Hidden Sins

Hebrews 4:12-14 -  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

Well...talk about cutting to the chase….nothing is hidden from God.  His face dipped into a loving frown as he heard the white lie you told last night.  He turned his head when he saw you pull up that porn on your computer….even though you deleted the history later.  He was there when you opened that secret bank account that you don’t tell your husband about.  HE SEES EVERYTHING THAT YOU THINK…you have covered your tracks on..that you know was wrong when you did it.

There are two major problems with all that stuff you hide from God and the others you have relationships with.  One is it creates guilt…guilt that eats away at your soul ….guilt that tricks you eventually into thinking that your hidden sin is not sin anymore. The other biggie here….is that it separates you from God.  Like Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:8-9 , “ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."

We are really good at hiding from God….and God lets us think we are hidden…notice how he asked Adam and Eve where they were?  God already knew…he just wanted them to tell him…wanted them to admit their ‘hidden’ sin. We have to admit it before God can wash the guilt away that we created.  And oh how amazing it is to have that guilt washed away.  I know….cause I have been there…I hid so many things from him….and got to experience the peace that comes when he forgives you of all that sin.

One more thing that I think is really important…it doesn’t matter if your ‘hidden’ sins are adultery or lying….murder or smoking.  The forgiveness you receive is the same…and God’ forgiveness has no expiration date.  It lasts for as long as we remember not to hide anymore.  And another cool thing about that closer relationship you get as a side benefit when you are forgiven…is the reminder each morning that you might be drifting back into old habits.  If you listen to him each morning …he will tell you about any sins you may have developed and need to get rid of.

Father…I thank you this afternoon that you have forgiven me.  I will never deserve or be able to fully comprehend just how much you love me to put up with my imperfect human flesh.  I love you and thank you so much for every reminder you give to me to keep as many sins as I can from gripping my life again.  I thank you for the sweet peace you allow me to feel each day as I begin my day and try to be the servant that you need me to be. Amen.

The Best Big Brother

Hebrews 2: 9-11 -  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

I used to ask for a big brother….I was only blessed with four sisters. And even though I was never granted a brother ….I have always felt very blessed to have a great family surrounding me.  Even though our family is separated by distance and state lines…our faith has always connected us in ways that can’t be explained.  Jesus was strengthened by his family too…he had a loving mother…and a father who taught him carpentry skills…brothers and sisters who were raised in love.

But these verses…they describe for us how Jesus enlarged all our visions of family when he was born to Mary…how he makes us all a part of a larger family than any of us ever prayed to receive.  When we receive him as our savior…he becomes our big brother…and we get a most amazing Father in the deal! I must have missed that detail when I was saved at 14….never really thought about the fact that God answered my prayer for  a brother when he saved me that day. I sure got the best end of that deal…I couldn’t have found a better one for God to give me.

Father…thank you for showing me this answer to prayer that I had forgotten even asking for.  I thank you for the best big brother I could have ever ask for…and pray that you will help me to be a good sister…one who helps take care of the world for him until he returns to take me home. Forgive me once again for not noticing before now that you gave him to me….and help me to shout to the world what a great brother I have now.  Help me to see that my family has increased beyond the boundaries of genetics and blood lines…for with my brother’s blood I gained so many sisters and brothers I shall never be able to count them. Amen.

Encouraging Oyhers

Hebrews 3:1-2 and 15  -  Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.  He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house………  As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

I apologize up front for jumping verses today…these just seem to jump out at me last night.  Whoever wrote this wonderful book is just as anointed as Paul…he does not mince words…he cuts straight to the heart of what we need to do EVERY DAY after we have asked Jesus to come live in our hearts.  He tells us to model our lives after the great prayer warrior Moses. He tells us to never stop learning…to never think we are okay the way we are today.  He calls us to deepen our relationship with God and make it more and more meaningful to our lives each day.

Christian fellowship is very important to this process…he tells us in verse 13 to ‘encourage one another’…to and to do it daily.  We have family around us that we encourage…we have workplaces where we can be more than just a colleague…but sometimes he sends encouragement in different ways…we have to keep our eyes open and ears cocked so we don’t miss anything. 

Like this morning…at MacDonalds...which has become my office and writing space while I stay close to my mom.  She is healing slowly…and for some reason…I like to think it’s a God thing…my internet will not connect at the hospital.  I have found it necessary to take a break and go to Mickey Dees every day.  This morning a sweet lady encouraged me…talked with me…and even prayed for me and my mom…right there in MacDonalds….amazing!  I hope God blesses her for being so bold...and hope I can be so bold when it is my turn.

I got my turn sooner than I thought…I stopped writing for 30 minutes or so…because another lady noticed the bible verse on my shirt.  I invited her to sit down with me…and her life story came pouring out.  She just needed someone to talk to….to voice concerns about her own life...which was uncannily similar to mine. I love it when God combines lessons like he did today.  Yesterday he reminded me I have brothers and sisters I haven’t met…and today I met two of them…and was given support by one and gave support for the other.  Again I say amazing is this God I love so much…who never ceases to amaze me with how he teaches me to deepen my relationship with others.

Father I thank you for the amazing love you show me each day...through people that are never strangers…when I call on you to be my guide.  Help me to always keep my ears and eyes open to new Christian brothers and sister you send my way….some that you send to comfort and encourage  me…and some you send for me to encourage.  Amen.

Angels

Hebrews 1: 14 – Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

I didn’t see it at first…my mind must have been on my mom.  The long drive to Sevierville barely got me to the hospital before visiting hours were over. My sister had called me on the way…to tell me they had sedated her and put in a breathing tube.  But that really didn’t prepare me for the lifeless body laying there….so many tubes….she just didn’t look like my mom.

I knew I had to read my bible….God would give me some answers…some comfort…some reason for her sickness…maybe a promise of healing. So I read the first chapter of Hebrews…that’s just where I am…cause this journey has been to read the whole bible….not to skip around.  I wondered what in the world those weird verses had to do with me…maybe I should skip and look for something more relevant to me…and I almost decided to close my bible. Then I glanced down at the devotional written on the same page...based on this verse…and saw the word ‘angel.’

Short verse…but oh just what I needed to hear ….so amazing how God planted this verse for me to see…he even placed a devotional on the same page…cause he knew my mind wasn’t really in my reading last night. He knew he would have to spell out his message for me so it would be easy to see. He knew I needed to be reminded of the angels he had already sent to watch over my mom and my dad…me and my sisters.

He must have sent angels down in multiples today….cause there is definitely a few taking care of her as she lays there with tubes feeding her ….lines delivering medications….a machine making sure she is calm and breathing correctly. And while the angels let her body rest…God is doing his magic on the inside of her…healing those lungs that struggled to hard to work the last week.  And I have this magical peace….must be that peace that surpasses our understanding….allowing me to just sit…and watch her and be there for my dad while we wait.

Father…I thank you once again for making sure that I do not miss your messages each night.  And I thank you for caring for my mom an family in the season.  Thank you for every angel…seen and unseen you have sent to help us out today….and thanks in advance for letting them stay till mom is better. Amen

Power of Forgiveness

Philemon: 8-12 - Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,  yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus-- I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.  I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. 

Paul is in prison for the first time in Rome…and he meets this broken slave named Onesimus.  We are not told how they meet…but we are told that Paul leads him to Christ.  Paul frees this slave from his chains of guilt…cause Onesimus ran away from his master…may have even stolen from him. But Paul doesn’t focus on what he did wrong…he focuses on telling Onesimus the truth of God and allows it to transform his confused heart to a heart that loves God….a heart that want to do right …a heart hat is transformed in love.  And immediately Paul sends him back with this touching letter to teach Onesimus….Philemon…and us the importance of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is rarely easy…to ask for or to give…but Paul insists on it here.  He calls for Onesimus to ask for it…and Philemon to give it.  He tells them that it must be a willing act of the heart….spontaneous not forced….and it must not only restore the relationship that was broken…it must raise it to a new level. In verses 15-16…Paul asked Philemon not only to forgive…but to consider Onesimus a brother…a partner, “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.  So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.”

I have spoken of the power of forgiveness before…it is a powerful force in changing your heart to love all people.  Mastering the art of forgiveness allows you to love regardless of economic status…political views…race…age…past mistakes.  True forgiveness allows you to see straight into the heart…like Paul did…and see the needs of those that God places in your path.  You know when you have truly forgiven…your tears wash away all traces of hate and confusion from your soul. You find yourself powered by love to do things ….things for the ones you used to hate….used to think were dangerous…used to think were not deserving of a hello. True forgiveness also allows you to wait after you have said you were sorry…for God to work on the heart of the one your hurt…or the one that hurt you.  The anger and impatience you used to feel is replaced with a sweet peace that God is working on it…and he is in control now.

Father…you are so amazing…to use my own tears of guilt to wash away the shame that powered my unforgiveness of others.  I thank you for showing me how to release an unending source of love and compassion by teaching me to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Forgive me for ever hating and wanting you to punish the ones that hurt me…help me to never be tricked by Satan to feel that way again. Help me to always let my love for you power the things I say and the way I feel toward anyone who hurts me in the future. Amen.

Proof we love God the Most!

Titus 3: 3-7 -   At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,  he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior ,  so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

Paul was given such a gift with words…it it so amazing how he paints a beautiful picture of what happens to us when we are washed in God’s love.  The old foolish person….so deceived by the world’s passion and pleasures is transformed by the powerful love of Jesus’ death on the cross and the embodiment of the Holy Spirit in our heart.  God’s mercy sees us at our worst…and calls us to a new life…then his kindness overtakes our old harden hearts. His kindness draws us into a relationship with God that gives us the power to leave the world and its passions behind.

Like any good relationship…we have a tendency to take what we need and not be faithful to God every day.  Our power to stay strong and allow the kindness God planted in our hearts to blossom into good deeds is hampered by just how much time we spend with the father. I have to admit that I am still foolish many days…allowing Satan to trick me into some crazy worldly thought. The ME disease I suffer from wins many days….it convinces me the few minutes I spend at night reading the bible…the hour it takes me to write these devotionals…it tells me that is good…that I have done enough.

But the good works stuff…. that Paul talks about in verse 14….it is the proof to the rest of the world…proof to even our own hearts… that God truly controls our hearts. He says, “Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.” We should be so compelled to ‘do what is good’…that we begin to see the needs of others as more important than ourselves…I am sure it is the cure for the ME disease.

Father…I thank you that you love me…that you sent Jesus to save me from myself.  I thank you that you are my best friend and that I have the best role model in the world to pattern my life after. Forgive me Lord for allowing the world to trick me into thinking that I deserve anything.  Help me to accept your mercy…your grace….anew this morning….and ask you to wash all the ME right back out of my heart.  Replace the foolish person that struggles to find a middle ground and stay partially in the world…with a new creature …ruled by your kindness and love…finally able to see the hurts of others that compelled you to die on that cross and save us all. Amen.

Mentoring

Titus 2: 11-15 -  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Paul’s simple letter to Titus is calling us all to maturity….where he tells us that we should be so confident in our doctrine that we begin to mentor others.  Paul tells us to say no to the world and its immaturity…and strengthen our faith by teaching others the truth of the gospel.  Paul gives the specifics for each gender and age in the verses that precede this summary.  He throws around phrases like….worthy of respect….sound in love and endurance…reverent in the way they live…having self-control…these are the things that mark true maturity…a person who allows God to guide their actions and their heart.

Paul calls us all to be mentors…to share the knowledge and wisdom we have each received from God in our individual walks with him.  A mentor doesn’t just talk the talk…they walk the walk…exercise good judgment in all that they do…they model the good in all situations …so that others know it is possible to walk through tough times and come out on the other side stronger…so that others know that is is possibly to love God and say no the things of this world.

I can’t use the excuse that I am not wise enough to be a mentor anymore.  Even if I choose not to actively go out and teach what God has taught me….other people are watching me. They watch what I do…they listen to what I say…even more so if they know I proclaim to believe in God. They watch to see if I will be self controlled…worthy of respect….pure. And I think about all the mess that I have been through…mess that God has used to help me draw closer to him…. things that others will be asked to go through later in their life.  Everything that God has helped me to learn…everything he has used to make me more mature is something I can use to help someone else.

Father…I thank you for this reminder that I am a teacher…in all that I do…that I must always strive to show others a mature Christian … and be prepared to help others walk through the storms you have helped me to come through stronger than I ever dreamed.  You are so amazing…that even in this crazy world of temptations…you give us the power to live a godly life…and have people cross our pathway that need to hear just how you helped me learn to love you through my struggles. Forgive me for thinking that I am not good enough to be a teacher of others…but that through you I can do anything you ask me to do.  Give me eyes to see the hearts of others that you may send to me to share the wonderful testimony of how you have drawn me closer to you…how you have become my best friend.  Give me eyes to see the next temptation that Satan will use to trick me…to try and draw me away from your love and power.  Amen

Striving to Be More Godly

Titus 1:5-10 -  The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.  An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.  Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.  For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group.

Paul has traveled many places and started many new churches.  It must have been hard for him…to leave other people in charge of these churches...to trust that God would build up their faith and help them be great leaders and preachers. I am sure that Paul bathed every new church in prayer …and ask God to strengthen those he left like Titus to carry on the work of saving and baptizing others. The moral attitude of whomever Titus picked was so important that he repeats the qualifications for leaders from 1 Timothy 3.  Hard list to measure up to…but a great list to strive for ….cause God sure can’t use us if we allow the world to polish some of these behaviors that Paul tells us we should completely eradicate from our lives.

Confession time…visions of some of the things I have done…some not in my so distant past flashed in front of me as I read this. And since I am one that simply can’t say that I could check off all these qualifications…I must rely on God’s forgiveness…realize that these behaviors hurt my testimony with others.  I must ask God to help me begin to remove them far from me…and replace them with the positive behaviors that God needs in my life. I must ask God to begin to build in me a heart that recognizes my bad behaviors as ‘fixable’….to allow him to remove all these defects in my character…and replace them with his love. 

Truth is…he needs all of us to be leaders in this world that has gone off target…he needs us all to clean up our testimony and shout to a lost world that the love they are searching for is not found in drugs…or violence…or alcohol…or lustful relationships…or money.  The love they seek…the only love that will fill our soul with permanent happiness is a relationship with God. We need to turn our focus off of filling our lives with ‘things’ that fade quickly away with the next day…to the love of God that drives us to be Godly people… hospitable, ones who love what is good, who are self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

Father…I thank you for the reminder this morning that I must strive to be more Godly.  I thank you for this list of character traits that I can use to measure my life by….and start to recognize what things in my life hurt my ability to speak on your behalf. Forgive me anew this morning…as I am guilty…so undeserving of the second chances you give me  daily …to clean up these traits. Give me the strength and power I need to remove them for good this time.  Walk with me like you did Paul and Timothy and Titus…and make me strong.  Amen.

Strength in Sharing

2 Timothy 4:16-18 -   At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.  But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Amazing…Paul is sitting in a small PRISON CELL…just waiting for Nero to call for him and probably chop his head off.  But Paul doesn’t focus on his impending death…he is writing a letter to Timothy…to tell him how to stay strong…to tell him how important the concept of forgiveness is…to encourage him…to testify to the strength that God gives him to endure such hardship. Paul’s gaze is heavenward…drinking in strength from God…envisioning the great reward for all the work he has done on the Earth…finding strength in the joy of knowing he will see Jesus in person soon!

Paul knew that part of his strength came from sharing what God had given him with others. If he could not preach in person ...he would write his sermons down. Satan did not hold Paul back by locking him up…he magnified his strength.  God used this time that Satan planned to stop Paul from spreading God’s message….to have Paul write all his great sermons on paper….so that all of us could benefit from them. Oh how thankful I am that God allowed Paul this time to write all the great wisdom in the many books of the Bible. I was given the privilege of knowing this man by reading his heart…a heart that beat solely for God.

Paul senses his death is near…and so he is tying up the loose ends of his life…calling for people he needs to restore relationships with…making sure all the important letters he wrote are in the hands of Timothy…who he trusts to share his words with others.  Paul is lonely for others to hold his hand…but he embraces his calling one last time…and reaches out to God to sustain him...to strengthen him…to give him new confidence in his purpose…to wait in the Lord on his deliverance…even if that means death.

I thank you father for Paul and his amazing testimony. Thank you for allowing him time to write down the wisdom from you that allowed him to be so strong.  Help me Lord to be strong like Paul…to look upward at you when things get hard on Earth.  Give me a new assurance that you will never leave me…that you will give me strength to endure all hardships and storms.  Make me confident …like Paul…of the message you want me to share.  Give me a vision of the joy I will share with you and Paul when you call me home.  Help me to run the race you have set out for me today…and open my eyes each morning to see just enough of the big picture to do what you need done that day. Help me not to worry about tomorrow or the new hardships it might bring….but lean totally on you to get me through anything you ask me to do.  Amen

Our Attitude

2 Timothy 3:1- 5 - But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Paul wanted us to remember this passage...he starts his words with “mark this”…then he goes on to describe the world we live in today. He describes a world of people so consumed with themselves that they don’t have time for God. And even though we see our own world in this description…Paul saw it in Timothy’s too.  The last days…terrible times then…terrible times now…the period of time between Christ’s first coming and his second…all of these last days…to the very end will find people consumed with earthly pleasure…not Godly growth.  This passage sure hit me between the eyes when I read it…first on his list is the ME disease I fight every day.

He gives Timothy the cure for all these diseases. He charges Timothy…and all of us today…to cling to our roots….to cling to the scriptures that were written to help us stay strong. He says in verse 14-15, “ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,  and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” He charges all of us to really drink in the word of God and use it to rebuke these selfish tendencies in our lives…to correct them as soon as we are told they are distractions in our relationship with God.  He tells us to use the word of God to train our soul to be strong and tap into the power that kept Paul so strong.

There are many bible greats that modeled how to tap into the power that Paul says we deny so easily.  Moses walked happily in the fields of his father-in-law Jethro…until God met him in that burning bush and asked him what he held in his hand. (Exodus 4) The mother of Samson was able to channel power into her son with her obedience to the instructions of the Lord (Judges 13) David  had great power and strength to be a mighty king because God used his heart which was modeled after God’s own. (Acts 13)  And let’s not forget Paul…who learned the hard way that humility is key in tapping into the power that God has for all of us.(2 Corinthians 10:1)

I am sure that all of the apostles had many lessons in how to tap into this power of God. They walked with him for 3 years and watched some mighty miracles. Their daily walk included submission… obedience…and giving up all they had to follow him. Their attitude had to be one of faith and trust in this messiah they spent day after day with.  James 4:7-8 speaks about how important our attitude is before God, “ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  They had to love Jesus with their whole heart to be able to follow him every day.

Father…I thank you for this reminder today that I need to be more aware of my attitude.  Forgive me Lord for all the times I have let my selfishness get in the way of learning how to tap into the power you gave Paul and the other disciples. Renew in me a right mind this morning and fill me with the knowledge I need to be used of you. Help me increase the rigor with which I study and really search your word for ways to use your power in these ‘terrible times’…help me be a lover of God…to sell out to you completely and learn to tap into your power. Amen.

Instructions for Strength

2 Timothy 2:1-6 -  You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.  Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.  Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

If anyone modeled for us how to be strong in God’s grace it was Paul.  Paul knew that the grace he experienced in Christ was like no grace found on the Earth.  God’s grace is unmerited…undeserved…a precious gift that provides us with not just salvation…but the Holy Spirit’s presence….which helps us develop the gift within our own soul.  It is one thing to receive a gift…it is altogether another thing to use the gift once you have opened it. Paul is telling us to open that gift and get it out of the box…to take it off the shelf….to use it…to share it with others around us. Paul is telling us to carry that gift everywhere we go and tell others who gave it to us.

Paul uses three personality examples to help us understand how to be strong in God’s grace…to grow and use our gifts to the fullest.  He says we need to be good soldiers … dedicated to our leader …loyal to the end….willing to die for the cause of Christ if called to do so. He says we need to be like an athlete…so passionate about our Lord that we are disciplined to serve him no matter what…running each race he gives us to win.  He also tells us to be like the farmer….dedicated to a full season…carefully watching our crop….protecting it from the things that threaten to ruin the harvest we will enjoy when the growing season is over.

Paul goes on in this chapter to tell us not to waste time quarreling over words…to stay away from idle chatter….for it will cause us to lose strength.  His words in verse 15 have always been one of my favorites…but I never really paid attention to verse 16 that follows it  , “ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.  Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.”   Paul is not talking about gossip here…he is warning us not to engage in theology discussions that do not promote God’s kingdom. Paul knew that if we spend our time discussing what the bible teaches too much we might become distracted from the work God needs us to do. If we spend too much time trying to debate the meanings…the hidden truths…we might become more focused on the  words themselves…and never put them into action.

Father ….help me this morning to take my gift out of the box and use it.  Forgive me for taking so long to realize that the gift you gave me in salvation was so much more than I ever knew.  Help me this morning to really understand the grace you gave me when you called me to be yours. Help me to learn how to be strong in your grace and use your grace to help me grow. Help me be a good soldier…willing to go everywhere you ask…and complete each task you give me till complete…so I can win the race for you…and see the harvest you will provide from my work. Help me not to get caught up in idle chatter Lord….give me wisdom and discernment in every discussion …so that I may avoid any discussion that will not further your kingdom.  Amen.

The Secret to Boldness

2 Timothy 1:3-7 -  I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.  Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.  I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.  For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Sweet Paul…homesick for his friends…struggling to maintain his sanity in a small prison cell…probably sensing he was close to his death…he pens this encouraging letter to Timothy.  The older… wiser… worldwide traveler… evangelist to thousands…. described for Timothy how he was able to stay focused on God through the many trials and constant persecution he had met in his many years on the Earth. He tells him to ‘fan into flame the gift of God.’ He tells us to be confident in our faith.

 God knew we would all need to read this letter…so he made sure it was included in the books of his Holy Bible.  This letter to Timothy…written to help him stay strong…to stay focused on the Lord for strength and power….to learn to be bold and confident in our faith.  Paul knew the secret…the intimate relationship he had built with God gave him strength beyond our human understanding. 

Timothy’s world was much like ours…decaying morally…sin soaked…people seeking happiness in drugs or alcohol.  People running away from the church…making excuses and justifying their anger and abusive actions toward others.  Crime and illegal activities at an all time high…pornography and lust tearing apart families.  Most of us build protective shells around the small plot of world that we move about in…building a fire that supports just our immediate families…protecting ourselves and our loved ones from ever experiencing the hurt and evil around us….never venturing out to see how we can help those around us free themselves from Satan’s grip…never taking the love God gave us to the ones who have never known his love.

Paul tells us how  break out of this protective wall…to be evangelists and proclaim God’s love and power and wash our nation clean…to revive this land steeped in hate and immoral activities. He says to give thanks…give thanks for the ones who are brave…like Timothy…to pray for those who have helped us grow.  He says to ponder the great memories of our upbringing…to carry on the faith that was instilled in us from our family or friends.   He tells us to encourage one another….to help each other grow in knowledge and wisdom.  He says to be bold…not to fear the world…but to have confidence that our faith in God is stronger than any evil around us.  He tells us to fan into flame the small ember we all hold in our hearts…to allow a fire to burn in our hearts for others.  He says to let the Holy Spirit guard the truth …the salvation that God deposited in our heart.

Father…thank you for the wonderful friends and church that have been there for me and helped me to wake up…helped me to see that building a relationship with you is what gives me the power to grow and be strong.  Thank you for tearing down my protective wall and opening my eyes to the world around me.  Help me to thirst more and more for the wisdom and knowledge you had recorded for me to live by. Give me the confidence and wisdom to know how I can fan into flame the gift that you have placed in me…and use it to help others around me. Deepen my prayers father…show me how to really pray for strength and power and wisdom.  Give me a spirit of discernment..to help me know who and how you have equipped me to help.  Fill me anew with your Holy Spirit each morning so that I can be all that you intend for me to be. Amen.

Contentment

1 Timothy 6:6-12 - 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.  People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith.

Paul knew well that contentment does not come from the external things of this world. He had learned that true contentment…the ability to be happy with your life situation good or bad…comes from a deep relationship with God.  Paul did not have to search for inner peace...he carried it with him everywhere he went.  His heart was so full of God….his mind so completely focused on God’s will for his life that he was able to endure beatings…mockery…and prison cells.  The love of God was so powerful that it overflowed as he was being persecuted…or broke out in praise hymns at midnight in the very chains he had been locked up in….amazing!

I have to admit that contentment is hard for me. I understand this warning from Paul all too well. The loneliness you are forced into when you are divorced….the rejection of a love you knew for 30 years…it hits your self esteem pretty hard. I found myself using shopping therapy to fill many of the lonely hours of the day and night that were not filled with work. The search for things consumes you fast…it is something to do…it is fun…and the compliments I got on many of my new ‘things’ deceived me into thinking that I was loved again.  The ‘fix’ I got from shopping…is really no different from the ‘fix’ of any junkie or alcoholic. It consumed my time and kept me from seeking help from God.  And even now…as I find myself losing my second spouse to death…the loneliness…the need for companionship is still strong…especially since I have pretty much mastered the shopping disease.  It is so hard some days to be content…to truly accept and be at peace with being alone.

That is really what Paul is warning us about….to not let our desire for things consume our hearts.  The money he blesses us with can become a stumbling block…a distraction.   I am remembering the rich young ruler Jesus spoke of in Mark 10. He had been blessed with a great many things…money had become such a part of his life he walked away from salvation for fear of losing it.  I know this trap all too well…Satan tricked me for years into filling my heart with so many things that would keep me from finding out what a close friend God could really be.  Contentment means I do not allow the old habits to trick me again…I must search for new ways to share God…to study with others…maybe a bible study in my home for the summer.

I can truly say that my daily bible reading…prayer time…the writing task God has given me…these activities have have truly given me the strength and power to recover from this addiction.  The time I have spent learning about the God I love so much has given me the strength to stop filling my days with shopping for other ‘things’ to fill my time.  I am beginning to understand how my love for God can help me through any storm.  I am beginning to understand that the ‘things’ I buy need to have a purpose…I have even been able to leave one of the bedrooms in my sweet rental empty. I have the money to go out and furnish it…but there is this peace…this sense that I need to wait…for I have not been told how this room will be used by God.

Father…I come in thankfulness once again today for all the blessings you have given me. I am so sorry that I let the love of things fill my heart so much. Thank you for loving me so much that you kept trying to break through the wall Satan had built in my heart.  Thank you for breaking the chains of addiction and teaching me that I can do all things with the power you can place in my heart from your word. Help me today to continue to search for ways to keep you foremost in my heart…bind Satan far away from me as I search your bible and pray to you to reveal your master plan for my life.  Help me to learn to use the resources you have given me to further your kingdom. And God…that bible study…make that happen if it is part of your plan.  Give me the knowledge I need to be your vessel.  Amen.

Caring for others ...AND...ourselves...

1 Timothy 5:1-5 -  Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.  Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.  The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.

I just keep being amazed at Paul’s wisdom…and this one hit me right where I am in life.  Paul spends time in this letter to Timothy to tell him how important it is that we first ….respect the others around us…whether young or old.  Then he addresses a special population of survivors…the precious widow.  He defines for us the true widow…and makes all of us examine how we care for others…especially our own family.  He charges all of us to examine how we treat others…and he charges the widow with the hard task of moving past her pain and finding purpose again.  The answer to fulfillment after the loss of a spouse is in truly giving all you have to God…to turn that pain over to him and allow him to repurpose your life.

In my 53 years of life…no other time…no other season has devastated my heart so as the loss of my spouse.  It was only compounded by the short time we knew each other…God giving me such a precious gift…a true soul mate...then calling him home just 4 short months after we met…1 precious month after we were married. I felt the pain of loss…so empty…so ready to crawl in the nearest corner and just give up on life….so jealous that God was not finished with me too.  It spoke straight to my heart when he said, “ really in need…all alone”…for even on my worst days I can still call on a son …daughter …friend … church member.  Even though I feel alone so much of the time…long for the intimate companionship that comes only from a spouse… I have but to look up to Heaven and seek God for my comfort…for he longs to heal me…so I can get back to the task he placed me here for.

I thought quickly of two special widows that understood what Paul was trying to tell Timothy here.  One of them was a sweet Lady named Anna.  Her story is found in Luke 2… verses 36-37  , “ There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Wow…what a testament to the power of prayer…what dedication we could strive for…to turn every moment of our lives over to God…to really dedicate all that we are to his will for our lives. We are not told what this prophetess spoke to Mary and Joseph that day…but I am sure it was as strengthening and Simon’s words just minutes before.  She allowed God to heal her and give her the strength to be his messenger…she used her great faith to speak God’s messages to all that entered the temple daily.

Another sweet widow I remember reading about was the destitute woman and her son from Zarephath.  Her powerful story of how God saved not only her own life…but the life of her son and the great prophet Elijah is in 1 Kings 17:7-24.  This great example of how one minute we can be so caught up in our pain we pray for death…and the next minute God is meshing together a great plan that uses us in ways we never dreamed….is only one example of how God uses supernatural powers to sustain life for three servants he was not finished with yet.  Her supply of food was replenished daily by pure faith so that God could show her his mighty power and help her understand that he longs for us to be wholly his.

Father..I find myself strengthened once again this morning as I read these powerful words that help me define my need for you to be in total control of my life.  Thank you for allowing Paul to write these powerful instructions for me to read in this season of life.  Thank you for reminding me that I will never be truly alone…I have the comfort of family…. friends…a great church…you have provided for me a great home to live…you have blessed me with a job and more resources than I ever dreamed to provide for all my needs.  Thank you …thank you …thank you for helping me to heal and find purpose in my life. Thank you for reminding me that you are not finished with me yet…I have work to do for you.  Help me learn to devote more of my time and energy to study and prayer…like Anna…let me constantly seek you in worship and prayer.  Send to me the Elijah’s of the present world….and show me your will for my life. Amen.

God's Gift of Instructions

1 Timothy 4:13-16 - Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.  Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.  Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.  Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Paul knew the importance of nurture….he longed to be with his friend Timothy …but he was also  confident in Timothy’s calling.  Paul knew that Timothy could continue to excel without him there to guide him if he would devote himself completely to the study of God’s directions in the bible.  Paul tells him here to …be diligent …watch his life and doctrine closely…so his study would teach him how to live correctly….and his model would prove his love for Christ.

We are not told Timothy’s specific ‘gift’…most commentaries believe it was probably a call to preach….a call to teach God’s word….but no matter what we believe the ‘gifting’ was…Timothy was given clear instructions here to study and prove himself to the community he had been placed in.  Paul…writing once again from his prison cell…this time …maybe…sensing his execution was near…under the great power of the Holy Spirit…he is compelled to give one of his successors the secret to his great knowledge.  Paul wants Timothy to take the great base his mother and Grandmother planted in his heart...and begin to study and refine what he tells others about God.

How amazing is our God to use some of Paul’s last words to Timothy…to commission all of us to be more diligent in our studies….to pour our self into God’s word…so that those around us can see the progress we are making.  He specifies some of the qualities we should work on in verses 11-12, “ Command and teach these things.  Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”  In my case it would say…don’t let anyone tell you that old dogs can’t learn new tricks…but the message after is the same….we can all strive to be more Godly…clean up our speech…live more pure lives of faith…and love others more. Paul knew that if we studied the bible…we would find the directions to do all these things and more.

Father…I thank you again this morning for leaving me the great testaments’ of your chosen apostles to guide me in my daily walk with you.  I praise you for loving Paul so much that he was able to write such tremendous words of encouragement to Timothy from the jail cell where he awaited his glorious meeting with you.  Forgive me once again for waiting so long…for wasting so much of my time here on Earth being satisfied with Sunday sermons…Sunday school lessons…for thinking that the base you built in my heart as a child was enough to help me grow into a mature Christian.   I took so much for granted Lord and I am so sorry. Instill in me a thirst for you that includes more time spent in your direction book.  Help me to find more time to study its great wisdom and become a Christian that others can see growing and changing daily because of how you help me apply what I read….and in the process save myself like Paul….and become so strong I can be used of you in any circumstance you place me. Amen.

Becoming Leaders

1 Timothy 3:1-10 - Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.  Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.  They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

Wow…Paul doesn’t leave any room for weakness here.  Our leaders have one tough resume to prepare. Paul wanted everyone to know just how tough a job they were applying for….and wanted us to really  consider carefully who we place in the leadership roles that support our preaching staff.  Paul describes all the positive qualities we should look for in our overseers…bishops… deacons… elders….whatever term we use to address them…the moral character of these leaders should be above reproach.  We should see Christ evident in their lives…their walk should model all of these traits for us…their lives should show us what to strive for in our own pilgrimage of faith.

Truth is…we should all strive to fit these tough standards…they are really the qualities that mark us as faithful Christian men and women.  They do not simply appear in us at birth…and Satan tries his best to keep these traits from forming permanently in our personalities.  We must pray and study and ask God to refine us into this model Christian as we live each day.  We must passionately chase Jesus and imitate everything we do after the great model he had recorded for us in the bible.

I sure have a lot of work to do…I have failed many tests…and cannot say that I have mastered many of the qualities at the first of this list.  I am so thankful that God is still chasing me…still allowing me daily situations that help teach me…giving me time to reflect on which of these qualities can build my faith into a stronger commitment each day.  Satan is not tricking me as much these days…and the stronger I become….the more of these qualities that Paul lays out for us here that I can learn to master…the more power I will have to speak scriptures to Satan when he tempts me.

Father…I thank you for not giving up on me….even though I have failed so many tests…you continue to chase me….to give me ‘do overs’…‘second chances’…and help me to begin to get it right.  I am so sorry that I have been such a horrible student…I do not deserve any of your mercy and grace…but I thank you…thank you…thank you…for picking me up gently after I made my mistakes..and giving me the strength to admit I was wrong. Help me search for a way to do it right. Help me this day to recognize the tests you allow and stop and ask you to help me pass them this time…so you can begin to build in me the strong character traits that will make me a leader.  Amen.

Praying for Leaders

1 Timothy 2:1-6 - I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time.

Paul amazes me ….how he always has the bigger picture in mind….he has been mistreated so much by the government…thrown in prison some commentaries say 5-6 years of total time…and yet he still urges us to pray for everyone….and lists specifically the kings and authorizes that run the varied governments of the world.  He tells us to pray for peace….to ask God for peaceful and quiet lives…to strive to be godly and holy in all that we do. 

Paul is taking the second commandment to the next level here. He must have remembered Jesus’ own words from Matthew 22: 36-40 , “ Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." ….Or maybe he heard about this beautiful speech about love Jesus gave in Matthew 5:43-48 . "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect?” 

I sure hate to admit it….but the last time I even thought about praying for our government and leaders was in a prayer service a few weeks ago.  I sure don’t think about lifting up Obama…or the senators that vote in congress…or the governors….or the mayors….on a regular basis.  I guess I have clear directions from Paul to change that…I need to lift up every leader….maybe even learn some new names…so I can lift them up and ask God to fill them with his love and wisdom…to consider what he wants them to do the next time they have to make a big decision. Think about it…if all of us…would lift them up every day…really cry out to God to capture their attention…to invade their heart….we really could see true peace…the kind of peace that Paul is talking about…the peace that passes understanding…and changes lives.

God really does want all men to be saved…to be a part of his kingdom…to come to a knowledge of truth.  He wants us to love even those that mistreat us and make wrong decisions that cause us pain and hurt.  God wants us all to love one another….even as he has loved us…he told us so in John 13:34-35,  "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." …and that includes praying for those that are in leadership roles…even the ones we did not vote for.  It is one thing to gripe and complain about a leader...it is another to ask God to change his heart.

Father…thank you once again this morning for the reminder that my prayers lack petitions for the leaders of our world.  Help me father to love them …to stop griping and complaining about all they have done to hurt our nation….to keep our world at turmoil…but petition you to change their hearts….to begin to bring a true peace to all people.  Lord…I pray this morning for all the leaders of the world…those I can call out by name like Obama…and those I don’t know.  Give them wisdom…courage and strength.  Invade their hearts in a new way today…make your presence known in their lives and give them a sense of what your will is for our world and the nations they are in charge of leading.  Help me to remember to lift them up each day…and help others to join in really praying for peace…the kind of peace that will bring all soldiers back to their families…the kind of peace that will rein in all our hearts and make us all love each other…no matter what. Amen.

Chasing Others with Love

1 Timothy 1:3-6 - As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 

Paul is clear here…we must be so sure of what the bible teaches that we can recognize false doctrine. We must let our sincere faith build a good conscience…and create in us a pure heart…a heart that is so in tune with God that it recognizes someone who is teaching a doctrine that is not based on the word of God. He tells us that we should strive to help those that have turned to these meaningless doctrines to help them worship. He tells us that this pure love we build in Christ will help us to show Christ’s love to all people….no matter what they profess to believe.

I asked God for a special dose of help this morning as I began to decipher just how I should go about this hard command.  Some may think that this command is easy…just bash away at all the diverse doctrines…tell them up front how crazy and wrong they are…delete all people from your friends list that don’t match what you think the bible says…isolate yourself and your convictions as you shout to the world that you think they are crazy.  But I don’t see this command as an easy one…my bible…it teaches this pure love that Paul mentioned here.  I struggle every day with just how to form my words to others that don’t match up exactly with my interpretation of God’s great word.

I believe Paul is telling us here to be firm in our faith….but be positive in our delivery of that faith to others.  He was talking to Timothy in his original letter…a man raised with the love of his sweet mother Lois and his grace filled grandmother Eunice.  Both of these women who trained Timothy in his faith were full of God’s love and great faith….a knowledge built on the word of God.  2 Timothy 1:5 says, “I remember your true faith.  That faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I know you now have that same faith.” They trained Timothy how to speak to others in love…not let hate….pride…. conceit… ego… haughtiness…pure arrogance drive how we witness to those that seem to have twisted the words of the bible…or added to it a manual of their own…or simply bring to our country a faith based on the God or Gods from another culture.

Paul tells us a little later in this chapter why we need to deliver this message of God in love…he says in verse 15-16, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”  …..unlimited patience……example…..for those that would believe.  Let’s be really honest here…most people would not want to believe in a God who constantly bashes and spreads hate messages to those around him that don’t accept his message. 

Personally…I believe in a God who chases me with his love…who showed this sinner….as bad or worse than Paul…his love and mercy…who always gave me a choice….who never forced his love on me…who walked into the places where sinners hung out and talked to them with love…patted them on the back and just shared his heart…every time he had a chance.  We are commanded to rebuke them with love….not get in their face and force them to listen to us rant and rave about what might be wrong with their doctrine.   There is that one scripture in Matthew 21:12…where Jesus threw out the money changers from his temple…he was pretty angry to see these people desecrating the worship place so blatantly….and he did speak pretty strongly to the Pharisees in Matthew 23…but there are so many more examples of his love and grace…like the woman accused of adultery in John 7….or the great leader Moses…or Zacheus...or David….or ME.

I could also admit how many times I have allowed hypocrisy to rule how I spoke to others. I have apologized for these …I think…but the damage that was done because I spoke out of pride…overconfidence…condescension…may take longer to be repaired than I want to wait.  I have learned the hard way that relationships with God are a personal thing…a sweet word of love ..a message that says how can I help...you seem to be really struggling today…sometimes leads to a prayer of strength…instead of a fight of the religious doctrines that rule what we believe at that moment.

Father I thank you for showing me how to love others.  Help me to always remember the love you showed to me when I speak to others that seem to believe different than I.  Reveal to me how to show them your pure love…give me the words that will speak love to their heart…and begin to dismiss the ‘myths and endless genealogies’  that continue to distort your holy bible. Guard my tongue forever from the harsh words that drive people away from the truth…and rule my mouth with your words of love that draw people to want to read for themselves how to accept your grace and mercy into their own hearts. Teach me how to minister to others….how to share the truth of your holy word with others….with love and grace and mercy like you did. Amen.

prayers of Strength

2 Thessalonians 3: 1-5 - Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.  And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.  We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Paul ends another great letter to these new Christians with wonderful words of advice.  He tells us how important it is to lift each other up in prayer. He even tells us 5 things that we should include in our prayers for our Christian brothers and sisters. We should always ask God to strengthen us…so that his message of hope will spread rapidly among us…that God will be honored in all we say and do…for us to be delivered from those that have allowed evil to rule in their hearts….for Satan to be bound from playing his tricks on our hearts….and to have confidence in ourselves and in those we have taught.

We all have Christian friends who can use a boost of power from our prayers. They need our prayers as much as we need theirs.  It had to be the prayers of others that carried me through the deepest valley of my life…their prayers of comfort and strength offered up to God…their requests that he keep me and hold me and wrap me in his love…I know that these prayers were the power that somehow embodied me…convinced my heart to turn to God for help … to not give up when I lost my Mitchell. They gave me the strength to draw closer to God…to seek his help…to begin to heal.

Imagine for a moment if we all prayed for each other like that every day.  That we petitioned God to strengthen all our Christian friends as if they had just been through a darkened valley…that’s really what Paul is telling us to do. He is telling us not to wait till someone needs that extra dose of God….cause life is really falling apart...he is telling us to pray that God strengthen us every day…to draw all Christians so close to God’s heart…that we begin to walk the earth with Jesus’ passion.  That we pray like Jesus did for his disciples each morning…that God would open their eyes to the mission of spreading his message of love…peace….and salvation for all.

Father…who is my US?  Who am I called to pray for every day? Who would you have me to support in prayer?  Help me Lord to really grasp this powerful message you placed strategically for me in your word…to tell me that my prayers each morning should not just be about my needs….should not just be about the ones I know are hurting….but my prayers should lift up my brothers and sisters in Christ…that we might be bound in your strength and power to go out and teach your words to others. Until you reveal to me a specific name…or names you wish me to support…I ask this morning that you be with all my friends that believe in you….that you bless them with resources and wisdom to share your love today and everyday.  Help me make this a priority in my prayers each day. Amen.

God Chose me!

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 -  But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.  He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 

I love how Paul puts this!  It is such a refreshing thought…that Christ chose me to be saved! Christ chose me to believe in him…to allow the spirit to control my life…to read his bible and study…to pray to him and build a relationship…to SHARE in his glory when he calls me home.  God chose me and you…to love and nurture through great men of faith like Paul.  I did not get picked last…like I did most times on the playground…God chose me before I even walked on the field…and chased after me until I listened to his call on my life.

God calls us also to stand firm on this teaching and pass it on to others…just as Paul passed it on to these new Christians in Thessalonica.   God calls us….chose us to work for him until he returns…not to guess…theorize or work strange math algorithms to predict the date he will return.  God calls us to affirm our faith by sharing the great testimony of what he has done in our lives…to walk each day in his will and model to others how much we love him…how much we appreciate the love he chose us to receive.

Makes me think once again this morning if I am following his model….am I chasing after others like he did me?  Am I writing enough encouraging letters to the new Christians I know…do I knock on enough doors of the lost and beg to share the love of Christ with them?  For me…that would be a great big NO...I am far too self-centered still.  God has so much work to do on my selfish heart…I marvel at how he chose such an imperfect vessel…how he chips away each day a bit more of me and replaces it with him.

I should never think that I am doing enough…my love for others…my love for what Christ did for me on that cross should make me reexamine my game plan every morning.  I need to find more ways to love others…I need to find ways to remain positive like Paul…to search for new ways to share and teach his gospel.  I need to wake each day and thank God for choosing me to save…to love…to transform into something he can use.

Thank you father once again for loving this selfish lady….for choosing someone like me….full of sin. Forgive me for making it so hard on you…for not being a great student…for making you chase me so far.  I thank you that you never grew tired of chasing after me…and that one day you got my attention.  Help me father to slow down and sit at your feet and let you teach me now. Help me use your love and mercy to drive me to chase others and share what you have done to change my heart. Show me how to love on others more. Amen.