyone.” Perhaps they have been treated poorly, but more likely this is coming from the feelings of conviction they are experiencing. It isn’t easy to confront our own sin and mistakes. We try to blame others or simply walk in denial. Christians need to be sensitive to these feelings and realize where they are coming from. Where there is a spirit of conviction there is a soul that realizes it needs salvation, and we can help lead that person to Christ.

Ecclesiastes 9:11
The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

In other words, some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug. Every dog has its day. Into each life, a little rain must fall. Pick your favorite saying. The bottom line is we are equal in God’s eyes. When we start feeling superior or inferior, we have to realize that we are out of step in our walk with God. We need a reality check and we need to remember who we are and not who we think we are. God is our superior, but He doesn’t make us feel inferior.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

Be a Sermon

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:25:00 GMT

If actions speak louder than words, what have your actions been telling people lately? Are people crossing the street or hiding in their offices to avoid you, or do they seek you out for counsel and conversation? Do your actions reflect who you really are and what you believe?

James 1:22 -- But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

I don’t think most Christians realize how powerful their actions are. We may have a great testimony. We may be able to quote scripture verbatim. We might be eloquent in explaining the gospel to others. But that’s only part of it. We have to walk the talk. We may have just witnessed to someone and encouraged them and feel good about it, and then we do something un-Christian like that cancels it out. Our actions must line up with our beliefs if we are to be effective in winning others to Christ.

James 1:26 -- Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

What kind of message are you sending if you preach Jesus and Him crucified, and then turn around and gossip about someone? Yelling at a store clerk over a mistake may make you feel better, but what does that do to your testimony? If you are out witnessing somewhere and come across that clerk, do you think he or she is going to give you the time of day? Ever see someone with a fish emblem on their car or a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker giving another driver the finger? Temper tantrums, pouting, selfishness and similar behaviors indicate immaturity. How can we ever get people interested in having the kind of relationship with God that they need if they don’t see it in our lives?

Last week when I was taking down the Christmas decorations, I was watching a marathon showing of a reality TV show. (That’s where they show all the episodes of the series back to back.) The contestants were all living under one roof, but had divided themselves into the Christians and the non-Christians. My observation was that the girls who claimed to be Christians looked down on the other girls and considered themselves to be better. The other girls picked up on that judgmental vibe. It created conflict, of course. The Christian girls missed many opportunities to share their faith and to show kindness to the other girls. Some of their behavior was ugly, and the other girls said they didn’t understand how they could call themselves Christians and act the way that they did. I found it very sad. It made me wonder about my own behavior. Was I living up to and demonstrating what I believe?

I have a friend who worked in an office where the supervisor claimed to be a Christian. Apparently she claimed it very loudly and frequently. She spoke it loud and proud to anyone who was within earshot. My friend found her very annoying and had no interest in hearing about her beliefs. As a supervisor, she was difficult to work with and was more of a hindrance than a help. When my friend was laid off, she was actually happy to be getting away from her. It made me cringe to hear my friend talk about her experiences with this Christian woman. For years, I have been “planting” the seeds of faith, only to have them stomped on. I even feel bad talking about this woman, but I do so to make a point. It’s not just what we say, but how we say it and how we behave. Reaching people with the gospel is challenging enough without shooting ourselves in the foot.

I have a file folder full of poems and sayings that I like. A poem by Edgar Guest is probably my favorite. I found the full version on line. It’s called, “I’d Rather See a Sermon”.

I'd Rather See a Sermon

I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one any day;
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way.

The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do;
I may misunderstand the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.
When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind
Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me
To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.

And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today
Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.

One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold;
One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told.
Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear,
For right living speaks a language which to everyone is clear.

Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say,
I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one any day!

--Edgar A. Guest (1881-1959)

The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the Word that became flesh. The Word of God teaches us how to live and how we can be saved. Jesus came to earth and demonstrated – He was the Word in action. He preached and he taught. He healed and He loved. He sacrificed all that He had so that we might live. “What would Jesus do?” is a valid question that we can ask ourselves daily in any situation. Paul talked about us having to die daily in our flesh so that people could see more of Jesus and less of us.

Actions do speak louder than words. I remember the first time I came to our church. I had asked God to be in my life and I had promised Him I would raise my daughter as a Christian. I asked Him to help me find a church so that I could learn what that meant. I had visited one church, and was overwhelmed by the people. After one visit, they wanted to come to my house and I think I got a letter from everyone in the church. It was too much for me to handle. It felt like they were more interested in getting me to be a member than knowing where I was in my Christian walk and what my needs were. Then my neighbor invited me to what is now my church. I don’t remember the sermon that was preached that day. I don’t remember the songs that were sung. What I remember was the love that I felt among the people. I remember feeling welcomed, but not overwhelmed. I remember seeing the joy on the faces of the people as they worshipped and thinking, “That’s what I want.”

As a Christian, do people want what you have? Do they even know you are a Christian? Are you living a spirit-filled life? Are you praising God through the bad times as well as the good? Do you practice self-control over your tongue and your emotions? We are all human, and there are times when we are going to slip up. I know I can get myself all worked up and mad over situations. Usually I can keep it under control, but sometimes I boil over. That’s when I have to ask the Lord for forgiveness and keep trying to do right.

An old Italian proverb says: Between saying and doing many a pair of shoes is worn out. We can say we are Christians, but it doesn’t mean anything until the rubber meets the road. It’s more than showing up for church two days a week. We have to live it every minute of every day. We have to be doing the work of God every day. As the old saying goes: Being in church doesn’t make me a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes me a car. We have to be doers of the word. We have to walk the talk. We have to be the sermon. By being (working, fulfilling, striving to be) who God has called us to be, we will make a difference in the lives of others. They will see Jesus in us and they will say, “That’s what I want.”

Don't Be a Baby -- Grow Up

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 11:21:00 GMT

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It has its stressful and hectic moments as we prepare for that special day of celebration with family and friends, but when we look back afterward we find it was usually worth it. For Christians, it is an especially wonderful time as we remember and reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ.

Despite a few protests over manger scenes in public places, it does seem that Christmas is the one time of year that you can talk about Jesus without getting a lot of flack. Television shows and movies depicting that wondrous night in Bethlehem can be found on a variety of channels. The newspaper will run stories and photos of churches presenting live manger scenes. School children are allowed to sing songs like Away in a Manger and Silent Night without the ACLU having a cow.

So why does Jesus get better press coverage at Christmas than Easter? I think it s because in the Christmas story, Jesus is an infant. He is baby he can t walk, talk, feed himself. He relies on his parents for his daily care. And who doesn t like babies? They are cute and cuddly and they smell good (most of the time). There isn t anything threatening about a baby Jesus. We read the story about the night he was born and we sympathize with the young mother who is turned away from the inn and must give birth in a manger. We marvel at the heavenly choir of angels who alert the shepherds in the field and direct them to the newborn baby. It s a story of peace on earth and hope for mankind.

A grown up Jesus now that s a different story. He isn t a cute and cuddly infant anymore. He is a grown man the Son of God --who has come to tell the world the Good News. He is Jesus the Christ who would die for us, that we might have eternal life. But it isn t a pretty scene. We read about how he was beaten, mocked and spit upon. His hands and feet were nailed to a cross and he was hung there to die. Though I have owned the movie for several years, I haven t been able to bring myself to watch The Passion . Just thinking about all He endured for me, it breaks my heart. To have to watch it depicted will be difficult, but one of these days I will watch it. The really Good News is that despite the horrible death He endured, it wasn t the end. Three days later He rose from the dead and today He is alive and working in my life. Praise God!

This theory of mine that the baby Jesus is non-threatening to most people is demonstrated in a movie that came out about five years ago. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby features Will Ferrell as a NASCAR driver. It has a lot of slapstick comedy and what I call bathroom humor . It s a man s movie definitely the opposite of a chick flick . I found some of it rather funny and some . . . not so much. There was one particular scene that I remember because I found it to be so irreverent. Ricky Bobby and his family are sitting down for dinner and he says the grace. He begins the prayer with dear baby Jesus. When his wife and father-in-law try to correct him by telling him that Jesus was a grown man, he rebukes them. He lets them know that he likes to think of Jesus that way and tells them that when it is their turn to say grace, they can pray to the grown up Jesus. When Will Ferrell and his team created that scene, I am sure they were going for laughs. But I think that like most comedians, he was able to capture a widely held belief in our culture. In other words, he really hit the nail on the head.

John 3:18

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God s one and only Son.

You see a grown up Jesus forces us to make a choice. Either you believe or you don t. Those who choose to believe in Him and truly put their trust in Him have been promised eternal life. Those who choose not to believe have been condemned. While no one seems to want to talk about it, there is a place called Hell as surely as there is a place called Heaven. Deciding not to make a choice is really choosing option #2 by default. When you are considering these choices, you are making your decision based not on a baby in a manger, but on the saving works of the adult Jesus who preached repentance and who laid down His life for you.

Not everyone finds the baby Jesus non-threatening though. King Herod felt his position was threatened when he learned from the wise men that a new king had been born. After receiving information from the teachers of the law, he directed the wise men to Bethlehem . He told them to let him know when they found the child, because he also wanted to worship him. Baloney! He wanted this threat eliminated. When the wise men didn t return, he ordered that all baby boys age 2 and under in Bethlehem be killed. Jesus and his family escaped before this happened, thanks to an angel s warning given in a dream to Joseph.

Today there are groups that find the baby Jesus threatening. Groups like the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and atheist organizations fight to keep away images of Christ in the manger. They have been successful in having them removed from government properties. While they can t yet stop private citizens from displaying them on private property, I am sure they will continue to try. You have to wonder why they feel so threatened by someone they say they don t believe in. I have to think that is because they know He is real. I think when they see the baby Jesus, they understand perhaps better than anyone who He really is and the power He has. They know that if people see Him and are reminded of who He is or are learning for the first time who He is, that the body of Christ will grow stronger. If you study on the baby Jesus, you will eventually learn about the fully grown Jesus and you might choose to put your faith in Him. Whether they want to believe it or not, these groups are tools of the Enemy used to keep people from Jesus.

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Jesus came from Heaven to earth and He started out as a baby. He experienced all that we experience growing up. He became a man and when He reached the age of maturity in the Jewish culture, He began His ministry. That s when He became a threat to the enemies of God. He continues to be a polarizing force, creating conflict and disagreement among people around the world. In Matthew 10:34 , He says, Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. That sword is the word of truth.

Unfortunately, I think the body of Christ overall is not very mature. I think we have a lot of baby Christians and I am not excluding myself in that characterization. As baby Christians, we re not much a threat. That s why Christians are getting so beat up in today s society. That s why anti-Christian groups are so successful at getting manger scenes removed and having the Ten Commandments taken off walls in public buildings. It s just the beginning. If we don t grow up and step up, pretty soon we ll be losing a lot more. We need to wake up and realize who we are in Christ, not who we are in ourselves. In Him we have power and authority, but only if we believe. In order to fulfill the work God has called us to do, we need a mature body of believers. As I have written before, it s time to get off the milk and begin to eat of the meat of God s word.

The Gift That Is In Us

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:40:00 GMT

Fortunately for the students in our after school care program, I remember what it was like to be a kid right before Christmas. Otherwise there would be a lot more time outs. As you might expect this time of year, they are wound up and bouncing off the walls. When we were little, my grandfather had a toy monkey that would bounce up and down, bang cymbals and make high pitched monkey sounds with a crazed look on its face. Multiply that by 60 and you have my workplace right now.

We love asking the kids what they asked for from Santa for Christmas. Their eyes light up as they repeat the list, memorized for that moment when they got to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their hearts’ desire. While our older kids aren’t so much into Santa, they are just as excited about what they want for Christmas. You can almost see those “visions of sugarplums” dancing in their heads. Except that their sugarplums are things like iPods, handheld game systems, and laptops.

I remember those Christmas mornings, when we would wake up about 4 a.m. and sneak down to look at all the presents that had magically appeared under the tree. We would try to wake up our parents, not knowing that they probably had been in bed only a couple of hours. They would put us off until at least 7 a.m., making us go back to bed in the meantime. Those were the longest hours, waiting until we could get up and open gifts. My sister and I could never get back to sleep and we constantly watched the clock. To kill time, we would go aggravate my brother. Even after we were allowed to get up, we had to wait for mom and dad to get their coffee and cameras. When they finally finished torturing us and gave us the go ahead, we tore into the pile like starved hyenas. Within minutes, it was over and all was revealed. “Santa” rarely disappointed, and the few things we didn’t get were forgotten after opening other great things we had never asked for. Then mom would make a big breakfast, complete with biscuits and gravy and we would eat with the same gusto we had given the present opening. All that anticipation and work makes a kid hungry.

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Of course, God gave mankind the ultimate Christmas gift when He sent Jesus Christ into the world to be our Savior. That gift is, after all, the reason for the season. We remember the story of Jesus’ birth, reflect on His ministry and are awed by the sacrifice that He made for us.

2 Timothy 1:6

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you . . . .

God has also given each of us special gifts and callings that we are to use for the glory of God. When we use those gifts and walk in those callings, then we are building the kingdom of God . . . we are about our Father’s business. However, all too often those gifts go unused or underused. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul warns Timothy (and us) not to neglect the gift that is in us. A few months ago, our pastor spoke about stirring up the gift inside. He gave us plastic spoons that had been anointed with oil to remind us of the gifts God had given us. A few weeks later when we visited another church during their revival, the visiting speaker preached on stirring up the gift. All the ladies from our congregation pulled out their spoons from their purses and began “stirring” in the air. It was a priceless moment . . . God confirming His word to us.

Romans 11:29

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

How many of us can remember all the gifts we ever received for Christmas? I can remember a handful of really special ones. Very few of those gifts are still around. After a while, we got tired of them and they lay in the bottom of the closet or a toy chest. Eventually they were put in a box marked either trash or Goodwill, while we started making a list of all the new things we wanted. Sometimes we treat God’s gifts that way. We put them on a shelf and forget about them. Or, for whatever reason, we want to have gifts other than the ones we were given. But God knows what He is doing and has given us the right gifts for us. We just have to use them. If we do neglect them, they aren’t taken away, because the Word says that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, which means they are irrevocable. In other words, they are ours to keep, whether we choose to use them or not. There are no “take-backs”, as the kids say.

1 Peter 4:10

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

God’s gifts won’t be taken back. You also can’t give them to someone else. The only way to give away your gift is to use it. These gifts will bless us when we use them, but more importantly, they are intended to bless others. Not everyone in the church can preach. Not everyone in the church can sing. Not everyone in the church is good at helps and hospitality. Not everyone can work the sound system. Not everyone is good at praying with people and bringing them comforting words. Not everyone is good at going out on the streets to witness to people. The list is endless. When each of us exercises our gifts we bless each other and as a body we demonstrate to the unsaved world what it means to be a Christian.

Proverbs 18:16

A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.

Sometimes we struggle, trying to figure out what are our gifts and callings from God. Think about the things that you are naturally good at, that come effortlessly for you. Consider the talents that others recognize in you. These are from God to be used for His glory, but they also benefit you in your workplace or in raising your family or in relationships with others. I have mentioned in other articles that in my former job I had to go speak to groups. Now I speak to a Sunday school class weekly. I don’t get nervous being in front of them. God has given me that gift of public speaking. I sometimes forget what a special gift it is until I encounter a person who is deathly afraid of speaking in front of others. God will make the way for you to use your gift. When I read Proverbs 18:16, I thought of Joseph and Daniel being brought before the pharaoh and the king to interpret their dreams. When they used their gift of interpretation, they were elevated in their positions and were able to do more for God and His people.

This Christmas as you are wrapping and unwrapping gifts, I hope that you will consider the gifts that God has given you and how you are using them. Perhaps it is time to stir up the gift that is in you. Don’t leave it in the box or put it on a shelf. Be sure to give God the glory and the praise and thanksgiving when you use it.

The blog will resume on January 7, 2011. I wish a Merry Christmas and a happy, blessed New Year for you and your family!

More Than A Feeling

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:49:00 GMT

Are you a "Merry Christmas" or a "Bah Humbug" this year?

One of my Facebook friends recently posted on his wall that it didn't feel like Christmas this year. He wanted to know if anyone had any ideas on how to get that feeling back. A lot of suggestions were offered, including listening to Christmas music and decorating the house. I was pleased to see one person tell him that remembering the "reason for the season" was where to find the real joy of Christmas.

Another one of my friends is having a different experience this year. She is usually the one who isn't so excited about the holiday. She's definitely not a Scrooge . . . she is a very generous and loving person. But I understand her dread. Christmas is a lot of work. She is a mother of three, so she has a lot of shopping and wrapping; baking and decorating; school and church plays; school, church, scouts, dance, and family parties. The list goes on and on. I don't know what's going on, but this year she is talking about how she can't wait to decorate and she is singing along with Christmas carols. She is really feeling the joy of Christmas and I'm really happy for her.

There is something about Christmas that intensifies whatever emotions or feelings we have.

Feelings, of course, are something that can't be forced or faked. You either feel it or you don't. You can let the lack of feeling hold you back or you can keep pushing forward. There are a lot of days that I don't feel like going to work, but I get up and go anyway. And most of the time after I get there, I have a pretty good day. One of the kids will either say something sweet or funny, or they will give me a picture they've drawn, and it will brighten my day. That's a lot better than staying home and feeling sorry for myself. I think that if you keep moving and doing what you're supposed to, the feeling will follow. And even if it doesn't, at least you've done the right thing.

2 Corinthians 5:7

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Our Christian walk is sometimes like this. We love to feel the fellowship of God. We love that feeling we have when we are in His presence. But sometimes we go through a dry spell. It seems like God has abandoned us. We wonder what we have done and what we can do to get that feeling back. Is God testing us? Is God trying to teach us something? Or have we crowded our spirits with so much other "stuff" that we've left little room for God? All of the above?

I do believe that God wants us to learn that following Him is more than a feeling. If we let our feelings rule our faith, we will never make it. We have to know what God's word says and what His will is and follow that, not our feelings. The Bible says that we should pray for our enemies, but aren't there some days when you feel like you would rather go punch them in the mouth? (Surely I'm not the only one!) God gave us feelings and He wants us to experience them. He has a great love to share with us, and He wants us to feel that love. What's important is that we put obedience to His word ahead of any feelings we may have.

You want to feel the Christmas spirit? Then do something, whether it's buying a special gift for someone, participating in a Secret Santa program or buying groceries for a family in need. In Matthew 10:8 it says "Freely you have received, freely give." Christmas is about giving and sharing, not getting and taking. My husband has given me a lot of gifts over the years, but my favorite was last year's. Money was tight, so we agreed not to buy each other anything. He gave me a beautiful card in which he had written about how much he appreciated and loved me. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes again.

You want to feel the Holy Spirit? Then do something, whether it is reading your Bible and praying, visiting the sick or shut it or helping out with a church project. 2 Timothy 4:7 says "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Staying in your Christian walk isn't an easy thing. Paul called it the good fight. It is going to be difficult along the way. There are going to be the dry spells in the valley, and there are going to be the mountaintop moments, as well. The important thing is to stay in the game . . . finish the race. Persevere. You have to put faith above feeling. Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." When we have our priorities in order and we put God first, everything else will fall into its proper place, including your feelings.

The Gift of Rest

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:40:00 GMT

Jeremiah 31:25-26

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

The last day of Thanksgiving break, I woke up and felt something I hadn't felt in a long time . . . rested. You know that Taco Bell commercial where the person sings, "I'm full!"? It was that same kind of feeling. I was rested!

One of the perks of working for the school system, at least in my job, is that you are off work when the kids are out of school. This year, they had a week off for Thanksgiving. There were a lot of things that I could have done with that week. I could have traveled to Maryland to see my family and was seriously considering it until I had to have some work done on the car. I kept coming up with other reasons not to go, but I realized that the bottom line was that I was just too tired to drive a long trip without help.

When I decided to stay home, I thought about the various projects around the house that I could tackle. I had the time and my husband was away at hunting camp. Closets, cabinets and drawers needed cleaned out. Furniture needed to be moved and swept under. Papers needed to be filed. Just thinking about putting up the Christmas tree and decorations made me tired. It usually takes two or three days because it is such a tiring job. Of course, there was also Thanksgiving dinner to think about. It was all starting to sound a little overwhelming. Then I began to hear that small, still voice and it was saying "rest".

Rest? You mean, as in do nothing? Yep. Rest. Nap. Relax. Sleep in. Stretch out on the couch. Read a book. Read the paper. Watch an old movie on TV. Take another nap. I wasn't sure I remembered how to do that. Fortunately it's like riding a bike - you take right back to it. I didn't totally let things go. I still straightened up the house and kept the dishes washed and the beds made. Laundry got done. Supper was cooked. But in between those chores, I rested. Now that my daughter is a teen, she is sleeping in late. That made it easy for me to sleep in late, too. (When she was little, she was always up early so I rarely got to sleep in.)

Within a few days, I began to feel the results. Our neighbors invited us to have Thanksgiving dinner with them and it was wonderful. I fixed a few side dishes to go with the meal and we really enjoyed ourselves. After I helped with the clean up, I came home and took a two-hour nap! I was so rested up by Friday that I actually agreed to take my daughter to the mall. (We didn't do the early morning, crazy shopping thing - we went later in the afternoon.) My husband got down all the boxes, and on Saturday, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations in one day. I couldn't believe it. And I wasn't really tired when we finished.

I would say that I felt like a new person, but the truth is I felt like my old self. I felt like that person who used to get things done and enjoy doing them. I had been pushing myself and doing too much for so long. I think I reached a point where I was just existing and not living. I was getting up early each morning and trying to cram as much into a day as I possibly could. I see a lot of other people doing it, too. More is expected of us every day in our jobs. Every day we are trying to do more with less.

Genesis 2:2-3

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

For the last few months, I have been hearing "rest." So I have started trying to rest on Sundays. It is the Sabbath, our day of rest, after all. After morning service I come home and eat, maybe take a nap, or read the paper. I try not to do any household chores or try to get caught up on paperwork for school. It doesn't always work out that way, but I am trying.

When God finished His creation over six days, He rested on the seventh day. In Exodus 34:21, He tells us to do the same. ("Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.") God didn't rest because He was tired. That seventh day, the day of rest, represents the rest we have in Jesus Christ. All our lives on this earth, we will labor. But a day will come when our labors will end, and we will have our rest in Him. In heaven, we'll never be tired or weak or faint. We will be rested!

But while we are on earth, we have to remember that we are human and quit trying to work like we are superhuman. If you are over 40, you know firsthand that the body begins to slow and break down. The mind and spirit are willing, but the flesh is just plain worn out. Jesus was fully man and fully God. Because He was man, He understood all that we feel. He knew that rest was important to our physical well-being.

Mark 6:30-32

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Were you ever so busy that you missed a meal or two? Sure. I know that I have. The same thing happened to His apostles. But He told them to take a break and get away from all the hubbub and action. Rest and get something to eat. If you were to drive your car and not stop for gas, eventually you would run out of gas and be stranded on the side of the road. We have work to do. We need to be about our Father's business. But we can't do it if we are out of gas.

John 4:6

Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon .

I underlined the word "tired" because I wanted to make sure it was seen. When I read the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman again a few weeks ago, that word jumped out at me. As many times as I had read it, I had never noticed that word. Jesus was tired! I think that we forget sometimes that Jesus was also a man. He experienced what it meant to be human and to be made of flesh and bone. He got tired. He got hungry. He had to sleep. That's why He is able to comfort us the way that He does - He's been there.

It seems pretty simple. If you are hungry, eat. If you are cold, put on something warm. If you are tired, rest. When we truly rest, God will refresh us and strengthen us. But we have to stop and be still first. If you keep running on empty, then that's how your life is going to feel. You might get a lot done, but at what cost? And I think we also need to ask ourselves what is keeping us so busy that we can't get the rest we need. What good or purpose is it serving? How much of what we accomplish will be burned up like wood, hay and stubble? (1 Corinthains 3:12-13) Are you busy in the right things? Or have you allowed yourself to be enslaved to the busyness and demands of the world?

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

When a friend asked how my Thanksgiving week had been, I jokingly said that it was great because I had given myself the gift of rest. I realize now that the gift was really from the Lord. But I did have to make the first step. Come, He said. Lay it down. Give it over to Him. Rest.

Family Visits

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:38:00 GMT

The great thing about the holidays: we get to spend time with our family.

The bad thing about the holidays: we get to spend time with our family.

Spending time with our family is important to me and my husband. All of our family is out of state, so we spend a lot of time on the road each year going to visit. We have family in Kentucky , Pennsylvania , Maryland , North Carolina and Virginia . I come from a large extended family and my husband has a smaller family circle. He's use to just being with immediate family. I am use to being around the extended family - aunts, uncles, cousins, great aunts and uncles, second cousins, third cousins, etc. Our visits are usually very enjoyable, due in large part, I think, to the fact that they are planned in advance at a time that works for all parties. In other words, the visits are on our own terms - we stay long enough to enjoy each other and not so long that we get on each other's nerves.

The holidays make family visits a little more complicated. The bigger the family, the more complicated it gets. For example, you try to get everyone together on one day. That's a tall order in itself. Some people have work conflicts. Others may (GASP) be spending the holidays with their spouse's family. I have had friends who ate two or three Thanksgiving dinners in one day just to please all the family. Others negotiate how to divide their time among family (i.e., the "every other year" rule; alternating holidays; one side gets Christmas Eve and the other Christmas Day, etc.).

Some may not be able to afford to travel to visit family. They may not to get to go on the road trip, but they will certainly take a guilt trip for not being able to be there. Since I was four years old, we haven't lived in the same area as our family members. All I have known is either visiting or being visited by family during the holidays. I don't know what it would be like to have all your family living in the same general area and be able to get together without the worries of packing, putting the dog in the kennel, stopping the mail, etc. I wonder if people in that position take it for granted.

Another complication is that you want to have this picture-perfect, Hallmark-moment, Currier & Ives festive gathering where everyone laughs and smiles and gets along. The reality is not so picture perfect, and when it doesn't match our expectations we can become disappointed and disillusioned. If Uncle Joe is loud and has bad table manners as a rule, it's likely he will be that way at your beautifully decorated Thanksgiving table. Yelling at him and correcting him in front of everyone isn't going to change him ... it's just going to give everyone indigestion. And don't forget the children. We mix them in with a bunch of cousins in a sea of family cooped up inside a too warm house and we expect them to behave like little angels. I can't remember making it through a family holiday as a kid without one of us either getting a spanking for our over-activity or getting injured from playing with our cousins.

Proverbs 17:1

Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.

I am not saying don't spend the holidays with your family. But if all you do when you are together is argue and hurt each other, maybe it's time to rethink the situation. I know that I have taken a few years off from spending Thanksgiving with family. I couldn't sit through one more political argument while I was trying to enjoy my turkey and cranberry sauce. And nothing goes with pie like your grandmother asking how much weight you had gained. Even when I tried to divide my time, I felt guilty about not getting to see everyone. So, for the last several years I have cooked my own Thanksgiving dinner and anyone who wanted to come was welcome. Sometimes family would come. Sometimes we would have neighbors and friends join us. Last year, it was just the three of us. There were lots of leftovers for turkey sandwiches, but I have to admit it was too quiet and I missed having at least a little company. Somewhere between the big overcrowded gathering and just our immediate family is the happy medium.

Genesis 13:7-11

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot 's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot , Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Abram used wisdom to maintain his relationship with Lot . The fact that they went their separate ways to establish their households did not change the love they had for each other. In the following chapter, Abram takes his fighting men out to rescue Lot from the four kings who pillaged Sodom and Gomorrah . Everyone in your family may not always get along, but let something or someone come against one of them!

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Who couldn't use a little more peace at the family holiday dinner? Before you head off to the big family dinner this year, ask yourself what you, as a Christian, can do to make the time with family better.

Do a little advance work. Pray for your family - pray for each person and his or her needs. If it is a person you don't have the best relationship with, pray for a mending of fences and for peace. Pray for yourself, too. Pray that you will have an enjoyable time together. Nothing is impossible with God!

Lower your expectations. I don't think that picture perfect, Hallmark-moment, Currier & Ives family gathering exists anywhere except in pictures, cards and movies. People are people. We have different personalities, even if we are related. We marry or date other people with different personalities and opinions and bring them into the mix. Accept your family for who they are and love them anyway. Isn't that what Christ did for us?

Agree to disagree. I really don't know why the one side of my family chose dinner time to discuss politics and other world issues. We didn't discuss them any other time we were together. I never put in my two cents, because it would have added fuel to the fire. Just because you are family doesn't mean you will agree on everything. You may have to agree up front that certain subjects are off limits during dinner or the entire visit. In Romans 12:18, Paul advises us: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. As far as it depends on you . . . you have choices and you can set the tone.

Don't take the bait. An offense is a baited trap. Satan loves to use offenses to cause trouble. No one can hurt you the way family can. We always hurt the ones we love. Was I offended when my grandma said I was fat? You bet. It hurt my feelings. In hindsight, I see that it was the beginning of what is now her dementia. She lost control over good judgment in choosing her words and now has lost control of her memory. But I know that she loves me and I love her. Now what she says goes in one ear and out the other. If someone says something to hurt you, your first instinct is to say something hurtful back. Romans 12:17 says, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone." What does it do for your Christian testimony before your unsaved family members if you are quarreling or having a temper tantrum?

Remember the reason for the season. Whether it is Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or a special birthday celebration or anniversary, there is a reason you have gathered as a family. Try to keep that in the forefront of your thoughts and actions. Remember why it was important for you to see your family. Take the opportunity to love them and tell them how you feel about them. Encourage one another. You never know when it is the last time you'll spend a holiday with them. Many of you have experienced that kind of loss and know what I mean. These holiday memories that you are making are important and need to be cherished.

This blog article has been a little different. Let me say for the record that I don't have an Uncle Joe and all my uncles have excellent table manners. I guess because we are heading into the holiday season, my thoughts have been for my family. I really miss my parents and grandfathers and my cousin, but I have great memories to hold on to. Our family is so big and spread out, it is impossible to give everyone the time and attention that my heart wants to show. I can't be everywhere and I can't be with all of them, but God can. We can only do what we are able to do. I'm not sure where I will physically be for the holidays, but I know my heart will be with all my family. I will be happy about spending time with the ones I am with and I will be praying for blessings and a joyous time for those I can't be with. Nothing can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:39 ) and nothing can separate me from the love for my family.

Over the Rainbow

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 11:25:00 GMT

Promises are always so much easier to make than they are to keep. We are held to our promises by the people we make them to. If we can't keep our promise, we lose our credibility. I've learned to be more careful in choosing my words when agreeing to do something. "I will try to remember to call you tomorrow." "I will do my best to get that to you today, but it may be tomorrow." The smart business person knows to under-promise and over-deliver. Get it the other way around and you have some unhappy customers.

Children love to promise you things, and I believe they mean it at the time. "I'll clean my room tomorrow, I promise!" "I promise I will never do it again." "I promise I will never ask for another thing if you will buy this for me." Learning to keep promises, and the consequences of not keeping them, is just another one of those things you learn as you grow and mature. However, even the most mature person may find he is unable to fulfill a promise. Sometimes circumstances get in the way of our best intentions.

We learn through trial and error who in our lives can keep their promises and who can't. I have people in my life that if they say they are going to do something, I know they will do whatever it takes to do it. I also have some people that I take their promises with a grain of salt and just plan on them not carrying them out. I am not judging them; I am just accepting who they are and doing what I have to do. It's less stressful that way.

Joshua 23:14

You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

God's promises, on the other hand, are a sure thing. If He said it, then He will do it. Nothing will stop Him or stand in the way. The Word of God is full of His promises and is in itself a promise. Whenever I think of God's promises, I think of the rainbow. Whenever I see a rainbow, I get so excited. I have seen some beautiful rainbows over the years, including several double rainbows. Years ago, when I was traveling through Virginia to see my brother, I saw a beautiful tall, arched rainbow in a valley that took my breath away. But there was one rainbow that I saw about a year ago that really made an impression on me.

I was sitting at a traffic light and saw a beautiful rainbow and thought how pretty it was. I noticed how clear it was and that I could make out the different colors of the spectrum. I told God "thank you" for letting me see it. Then He spoke something into me. He reminded me that the rainbow represented a promise that is still in effect today. It means the same to us today that it did to Noah and his family on the day it first appeared.

Genesis 9:12-16

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

God has kept this promise for thousands and thousands of years and will continue to keep it. Sometimes we can't keep a promise for five minutes! When I saw the rainbow as a symbol of God's promises instead of just a beautiful thing of nature created by God, I was filled with a rush of excitement and faith. Each time a rainbow appears, God remembers the promise He made that never again will flood waters come "to destroy all life." I don't know about you, but I am certainly glad for that promise!

This was a faith-building revelation for me. It reminded me and affirmed for me that all of God's promises are real and working for me. Sometimes I get impatient waiting on God, and sometimes things don't happen the way I thought or wanted them to happen, but I know that I can count on God doing what He says He will do. Abraham had that kind of faith when God told him that he and Sarah would be parents in their old age.

Romans 4:18-25

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead-since he was about a hundred years old-and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness-for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Jesus is both the fulfillment of a promise and the symbol of another. Throughout the Old Testament we have prophecies and promises of the Messiah. Those were fulfilled with the coming of Jesus. Even those closest to Jesus didn't realize fully who He was until after the resurrection. Through His death on the cross and His resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the promise of salvation and eternal life for those who believe. Every kid who has ever been in Sunday school or vacation bible school has learned John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Jesus is God's promise to us. But Jesus is not just a symbol or a reminder. He is our High Priest who stands before God on our behalf for the cleansing of our sins.

Hebrews 7:20-22

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

"The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'"

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

A covenant with God is unbreakable by God. Psalm 111 says that God will remember his covenant forever. We may not always live up to our end of the deal, but God always lives up to his. Jesus is the guarantor of the new covenant. When God looks down from heaven and sees the rainbow, He remembers that He will never again destroy life with flood waters. When God looks at our hearts and lives and sees the blood of Jesus applied, He sees a life that will live forever with Him and not be destroyed in the lake of fire. Christ is the fulfillment of all of God's promises.

2 Corinthians 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

I don't look at rainbows the same way anymore. I still get very excited and am awed by their beauty. Just like in the song from "The Wizard of Oz", I think about that place "somewhere over the rainbow" where "troubles melt like lemon drops." God has given us the promise of heaven, where He will dry our tears and there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain. But we have to live up to our end of the covenant. We have to believe and accept Jesus as our Savior and walk in the ways of God. He knew we would have a hard time with keeping promises and that we would sin. That's why He sent us Jesus.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We sing a song about standing on the promises of God. His promises are the foundation of our faith. We can be sure-footed when we stand on them. Our faith in them will be credited as righteousness to us. We can be sure that those promises will be fulfilled. God has promised us victory over all things, including death. All we have to do is step out in faith and stand on those promises.

Self Worth Balance

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:31:00 GMT

About every other week I work in the nursery at church, either in the morning or the evening service. Working the evening service is nice when you've had a busy week. The kids are usually a little more tired (like me) and ready to settle in for the evening. We usually put on a movie and have a snack and get comfortable.

Last week's movie was a Veggie Tales cartoon called "A Snoodle's Tale." I love Veggie Tales, but I had not seen this particular story. A young snoodle named Snoodle Doo is "born" on the fourth Tuesday. He discovers he has wings and has been given a backpack filled with art supplies and a kazoo. He guesses that he must have artistic and musical talent and makes his first efforts with both. Older snoodles who see his first artwork and hear his first attempts at music laugh and criticize him. Like a baby bird, he tries out his wings for the first time and doesn't get far. The older snoodles again laugh and ridicule his effort. They even draw pictures of his failures and put them in his backpack for future reference in case he forgets how bad he is at these things.

The young snoodle feels the pain of their rejection, counts himself a failure and leaves the community. He can't get past the things that they said about him. Their words and their view of his abilities weigh him down and he can barely move forward. Then he sees the finches flying over Mt. Glinches and decides to climb the mountain. At the top, he discovers a cave which turns out to be the home of the snoodles' Creator. After Snoodle Doo shares his story, the Creator takes away the mean-spirited pictures the older snoodles had drawn and throws them in the fire. He shows the young snoodle a picture of how He sees him. In the Creator's picture, Snoodle Doo is soaring in the sky and using the talents the Creator has given him. An encouraged Snoodle Doo tries out his wings again. He begins to fly and soar and returns back to Snoodleburg with a new confidence.

The story was subtitled "a lesson in self worth." Self worth is one of those areas where you want to maintain a healthy balance. If you have too much self worth, you can become conceited, judgmental and overconfident. You run the risk of thinking you don't need anyone - including God. Too little self worth can be equally as bad. You can become depressed, defeated and unsure of yourself. You might start to believe that you aren't worthy of anyone's love - including God's. Somehow we have to walk in that middle ground where we are both confident in who we are in God's eyes and yet humble enough to know that we can't do anything without Him. It can be pretty tricky.

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Think about your self worth as a bank account. When we have encouragement and positive interactions with others, it builds up our account. It is invested in our lives and we can invest it in others by being encouragers, as well. In doing, so we maintain a healthy balance in our account.

Then one day, someone comes along who is not so encouraging or we have a negative encounter. If we are not careful, we can let that wipe out our balance and perhaps even overdraw our account. It knocks our feet out from under us. It takes our breath. Like the little snoodle, it weighs heavy on our hearts. The hurt immobilizes us. We can't get over it and we can't move on. We forget who we are, and instead, we believe someone else's report. Why is it if 10 people saying we are doing great and one person thinks we shouldn't have bothered getting out of bed that day, we listen to that one person?

Job 20:2-3

"My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. I hear a rebuke that dishonors me, and my understanding inspires me to reply.

Our first reaction to someone's harsh words is to return fire. That usually doesn't work out very well. If you add fuel to a fire, you get a bigger fire. Learning how to respond in situations where someone is being negative or confrontational isn't easy. It takes time and a growing maturity. But if you have built your self worth and invested it properly, nothing anyone says can take it away from you.

We take on the labels that other people give us instead of handing them back and saying, "no thank you, that's not who I am." I see this often among the kids in our after school program. Child A comes to me and says that Child B called him a liar. I ask Child A if he lied, and he says that he didn't. I tell Child A that if he didn't tell a lie, then he isn't a liar, regardless of what Child B says. Then we go find Child B and the two of them talk things out. Five minutes later they are playing together like nothing ever happened. If it were always that easy with grown-ups!

James 3:9-10

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

It was no coincident that I watched that particular Veggie Tales show that day. I had spent the previous several days nursing the wounds of a verbal confrontation. Through a little snoodle's tale, God reminded me of how He sees me. He reminded me to check my self-worth balance and see all the blessings that were deposited there. I began to recall scriptures about how no weapon formed against me shall prosper, that I am the head and not the tail and that nothing can separate me from the love of God. I started to feel better and stronger.

As long as there are people, there is going to be conflict. There are going to be people who hit below the belt with personal attacks, name calling and maligning of character. (Sounds like the writers of this year's political ads, doesn't it?) However, when we respond in a Godly manner, we can protect our self-worth and bring peace to the situation. It is way harder than it sounds. It means doing things like forgiving those who hurt us. It means praying for them and doing good for them. That's usually the last thing on our minds when someone is in our face and telling us off. Remain calm, and remember who you are in God. Remember how He sees you. You are worth everything to Him. After all, He gave His only Son -- that through His death and resurrection you may have eternal life. Deposit that in your account!

Live Up to His Name

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:48:00 GMT

My cousin and her husband had a beautiful baby boy earlier this month. I am always excited to hear what a baby has been named. One of the first things that I do is look up the meaning of the name. It took them a few days to select the name . . . he surprised mom and dad by coming a month early! I knew that he would have an interesting name and they did not disappoint.

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Abram Frederick was the name that they chose, though I haven't had a chance to ask her how they chose it. I know that Frederick is her father's middle name. Abram is not a common name in the United States . According the web site, Name Statistics , there are around 6,000 men, or .005 percent of men, named Abram in the U.S. It ranks number 1,053 in name popularity. Abram means "high or exalted father." Frederick means "peaceful ruler." I think it is a fantastic name! They are going to call him Abe, which is really cute. He'll probably get called "Honest Abe" by the jokesters, but that's okay. It could be worse. Also, he will probably be the only Abe in his class, which is a plus. There are so many kids in school with the same first name that they are identified by their first name and the first letter of their last name (ex: Austin B., Austin C., etc.), which gets very confusing. One year in my after school program I had five Austins !

Genesis 17:5

No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

Hearing that the baby's name was Abram, I couldn't help but think of Abraham in the book of Genesis. Abram was his original name. God changed his name to Abraham, which means "father of many" when He established His covenant with him. He also changed his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah - both names mean princess. Abram was 100 years old and his wife was 90, so it seemed unbelievable to him that he could be a father to anyone, let alone many nations. But when God changed his name, he also changed the impossible to possible. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac, and Isaac had Jacob and Esau.

Jacob was another person who had his name changed by God. Jacob's name meant "deceiver," and it fit him well. However, in Genesis 32, after wrestling with a man all night, he refuses to end the match until the man (God) agrees to bless him. Verse 28: Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel , because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." Israel means "wrestles or struggles with God." Jacob was changed by the experience and so was his name. He became Israel , the father of the 12 tribes.

Peter is another person who receives a new name. His original name is Simon, and he is often referred to as Simon Peter. Simon means "he who hears." Peter means "the rock." In Matthew 16:18, Jesus says: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Peter did not live up to his name right away. In fact, he hit rock bottom when he denied knowing Jesus. But eventually he did become the rock that Jesus knew he would be.

Saul was a powerful Pharisee, determined to rid the world of this new Christian movement. He was arresting and imprisoning those who claimed to be Christians. On his way to Damascus , he met Jesus and his life was forever changed. Saul, which means "asked or wished for", became Paul, meaning "humble." Paul, who had watched Stephen be stoned and who asked the High Priest for letters of authority to arrest Christians, became a servant of Christ and an apostle to the Gentiles.

In each of these cases, the name changes were symbolic of how God had changed their lives. It makes me wonder if God changed my name and the name of others who became new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). I like the name my parents gave me. My first name means "lily" and my middle name means "who is like the Lord." But if I have another name given by God, I would be excited to know what it is. Just add that to the list of questions that I know will be answered one day.

Revelation 20:15

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

More important than what your name is or what it means is where it is written. Many people dream of seeing their name in lights. Tourists walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame to see the names of stars of screen and stage. Andy Warhol predicted that everyone would have 15 minutes of fame, and the onslaught of reality tv is making that more possible all the time. While fame or professional recognition can be nice, it doesn't count for anything beyond this life. What we should be concerned about is whether or not our name is written in the Book of Life.

Revelation 20:12

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

No one knows the day or the hour, but one thing that is certain is that one day we will all stand before the judgment seat. The Book will be opened and if our name is not there, we will be cast into the lake of fire. If our name is there, then we will receive our reward of eternal life. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our name is written in the Book. If we remain in Christ, then He remains in us, as well.

Revelation 3:5

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

It's fun to look up the meaning of your name. Keeping your good name, or reputation, in this world can be important to a successful life. Names are often the first thing we learn about another person and we make judgments about people based on their names. But nothing is more important than making sure that your name, whatever it is, is written in the Book of Life. If you haven't had that life changing experience, it isn't too late. There's still room in the book for your name. You just have to make room in your heart for His.

It's Electric

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:43:00 GMT

Our Worship Team was invited to do the Praise & Worship at another church recently. It was their Pastor Appreciation Day and they were having a special mid-afternoon service followed by a dinner. Since singing for the Lord and eating are two of our most favorite things to do, we happily accepted.

That meant we had to stick around for the sermon. Believe it or not, that is also one of my favorite parts of church. I love to hear different people bring the Word. There are different styles and different ways to deliver it, but the Word itself never changes. What changes is our better understanding of it. I hate to hear when people say their services are boring or that the pastor drones on and on. I wonder if it is the way the pastor delivers the message or the way that they listen. Either way, if you are bored that means you are not being fed (church jargon for spiritually nourished) and you either need to check yourself or you need to check out and find another church.

Usually on Pastor Appreciation days, churches invite guest speakers. I was very excited to see who they had brought in for this day. The last time we had visited, I had truly enjoyed the gentleman's message. He was very engaging and used a lot of humor to get his points across. Does a message have to be entertaining? No, I am not there to be entertained; I am there to be changed. He was able to do both and it was effective. It was during their revival, and they had about dozen people who either were saved or rededicated themselves to the Lord.

So I am sitting there anticipating a great service. The pastor welcomes everyone and introduces the speaker. But it is not a tall, graying, well-seasoned circuit preacher that I had envisioned who comes forward. It is a petite, young woman with long flowing blonde hair. And she is a little nervous. I have nothing against female preachers. In fact, I enjoy hearing them. We have one in our church. They are few and far between. So while I was surprised that our speaker was a woman, I certainly was not disappointed.

She started out telling us a little bit about herself and her ministry. The nerves were still showing themselves through her shaky voice and hands. Then she began to share the message that God had given her to preach that day. As she started into her message, you could see a change come over her. Suddenly she was no longer that nervous, petite young woman, but an on-fire, Holy rolling, spirit-filled, give a shout out to the Lord, anointed woman of God. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and transformed her.

Isaiah 61:1

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

She had been transformed before our eyes through the power and presence of God - His anointing. Talking about the anointing can be a little challenging, because it is hard to describe with words. The definition of anoint is " to rub or sprinkle on; apply an unguent, ointment, or oily liquid to." Another is "to consecrate or make sacred in a ceremony that includes the token applying of oil." M ost people are familiar with the anointing of people or objects. In the Bible, prophets and kings were anointed for service. This means that they were set apart by God and given a special job to do. The priests anointed the altar and other items in the tabernacle as instructed by God. These items were set apart for use in God's house and no other.

To anoint something is a physical act in which you apply oil to symbolize that something or someone is consecrated and dedicated to the Lord. For example, I have anointed my home. To have the anointing of God is similar but different. When man anoints you, he uses oil. When God anoints you, it is with His power, His fire. Some have described the anointing as being able to do through the power of God something you normally wouldn't be able to do.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, you are setting yourself apart for His service. You receive the Holy Spirit. He gives you gifts and callings (that are without repentance, which means they are yours forever). And you receive the anointing, or the power, to use those gifts. That means when you use those gifts to the glory of God, He is going to be there to help you. If God has called you to preach, then He has anointed you to preach and He will be there to help you. If He has called you to teach, sing, write, minister, heal, help - whatever your calling - He will be there.

When you are doing what you are supposed to be doing and you are operating in the Spirit of God and not out of your own fleshy ambition and desires, the anointing will be there. You will feel it and you will know it. The way some people have described the anointing is that it's electric. Others have said it feels like a fluttery feeling in their stomach. I feel it as a warmth, flowing from head to toe. It can even feel like an out-of-body experience. There are times after I have taught that I have sat down and thought, "Did I just do that?" It's not us, but God working through us.

1 John 2:27

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him.

Christ means "the anointed one". As Christians, we are "the anointed ones." Unfortunately, I think a lot of Christian people have put a lid on their anointing. They may be ignorant about it . . . ignorant means unlearned, not dumb. They may be afraid of it. They be sitting in a service and start to feel that presence of God upon them, that little tingle in their spirit, and they get scared and quench it. Other people may be trying to do a work in their church and wonder why they aren't getting anywhere. They need to ask themselves if they are operating in their calling. If you want to be a preacher and God has not called you to preach, then the anointing is not going to be there.

After I got saved, I told God that spiritually I wanted it to be the real thing and that I wanted all He had for me. I didn't want it be a "going through the motions" experience. It's kind of like when you get married. You want it to be the love of your life and you want to spend the rest of your life with that person. You wouldn't want to marry just anyone and have a loveless life together. When you are in a true relationship with God and you are doing the things He has called you to do, then His power and anointing are with you. There is nothing that can compare with that feeling or that experience. There is no drug better than that. There is no "high" better than that. You can't always go on feeling . . . many times you don't feel anything at all and you have to walk on faith. But when you do feel the anointing, you feel the presence of God. It doesn't get any better than that.

He Can See Himself

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:18:00 GMT

She jingled as she walked, so I heard her coming around the corner. "Can you help me put this ear on?" she asked. With the pointy ear in place, her costume was complete.

"I thought you said it was 'come as a movie character' day. Who are you supposed to be?" I asked. "Elf!" she replied. I had forgotten about the Will Ferrell movie. She had found a way to wear the bright red and green Christmas elf costume one more time. It was Homecoming week, or Spirit Week, at her school. Each day had a different theme. So my daughter was dressed in a long sleeve elf costume made of felt-like material on a hot October day. She would definitely stand out.

"Are your friends dressing up, too? What if we get to school and no one else is dressed up? Do you want to take a pair of clothes to change into?" I asked, always the concerned mom with a back up plan.

"They will be dressed up, Mom," she assured me. "But so what if they aren't? I don't care."

The smile on my face stayed with me for the rest of the day. That's my girl! When she decides to do something, she does it whole heartedly. She is in it for the long haul and there is no talking her out of it. She is the most persistent person I know. If she had been the only person in the school dressed up that day it would not have bothered her a bit. She has no need for back up plans, because she is going to stick to the one she has.

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

It is easy to do the things we love to do. We can work with all our heart and sweat and labor for the things and people we love and enjoy. This scripture from Colossians says "whatever you do." Everything that we do -- whether it is something we are doing because we like it or we are doing it because we just have to - we should be doing it with all our heart. That means we have to give it our best, not just the minimum effort to get by.

Everyone has days that they hate their jobs. I really like my job, but occasionally there are days that I want to run in the back and hide. But some people hate their job every day. They complain about it all the time when you are talking to them. They complain about it on Facebook (which is dangerous if the boss can read it). I imagine they go home and complain about it to their spouse. If they took all the energy that it takes to complain and put it into their work, perhaps their perspective would change. You don't like your boss? Fine. Think of God as your boss. Now how does that change your work ethic?

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

When we are serving God, we give it 100 percent and then some (or at lease we should). We know how important it is and we know He is watching. We want to hear the words, "well done, good and faithful servant." He wants that same effort in all our work. "Whatever you do."

If you have a job, especially in today's economy, you are blessed. God has given you that job. If it is a job you don't like, you might want to ask yourself why you are there. You've probably been too caught up in feeling sorry for yourself to ask that question. Maybe God put you there to be a witness to others in the company. What does your grumbling and complaining about the job do to your testimony? Why would anyone want to listen to what you have to say about the Lord? They see you as The Complainer. I know I always try to avoid that person in the workplace.

Or maybe God put you there to teach you something. Who else are you working with? What can you learn from them? What kinds of skills and experience are you getting? When I worked for a non-profit organization, I had to go out to different companies and speak about how we helped people and persuade their employees to support us both financially and with their time. I had been hired to do another job in the organization, but we were small and everyone had to pitch in when it came to fundraising. I didn't like having to go out and speak at first, but I knew how important it was to our organization. The more I did it, the more I liked it and it turned out it helped me do my primary job even better. Now, in serving God, I am a teacher. I have no problem getting up in front of people and speaking and presenting.

1 Philippians 1:6

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Everyone wants to move up and move on. If you want to be promoted or if you want something better, you'll have to go through some stuff first. You want God to use you in a certain way? Maybe you aren't ready. Maybe He needs you to mature a little first. Or perhaps you need to learn how to be the best at what you are currently doing and be happy doing it before you can move on to something else. God isn't punishing you or trying to put you someplace to make you miserable. He is working on you. He is refining you. The silversmith puts the raw material into the fire to burn out the impurities until he has the perfect product. He knows that his work is complete when he removes it from the fire and he can see himself in it.

Bridge Day

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 10:16:00 GMT

"Hello? Did you forget the bridge is out? Now you have to turn around and go back the way you came or navigate the detour in an area you're not familiar with. Way to go! Now you are going to be late."

Too bad they can't get all that on the sign, because that's what I was actually seeing when I saw the words "Detour Ahead." I knew about the detour, but I had let myself get distracted and autopilot had kicked in.

In early August, construction crews tore out a bridge at Davis Creek. It's not a very big bridge. I'm not sure that it is two car lengths across. Its absence has reminded me of that saying, "you don't know what you've got until it's gone." Two months later, we are still left with this gaping hole and no signs of a new bridge being installed. The newspaper recently ran an article about the lack of action on the new bridge and how it is adversely affecting local businesses. This little hole is causing big problems.

Some people may not have even realized it was a bridge before it was removed. Our rural roads have all kinds of these little bridges that seamlessly go along with the roadway. On our road there are two little one-lane bridges. If either of them had to be taken out, it would present a major problem. We would be up a creek . . . literally. Sure, there is a back way off our hill. It is a narrow gravel road that is nearly impossible to travel in the winter. And did I mention that you have to drive through the creek before you come back on the main road? I am grateful for those one-lane bridges. If you kept track, you might be surprised by how many times you cross a bridge in the course of a day around here.

Bridges are important structures. They help us get over something. They connect us with something or someplace. They transition us from one place to another. One day when someone was whining about something that had happened (I'm sure it wasn't me, lol), my husband looked up and said, "Oh just build a bridge and get over it already!" What great advice. Sometimes we get hung up on little things that happen or something that was said and we can't move on. For example, if someone has hurt your feelings you could mope around and cry and tell everyone what a terrible person they are. You could dwell on it for days and let it hold you back from enjoying yourself or getting things accomplished. Or you could forgive them and get over it and get on with your life. Why would you sink into the pit when you could sail across it?

John 14:6

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

There are a lot of bridges we can build through love, forgiveness, caring, truth, fidelity, trustworthiness, fairness, honest communication, etc. Our relationships with each other can be tricky. It takes work and it takes commitment. We have to be willing to build bridges, not tear them down. However, there is one pit we all have to cross over and we can't do it by our own means.

When I was checking out that hole where the Davis Creek bridge used to be, I thought about how ugly and awful it looked. As ugly as it was, I thought, it didn't even touch how ugly and awful the pit of Hell must look. Right now I am here on this earth, but one day my journey will end and I will cross over into Heaven. If I am going to cross over the pit of Hell, I am going to need a safe, secure, strong bridge. The bridge's name is Jesus.

Some people might look at a gaping hole between them and Heaven and think, "I'm fast and strong. I can just get a good run at it and I'll be able to jump across." These are the people who think they can make it in by their own strength and abilities. Others will look at the chasm between them and God and say, "I am a good person. I am nice to people and I help others whenever I can." These are the people who think they can get to Heaven through their works. (Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.) Still others will stand around bewildered, wondering why no one ever told them there would be a bridge to cross. But Jesus said that we know the way and that He was the way.

Matthew 7:13-14

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Most people do believe that there is life after death. Most of them even acknowledge that God exists. Unfortunately, a large percentage of those people have not taken the time to get to know Him. They are on that broad road and they need to turn around (repent) before they go through the wrong gate and end up in the pit of Hell. Don't go down that road! The bridge is out!

The only way to the Father is through the Son. You have to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. You can't do it in your own strength. You can't do it in your own good deeds. You will be saved when you repent and you acknowledge Jesus. It is by the grace of God and His grace is sufficient.

"The Message" quotes Matthew 7:13-14 this way: "Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life-to God!-is vigorous and requires total attention."

If I had ignored the warning signs and the orange cones on the road that day, I would have driven my car into the hole where the bridge used to be. My car would have been totaled and I might have been killed. That would have been pretty stupid, right? All I had to do was turn around and get back on the right road and I reached my destination safely. So, why would a person, who has seen and the heard the warnings, continue on a road to Hell? Their life will be totaled and it will be lost. That would be pretty stupid, right? It's never too late to stop and turn around. Some critics of God complain about that small gate and narrow road being too small and narrow. What they don't realize is that it is always open to anyone and everyone who chooses it.

I am thankful that I have a Savior to bridge the gap for me - who has made the way for me to spend eternity with Him and with the Father. I am not going across because I am strong and I am good person and I am perfect, because I am not. I am going across because I can admit that I am a sinner and I need the blood of Jesus Christ to wash away my sin.

When I cross that bridge, I am afraid that if I look down I will see the faces of friends and loved ones who chose the wrong road. I want to see all my family and friends in Heaven for eternity. To those of you who have accepted Christ, I ask that you please keep praying for the salvation of others. If you don't know Jesus and don't understand God's plan of salvation, I hope that you will ask Him to reveal Himself to you. I hope that you will get to know Him and that you will invite Him to be your Savior. I hope that when your "bridge day" comes, you will be on the right road and that you will "get over it" and spend your everlasting life with Him.

Lighten the Load

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:03:00 GMT

I see this scene repeated many times each day. When Mom or Dad or Grandma or Grandpa picks up his or her child or grandchild, they carry the heavy backpacks and lunchboxes and musical instruments. The child might carry out a craft or drawing made that afternoon. I know I did the same thing with my daughter when she was younger. In fact, I bought her a backpack with wheels so that neither of us would have to carry that heavy bag. Now that she is older (and nearly as tall as me), she has no trouble carrying her things.

It's second nature for parents to help their children. We love them and want to protect them. We want the best for them. If they are carrying a heavy load, we're going to do everything we can to lighten that load. It might start with carrying their heavy backpacks, but it is a lifelong commitment. We will always be looking out for them and doing what we can to help.

We can find that same help when we surrender our burdens to the Lord. A burden is defined as a load or obligation. For example, being a parent isn't easy. It's a burden we happily take on, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. We need a little help now and then from friends and relatives. But they can't be with us all the time.

Matthew 11:28-30

Are you carrying what seems like the weight of the world on your shoulders? Jesus said that we could hand those burdens over to Him and rest. Just like the grandma who carried her granddaughter's heavy backpack, our Lord will carry our burdens for us, if we allow Him.

My daughter has always helped me carry in groceries. When she was little, she carried the smaller, lighter items - bread, boxed dry goods, paper products. I carried the heavier bags - cans, milk, pet foods. As she is getting older and stronger, she is starting to carry the heavier items. And I am letting her. During the time that I carried the heavier items, she grew and matured and became stronger. I know she can handle more things now than she could when she was a young child. But if she ever comes across something too heavy or overwhelming, she knows that her dad and I are here to do everything we can to help her. She trusts us and knows that we only want the best for her. That's how the Lord feels about you and your burdens. He wants you to rest and grow and become stronger in Him.

***

Footprints

by Mary Stevenson

One night I dreamed I was walk in g along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand .
Sometimes the re were two sets of footprints ,
o the r times the re were one set of footprints .

This bo the red me because I noticed
that dur in g the low periods of my life,
when I was suffer in g from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints .

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that dur in g the most try in g periods of my life
the re have only been one set of footprints in the sand .
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been the re for me?"

The Lord replied,
" The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand ,
is when I carried you."

The Secret to a Low-Anxiety Life

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:22:00 GMT

I hate to admit it, but I am a bit of a worrier. That's something that people who know me might not realize. I think most of my friends see me as someone who is organized, prepared and even-tempered. I don't get excited until there is really something to get excited about. (But when I do get excited, look out!) However, beneath the calm exterior is a mind that often ponders the worst case scenarios and is anxious about the things of daily life. With God's help, my problem with worrying has gotten much better over the years.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

A fisherman casts his line into the water and waits for a fish to take the bait. When he gets a bite, he reels his line back in. A lot of Christians cast their cares like they are fisherman. They cast them upon the Lord, and instead of letting them go, they reel them back in.

Why can't we let those worries go? It could be that our faith is weak and we need to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. After all, if we know who God is and believe in His promises, then we should be able to trust Him with our problems. Trusting is hard, especially if you have been betrayed by others. But as you grow closer in your relationship with God, you will be able to trust Him more and more. He doesn't lie or change his mind. He promised He would never leave you or forsake you.

Or perhaps we hold on to those worries out of habit. We are so used to taking care of everybody and everything that it has become second nature to worry about it all. If we didn't have to worry about it all, what would we do with ourselves? We wouldn't know how to act if we could relax and actually enjoy life. Other people seem to walk around without a care in the world. We worriers think they are either lazy, crazy or in denial. But the truth is they have learned the secret to a low-anxiety life.

It really isn't a secret. In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus tells us that worry is a waste of time. He uses birds to illustrate the concept that it is needless to worry about having the necessities of life. Birds don't plant or reap, but God provides the food they need. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He asks (Matthew 6:27 ).

Matthew 6:28-32

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

In the Message version, the writers express the scriptures this way:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of which are never even seen-don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving . People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works."

I especially like the line "to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving." When we worry, we usually are thinking about what we need. We need more money or a better job or material things. We want healing for ourselves or a loved one. We want to know that our loved ones are safe and not in harm's way. We are worrying about getting something done. When we are in "gimme" mode, we aren't in a position to receive the blessings and peace that God has for us.

You all know I love the show, "Clean House." Miss Niecy, the host, is always telling those pack rat homeowners that if they let go of their old, useless junk, she will gift them something new and wonderful that they actually need. They are usually holding on with a tight fist. She points out that if they will open their hand and let go, their open hand will be ready to receive. That's how we need to be with our worries. Worries are really useless junk. If we can truly let them go and give them over to God and not try to hold on to them, then He will take care of them. He will bless us with what we need and more.

Matthew 6:33-34

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

One of Scarlett O'Hara's famous lines was, "Tomorrow is another day." Tomorrow might not even come, so why carry the weight of the world on your shoulders today? If Jesus has said the worrying is pointless, then why do it? If we will seek God and seek to live the life He has called us to, then we can trust that everything else will fall into place. Does that mean that we don't have to care about anything or work for anything? Of course not. God doesn't want a bunch of slackers. He just wants to you to do your best and let Him take care of the rest. (Ephesians 6:13 . . . and after you have done everything, to stand. )

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I now can recognize when worry is starting to creep in and take over. The heart races a little faster. My mind starts to dwell on something and I can't concentrate on other matters at hand. I start to imagine what might happen if something isn't taken care of properly or quickly. That's when I stop myself. I ask God to forgive me for worrying and then I say, "Okay, God. I am giving this to you. I know that you are working for my good." Sometimes it's a daily conversation (or even hourly), but I don't give up. I keep on casting my cares upon Him, because I know He cares for me.

***

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Heavenly Celebrations

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:34:00 GMT

The people of Chile have something to celebrate. Earlier this month, an accident at a gold and copper mine had left 33 men trapped deep underground. After 17 days, mine workers were able to drill through more than 2,200 feet of solid rock to reach the emergency relief area where they hoped the miners would be. We can imagine their fears and their hopes. Would they find anyone alive, or would this be more of a recovery mission than a rescue? Much to their surprise, a probe returned with a note saying all 33 men were alive! Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said, “Today all of Chile is crying with excitement and joy.”

The miners still need our prayers, because their ordeal is far from over. Right now all 33 are alive. They are receiving food, water and other supplies through a capsule that is lowered down to them. Soon they will be able to communicate with their families. But officials expect that it will take as long as four months to drill a tunnel big enough to pull them out. That’s a long time to wait and anything could happen in four months. I do pray that all will be rescued in time.

West Virginians truly understand their joy, because it is greatly contrasted by our sadness. In April, 29 West Virginia miners lost their lives in the Big Branch Mine explosion. We experienced a similar tragedy in January 2006 with the explosion at the Sago mine. Families prayed and waited for many agonizing hours for news on the search and rescue mission. We felt as though we were there with them, eagerly awaiting and watching the television news updates. When word came that they were found alive, a joyous celebration erupted at the site and all over the state. This celebration quickly turned to mourning as the sad news came that a mistake had been made. Only one of the 13 miners had survived. It is one of the most heartbreaking moments I’ve ever witnessed.

Still, we could celebrate that the one miner had survived. Even then, we were guarded in our hopes because all reports indicated that he wasn’t doing well. But Randal McCloy survived. National news programs chronicled his treatment and rehabilitation. The last thing I remember hearing about him is that he and his wife had welcomed their third child about a year after the accident. As far as I know, he is still doing well and I am so happy for him and his family.

You know who you never hear about in news stories during and after mine disasters? It’s the other workers that were present and escaped unharmed. We are glad to hear that they are accounted for and safe, but then we focus our attention on those that need rescued. They are already saved and it’s the job of the mine rescuers to go after the lost.

Luke 15:3-7

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

A few weeks ago, a woman who has been coming to our church off and on for a while committed her heart and her life to the Lord. It was a moving experience to be there with her. Like those Chilean families, we all cried with joy and excitement. But an even greater celebration was taking place in Heaven. In the service, this woman was surrounded by her brothers and sisters in Christ who had prayed for her and loved her. They are good Christian people and God loves them, but the celebration that day wasn’t because of them. It was because a soul had been saved. And she won’t have to wait four months. She is saved now. She has the promise of everlasting life.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Does that mean her life will now be hunky-dory and always full of sunshine and daisies? Absolutely not. Life hands out its shares of trials and tribulations to everyone. The difference is that she has a new way to deal with them. She has a Heavenly Father that is watching over her and turning things around for her good. She has a Savior that is guiding her steps and serving as her Advocate and Redeemer. She has the Holy Spirit to counsel and comfort her. She has peace and the promise that when this physical life is over, that there is a place prepared for her in Heaven. Great is our reward when we give our lives to Christ!

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd doesn’t wait around for his sheep to come back. He leaves the 99 sheep and goes out looking for the lost one. If you (or a loved one) are unsaved, Jesus isn’t only waiting around for you to come to him, but he is also out there looking for you. He is speaking to you in different ways, trying to reach your heart. It might be through a sermon, a television program, a friend, a missionary, a dream, the wonder of nature . . . or even a blog article. He’s that still, small voice that is urging your spirit to make a change and turn your life around for God. Are you listening?

I’ve heard people say that it’s too late for them. They believe they have done too many things in their life or things so terrible that they could never serve God. It is never too late. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sin is sin; there is no difference between a big sin and a little sin. When you repent, you turn away from that sin and move forward on the right path. When you accept Christ as your Savior, you have someone to lead you on that path.

Remember the prodigal son? The story in Luke tells of the younger son who asks his father to give him his inheritance and then he leaves home. He travels to a distant land and in no time, he has run through all his money. He is forced to take a job feeding pigs -- one of the worst possible jobs -- in order to survive. Then it says that he came to his senses and realized he would be better off as a servant in his father’s home than feeding this stranger’s pigs. He acknowledges his mistakes and humbly returns home to ask his father’s forgiveness, hoping to at least be taken back as a servant. Much to his surprise, his father welcomes him back with open arms.

Luke 15:22-24

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.”

No matter where you have been or what you’ve done or what you have been through, God has never stopped waiting and wanting you to come to Him. But the choice is yours. You have to decide if you want to go the world alone, or if you want a Savior, Advocate, Friend, Redeemer, Shepherd, Healer, Deliverer, Shield of Defense, Strong Tower , Omnipotent, Omnipresent, soon-coming King by your side. When you “come to your senses” like the prodigal son, I hope you will make the right choice.

Our church has been faithfully praying for the salvation of our families and friends. I am looking forward to many more heavenly celebrations.

Let Them Go

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:50:00 GMT

The world celebrates a new year each January. But those of us with children live by a different calendar. For us, a new year starts on the first day of school. Everything is new: new grade, new teachers, new friends, and sometimes a new school. It also means it is time for new backpacks, new shoes and clothes, and new supplies.

School years serve as milestones for our children. Life changes when they enter kindergarten. We’ve had them all to ourselves for five years, and then we have to turn them over to someone else for a while. We ask ourselves, where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday they were sweet, snuggly newborns in our arms. Letting go is scary for both you and your child, but it has to be done.

When my child was in kindergarten, she cried every day . . . until February. Every day I had to take her into the school and hand her over to the kindergarten aide. (I love that woman – she was my hero!) She would be crying and reaching for me and I just had to walk away. It was heartbreaking. Then one day in February as we pulled up to the school she said, “I think I will walk in by myself today.” I nearly wrecked the car! But I didn’t make a big deal out of it. I told her that would be fine and gave her a hug and kiss. As I watched her walk into the school, I began to cry. They were tears of relief and joy. My little girl was growing up.

Elementary school was a lot of fun. The toothless years were especially good. There is nothing cuter than a kid missing his or her front teeth. Around third grade things start to change as they transition from little kid to big kid. Next thing you know, you have a tall, gangly fifth grader who is torn between being a kid and being a teenager.

Then comes middle school. Nobody wants their child to go to middle school, but unfortunately there isn’t an alternative unless you want to home school them. (No thank you! I like my sanity!) What’s wrong with middle school? Nothing really -- we just don’t like it. It’s a bigger school for one thing. In elementary school, parents could drop by and talk to teachers, volunteer in the classroom, and bring in treats. You felt like you were part of a family. In middle school, neither the school nor your kids want you hanging around.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Parents are also concerned about the influence of the older students on the younger. Should a sixth grader be around an eighth grader? Middle school introduces them to a whole new world, and that world involves things like drugs and sex and cursing. If you haven’t already been talking to your child about these things you are way behind. If they don’t learn it from you they will learn about it from their friends. Friends are everything to a teenager, so you better be sure you know who your kids’ friends are. And let’s be honest: the real reason we worry about our kids in middle school and high school is that we know what we were doing at that age! We survived and so will they, by the grace of God.

Proverbs 20:11

Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.

This year my daughter will be an eighth grader. Now that she is that age, eighth graders don’t seem so bad. Isn’t it funny how our perspective changes? Looking back, I can’t believe she has two years of middle school behind her. Sixth grade nearly killed me, but seventh was a great year. She has grown and matured so much these last two years. She is becoming more responsible and more helpful. I try not to look too shocked when she offers to do something for me instead of me having to tell her a million times to do it. I watch how she interacts with her friends and with other adults and I am pleased. We must have done something right.

I don’t want to talk about going to high school . . . I am not ready for that yet! But I know I will be when the time comes. God will prepare me and He will help me prepare her. Don’t rush things. Enjoy where you are now and go with it. Let them go and watch them soar! And when they crash from time to time, you will be there to lift them up again.

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

My friends and I have been lamenting about our children growing up and moving on to a new stage in life. I have some friends with kindergarteners who are just getting started. Others are getting ready for their first step into middle school or high school or college. It is a wonderful, anxious, scary and bittersweet time. God gave us these children and it’s our job to grow them up. Much as we would like sometimes to keep them little and keep them close, it can’t be done. Time and biology are against us. They are going to grow up and move on and we can’t stop it from happening. But if we have done our jobs as parents, they will be prepared. We have to trust God and trust ourselves and trust our children.

***

Proverbs 6:20-23

²⁰ My son, keep your father's commands
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

²¹ Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.

²² When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.

²³ For these commands are a lamp,
       this teaching is a light,
       and the corrections of discipline
       are the way to life,

***
School is starting. Please pray for our school children and for the teachers and staff.

The Taming of the Tongue

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:08:00 GMT

“Me and my big mouth.”

“My mouth is always getting me in trouble.”

“There I go putting my foot in my mouth again.”

“Lord keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth!”

“ I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

I don’t know about you, but I’ve tasted my foot a lot lately. Usually I try to watch what I say (or write) because I understand the power that words have. But there are moments when the brain seems to disconnect from the control center and the tongue takes off on its own. Then there are times when I hear inside my head, “Don’t say that,” but I say it anyway. It’s like I can’t stop myself.

James 3:7-8

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Our tongue can get us in trouble in any number of ways. It can say “yes” too quickly and volunteer us for something we really don’t want to do. It can slip and let out information that we were supposed to keep to ourselves. Or perhaps the ears have heard a juicy tidbit of news and the tongue can’t wait to pass it on to someone else. The tongue can also speak harsh, critical words that wound and perhaps even kill. It can curse and blaspheme. (If you are a JetBlue flight attendant, the tongue can get you fired up and fired!)

My friend and I taught a lesson on the power of words once upon a time when we taught in Children’s Church. We gave the kids tubes of toothpaste and had them squeeze the toothpaste out. Then we told them to put the toothpaste back in the tube. You can imagine the looks on their faces. Some of them actually tried to do it, but quickly realized it was impossible. Our words are like the toothpaste – once we speak them, write them, email them, Facebook them, we can’t take them back. They will go out and do whatever good or damage they are going to do. That’s why we have to be so careful what we say, where we say it and whom we say it to. And we have to be mindful that nothing we say is in secret, because God hears everything.

James 3:9-10

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

Our words can be used to build someone up, or they can be used to tear them down. They can bring peace to a situation or they can incite a riot. They can convey love or they can spew hate. They can bring knowledge and understanding, or they can confuse and promote ignorance. And we will have to answer for all of them. Matthew 12:36-37 says: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Our moms use to tell us that if we didn’t have something nice to say, to not say anything at all. That’s pretty sound advice.

Proverbs 13:3

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

My father-in-law is one of those men you would describe as a “man of few words.” He doesn’t have a lot to say, but when he does say something you better listen up because it’s going to be worth hearing. It’s an example worth following, and would probably help keep me out of trouble. It really does take effort and discipline and help from God to keep ourselves and our tongues under control. It’s a choice we make, just like everything else in our life.

Earlier this week, I didn’t choose my words as carefully as I should and I hurt someone. Actually, I did it on more than one occasion to more than one person. (I told you I had tasted my foot a lot lately.) It is a painful reminder that our words have great power and we must choose them carefully. We can say we are sorry and pray that the people will forgive us, and probably they will. But the damage has been done and sorry doesn’t always make it feel better right away.

Ecclesiastes 5:2

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

Our pastor is always reminding us that God gave us two ears and only one tongue for a reason. We need to talk less and listen more. But it’s not just how much we talk (or the quantity); it’s the quality. Having a big mouth can be a good thing if you use it the right way. Use it to build up and encourage others. Use it to share wisdom and knowledge. Use it to promote peace and understanding. Use it to share the gospel with others. Just use it with care.

Family Matters

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:41:00 GMT

Last week my husband asked if we could arrange a weekend trip to Pennsylvania for a family reunion. When I stopped laughing and realized that he was serious, I started making plans.

Why the laughter? Let’s just say that his is not a close family – at least not compared to mine. I have a pretty big family, and while we don’t have family reunions, we do get together fairly often. When we see each other, we all hug and we give out that same round of hugs when we say goodbye. I met a few of my husband’s cousins and maybe an aunt and uncle about 17 years ago at a wedding reception. When we go to Pennsylvania to see his parents and sister, we never visit with any other family, even though many of them live in the same town.

We really didn’t know what to expect as we headed for the reunion location. I knew that his dad had four brothers, so we figured there might be 20 or 30 people at the most. Imagine our surprise when we find a large picnic shelter with at least 150 people, a big banner proclaiming the family reunion and someone making announcements over a sound system. This wasn’t the thrown-together picnic we expected. This was a well planned event.

Turns out they have been having this reunion on a fairly regular basis. Those attending come from my husband’s grandfather’s family. Apparently he had a lot of brothers and sisters, and almost each one had descendants who were present. The oldest was 91 and the youngest was six weeks old. My husband’s uncle was the first to greet me. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I don’t know who any of these people are either.” I think this might have been the first reunion where my father-in-law’s branch of the family showed up. As I said, they really aren’t a close bunch, though I think they genuinely care about one another. They just don’t want to spend a lot of time together. And they hate large gatherings.

My daughter was actually excited about attending the reunion. “Mom, I’ll get to meet a bunch of people that I’m related to and don’t even know,” she said. I can always count on her to put things in perspective. Whether we know them or not, they are family. I am a member by marriage, but she, like her dad, was in the blood line. Whether we chose to associate with them or not over the years, we were still a part of that lineage. If someone were to sit down and draw up the family tree, we would be one of the branches. It’s not like we can say, “just leave us out . . . we don’t really know them.” Like it or not, we are all connected and nothing can change that – not even being antisocial.

Romans 12:4-5

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Many Christians try to keep their distance from their brothers and sisters in Christ. Some don’t go to church at all. Others want to come to church and go home without interacting with anyone or getting involved in the work of the church. They come in late so they don’t have to talk to anyone and they sit in the back. When they hear the preacher starting to close the service or perhaps getting ready to make an altar call, they make a quick and discreet exit. I am sure they have their reasons. Perhaps they have been hurt by people in the church, either the one they currently attend or at a previous one. Sadly, this happens too often. Or perhaps they are struggling in their walk with God and don’t feel like they can contribute anything. Or maybe they are just shy and don’t know how to get involved. Whatever the reason, their lack of participation doesn’t make them any less a member of the church.

1 Corinthians 12:14-16

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.

When you became a Christian (by asking Jesus Christ to be Lord of your life and to forgive your sin), you became a member of the body of Christ. Jesus is the Head and we are the body. You cannot say that you have a part in Christ but not a part in the body. If you have Christ in your life, then you are automatically a part of the body.

I Corinthians 12:21

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"

You need your church family and they need you. You are a part of each other. When everyone works together and uses their gifts and talents, then you have a healthy, growing church body that can be about the Father’s business. When you don’t get involved and you don’t use the spiritual gifts and talents God has given you, then the church is struggling in its growth and ability to function. Think about a person who has a paralyzed limb or perhaps is blind. Other parts of his body have to work harder to compensate for these non-functioning ones. The person can still lead a happy, productive life, but it will be a little harder for him than most people. We know he could do so much more if all his body functioned the way it should.

I Corinthians 12:24-26

But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

We are supposed to be a unified body that loves and cares for one another. If you hurt, I hurt, too. If you rejoice, I rejoice. We have people who serve in roles: pastor, teacher, finance director, secretary, usher, worship leader, etc. These roles are crucial to the functioning of the church, but they do not make one person more important than another. Unfortunately, some people get in these roles and start exalting themselves and getting the big head. They are putting their egos above God’s work for them, and that is poison to the body. Or you get a person who thinks they are not important because they don’t have a title. They act jealous or sometimes they withdraw and pout because they don’t think they matter. That is equally damaging to the body. We all matter and we all have a place in the body of Christ – we just have to find it. Verse 18 of 1 Corinthians 12 says, “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.”

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful, loving family. I have an equally wonderful and loving church family. One I was born into; the other I was reborn into. When I go to church, it’s just like a family get-together. We all greet and hug one another. We are happy to see each other and we share our lives. We work together to build up the church and each other and to serve the Lord. We come from different places and were born into different families, but we are now one family because we share the blood of Jesus Christ. We are his body and we are a part of each other. One day we will have the ultimate family reunion. That’s one I don’t want to miss! Will you be there?

Got Meat?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:21:00 GMT

It’s been nice having a baby in the nursery at church again. But you forget what it takes to care for an infant when you haven’t had to do it for awhile. There are diapers and wipes and creams. They’ve got changes of clothes, pacifiers, toys, drops for gas, bibs and blankets. You have bottles that have to have formula mixed into them and warmed. They have to be fed and diapered and rocked. And that’s just for a couple of hours!

I enjoy spending that time in the nursery with baby, but I am also happy to hand him back to mom at the end of service. My baby becomes a teenager in about a month. And while part of me is sad that she is growing up so fast, I love watching her grow into the beautiful young woman she is becoming. I know that someday she will be grown and she will go out on her own. I can’t keep it from happening – I can’t keep her as a baby. Since that is the case, I have to do my best to prepare her for adulthood.

John 3:3

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. ^”

When you become a Christian, you are reborn. You are a new creature in Christ. You might be 10 years old or you might be 50, but you are a newborn in the Lord. Think of it as a “do over.” Kids understand the “do over.” When they are playing a game and something just didn’t go right, someone says “do over.” Then it’s as if the whole thing never happened and they start over.

When we ask Christ to be our personal Savior, we get a “do over.” We ask to be forgiven of all our sins and the slate is wiped clean. We get to start fresh and not just become a new person or a better person, but the person that God had always intended us to be.

1 Peter 2:2-3

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Like a newborn child, you have to be fed. You have to take in the Word of God and let it nourish your spirit. As you read, study, pray and worship, you will begin to grow spiritually. Just like no one is physically born as an adult, no one starts out as a mature Christian.

Unfortunately, some people stay on the milk. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?

Paul could see their spiritual immaturity. They were fighting among themselves and acting jealous. They behaved like spoiled children instead of adult members of the church. (Ever see anything like that in your church?) He says they were still worldly, meaning they let their personal desires have place before God’s desires.

A lot of Christians are in that place today. They have made a statement of faith that they believe in Christ and want to serve God. They go to church on Sunday morning. But then the rest of the week they go right back into their old life. Nothing ever changes. Sunday rolls around and they get a bottle full of feeding and it’s just enough to sustain them. They never take in any more and they never grow. Not only are they not growing, but they are also missing out on so many wonderful blessings that come with growing and maturing in God.

Maybe it’s because they look at getting saved as the end instead of a beginning. They have come to the conclusion that they need God and they go to church and ask God into their lives. They figure, okay that’s done, let’s see what else is on the “to do list” of life. But getting saved is just the beginning.

So how are you going to grow up as a Christian? Just like that newborn baby, you are going to have to transition from milk to solid foods. Remember with our babies how we started adding cereal to their bottles? Then we started them on baby food. Then we bought the Stage 2 baby food that was a little chunkier. Then we started giving them small pieces of regular table food. Thirteen years later they are eating you out of house and home.

That’s how hungry we have to be for God. Right now I have a teenager’s appetite for the things of God. The more I read and study the more I want to read and study. Milk doesn’t satisfy me anymore. I have to have the meat. I don’t ever want to go back to being a once a week Christian. I am trying to live it every day and to grow up to be who God intends me to be. Will I always get it right? No. But my God allows for “do overs.” How great is that?

If we are going to get off the milk, then we need to make sure we are being fed some meat in our churches. God gave me a word for preachers and teachers, so listen up if that is you. He said that it is time for us to stop feeding the people milk and to start dishing out the meat. We have people who have been in church for years and years and we keep spoon feeding them the milk. It’s time for them to grow up and it’s time for us to give them the meat.

Hebrews 5:12-14

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Milk serves a good purpose. It will sustain you and you can exist on it. Do you want to just exist or do you want to thrive? If you knew you could fly, would you be content to walk? The mysteries of God await you and will be revealed to you, but you have to be willing to dig into the meat.

Do This Not That

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:20:00 GMT

Weight loss fads and diets are always hot topics. For decades, Americans have been obsessed with being thin. Thin was fashionable. Thin was in. Every actress, model or singer had her own workout video. Because of the desire to be thin, people developed eating disorders, like bulimia and anorexia. When we were seniors in high school, my friend, Mary, and I used to diet all week. We wrote down everything we ate and how many calories it had. Then on the weekends, we would eat anything that we wanted, which usually meant we binged on junk food. I remember the two of us eating almost a whole package of Oreos in one sitting.

Isn’t it ironic that at a time when the media and society seemed to be throwing “thin” in our faces, we became the fattest nation on the planet? It’s not just about looking thin now. It’s about being healthier. We’ve finally realized that not everyone can look like Twiggy or Kate Moss. We need to watch our diets for our health more than for our looks. This has spawned a whole new line of weight loss and healthy diet fads.

One of the most popular diet guides out today is “Eat This Not That!” by David Zinczenko. You may have even seen him on a daytime talk show or news program. He shows that you can help control your weight by making smarter, more informed choices. For example, he will compare hamburgers at two different restaurants. He tells you which burger has fewer calories – and usually it is a significant difference. Because of him, I have had to rethink ordering a salad as my entrée. Some of these salads have so much in them that, with the dressing, they have more calories than a burger and fries.

I am not trying to sell Mr. Zinczenko’s book for him. I want to sell his principle: making smarter and better choices is better for you. How did we get so fat as a nation? Because we ate what we wanted when we wanted it without regard for the consequences. Now translate that into where we are in society. If only weight gain were our biggest problem! We’ve got drugs. We’ve got families where every kid has a different father. We’ve got divorce. We’ve got AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. We’ve got abortion. We’ve got addictions. We’ve got prime time television that is borderline porno. We’ve got outrageous personal and national debt. We’ve got the “f” word almost becoming everyday language.

Our nation, our people got in the shape that we are in because we started doing what we wanted when we wanted to do it without regard for the consequences. “If it feels good, do it” became the guiding philosophy. People took what our nation stood for and perverted it. We were set up to be a nation where everyone had equal rights and could believe and think as they wished. We became so tolerant that we tolerated anything and everything. And it is killing us -- and the way of life we were supposed to have. But whenever anyone has been willing to step up and draw that proverbial line in the sand and say, “that’s enough”, they have been dismissed as being intolerant or a hate monger. Just like we need to get our health and diets under control, we need to get the way we conduct our lives under control.

In Colossians 3, written by the Apostle Paul, God gives us His version of “Eat This Not That.” It’s more of a “Do This Not That.” This passage is speaking to the Christians --those who have said they have accepted Christ as their savior. But I think this could speak to anyone, Christian or not.

Colossians 3:5-10

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Most people believe that you get what you give. Call it karma. Call it fate. Call it “what goes around comes around.” I recognize it as the Biblical principal of sowing and reaping. If you doing the things mentioned here, such as: sleeping around with anyone and everyone; living selfishly; putting your own desires ahead of everyone else; letting money rule you; speaking hate and filth and just plain living ugly, then what is your life going to look like? What will you reap in life if you practice even one of these? When we get so self-absorbed with ourselves, we miss opportunities to love and grow and to flourish. Instead, we sink into the very filth that we created.

Don’t do that, do this.

Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

So instead of living a self-indulged, “if it feels good, do it” life, we are better off to be more humble and to put others first. We need to be kind and care for one another. We should be thankful for what we have instead of grumbling about what others have that we don’t. What’s in it for us if we do? Love. Peace of mind. Healthier bodies and minds. Less strife. Less stress. For those of us who believe – salvation and eternal life. Did I mention peace of mind?

Being “good” isn’t what gets us into heaven, but it sure makes the wait a lot more enjoyable.

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The following is a poem that is often incorrectly attributed to Maya Angelou. The true version was written by Carol Wimmer.

When I Say I Am a Christian