Be One Big Happy Family

1 Peter 3:8-9 -   And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.  Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it.

Peter goes right to the heart of why peace is so hard to find in our world today.  He even gives us the answer to how to achieve it. Perhaps the problem understanding his clear advice lies more in our lack of experience with the phrases….happy family….full of sympathy….love one another….tender hearts……. and …..humble minds.

We lack experience because we haven’t followed the second part of his two piece advice here.  We let the anger … bitterness…. and selfishness that satan carefully sneaks into our hearts fester till it explodes in just exactly what Peter says not to do. I sure am guilty of realizing too late that I have let my humbleness and mercy escape me before I think to pray about a situation that felt unkind to me.

The happiest families I know work hard to stay joined in peace.  They think of each other before themselves.  The goal is to be a unified group…not 4-5 individuals that exist under one roof. They build a relationship with each other that closes the gap satan has to sneak and destroy the hard work they have done to shut the door on his weapons of destruction.

I know that Peter was talking ultimately about the church…I did not miss that. But how could our churches achieve unity when most families are falling apart in today’s world. We think it has become easier to divorce and start over with someone that fits our personality better than to try to follow Peter’s advice and fix what is wrong. 

It is no accident that Peter tells us that prayer is our answer. Prayer is the answer to every problem that exists. The sooner we hit our knees…the quicker we start to shed the pride and arrogance that made us think we had any piece of the answer without asking God first.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have given us the answer to peace and unity in the world.  Forgive me for the times that I have prevented peace because of my arrogance and pride.  Help me to find every seed that satan has tried to plant in my heart that could grow into things that will prevent me from coming to you in prayer and asking for your will. Give me added strength and courage to turn the other cheek when I need too.  Amen.

Grow Up...Clean Out ALL The Skeletons

1 Peter 2:3-5 - Now that you realize how kind the Lord has been to you, put away all evil, deception, envy, and fraud. Long to grow up into the fullness of your salvation; cry for this as a baby cries for his milk.  Come to Christ, who is the living Foundation of Rock upon which God builds; though men have spurned him, he is very precious to God who has chosen him above all others. And now you have become living building-stones for God’s use in building his house. What’s more, you are his holy priests; so come to him—you who are acceptable to him because of Jesus Christ—and offer to God those things that please him.

Peter wastes no time telling us to grow up.  We have been taught…God gave us the Holy Spirit to tell us right from wrong….it is time to let go of everything that keeps us from understanding and experiencing God’s full salvation. He even tells us why…we are supposed to be his building stones…winning others to God…..not still in the nursery having others take care of us.

I have to admit that I am NOT grown up when I read this.  Sure ..I could justify some growth and use as a building stone by citing any number of ministries I am involved in….and the time I spend in study and prayer. BUT…here’s what God wanted me to realize when he let Peter write this powerful insight…I sure don’t long to grow up…I fight it all the way.  And I sure don’t cry for it like a baby cries for its milk. It does not consume me enough to stop justifying everything I still hold on too that keeps me a child in God’s eyes.

Verse 9-10 tell us how to start the process of growing up again if we have stalled for a while. It says…. “ But you are not like that, for you have been chosen by God himself—you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own—all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own. Once you knew very little of God’s kindness; now your very lives have been changed by it.”

I need to commit to a little less justification…and do some spiritual cleaning. I need to let the transformations that God has made in my life power me to finish cleaning ALL the skeletons out of my closet that hold me back from that full experience of salvation Peter was experiencing…and wanted for all the believers he taught about Christ.

Father…thank you once again for waking me to a deeper knowledge of who you are and how you can transform my hearty and life to be your vessel. Forgive me for stalling in the process of cleaning out the rest of the things that hold me back from experiencing who you fully are. Teach me to be a solid building stone…that will help you build a church that can withstand the persecution and trials that are ahead. Amen.

Be Truly Glad For Tough Times

1 Peter 1:6-7 -   So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.  These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.

Peter had the hard job of encouraging new Christians that were suffering true persecution from the government and those that did not believe in Christ. On top of the economic and personal struggles they were dealing with….those that chose to follow Christ added to their problems the real threat of persecution if their faith choice went against the government wishes.

Many countries have seen this for years. They must meet in secret…hide their Bibles…and find some way to keep God the master in their life…knowing that it may mean severe beatings…imprisonment…or even death. We have enjoyed religious freedom here in the US for centuries…but I feel lately that I am watching the core of that system being  worn down bit by bit to the world’s standards as well.

I admit too that it is hard to follow Peter’s directive here…to truly be glad that things are so bad…seems the opposite of what we should do. But think about Peter’s background here. Peter knew firsthand how tests of faith made you stronger. He failed once himself…and knew how the love of God through his son Jesus could restore and strengthen even the worst of slip ups in faith. The restoration process refined him into a much stronger Christian.  He knew how to use his weaknesses to God’s advantage. He knew he was striving for a goal that was not of this world.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have promised joy unthinkable to those that follow you in true faith.  Forgive me for the times that I have let simple hardships…and pain in life tear away the faith that you have tried to build in me. Strengthen me for the real test that is coming God….and help me know how to stand strong for you no matter what.  Amen.

Prayer...Wonderfully Powerful

James 5:13-14 -   Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually be singing praises to the Lord.   Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him.

James ends his great letter with two important points.  After he reminds us of the dangers of letting material wealth control us…he spends some time restating to us the great power of prayer. Just as greed and success can tear us down…humility in prayer can open our spiritual awareness to the great power it offers to heal all aspects of our being. 

James reminds us that prayer should be a dominant part of our life. It should be our preventative measure…not just a resource for a last ditch effort.  It is the most powerful tool a Christian has in their armor to fight all kinds of issues that satan tries to use to lessen our faith. 

What is most important to remember about prayer is not what is said…but how it is said.  The simple …short sweet prayer of a toddler can be more effective than a prayer you labor over hours and word just right. God hears our heart…not our words.

I admit that some of my prayers are routine and feel stale and useless sometimes.  Other times tears flow and I can feel the spirit within me working as the words flow from my mouth. Oh that every time I lift my voice to God in prayer they would be filled with the humility of the great prophets like Elijah who controlled the rain. Or perhaps I could learn Moses’ way of prayer so I can change God’s mind with my heart.  Ultimately … complete humility learns to pray as Jesus did in the garden…knowing that God’s answer sometimes requires obedience and suffering to bring about the greater good.

Father...thank you for the reminder that prayer is my most important communication with you.  Forgive me for the times I did not spend in prayer…and let the world distract me from letting my heart speak with you continually.  Help me to keep working on the humility I need to understand and use prayer to its fullest.  Amen.

Want Versus Need...What Does God Want?

James 4:2-3 -   You want what you don’t have, so you kill to get it. You long for what others have, and can’t afford it, so you start a fight to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.  And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

James hits on one of the most destructive character traits known to the Christian heart in this passage.  The anger...bitterness and jealously it creates in the world destroys marriages….families…careers….and people.  Perhaps we have learned to be more civilized that to start a fight to take something away from someone…but we still long for material possessions and the comfort and status they add to our emotions.

James addresses the key things we need to think about when we …THINK…we want something.  Before we pray we need to analyze why we THINK we need what we want. His thoughts move us past the basic lessons we learned in economics class of want versus need. In essence…we can exist with food …water…shelter…and let’s add God to the mix for believers.  But we live in a world that says that we must also have transportation… a job… dress a certain way… nice houses… new clothes that are current fashion…and on and on it goes. The line of wants and needs has become very muddy indeed.

I have a current struggle I will share.  God granted me a wonderful home.  It had almost all the ‘wish list’ I gave my realtor. I would have loved to have a garage…a screened in deck and larger rooms….but I thankfully accepted the wonderful gift of what he gave me.  The fall leaves that are falling and staining my car make me really want that garage….or at least a covered carport that comes to one of my doors when the weather is bad. I even checked in to one…the structure was affordable…but the cost of permits and such drove the cost out of my budget. 

Perhaps I don’t really need it...and God knows the money I had set aside for that is going to be needed for something He wants.  His plans  will go beyond my vision of what I THINK I need in so many ways if I can wrap my head around the disappointment of the current reality….and accept the fact that scraping leaves and washing the acid off the car constantly  is at least easier than scraping snow. God will help me deal with the snow when it happens.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to always think carefully about the things in my life.  Forgive me for the times that let my wants get inflated and focused too much on what I THINK I need without consulting you.  Help me to always take time to pray for guidance and wisdom in all the things I pray for.  Amen. 

The Tongue....Small...Yet Very Powerful

James 3:2-5 - If anyone can control his tongue,  it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way.  We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth.  And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.  So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. 

James tackles some of the tougher aspects of Christian Character.  Our words are powerful tools that can be used for good…used to uplift and encourage. They can be used to tear down…damage or simply create an environment of blasphemes that surely make God bow His head in embarrassment if we have attached our life to His Holy name.

He uses the analogies …like the SMALL spark that starts a fire…. The SMALL bit that guides a horse…and the SMALL rudder that steers a ship to say that the size of this tool has nothing to do with the power it has over the heart.  One word can build up the lowest of self-esteem’s… tear down the highest of positive thinking….or tear down the character you have worked on for years with one unholy curse word. They stick to everyone’s soul in hearing distance….probably forever…never truly being erased after they are said.

My heaviest burden of guilt lies with the many uncontrolled words that were spoken during the last few years of my first marriage.  Words spoken in selfishness…self-righteousness…or simply hurt will be remembered for the rest of the lives they were spoken in front of.  I know that I am not the person that acted that way now…but only those that are able to see my daily walk are privy to the changes God is making in my use of the tongue.  I am so thankful for God’s forgiveness and know that one day he will even use my uncontrolled words to bring about good.

James says to concentrate on the positive… and wisdom will help us bridle this hard to tame beast.  Use pure thoughts…be gentle…and to work toward peace even when it means giving in your feelings.  He says to run from any discussion that includes gossip…bragging…exaggerating …complaining…put downs …and lying.  Take the time to think before you speak…Is it true???…Is it necessary???...Is it kind???

Father...thank you for the reminder to keep my powerful tongue in control and constantly working towards loving others.  Forgive me for the times that used my tongue to tear down…or blaspheme your holiness. Help me to be control so fully by your love that the positive way to use my tongue becomes all that I know how to do.  Amen.

Are You Guided By Wrong Motives?

James 2:2-4 -  If a man comes into your church dressed in expensive clothes and with valuable gold rings on his fingers, and at the same moment another man comes in who is poor and dressed in threadbare clothes,  and you make a lot of fuss over the rich man and give him the best seat in the house and say to the poor man, “You can stand over there if you like or else sit on the floor”—well,  judging a man by his wealth shows that you are guided by wrong motives.

The dangers of showing favoritism to anyone is a hard lesson to teach…but James nails it with honesty and directness. It is in fact one of the most dangerous sins we let ourselves justify.  It speaks to the motive of everything we do…it reveals to the world around us where our heart truly is.

I was immediately reminded of the story of the pastor who dressed like a homeless man the day he was scheduled to meet and preach for his new church for the first time.  He had one or two to speak him…but that was to suggest a seat in the back of the church. The majority of encounters were attempts to walk further away from him…or cover their mouths so he could not hear their conversations.  The lesson they learned that day was radical…for when they announced his name…and he walked down the aisle …took the podium…and started to uncover the mess he made of himself to make his point…they saw the purpose in this scripture first hand.

I am guilty…guilty …guilty…it is one of the things God has been dealing with me for a long time.  I am doing much better with letting go of materialism…but I still struggle with treating all people with the same love God treats me….no matter what.  My nose gets in the way…literally and figuratively.

I will testify that the one thing that has helped the most is to involve myself with all economic levels as many ways as I can.  God has allowed me to have some precious friends that have so much less than I do..(in the way of money and finances) dependence on God is all they have sometimes.  They are examples of how God can take a humble heart and teach it to fully rely on him for everything. They have been instrumental in teaching me how to judge a person by their heart….not the tattoos ….piercings …clothes they wear…or money they throw around in stores. 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am nothing if my faith does not completely match my actions for everyone I meet.  Forgive me for the times that I have let success allow pride to lessen the way I treat others that seem different than me. Help me to be completely controlled by you…so that everyone I meet may see your great love through my life and actions.  Amen. 

Don't Fool Yourself

James 1:21-23 -   So get rid of all that is wrong in your life, both inside and outside, and humbly be glad for the wonderful message we have received, for it is able to save our souls as it takes hold of our hearts.  And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. So don’t fool yourselves.  For if a person just listens and doesn’t obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; 

Perhaps James...the brother of Jesus … spoke from experience when he penned these words. He lived through the window of his family’s confusion and misconceptions of his brother to be one of the leaders of the apostles. He knew better than anyone that to be two sided got you nowhere.

His message is clear…get rid of anything that is wrong in your life…inside…or outside.  Then obey everything you know God is telling you to do…for listening only does no good.  He uses the analogy of a mirror to make his point.  God might reflect to us something that needs to change…but if we don’t take the time to work on changing it…the image in the mirror stays the same.

When God truly takes hold of your heart…you begin to see the things he wants to change in you when you read the scriptures….pray…. and really listen to the words of wisdom from your friends and family.  You begin to throw off the pride and selfishness of too much me….and let God whittle a bit of humility and grace into your heart.  Sometimes the message hits you square in the head…and other times it creeps up on you and blossoms into a wonderful epiphany of the confusion you felt for sometimes years  before.

Father…thank you for the reminder to let the mirror of my soul reflect more of you than it does of me. Forgive me for the times that I avoid the mirror…or try to convince myself that what I see doesn’t need to be changed.  Help me to be honest with myself…and truly listen …so I can see every change that you need to make to make me fully usable in your plan for me. Amen.

Equip Me..Then Use Me

Hebrews 13:20-21 -  And now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he who became the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting agreement between God and you, signed with his blood, produce in you through the power of Christ all that is pleasing to him. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The writer of Hebrews ends this reflective book with a powerful prayer. He packs as much practical advice into 19 verses as he can.  First telling us to make sure our love is practical and has feet and hands.  Then he requests the essence of what we will need to do exactly what God wants us to do. He prays for God’s power to equip us…change us…and use us to give him glory.

This writer faced the disbelief of many Jewish …and Gentile people who just didn’t accept that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews were looking for. He knew that times would get worse before Jesus came back. I bet he never thought that Christ would have waited as long as he has.  But here’s the saddest thought of the day.  Those disbelievers are still out there. …multiplied by thousands.

There is some good news embedded in verses 13-14. The key commands the writer placed here help us lessen the numbers and remember that this is not our permanent home if we choose to believe in Christ.  It says… “ So let us go out to him beyond the city walls (that is, outside the interests of this world, being willing to be despised) to suffer with him there, bearing his shame.  For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.” He is talking about sharing our stories of how God changed our disbelief in to glorious belief.  He is talking about praising God for all that he has done….outside the walls of our comfort zone.

It sure convicts me to step up my game.  I realize more than ever than I can always do more for Christ than what I am currently doing.  It’s like a jar of golf balls….it might look full…but pour in some smaller pebbles…then some sand….then some water.  Even then the water will evaporate over time…and need to be replaced often to keep it full. My belief is that if I ever manage to get life so correct to fill it with water the first time…my passage to Heaven will be instantaneous.

One last thought.  If we…and I do more than I don’t….start filling the jar God gives us with sand…or pebbles…or water out of order….there won’t be room for even one golf ball. God has to wait for some water to evaporate…or even break our jar and replace it with a new one before we can even start working on His plan again. Even though I know he promised to never leave or forsake us…it makes me wonder how many times he has started over with me.

Father….thank you for the reminder that my main prayer should be for you to equip me with the right jar to fill with your goodness and love. Use me to share the story of how you are filling my jar with blessings and goodness …so that others might believe that you are their only hope. Forgive me for the times that I forget that jar is not near full…or I try to put things in in the wrong order.  Give me the strength and patience I need to wait on your timing.  Amen.

Is God Your Consuming Fire?

Hebrews 12:1 -  Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.

This writer doesn’t waste time or mince words.  He tells us right from the beginning of this chapter how to keep our relationship strong enough to join these great men and women of faith that have gone to Heaven before us.  The Christian life is hard work…we have to intentionally give up anything that will endanger our relationship with Christ cheerfully and willingly. We have to then use the Holy Spirit to stay focused on Jesus...and remember always that it is God’s race we are running ….not our own.

God’s race sometimes includes discipline. We need to accept it as a way to grow and learn how Jesus was able to develop the grace …love …mercy and character it took to sacrifice his life to save each and every one of us.  When we take our eyes off Jesus…bitterness…quarrels…take root and decay the work that God has already done in our heart.

We need to also remember that our actions have lasting consequences.  God washes the sin out of our hearts…but the consequences of that sin are sometimes not as easy to erase.  God intentionally leaves some of those to help remind us what he saved us from and how hard we need to work on a daily basis to stay close to him. 

I love the last verse…^” For our God is a consuming fire.”  Think about that for a moment.  God is like that Sun we depend on…it has its own source of fuel…nothing feeds it but our praise and thankfulness to him for how he saved us.  We need to let him consume our lives…feed us the stuff that will make us as strong as these men and women that made the faith hall of fame.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I must constantly guard my heart form the things that try to endanger my relationship with you.  Forgive me for the times that I stop to rest to long….let bitterness and doubt slow my feet….or simply don’t listen and obey you when I know what you want me to do. Help me to take a new grip…with my tired hands….stand firm with my shaky legs and let you mark out a smooth path for me to run. …so not just I will benefit from your love…but so all the others who watch me can find it too. Amen.

Faith...Are You Still Asking Why Me?

Hebrews 11:­­­­1-2 -  What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.  Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith.

It is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. This unknown writer nails the essence of what faith should be to anyone that believes in God. He uses the word confidence to describe how our hearts should feel about God’s character in the beginning of our journey. He uses the word assurance to describe how we should grow to trust also God’s promises as we mature and grow in faith.

I loved the analogy of a birthday celebration in my Life Application Bible.  True faith is that feeling we had when we were younger in the days preceding our Birthday.  We got excited at the expectation of a gift…even though we usually had no clue what it might be. We just knew it would be great…and trusted our parents with the choices.

I read the list of names and their testimonies that lived beyond the season God allowed them to be on the earth….and I marvel at what they were able to accomplish with faith. There were so many at the end he stopped listing names and just listed the details of the testimonies.  Some were raised with faith and others came to know it through the lives of those that God placed in their pathways.

Not one of these people were perfect at the beginning of their journeys with God.  Some questioned …even laughed at the prospect of the promise God wanted to fulfill with their life. But at some point…with continued searching…study and prayer…they all stopped saying why me???? and started saying Ok…Use me.  They began to trust God with the vision….and let him guide them through the difficulties that might come as they grew in faith.

Here’s my struggle with faith.  I know I am not at the beginning of my journey.  I can see clearly how some of the things I have been through have given me a deeper faith.  But I still find myself in Moses mode…making excuses…or in Noah mode…working on something that seems to have no purpose for me now. …still questioning God why? Begging God for details…instead of just saying ok...I will do whatever you ask…even if it means giving up the thing I love most … like Abraham.

Father…thank you for the reminder that Faith is an important part of my choice to follow you.  Forgive me for the times that I have lacked faith…and let the doubts and imperfections I see in myself limit who I can be for you. Help me to throw off that last bit of hesitation to follow you completely. Help me see the visions of my imperfections as the things you need to still change in me to be who you want me to be…and use my time with you to search and pray for how to fix them. Amen.

Doubt Is The Enemy... Not The Promise

Hebrews 10:23-25   - Now we can look forward to the salvation God has promised us. There is no longer any room for doubt, and we can tell others that salvation is ours, for there is no question that he will do what he says. In response to all he has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good.  Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

This writer was dealing with the converted Jews that let the world without Christ beside them begin doubts that the Messiah had ever come. His words are just as valid and true today for anyone that lets life weigh them down with doubts about God’s plan in their life. Doubt is the enemy…not the promise.

Whole hearted belief is part of that faith he will talk about next chapter in detail…but here he just states the facts.  Christ came and died for our sins.  He rose to conquer death.  He provides salvation to all that believe in him and the sacrifice he made.  Salvation washes us clean of all our sin.  This is a forever promise.

He calls for us to combat the doubt that satan tries so hard to squeeze into our souls by trying to outdo the kindnesss…helpfulness….encouragement… even warnings that Christ Himself completed while He was on earth. He tells us to gather together and never neglect an opportunity to fellowship and worship so we can stay strong and full of confidence in his will for our lives.

 I will testify that the times I have decided to stay home from a church meeting or ministry commitment…. it takes me longer to bounce back from my illness.  I am so thankful that my church has provided ways for me to watch most services from home if I feel I am contagious….or medicine makes it unsafe for me to drive…. but it’s not the same. I miss the hugs and encouraging words from each person that takes the time to visit with me on the way to classes and my time to worship.

Father…thank you for the reminder that your promise of salvation is forever.  Forgive me for the times that I have let life cultivate doubts.  Help me to use kindness…helpfulness… and encouragement to try to outdo the acts of love that Jesus modeled for me. Bless those that have shown the same to me when I am struggling. Amen.

Are You Using God's Most Valuable Treasure?

Hebrews 9:27-28 -  And just as it is destined that men die only once, and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died only once as an offering for the sins of many people; and he will come again, but not to deal again with our sins. This time he will come bringing salvation to all those who are eagerly and patiently waiting for him.

The writer of Hebrews takes great care to speak in great detail about the requirements of the old covenant. From the setup of the Temple…to the sprinkling of blood to atone for man’s sin.  He wanted to build a striking contrast to this old system of atonement with the blood that Christ sacrificed on the cross to atone for man’s sin once and for all.

The next time Christ comes it will be in judgement. Those who believe will go to heaven to live forever…those who reject him will be eternally doomed to live in agony in hell. There will be no in between…no I will make a decision later…no I’m just not sure. The fence riding will not be an option anymore.

I love the note in my Life Application Bible this morning.  It simply said that salvation is the most valuable of treasures….The more we use it…the greater its value. What a great promise. If we use it…it erases the fence while we are here on earth….allowing us to benefit from the transformation Christ can do to our heart and life. Perhaps even convincing a few others to believe in the process.

Father…thank you for the reminder of the treasure that is found in your gift of salvation.  Forgive me for the times that I take that treasure for granted…and don’t use it to help others believe.  Show me how to make the most of my salvation…and respect its power to transform and change not just my life…but the lives of all I share my testimony with as well.  Amen.

Is God's Law Written On Your Heart And Mind?

Hebrews 8:10 -  But this is the new agreement I will make with the people of Israel, says the Lord: I will write my laws in their minds so that they will know what I want them to do without my even telling them, and these laws will be in their hearts so that they will want to obey them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

This writer did not give it a name…but he was talking about the Holy Spirit that God places inside our hearts and minds when we accept his precious gift of salvation. It was a very hard concept for the Jews to comprehend.  They had been used to a system where only a priest could be in the presence of God…and at that only once a year.  Moses was the only one to spend more time with God.

God went from a presence that abided within the curtained area of the Temple…to a presence inside each heart and mind that believed in him. As Christ gave his precious blood for mankind…God tore the curtain that hid his presence…God dissolved the need for man to atone for his sins before he knew him. He provided a way for every man to have a relationship with him that …with simple belief in the act of love his son provided to atone for every sin that had and would be committed in the future.

It was a bit later at Pentecost that God allowed his Holy Spirit to come to man’s heart.  1 John 2:27 says….  “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, in your hearts, so that you don’t need anyone to teach you what is right. For he teaches you all things, and he is the Truth, and no liar; and so, just as he has said, you must live in Christ, never to depart from him.”

What a great reminder that we have access to the power of God through the Holy Spirit.  If we believe in the act of love in Christ’s death and resurrection…we can have the Holy Spirit abide in our hearts and minds too…constantly helping us to discern right from wrong.

Father…thank you for the reminder that God’s presence is available to all that believe in his precious son and the sacrifice of love he made to atone for all sin.  Forgive me for the times that I forget the power that I can tap into through your Holy Spirit and let wrong tilt the scales of my activities.  Help me to use the power that the Holy Spirit can give me to do the things that I know to be right and true.  Amen.

Understanding Changes Is Different Than Accepting Them

Hebrews 7:18-19 -   Yes, the old system of priesthood based on family lines was canceled because it didn’t work. It was weak and useless for saving people.  It never made anyone really right with God. But now we have a far better hope, for Christ makes us acceptable to God, and now we may draw near to him.

It must have been as hard for the devout Jews to understand as it is for us sometimes. The specific rules for sacrifice and worship were completely changed with Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Priests were chosen from the tribe of Levi…except for one named Melchizedek.  He was the greatest of priests…but yet had no record of birth or death.

God established Jesus as the greatest of priests…from the line of Judah….and the need to sacrifice animals for the blood they provided was not needed any more. The old system made atonement for sin…but never made anyone right with God.  Christ’s sacrifice of his perfect blood made a way for all to enjoy not just atonement for our sins…but the opportunity for them to be washed away completely.

The cold snap and 36 degree temps this morning give me the perfect example. My old rental in London KY was an old house. No matter how high I cranked the heat…or how many space heaters I ran in each room…it still felt colder than my thermostat said it should be. The wonderful house that God provided for me here in Sevierville is different. I cranked the heat on this morning and in minutes I had to turn it off…63 feeling like 75. What a change…and for the better.  I don’t have to understand the specifics of insulation and heating units…I just get to reap the benefits of warmer air around me this winter and a lower electric bill to boot.

I for one may never completely understand and be able to explain the details of how God changed the system of sacrifice needed for atonement.  But I can be completely confident that God changed things to make it easier for me to be his child and receive Christ’s gift of salvation.  I can be thankful that he made a way for me to know him personally and have a relationship with him that gives me a direct line to the father.

Father…thank you for the changes you made in your plan to allow man a way to atone for his sins.  Thank you for the precious gift you gave in your son and his willingness to obey and sacrifice it for me. Forgive me for the times that I take this precious gift for granted and fail to thank you for it. Help me to spend more of my time with you thanking you for the changes and listening to how you want me to use them to help you convince others of your great love. Amen. 

Love Others As Long As Life Lasts

Hebrews 6:11-12 -  And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, so that you will get your full reward. Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won’t become bored with being a Christian nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that life does not stop when we think we have reached our happiest and most content moments. He tells us to keep on loving as long as life lasts. He tells us to never let our Christian walk become so routine that we are bored…but stay anxious to always follow the examples of great men and women we read in the Bible.

He even tells us one of the ways to achieve this goal. It is by holding on to the promises God has made in His word…holding fast to hope and cultivating a faith that produces patience in God’s timing.  Hope and faith produce not just patience…but boldness and courage to step outside the realm of the known in our lives.

I love how he ties it all back to our salvation in verse 19. If we let God become our trustworthy anchor….our salvation in Him connects us forever to God.  Jesus becomes not just our savior…but our adversary…pleading with his father the way he plead for himself in Gethsemane.

Father…thank you for the reminder that loving others is a forever commitment.  Forgive me for the times that I have let the happiness and contentment of a moment allow me to rest a little too long.  Help me to never settle for one happy moment…but seek more and more as I trust and hope in your great promises. Amen. 

How Much Solid Food Do You Eat?

Hebrews 5:12-14  -   You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life, and doesn’t know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby Christian!  You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God’s Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right.

Whoever this writer was…they were frustrated with having to always remind these Christians that they needed to stop being babies and grow up. They had been Christians a long time…yet they still clung to the basics of Jewish law…not wanting to let go of the old testament rituals and learn for themselves the limitless power of trusting Christ completely.

Every time I read this passage I am convicted of my own lack of growth.  I could easily try to justify that I am trying harder these last couple of years…but I know in my heart that the 20 or so years I wasted being a baby will never be totally recovered.  I still cling too many times to my own understanding of things…and fail to really digest what God meant by Proverbs 3:5…  Trust the Lord thy God with all your heart, lean not unto thy own understanding.

I thought of Ezekiel…and the vision he shared in Ezekiel 47. He had been led to the river and asked to wade deeper and deeper into the water…eventually coming to a part where he would have to swim if he ventured into that depth.  God wanted him to realize that the mature Christian has to wade as deep as possible into God’s will… sometimes letting the situation become too much for our human understanding.  It is at this point that we let Christ support us as we traverse through the situation only God can lead us through safely to the other side.

Growing up in Christ requires the skill of discernment. Discernment is how we determine right from wrong in our lives. God doesn’t always make it easy….it is only by praying that he allow us to discern the truth that we will stay inside his will. This writer takes it one more step and says we have to practice it as well.

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to continually grow in your love and truth.  Forgive me for the times that I let life stop me from wading deeper into who you have planned for me to be….and stunt the growth that you want for my soul.  Give me the power to discern right from wrong…even in the situations that are hard to understand.  Then give me the courage to take the steps toward practicing what you tell me to do.  Amen. 

God Sees Behind The Mask

Hebrews 4:12-13   -   For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are.  He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.

This writer reminds us that God sees everything we do.  Nothing is hidden from him.  His ability and power to peel back the layers of facade that we build over the years to justify doing what we want to do…exposes us for what we really are…100% of the time.

The holiday of Halloween is quickly approaching.  Stores are full of costumes and masks of all kinds. We carefully pick this one or that one in preparation for the walk with our children to collect candy or the big party that we might attend. We can become just about anything we want…good or bad….for the short time of this holiday.

I had to ask myself if I try to wear a mask the rest of the year too. Do people see the same thing that Christ sees when he peels back the layers of my innermost being…or do I present myself to be somehow different to others? Is it more important for others to see the best me all the time…or can I perhaps be a stronger witness for God when I allow others to see the ugly parts of me as well?

I admit that I am guilty of trying to always let others see the best in me….but this scripture reminds me of the need to let others see the mistakes and failings I have experienced as well.  In taking off the mask…in peeling back the layers of innermost being to all we meet…we open ourselves to help more people understand God’s love.

What is important is that we never hide our mistakes and sin from God.  He already saw it…he already paid the price for me to be washed clean of any judgement from him in the end. I just need to realize that more often and repent of my failures and let him lead me away from those mistakes so he can teach me how to use them to help others.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you see everything that I have done…and have already forgiven me for anything I will ever do that is wrong.  Forgive me for the times that I try to wear a mask for others that paints me as a better person that I really am.  Help me to live for you and not others opinions of who I should be so you can use my mistakes to be messages to others. Amen.

Trust....Listen...Obey...TODAY!

Hebrews 3:14 -15 -   For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as we did when we first became Christians, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.  But now is the time. Never forget the warning, “Today if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.”

Such compelling words from this writer that is unidentified.  Trust God as we did when we first believed…never forget his warning that if God speaks to you we need to listen and heed his words. Hesitating for a moment runs the risk of hardening our heart to God’s voice.

I admit that it is sometimes hard to hear his voice.  I also admit that it is sometimes hard to trust what we think he is saying to us. God’s directives have a way of taking us out of our comfort zones….listening means depending on him just a bit more than we did before…sometimes a lot more than we ever have.

Our lack of trust will also result in missing out on whatever blessing God had in store for us if we had listened and obeyed.  Sometimes we get second chances …like Jonah…but look at what he went through in the belly of that fish to learn to listen in the first place.

Trusting God brings that peace that surpasses all understanding to our heart.  Even if what God asks us to do brings pain…we have a peace about it. We know God is going to use our pain to help build his kingdom….and to help others.  We know that the amount of time we spend in uncomfortable situations will bring joy in the end. It helps us hold onto the promise of God in Jeremiah 29:11. His plans for us are good…they are meant to prosper us and bring us hope for our future.

Father…thank you for the reminder to listen to you …obey you….and trust you to always have our best interests in mind.  Forgive me for the times that I have doubted your plan…shut off your voice…or tried to do my own thing without you.  Help me to focus completely on your still small voice that will always lead me exactly where you need me to be. Help me to always trust that you have a plan to use everything you ask me to do to the good of the kingdom.  Amen.

Rethink Indifference....Are You Listening With Your Whole Being?

Hebrews 2:1-3 - So we must listen very carefully to the truths we have heard, or we may drift away from them.  For since the messages from angels have always proved true and people have always been punished for disobeying them,  what makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation announced by the Lord Jesus himself and passed on to us by those who heard him speak?

This writer was trying to help the Jews who still did not accept the Christ as the Messiah see the truth of all that God had given them to prove Jesus was his son.  They were indifferent…uncaring…apathetic even… to the truths that all the apostles were using to help them understand the gift of salvation. They were not listening to them with their whole beings.

Listening involves more than just our ears. It involves the heart….the mind….the ears…. and the other 4 senses that God made to connect our whole body to the spirit he placed inside us. True listening adds the step of obedience…. the proof that we have heard and understand what God has said to us. 

Many people still reject the truth of God’s plan for our salvation.  Perhaps they are not listening either….for how could one reject the best free present ever recorded in the history of the world. The real lesson for us in this is that we cannot become indifferent to their choice ….and work even harder to help them see the truth that God revealed to us.

One other point I noticed in verse 10. It says that Jesus became our perfect leader because of his suffering. That proves that everything we consider to be bad or suffering in this life is a part of God’s plan to make us leaders to others. Perhaps the reason he allowed our pain is to better understand …listen a little better to how to help someone who doesn’t believe…become a little less indifferent to the stranger we meet that does not know his love. 

I would venture one more bold statement….or let me state it as a question that you may feel free to answer if you want to. Could indifference be the number one sin of Christians? Could our ability to listen better to Christ be the cure to help cure us of this sin? I know that I take for granted my safety way too much in my small town. My suffering is limited to the physical or mental pain of loss ….illness…. or financial pressure.  Perhaps God is sending us messages through the floods in South Carolina….or the shootings of Oregon. Is he calling us to let go of the indifference we have created in our hearts because the majority of wars…and persecution of Christians is not here in our own country?

I admit that I am guilty.  I feel for the many news stories I hear….I pray for them…but I also thank God that the things they suffer are not in my hometown. I am not 100% sure that I could be as strong as them if God were to allow the same in my front yard….or the schools where I sub. I needed the reminder to keep listening...and not become indifferent to the problems around me.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to open my whole being to your voice.  Forgive me for the apathy that tries to root itself in my being.  Help me to listen with my ears and heart….my eyes and my hands…help me taste and see that you are good and take refuge in you alone. Amen.

Angels...Real And Very Active In The Believer's Life

Hebrews 1:13-14 - And did God ever say to an angel, as he does to his Son, “Sit here beside me in honor until I crush all your enemies beneath your feet”?  No, for the angels are only spirit-messengers sent out to help and care for those who are to receive his salvation.

Hebrews is one of those books of the Bible that we are not 100 percent sure of its authorship. There is a long list of possible writers...but no one can prove any of them. Whoever wrote it was close to Timothy…for he referred to him as a brother.

The problem this recipient faced in his ministry was real.  Some of the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah…they regarded him as a sort of head angel.  This writer is trying to give the reader some great points that separate the angel’s role from that of the Christ.

No angel ever went to the degree of sacrifice that Christ did to save us from eternal death.  Christ sits now in a seat of honor in charge of the angels….spirit messenger’s that he sends to help all those who have and will accept his salvation. They work overtime as God and his precious son Jesus send them out to comfort … help … and care for us.

I have never seen an angel…but I know in my heart that many have aided me over the years.  I have felt their comfort…I have benefited from their care and help. I believe the angels are all around us…they are sent to keep those from danger that God has not chosen to receive into heaven yet.  They are sent to give us inner strength when the task God has asked us to do is hard.  They seep into our hearts and take over our physical presence when God allows pain to enter into our lives. I am sure they held my hand more than a few times in many difficult situations….they may have even joined me in spirit as I worshiped and praised God a time or two.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have many angels that you can send to be a part of our experience with you.  Forgive me for the times that I didn’t acknowledge their presence….or thank you for the comfort and help they provided.  Help me to be so in tune with you that I notice the presence of the ones you send to help me….and thank you for the load they bear for me.  Amen.  

Forgiveness Doesn't Stop With the Words ...I Forgive You!

Philemon 1:8-10 -  Now I want to ask a favor of you. I could demand it of you in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do, but I love you and prefer just to ask you—I, Paul, an old man now, here in jail for the sake of Jesus Christ.  My plea is that you show kindness to my child Onesimus, whom I won to the Lord while here in my chains. 

In order to fully understand Paul’s request you need to know that Onesimus was Philemon’s slave.  He had run away for reasons we are not told…and somehow met Paul in prison. Paul was able to somehow convert this run-away slave to Christ…then convince him of his need to repair the relationship he had with his master. In order for Onesimus to complete his reconciliation…Philemon must forgive him and begin to see him as a brother in Christ instead of a slave that ran away.

The message in this story hit me hard folks. Its personal once again...but perhaps someone else will benefit from my disclosure.  I’ve been having dreams of someone that I know in my heart that I forgave. Since these dreams were of my first husband…and we divorced 5 years ago…they puzzled and bothered me on many levels. I pray each time I have one that God either stop them or reveal to me the reason behind them…so I can understand what they might be telling me I need to do. As soon as I read this story…I knew God was answering my prayers. Forgiveness doesn’t stop with the words…I forgive you.

Paul is telling all of us to go the next level with our forgiveness.  As hard as it might be for me to work toward some sort of relationship with my ex….God calls all of us to use our connection of Christ to develop each connection to one of his children.  I may not even benefit directly…but our children will see our effort to be connected for them and that will speak volumes to them and all the people that might have been affected by our decision to divorce.

The definition of reconciliation from the ‘google’ … an act of unification, as when former enemies agree to an amicable truce.  Amicable means friendly…and friends develop more than an agreement not to bother each other. Friends have a relationship formed over common ideas and interests…and three kids and 2 grandchildren are quite a lot in common. 

I will be honest and say that I have no clue what to do next…even though I have my answer from God why I should do it.  I know that it won’t be easy…but that is the nature of all answers from God that help us truly understand and grow in his love.  I know that it must not been easy for Christ to die on that cross to reconcile me to his father…so why should it be any easier for me.

Father…thank you for the reminder that forgiveness doesn’t stop with the words I forgive you.  Forgive me for making it so hard for you to help me understand that forgives requires reconciliation…and a redevelopment of the relationship that was damaged. Show me the next steps in how I am to repair and reestablish the relationship I dissolved in the choice to divorce. Use this new relationship to build your kingdom and help others grow in understanding of your love. Amen.

Be obedient...Unless It Blasphemes God.

Titus 3:1-2 – Remind your people to obey the government and its officers, and always to be obedient and ready for any honest work.  They must not speak evil of anyone, nor quarrel, but be gentle and truly courteous to all.

Pau uses his last words to Titus to remind him how important it is to obey and respect the authority of the government.  Other Bible writers confirm this as the right thing to do.  Romans 13:1-2 says… “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.”  Jesus’ own words are recorded in Mark 12:17  … “Then Jesus said to them, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." And they were amazed at him.”

I admit that this is increasingly difficult to do. Many of our leaders do not follow the Bible and some are even voting into place laws that are contrary to what the Bible teaches. But following and obeying the base laws of our countries isn’t difficult or questionable at all.  Speeding or running stop signs or lights can cause serious injuries or fatal wrecks. Even though we don’t always agree with how our taxes are spent…and they are not always equitable for all economic levels…they still provide the base for running the government.

We could find excuses all day long to disobey a government rule or law…but Peter gives us the only reason why we are ever justified in breaking one in Acts 5:29.  It says… “But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” If following the rule directly blasphemes or goes against what God has taught…then we must take a stand…even if it means jail.  Daniel spent the night with lions to take a stand for God.  His three friends stood in a fiery furnace…eventually leading the leader in that day to love God too.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you put in place every leader that has power.  You have plans to use even what we see as bad to give you glory and honor at the end of the story.  Forgive me for the times I have disobeyed even a simple law…and justified it as okay. Help me to be more aware that my choices to break them effect others that might not know you.Amen.

Speak Up For Right Living Using The language Of Love

Titus 2:1-2 - But as for you, speak up for the right living that goes along with true Christianity.  Teach the older men to be serious and unruffled; they must be sensible, knowing and believing the truth and doing everything with love and patience.

Paul knew that Titus would face many situations where choices for anything but what God taught in the scriptures would dilute…and eventually destroy the faith that he had come to know in God.  Paul wanted him to feel the importance of having the respect of the older men…so that teaching the younger ones would be natural result of watching the elders of the church do what was right in the sight of God.

His advice to Titus is even more important now.  Those of us that are older must speak up for right living…retaining a serious tone that shows the younger ones the urgency of trusting God’s way to be the best way to live ….every day. Our stance has to be delivered in love and we must have patience with them as they learn.

I needed the reminder this morning to take the strongest stance for God that I can each day.  It is much easier to let the opportunity to speak out go by … taking no stand at all.  But remember that the choice to remain silent is a choice for the other side. AND…that choice to keep silent is being watched by all those that know we have professed to be a follower of God.

On the other hand ...the choice to take a stand with harsh and judgmental tones is just as bad. Paul says to temper all that we do and say with love. We might let everyone know that we don’t accept the murder of abortion…or the same in same sex marriages….but we will lose the chance to lead them to God’s love if our stance is taken without love and patience.

Father...thank you for the reminder that I need to take a stand against the things that I know are contrary to your word. Forgive me for the times that I have stayed silent…or been too harsh in stating my stance.  Help me to use love and patience to not just say what I believe…but use that love to help others believe as well.  Amen.

See the Good...In Every Situation

Titus 1- 15-16 -   A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears.  Such persons claim they know God, but from seeing the way they act, one knows they don’t. They are rotten and disobedient, worthless so far as doing anything good is concerned.

Paul writes to his dear friend and helper Titus. He had left him to lead the churches on the reek island of Crete.  He gave him similar advice to Timothy…including a warning of the many false teachers that would try to dilute the truth of God’s gospel. Then he gives him one new way to measure the validity of a person’s claim to Christianity…their ability to see good in every situation.

I admit that is very hard to see good in some of the atrocities I see in the news. But let me stretch your thinking just a bit. The young girl who was shot by a young neighbor boy has rallied the community to pray and search for answers to why guns are so easily obtained by young adults these days. The deaths of those students in Oregon serve as a costly wake up call to those of us that think America is immune to persecution.

The Bible clearly states in Romans 8:28 that God can and will use all things for our good. We can’t let evil get the upper hand on our mind by letting it see only the bad. If we dwell on the bad…then our minds will begin to let go of the power God has to bring good out of the things we see as bad on the world. Job did not give up…his friends tried their best to get him to concede his sin…but Job held tight to his faith and in the end God brought good out of all that he had allowed satan to take from Job.

I needed the reminder that other people watch my response to the evil things that happen daily in our world.  God calls us all to use the pure heart he installed in us to see the bigger picture…  the good he intends to bring out of the evil he allows to reign for a short time. If I let the evil be in control for even one second…it might take root in my soul and begin to color all my thoughts in a negative way.

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to always concentrate on the good that you plan to bring out of all bad situations.  Forgive me for the times that I have allowed the bad to control my thoughts and stopped looking for the possible good you intended to bring about.  Help me to concentrate on the good you plan to bring about from every bad and negative thing satan tries to accomplish. Amen.

His Ideas...Not Ours

2 Timothy 4:3-4 -   For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear.  They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.

These words of caution were included in Paul’s last letter to Timothy. His urgency ….his solemn tone… his plea of persistence in all situations….give this warning credibility. Timothy was fixing to take over the core of Paul’s ministry…he needed to understand just what he would be up against.

Perhaps the world has always had people like this…hedonistic …self-gratifiers that make up rules as they need them to fit their beliefs. But it seems as though we have reached these days…more and more people adopting a new ‘religion’ that fits the way they want to live … or rejecting all forms of higher powers completely.

Elijah proved to me that God was in charge of the world when he called down fire to consume a sacrifice after the priests of Baal had tried all day. Read 1 Kings 18 if you haven’t heard this story. Perhaps we need to have another contest of fire to show the world just who is in charge… but I choose to let the stories of miracles people tell me confirm my belief.

Contest….miracles…or lack of these things we are still to follow God in complete faith.  In Paul’s words from verse 2….  ^“to preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word.”  Those underlined parts are to remind me of the core of Paul’s advice.

We have no excuses…Paul tells us all throughout his writings that God will give us all that we need to complete this task. Philippians 4:19 says…. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Jesus himself charged us in Matthew 28….and gave us all authority to do His work while He was absent from this earth.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t do near enough to change the minds of those that have chosen to follow their own ideas. I was even caught up for some time in my own selfish …hypocritical version of Christianity. I have miles to go before I will feel as confident as Elijah…or Paul….but I have this one thing in my corner.  God loves me and will stick with me till I get there…training me the whole time.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I have everything I need in you….and you alone are the answer to everything I will encounter. Forgive me for the times that I have let my own ideas take over my thinking….and trick me into thinking that my own ideas are the same as yours.  Help me to always think like Paul…and Moses…and Elijah …. and Jesus…who knew the power to do anything lay with their faith in you. Amen.

Know The Bible...Study It For Yourself

2 Timothy 3:6-8 -   They are the kind who craftily sneak into other people’s homes and make friendships with silly, sin-burdened women and teach them their new doctrines. Women of that kind are forever following new teachers, but they never understand the truth.

Paul knew that one of the worst threats to the gospel was false teachers.  They preyed on the weakest of Christians…new converts…those that had no background in the scriptures….especially women. The culture of that day withheld education from them…so when someone offered knowledge…they soaked it up like a sponge….not knowing if it were true or not.

This concept still threatens the truth of the gospel message…even in a world where most are given the gift of education.  Even in America…where education is free to all…new doctrines pop up all the time…some very well thought out and logical. The only defense we have is to check its teachings against the Bible.

Paul’s comment here highlights one of the reasons we need to study the Bible for ourselves. If we don’t…we run the risk of believing anything a well-spoken leader says. We don’t need to believe everything a speaker says…just because he says it is supported by the Bible. We need to know if they are telling us the truth or not.  We need to know what we believe and where God said it is the truth in the Bible.

I will testify that before I began to study the Bible for myself….I was just as vulnerable as these women. If the words came from someone I respected…I believed what they said. Now…I believe or reject because I read it for myself….checking the things I haven’t heard before by the references they give…or using commentaries to research for myself. In a world where God gave us internet and more inspirational books than ever…we really have no excuse.

Father…thank you for the Bible.  Thank you for the ability to read and study its words and understand what it says.  Forgive me for the times that I have let false concepts take root in my mind and heart because I forgot how important it is to know your word for myself. Help me to find all the time I need to study and let its words soak into my heart and mind…so I will recognize and be able to quote where you wrote it down for me. Amen.

Will God say.... "Well Done?"

2 Timothy 2:15 -   Work hard so God can say to you, “Well done.” Be a good workman, one who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what his Word says and means. 

Paul pours every bit of love he can into this letter to his good friend Timothy. He sits in prison…but the love he has for God is being transferred onto pieces of paper for his friend to be strengthened. Paul probable never imagined the number of believers that would also gain strength and wisdom from the words he placed in this letter to Timothy.

This charge to Timothy has long been one of my favorites. I ignored it for long years…letting the world do exactly what Paul warned Timothy against.  Life distracted me from learning the Bible God left us.  I read it in church….occasionally picking it up in hard times….but for the most part the Bible was an important book that I let others interpret for me.

It took the abandonment of divorce…and the pain of loss to bring me to my senses. God probably was steering me towards this epiphany years before with less pain and struggle…but something about being broken helps you realize that God is the only thing that can give you real answers…and all those answers are embedded in His word.

I try not to beat myself up anymore for wasting so much time….but thank God for the last 5 years of growth He has given me as I have begun to really read and try to understand all that He let others write down for us to follow. I have much still to learn…each verse unlocking new truth and understanding… even if I have read it 10 times before.

I will testify that nothing has helped me grow more in Christ that the time of study…and the writing of this blog each day. I cannot imagine going to sleep or waking any other way than to turn my thoughts to Him in reading one more chapter of His Bible….or waking to process just how it can help me move even closer to that goal that Paul talks about.

Father…thank you for the gift of your Bible and the strength and wisdom you embedded in each page of words.  Forgive me for the time that I wasted …letting others tell me about the Bible…but not opening and letting you guide me through it by myself. Help me to never let go of the precious time you have helped me to see as life altering. Draw me even closer to you by showing me even more time that I can spend in study and reflection in your great word. Amen.

Who Is Your example Of How To Stir Up The Power God Placed Inside Us?

2 Timothy 1:7-8 -   For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them. If you will stir up this inner power, you will never be afraid to tell others about our Lord or to let them know that I am your friend even though I am here in jail for Christ’s sake. You will be ready to suffer with me for the Lord, for he will give you strength in suffering.

Paul knew in his spirit that he might not see his dear friend Timothy again….so he poured into this letter the love and encouragement he thought the young preacher might need. Timothy was facing much persecution…and Paul knew the toll that such constant suffering could take on the soul. He wrote one of my favorite verses….don’t be timid…stir up the inner power that God gave you to be strong in the face of adversity.

The Oregon shooting is fresh on my mind…many lost their life because they heeded the words of this verse.  I think the only way they were able to call out that they indeed were Christians…is that they stirred up the inner power that Paul was talking about here.  Even with the fear of death…they boldly proclaimed who they belonged too.

I know of a lady who is fighting cancer. She had beat it before…and now it is back 7 times worse.  She isn’t cowering in defeat ….she is praying for healing…as well as using her time to speak out for Christ. She wants to be used to make sure all the doctors and nurses she meets have met God.  She has embraced Paul’s words as well.

I bet we could all tell the story of others who are present day examples of Paul’s great advice to Timothy. What great reminders these bold servants of Christ are to a world that is facing more persecution than ever. It gives me even more resolve to pray for my own boldness and courage if God allows me to be in a situation that may lead to such hard decisions. 

We are all afraid of being a Peter when it comes to such times…but we all hold the inner power inside us to be just as strong as Paul….Timothy…. Daniel in that lion’s den….his three friends in the fiery furnace…the Oregon students…and my sister’s friend Meagan with cancer. Perhaps by sharing the powerful stories of others who have faced severe persecution and followed Paul’s advice here…we can all find the courage to stand strong in our faith…and trust God no matter what.

Father…thank you for the reminder that no one dies in your care that is not rewarded in the nest season of life with you. Forgive me for the times that I let my fears keep me from being as bold and courageous as I need to be. Thank you for models like Megan and the students in Oregon who show me how to stir up the power you have placed inside me to be strong and courageous.  Amen.

The Most Important Thing

1 Timothy 6:20-21 -   Oh, Timothy, don’t fail to do these things that God entrusted to you. Keep out of foolish arguments with those who boast of their “knowledge” and thus prove their lack of it.  Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don’t know God. May God’s mercy be upon you.  Sincerely, Paul

Paul closed his first letter to Timothy with a strong urging to use all that God had entrusted to him.  He cautioned him against arguing and debating theological points with others that would not relent their positions on things that the Bible clearly spoke the truth.  Paul wanted Timothy to concentrate on the most important thing….sharing the gospel truth with all that he could……so more people could come to know God.

Debating details of time and law do not unify the church and concentrate on the most important part of the gospel. We should concentrate our time and effort in helping people understand the mission of Jesus…His perfect life….the sacrifice He made in giving His life…and the defeat of death in His resurrection.  Once they have accepted this truth…and believe in Jesus…they can begin to sort out the other details as God reveals them through study and prayer. 

Let me use a phrase from Max Lucado’s book….You’ll Get Through This. He says to concentrate on doing the next thing that is right. Paul says the way to do that is to trust God…hold tight to His hand through study and prayer…remember that money and time on the earth are not permanent…love people more than money…love God’s work more than money and things….and share what we have been given with others.

I needed the reminder not to get caught up in useless debates or things that take my focus off of God. For me…that means making sure I use this wonderful time of retirement to do things that promote Christ. It is a time of confirmation that I am using my time these days to do what I will call….‘God Things.’ Subbing isn’t the highest paying job to supplement one’s income…but it serves teachers and students with the needed comfort of knowing they can be out when they need to be. Sewing quilts and working with other ministries in the church doesn’t pay me a penny…in fact...I spend more of my income to buy material to help keep the ministry going. The payback is the joy I feel when I finish a job…or turn in one more finished quilt. I just can’t stop smiling these days…even after a full day of work at school…or on a new quilt.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to use what you have given me in this season of life to do good things for you.  Forgive me for the times that I have let the fast pace of life and the loneliness of the moment distract me from what is most important.  Help me to use all that you have given me and thank you more often for the precious gift you gave me in salvation.  Amen.