Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas to you all! I’ve mentioned before how this year has been very involved and a time of extreme change. However, one thing has remained the same – Jesus (Heb 13:8)). He has been there throughout the year, interceding for me and keeping me. Thank the Good Lord, He will never leave nor forsake me (Heb 13:5) and because I’m His, He will never lose me (John 6:39). That is especially important to remember now when it’s so busy and we are so easily distracted by the things around us and the things that have happened throughout the year. 

So many have experienced joy, hope, love, loss, and pain – the full gambit of emotions, but still God has kept us. He has been the constant when we were feeling whatever it was we were feeling. Even when we knew He was working it out for our good, we still felt what we felt. But regardless of our feelings, He is still God and Jesus is still our savior. He is the gift who keeps on giving, and it’s only right that we celebrate Him during this season, even if it’s hard. Jesus IS the reason for the season. 

As I thought about the past several weeks, I’ve had to ask myself a few questions which I’ll pose to you. Has your Christmas been consumed by the holiday rush and the commercialism of Christmas? Have you been busily working to earn enough for the video game or bike or cell phone someone was asking for this year? Have you been focused on finding the right gift? Or have you been focused on The Gift? This year, I’ve tried to be more intentional, but I’ve still found myself caught up in the commotion and motions of the holiday, sometimes allowing myself to forget how important The Gift is. 

When God gave Jesus to the world that first Christmas, He did so knowing His son was being born to die…..for me and for you. Even though He knew what His Son would suffer through (the denial, the rejection, the betrayal, the adversity, etc.) before being nailed to a cross, God still gave us His Son. We were His enemy and still He loved us enough to sacrifice His son for us (John 3:16). Who would you sacrifice your child for? For that matter your pet for? Anyone? 

Think about that for a moment. Jesus had been with His Father from the beginning, living outside time, and He was willing to leave Heaven to come to Earth to suffer and die…….for us (1 Tim 1:15). He was separated from the Father He’d been with for eternity (Col 1:17). Who does that? God the Son because He understood that He was our only option. There was nothing we could do for ourselves – we didn’t have a voice or any way out, but He came to take on our shame and our sin and our penalty and give us His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). 

Celebrating Christmas is so much more than opening presents and celebrating with family and friends. It’s about Jesus and praising God for His Goodness and His rich love for us. Don’t ever forget how important it was for our lives that Jesus was born. Without His birth, there would be no life (Rom 6:23). So I have one final question for you – since we’re celebrating His birthday, what is your gift to Him? When you think about all He’s done for you, what do you have to give? If you haven’t already, think about giving Him you. He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). You have an opportunity to be found – take it. 

I pray that you experience Jesus in a whole new way that transforms your life. May your life be filled with the love, joy, and peace that only He can bring and may you be blessed beyond measure. 

What are You Taking for Granted?

So I’m a day late, but I’m working to get back on track. I’ve been writing this blog all day, but just now sat down to get words on a page. This week has been hard for me, but I refuse to let the challenges win. I’ve been traveling more than usual lately and while I’ve been in four different cities in the last two weeks, I’m determined to get to the things I know are part of my purpose. This is one of them. 

So I mentioned earlier that I’ve been in four different cities over the past two weeks. I’ve taken four flights and driven over 700 miles in that time. During that time, I had the opportunity to think on what God has been doing and what I’ve taken for granted over the years – direct flights, being able to hop in the car to see my parents in under six hours; having a place to call home; peace and quiet; a solid church family, etc. There are so many things that I can’t name them all. 

Well, recently I got a new job and all that will change. Not sure how yet, but things will not be the same. Now, I have to consider all those things. Nothing is a given. I have to think them through to make the best decisions about how I use the resources with which God has entrusted me. I’ve also realized how as I intentionally consider all those things I’m more conscious of just how grateful I am for the blessings I have. 

I challenge you to sit down and really consider all the good things in your life, the first being your salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice and His resurrection. How many of us take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted? How easy is it during this time of year to forget that Jesus was born so He would later die for my sins and yours (1 Tim 1:15)? We take His love as a given, but we don’t consider how much it cost. It cost Him leaving Heaven and taking up residence among people just like us, who didn’t take Him seriously (except as a threat) and didn’t listen to His message because He dared to come a different way than they thought. 

Have you ever considered how arrogant or self-important we sometimes are when we don’t have a real perspective of who we are and our place in God’s Kingdom. We take for granted that God will do what we ask, but don’t want to follow His rules or guidance. We want to do it our way and then have God co-sign on our dysfunction, as if He owes us something. He doesn’t. We owe Him everything (Psa 89:18-28). So, if you are taking God’s moves for granted – Stop It. He doesn’t have to do anything for us. The fact that He has given us any opportunity at all to be saved is reason to be on our knees thanking Him continually (1 Thes 5:16-18). So the question remains, what are you taking for granted? Take a moment to give thanks! He deserves it!

How Much Do You Really Know?

Have you ever been around someone who knows something about everything? You may have just gotten back from a trip to some place they have never been, but they still know more about the place than you do. They are so proud to share what they know and they like to hear their own voice. I know a few of those types of people. Normally, they are a source of enjoyment, because they make you laugh. They know just enough to be either funny or irritating, but normally you can share a few nuggets they didn't know. Many of those people would be considered to have a wealth of knowledge about different topics. And that might be true, but the amount of knowledge is all about perspective. 

We may have quite a bit of knowledge in comparison to some other people. But, what does that equate to? Why is that important? The fact that I know more than someone else just doesn't mean much in the long run? Because at the end of the day, our knowledge base is still limited. We don't have the capacity to absorb everything around us. We will never know as much as God does (Psa 139). 

I just turned 52 last week and while I have lived well and travelled to some awesome places experiencing some wonderful things, I've only learned a few of the secrets of the universe. In fact, I was just speaking to another minister about the fact that no matter how many degrees or experiences we have, in comparison to the God we serve, what we know wouldn't fill a thimble (Isa 55:8-9).  

We have the Bible and it's God's Word to us - inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by men (2 Tim 3:16-17). I think of Genesis and I'm in awe of how much I don't understand. The book of Genesis for the most part is narrated by God to Moses. It had to be - God was the only one there when creation occurred (Gen 1 & 2). So time is a thing - is one day a thousand years? Is it longer? How long is a day to God? Can you imagine the universe before time began? I can't, but the God who lives outside time, created a world for us to live in knowing from the beginning that I'd be up late writing this blog today, because He knows everything. 

It seems ludicrous to think that we can ever know enough about Him. After all, God has been around forever. At best, we only get 70-100 years, maybe a few more. What could we possibly learn in that time that would give any of us a reason to boast about what we know? That is why it's so imporant to remember who we are and be honest about our place in God. It is also a reason for us to exercise and live in obedience to Him (1 Sam 15:22). 

It amazes me that people want to do what they want and still have God bless them even when they know what they are doing is wrong. Why should He? He doesn't owe us anything and we owe Him everything (Psa 89:18). This is all the more reason for us to stay in His word and live our lives according to it so we can walk in His presence and His likeness. We have to study to understand what real love, peace, and joy look like so we can live in them. It's good to assess what we know so we're honest with ourselves; then do the work of learning more about Him and applying it. So it comes back to the question of what do you know? And a follow up to it is, what are going to do to learn more? You owe it to Him and to yourself.

Right focus

I've been traveling a lot lately and with everything going on the world, there is always a question of safety and risk. The news raises all sorts of concerns due to crime and the senseless disregard for human life. Add to that all the natural disasters we face. No wonder people are anxious and afraid to function.  And often when they do, they go overboard.  

There are those who live as if there is no tomorrow - living their truth believing they control their destiny and basking in doing it their way with no regard for impacts on others or God's plan for them. Then you have those who want to live in a bubble to avoid all the unknowns or unpleasantries of life. They are fearful of the world and just want to protect themselves from harm. Unfortunately, both of these groups  have the potential to be miserable and very self-focused. 

In both cases described, the person is taking on the responsibility of being right and making decisions separate from the Lord and depending on their own strength. So, they  either pull out all the stops or stop everything. These are extremes and neither is a healthy place to be. But what leads us to that place? A lack of understanding that we can't control much. We definitely can't control the outcome - we can influence it but not control it. We have to remember that God is in control of everything, but we have a role to play (2 Chr 2:17). 

If we keep our focus on Jesus, we will not be self-focused because we will be striving to love like He does (Mark 12:31). We will be looking for ways to uplift our fellow man. If we focus on Jesus, He will direct us where to go and how to get there (Psa 23:3). But we have to move. And as we move, our faith is made stronger and we are strenghtened (Jam 2:17). We are reminded of all that God has done and that He will never leave nor forsake His own. 

So, where will you focus? 

Gratitude – A Way of Life

With it being the Thanksgiving season, it’s one of the best times to again reflect on the many blessings God has bestowed over the past year. This year has provided me with too many things to choose from when I think of blessings and expressing gratitude. I’ve been blessed with parents and siblings who are in relative good health. I’ve been surrounded by good friends and loyal co-workers. I’ve been protected throughout the year during travel and going back and forth to work. God has opened doors for me spiritually and professionally. 

The more I line my life up with His word, the more He blesses me and the things I touch. He has promoted me in ways I could not have anticipated. But that is who God is and what He does. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa 55:8-9). He has a plan for us and when we consistently show our gratitude to Him, acknowledging Him as Lord, He will direct our paths (Prov 3:6) – to the destiny He chose for us. 

While gratitude to the Father should be our focus, since we are to be thankful in all things (1 Thes 5:18), we should also be thankful to those around us. God places people in our lives to serve special purposes and we should make sure to show gratitude to them as well. Gratitude brings hope and remembrance of what God has already done in, through and to us. 

As we continually praise Him (1 Thes 5:16), He continues to show up for us. When we acknowledge Him and our need for Him, we open space for Him to show us who He is and show others through us. God deserves our thanks all the time. Even when things are not going the way we think they should, God is faithful and He is good. That is why gratitude and thankfulness need to be a way of life for us. They are not about our feelings – we can feel however we feel. Gratitude is a matter of choice. What do you choose? 

What is Your Next Step?

All of us are constantly looking at the next thing. At breakfast, we’re already planning lunch and dinner. While it’s great to plan and planning is needed, we also need to be in the moment. When we’re always planning for the next thing we forget that it will take care of itself in the long run. It’s important to be present and in the moment (Matt 6:34).

 

I’m by no means taking anything away from planning. I do it all the time…..for retirement, for vacation, for the next business trip, for a family get together, for family bible study, etc. All that planning is necessary to get some things done, but it doesn’t negate the need for me to be present now…..for my staff, for the family and for myself. I need to focus on the here and the now. 

We’ll only get these moments once and we’ll never see them again, so I want to enjoy the moment and get all the joy out of each one that I can. I also want to pour into others right now - I want them to know they are valuable.  They are worth my time and attention. 

Time is moving so fast and we’re so used to getting things quick, that we’ve lost the ability to concentrate on the moment. I remember being a little girl and just enjoying whatever I was doing at the time – of course, that was before cell phones and streaming and tablets and the like. So we have to be intentional about being in the moment. It doesn’t just happen.  

What are you going to do next? Take all your time planning for tomorrow, or enjoy today. Remember, tomorrow isn’t promised (Jam 4:14). All we really have is today. Yes, we want to be strategic for tomorrow, but let’s live for right now and make the most of it. 

Do You Have Real Friends?

I recently found myself very thankful for the people God has brought to my life - both personally and professionally. I tend to think of myself as a giver. I give to charity. I give to friends. I give….but I can be stingy with my time. I have to make intentional efforts to spend my time doing for others. 

In fact, this blog is a good example. I mean, I love writing and I’m so blessed that God trusted me to do this every week, but I have to be intentional to get it done….hence this late night post. I realized I needed to write this post this morning and am just making time for it. I make time for other things as well, but again I have to be intentional with my time. Those things I make time for are important to me or important to the people who are important to me. Those are the people I will bend over backwards for, the ones I will sacrifice for, the ones I call friends. 

God has placed people in my life to help me along the way, too. They are generous with their time and talents and they push me….sometimes more than I might like, but definitely for my good. That is what a friend is. By definition, a friend is one who is attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard; one who is not hostile; a favored companion. I would go on to add that a friend is one who cares for you and wants the best for you and will do their part to make sure you have what is best for you. 

I have been blessed with several people who fall into this category. Whether it’s needing someone to review an application package, or regularly feed me, or help me purge and pack up a house I’ve lived in for almost 20 years, I have been blessed with real friends who go the distance with me – accepting me for who I am with all my faults and loving me just the same (Prov 17:17). They show me daily the love of Christ and I am forever grateful to see and feel it in the flesh. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that they love me no matter what. Will they call me on my “ish”? Absolutely, but they are still there…..whether I’m in a place to deal with it right then or not (Ecc 4:10). They walk through this life with me and I’m reminded of Jesus walking with the disciples. Even when they messed up, he admonished them and then they went on about the Father’s business. 

I don’t know if you have friends like mine, but you should check your inventory. If you don’t, you may want to ask yourself why. In order to have friends, you must be a friend (Prov 18:24). You can’t take, take, take and expect someone to stick around. Friendship works both ways – both parties give and take. No matter how much someone has or how many talents they possess, they were not created to give everything and receive nothing. Luke 6:38 says, “Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.” Giving is not just about money and it’s not just about the tithe (although it is obedient to consistently pay your tithe). Giving is about thinking about someone other than yourself and providing for a need. I thank God daily for the people he’s put in my life and I pray you have some real friends too. If you don’t, pray and ask God to send some your way, but remember you have to do your part, too.

Is the Lord Real to You?

I know that we often talk about who Jesus is and we know He is God’s son and our way to eternal life. But have you experienced Him for yourself. I know that like me, you probably study your bible and learn more about Him and who He is, but is He real to you? Have you had experiences where you know it was Him? 

I have felt Him when I praise and I have been comforted by the Holy Spirit in times of distress and convicted by the Holy Spirit when I’ve stepped out of line (John 14:26), but I’ve also had experiences where I knew it was Him intervening on my behalf. I can remember an experience I had with the Lord many years ago that sticks with me and reminds me that He is always with me (Deut 31:6). 

I was traveling to my parents at Thanksgiving and I was having a great drive. I was driving alone and had been praying and praising for hours on the road – just me and the Lord. When I was about 45 minutes from my destination, I saw something flying at me on the road and I knew it would hit my car. The last thing I remember thinking before it hit me was whether it would put a dent in my hood. Little did I know, it would do a bit more damage than that. 

“It” was an at least 18 inch piece of metal that had broken off of an 18-wheeler. It slammed into the hood, putting a hole in it, before it came through the windshield in front of my face. I remember closing my eyes so I didn’t see the piece of metal come into the car, but I felt the car slam down and then heard the metal come through the window and hit the roof of the car as if flew over my head. 

When I was able to get to the side of the road and the paramedics arrived, they were surprised that I wasn’t hurt since the metal bent the door, dented the roof, and tore out all the lining over my head. It was a miracle, because that metal should have hit me, but God! He had me that day, just as he does every day, but that day was special because after it was all over I could see where His hand had covered me. 

I should be dead, but here I sit. The Lord is real and I experienced Him for myself – just like the woman at the well (John 4:1-25) and the lame man at the pool (John 5:1-15). He saved my life and I know without a shadow of a doubt that He is real. You may not have had a similar experience but if you get into His presence you can still experience Him. And when you experience Him, tell someone. 

We are to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8) – telling people about Him wherever we go. We don’t have to know all the scriptures to tell someone about Jesus – tell them what you do know. I know that Jesus saved me – both spiritually and physically. He is a protector (which I experienced in that car) and He is a provider. That car was totaled, but multiple people in my life offered me the use of cars until I bought one. There is no way to the Father except through the Son – Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life (John 14:6). Don’t let the busyness of life distract you from the very real Lord who we serve. 

Our primary purpose is to love God with all our heat, soul and mind and love others as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39). If we do that we want others around us to realize just how real He is so they too can be part of our family – the church. If He is real to you, tell somebody. Don’t keep it to yourself. 

Who Will You Choose?

It’s sometimes hard to make the best decision – there are pros and cons and you can weigh them out to see what the best decision is, but the pros and the cons as we understand them don’t always line up with God’s expectations of us or his direction to us. Sometimes His preferences won’t make sense to us, because He knows more than we do and always will (Isa 55:8-9). It’s not about our comfort or what we like the best, it’s about what’s best in the long run and He’s the only one knowledgeable about the long run (Psa 139:1-4). 

When was the last time you had to make a choice? Was it during a staff meeting when someone made an improper comment about someone else? Did you speak up? Was it while talking to a good friend and they started gossiping about someone? Did you stop them in love? Did you see someone being bullied? Did you speak up for them? Whenever we make choices there are right choices and wrong ones. There are no in between or border line decisions. If we choose in opposition to what God says, it’s wrong. There really is no gray with God. You either do what He says fully or you don’t. God doesn’t do partials or half ways. 

Today, a minister at church spoke about our choices and how lines have been drawn. We either choose Christ and His ways or we don’t. It’s pretty simple. It may not always be easy to live it out, but it is a pretty straight forward. It’s also why we need the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us each and every day (Prov 3:5-6). Because every day we make the choice again and again to follow Christ or not. That’s why it’s so important to study and meditate on His word (Josh 1:8). The more of His word we have on the inside of us, the more focused we can be on Him and His ways (Psa 119:105). The more time we spend with Him, the more we hear from Him, if we’re quiet and let Him speak to us. 

We have to remember that He is more important that whatever we take to Him. While our focus may be on one thing, He may have something else for us to focus on. We need to make our choices line up with Him instead of expecting Him to co-sign whatever it is we want to do. Just like at work, when you take an idea to your boss, they may agree but they may redirect you because they know where the organization is headed more than you do. Just as you wouldn’t tell your supervisor you wouldn’t do something he/she directed you to do, we shouldn’t go in our own direction with the Lord. When we do, consequences follow and usually they are not good. It may take a while for the harvest but there always is one. We reap what we sow, no matter what (Gal 6:7). 

The minister said something during her message and it stuck with me – If you choose Christ, He will help you choose right. So who will you choose? Christ or anything/anyone else? As for me, I choose Christ (Josh 24:15).

Are You Being Honest with Yourself?

I’ve learned over the years that we do a lot of hiding and putting on masks to get by and to give others the impression we’re okay, when in fact we are all a bit broken. All of us has a thorn in our flesh (Rom 7:18). Some are bigger than others but we all suffer from some dysfunction. I believe that is a residual effect of sin in the world. It’s also an indicator that we all need Jesus. 

No matter how put together we are and how much stuff we’ve accumulated, we all have an area of our lives where we need the Lord to intervene. No one is perfect whether they are putting on airs or not. In some cases, we’re not even honest with ourselves. 

We avoid dealing with whatever our issues are as if they will just disappear if we ignore them. Unfortunately, that is not how our lives work. One thing I’ve learned is that if we don’t deal with the issues in our lives, they just fester and then they come back with a vengeance. It is usually not pretty for us or those around us. The longer we avoid the issues, the longer it takes to heal and for the broken places to mend (Jam 5:16). 

So our first stop has to be acknowledging that we can’t fix it (whatever it is) alone. We need help. Let’s face it, if we could fix our problems on our own, we would have already done it. It always gets me when someone says, they will turn to the Lord when they get right. That’s a problem. We can’t get right on our own. That’s why we need Him. 

I know it’s hard to admit the need for help and especially when we feel like it’s something within our control. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to control ourselves. Why do you think New Year’s resolutions are so difficult? We don’t have self-control in and of ourselves. It takes the Holy Spirit to give us the power. But He only comes in, when we humble ourselves and acknowledge who Jesus is and what He did for us. We can be prideful and not acknowledge our need for the Lord, our Savior. We have to be transparent and honest with ourselves and those around us. The Word says that if we won’t acknowledge Christ, He won’t acknowledge us to His father (Matt 10:32-33). 

It’s time to be honest with ourselves. We need help and it’s okay to ask for it. It doesn’t make us less than. We are enough – even with all the brokenness and the scars and the mistakes. Until we can own them and who we really are, we can’t expect our circumstances to change (1 John 1:9). Yes, we’re evolving and forever changing, but we need to make sure we’re evolving more deeply as followers of Christ (Rom 12:2). Take a look at your life and really be honest about who you are and whose you are (2 Cor 13:5). No time like the present (Prov 27:1) to admit the broken places and ask Jesus to be your Lord and your Savior. He is the only one who can truly mend them.

Be Open for the Possibilities

When was the last time you tried something you never had before with no real thought to how it would turn out? Well, that’s been my life for the past year. Something I’ve learned is that you have to be open to the possibilities of where God will take you. When Abraham heard from God that He would make him a great nation (Gen 12), Abraham left his home on God’s direction not knowing where he would end up but fully trusting that God was faithful to fulfill His promises. 

Can you imagine trying something completely new and having the freedom of not worrying about how it would turn out but trusting God to do what He says? I can hardly imagine it myself. But, I’m encouraged that as I seek God, He will send me to places I never thought or imagined. The Word indicates if we seek Him, we will find Him. It also indicates that if we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will direct our paths (Prov 3:5-7). Are you allowing God to direct your path or are you taking the lead? 

It’s easy to say we’re open to the possibilities but it’s difficult to change or accept change. We like knowing the direction we’re going. I’m not really big on surprises. I like to know the outcome of whatever it is I try. But, we are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7). And I am determined to follow where God leads. Sometimes I stumble, but I do my best to get back up. Sometimes I need a lift and I call on the Lord to help me. I realize I can’t do this thing called life on my own and I was never meant to do so. 

I want all that God has for me and I know that means I have to be vulnerable and open to what He is doing. I can’t stifle Him or shut Him down and still want what He wants. I have to remember that He is in control and He can do whatever He wants to do. He can have mercy on who He wants to have mercy and He can harden who He wants to harden (Rom 9:15-18). 

All I can do is follow and obey; or not. I can choose. I choose Him. I choose being open to all the possibilities. I want all He has in store for me. What about you? Are you going to step out on faith, knowing that He has to help you – knowing that He is the only way it will work? It’s a little bit scary – the not knowing. But, here’s what we do know – HE NEVER FAILS (Luke 1:37). HE is a 100% guarantee. We can trust Him. Open yourself up to the possibilities. You won’t be disappointed. 

Follow the Directions

Have you ever started something or tried to build something without looking at the directions first? I know I have. When I don’t look at the directions, things rarely turn out exactly the way they were designed. For instance, I recently had a cold or sinuses (not COVID, thankfully), and I took some medicine for it to help my stuffy nose. Well, I didn’t take the appropriate dose and I paid for it with a longer time with symptoms. 

Had I just read the directions and followed them in the first place I would have recovered sooner. Who do I have to blame? No one but myself. Could I have blamed the meds? Sure, but it would have been a false accusation. How often do we blame God or someone else for things that happen in our lives, when in fact, we have not followed the directions? 

God gives us guidance for how to live our lives in a way that He will be glorified. Have you read the directions? If we want God to move in our lives, we have to do what He says. To know what He says, we have to spend time in His word (Duet 17:19, Josh 1:8)). God wants to bless us in ways we can’t even imagine, but we block Him by our disobedience. 

He wants us to know Him, but we have to spend time with Him in order to do so. One way to spend time with Him is to read what He tells us to do. There is much guidance in the bible that will keep us out of “bad” trouble. I define it that way, because we are strangers in this world and just visiting for a season. Trials and tribulations will come, but even then, they come to make us stronger in Christ (Jam 1:2-4). 

As we read the directions in our Bibles, we learn what to expect and see the trials and tribulations for what they are. They may still be difficult, but we understand their purpose and we realize that we are not alone (John 16:33). The Holy Spirit is a keeper and a comforter and He will take care of us through the trials and tribulations when we let him (John 14:26). When we are Christ-followers, we can know we can leave our heavy burdens with Him and He will give us res (Matt 11:28-29). 

Faith is our path to Christ and that is what will give us peace in the middle of the storm or whatever the issue we face (Eph 2:8-9). Anyone who is not in relationship with Christ misses out on the benefits of being God’s child. God loves you and wants to save you, but the only way to the Father is through the Son (John 14:6). I pray that anyone who is not in relationship with Christ would read Romans 10:9-10. Confess the need for Christ as Lord of your life and believe God raised Him from the dead are the directions to salvation – this does not ignore the cross, but encompasses the complete work Jesus fulfilled on the cross.  It’s that simple, but it is required. Are you following the directions to have a Christ-filled life? I certainly hope so. If not, now is the time. 

What is God Calling You to Do?

All through my life, I’ve been actively involved in ministry. As a young girl, I sang in the church youth choir and served as a youth usher. I was always actively trying to be helpful both in church and out of it. One thing that I learned early was that ministry happens both inside the church building and in all parts of our lives. 

Christ followers are called to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) no matter where they are, both in season and out of season (2 Tim 4:2). We are to do the work of ministry no matter our calling and no matter our title. One of the hardest things to understand is that there is no rank with God. We are equal in His eyes. One person is no more valuable to God than another. One may have more responsibility and more authority, but their value is the same (Rom 2:11). 

Scriptures discuss the parts of the body and how one part is no more important than another, but that they have different functions (1 Cor 12:21-27). For example, an eye is no more important than a hand, but they have different functions. They do different things, but I for one would not want to do without either of them. It’s important to remember that a minister is no more important than a lay member. An elder is no more important than an evangelist or a teacher. God sees all of us through Jesus blood and that is the only way we are brought into His family and made the righteousness of God. 

As mentioned earlier, I’ve been working in ministry for years – both youth and adult ministry. The value I brought to ministry was not associated with a title but obedience to God’s Word and obedience to the authority placed over me. Again, roles only matter so far as function. Roles do not carry weight for anyone to boast or try to lord over others. Yes, so roles give responsibility and authority to lead, but that does not make anyone better than another person. Just because someone has specific gifts and talents (Rom 12; 1 Cor 12) does not make one more valuable in God’s sight. 

God is calling each one of us to ministry and the question is, “what will you do with the call?” The first call is to know Christ, then we are called to follow Him. These calls happen before the call to work in ministry. We may be busy in church, but we our first calling is to be in relationship with Christ. If you’re not, now is the time to accept Him as savior. 

I was called to be a minister and teacher, but long before understanding that call, I was teaching in multiple arenas, both at work and in church. I was developing training materials and teaching and coaching both groups and individually for years. God was preparing me for where He would take me. What is He preparing you for? No matter your age or race or sex (I Tim 4:12) – God has a purpose for your life but it’s up to you to walk in it. What is He calling you to do? If you don’t know, a great place to start is studying His Word. He will provide you the answers you need.

Honor God with Your Life!

I think you know that I work and minister to students and that is one place where my heart lies. Well, several years ago a friend of mine told me how she had created an internship for young adults, however, she had struggled with them because they were so busy explaining to her how good they were and how much they were worth. Needless to say, they would have done better to show her than to tell her. 

Too often, instead of allowing our work to speak for us, we want to explain who and what we are. People hear what we tell them, but they believe what they see and feel. That’s why faith is sometimes hard for people. They want to see the results and not just hope for them or have a confident belief they will come to pass. That is not how God works – Christ followers believe to see (2 Cor 5:7) and not the other way around. 

That brings us back to how we live our lives. Ever tried something before you were ready for it? Ever jumped into something too early? In most cases, doing so causes all sorts of problems and stress. In my zeal to do some things, I’ve sometimes jumped ahead of myself. It has never ended well but I did learn some lessons along the way. 

1. Give your best to God and He will bless you. The scriptures say to seek God first and His righteousness and all things will be added to you (Matt 6:33). So, work as unto the Lord and give Him glory for it. He will bless the work of our hands (Deut 28:12). As we honor God, He will reciprocate in ways we can’t even imagine. I have experienced this for myself. 
2. Don’t think too highly of yourself (Rom 12:3). As I mentioned last week humility should be a way of life. I know that God has given me and you gifts and skills and talents, but they are not for us to take credit. We only have them because He is so faithful and gracious. It’s not that I don’t recognize I’m good at things, it’s that I recognize I’m good at things because He made it so. Yes, I have done some work to establish the gifts and skills and talents but without Him I would not have been able to do so. He is the one who gives me power to perform. He does the same for you. 
3. Bloom where you’re planted. In all I do, I realize more and more that nothing is by chance. We are where we are for a purpose – maybe to grow us, maybe to grow others, maybe because we haven’t learned a lesson we need for the next step, maybe because we’re being disobedience, but ultimately because it serves God’s purpose (Prov 16:4). One thing I feel strong about is that God’s Will is going to come to pass. Not matter what we do, at the end of the day, God’s will have the final say. And if we just focus on what is happening right now (Matt 6:34), God will handle the rest. Many times we borrow the troubles of tomorrow when focusing on today is enough. 

God is so good to us, even allowing us to live in a world where we don’t give Him half the credit and admiration He deserves. He wants to see us flourish for His sake, not our own. We can choose to honor God with our lives and be living sacrifices to Him. When we honor Him and give in His name based on our relationship with Him and not in an attempt to honor ourselves, He will honor us. Want to be blessed? Acknowledge and honor Him with your life. He just may blow your mind. He's done that more than once for me. 

Godly Women with Power and Purpose

So, this weekend has been eventful. I got to spend time with my parents and I had the opportunity to speak at a Women’s Conference at the church where I grew up (Mt. Zion Taska). What an honor to be asked. God is really moving in my life these days and I never know what to expect. My Executive Pastor said in a class I took that you have to be ready to do things that are not comfortable but that you know God is calling you to – that’s how I ended up speaking at this conference. And I’m so glad I did. I was truly blessed to be surrounded by a beautiful group of women all morning and I learned so much from my study of the message the Lord gave me to share. 

As I studied to speak to the women, I learned a lot about being a woman who looks and acts like God and is empowered by the Holy Spirit to do what God created her to do and not what her sinful nature craves (Galatians 5:16). Can you imagine staying focused on God in such a way that you don’t give into the temptations of your flesh? I don’t know about you, but it’s easy to get distracted by the things around me and not focus on all of God’s goodness and grace. However, I strive to please Him. I do get off track sometimes, but thankfully, He draws me back. I’m thankful for that. 

So, back to the Godly women and the traits they exhibit. A few that jumped out at me include: 

1. Godly women are God-fearing – they are in reverent awe of His holiness and they live lives to honor Him. Women who fear God strive to live righteous lives, embrace truth, live in obedience and love others as Jesus Christ demonstrated and instructed us to do (Mark 12:30-31).
2. Godly women are mature – they control their emotions and bring every thought into submission (2 Corinthians 10:5) to make it obedient to Christ. This takes time, attention and experiences. James 1:2-4 tells us to count it all joy when we run into various trials because the testing of our faith works patience and patience leads us to maturity.
3. Godly women are devoted – they are determined to follow God and do the right thing. They are intentional, loyal and committed. Thankfully, when we are committed, God promises that He will help us (Psa 37:3-7) and make our paths straight (Prov 3:1-6).
4. Godly women are humble – they don’t have to toot their own horns because that’s not important to them. They are focused on pleasing God and not thinking too highly of themselves (Rom 12:3). If promotion comes, it comes from God (Psa 75:6-7).

There are definitely other traits, but these informed me of who I am striving to be – a Godly woman with power and purpose striving to do God’s will. What about you? 

Who Are You?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been studying “Who Am I?” in middle school ministry. As I’ve learned more as I prepared for class and I thought I would share here. So many times, we are defined by what we do or our title – at work and at home. We search for value and meaning from those around us. Our identity and how we define ourselves drives our thoughts and actions and many times to our detriment. We get so busy trying to “do” that we stop “being”. 

That’s why it is so freeing to be defined by our Creator and to know who we are and who we were created to be. God told us who we are in His Word, but we forget or don’t really grasp what it means. It doesn’t make sense that the creation can define itself, even if it has the ability to reason and the gift of free will. No matter what we call ourselves, we were defined before we were born. According to the word, we are more than conquerors in Christ (Rom 8:37).  We are the head and not the tail.  We are above and not beneath (Deut 28:13).  We are salt and light in the earth (Matt 5:13-16). If we begin to speak the Word over our lives, I believe we will begin to line up with what the Word says and see our lives change. 

So, let’s talk more about a few of the identifying traits right now:

We were created in the image of God (Gen 1:27), whether we choose to have a relationship with Him through Jesus or not. God gave us the ability to be inventive and creative. He gave us the ability to reason and think for ourselves. He gave us the ability to learn and love and show kindness. We are created in His image but still dependent upon Him for our very lives. We only exist at His allowance. 

If we’ve been saved by His magnificent Grace, we are the righteousness of God…not because of anything we did or can do in the future but because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Because Jesus is righteous, when we accept Him as personal savior, His righteousness becomes ours (2 Cor 5:21). There is nothing we can do to deserve to be righteous or anything we can say that makes us righteous – it is all Jesus’s doing, but we do have to accept the gift He gives. We couldn’t earn it, it is by God’s grace that we are saved through faith (Eph 2:8-9).

Christ followers are Citizens of Heaven (Phil 3:20-21). The bible is clear that we are visitors in this world. We are not here to stay. When we accept Jesus, we get our citizenship in Heaven and that is where we will spend eternity. Because the soul doesn’t die, it will go somewhere. As followers of Jesus, we can rest in confidence that we will go to the place He is preparing for us where we will be with Him (John 14:2-3). 

How does it make you feel to know how God thinks of you? It makes me feel valuable and able to stand in the now knowing that I don’t have to be perfect or different. He wants me to be fully my authentic self…..the person He made me to be – not who I think I ought to be or who pleases me – I’m not on the throne. He is. 

Who are You Laboring for?

Happy Labor Day! On today or all days when we celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers, it’s appropriate to take a step back to look at who we have been laboring for.  Of course, we work so that we can eat and take care of our families (2 Th 3:11). God created us to have dominion and to take care of that with which we’ve been blessed (Gen 1:28). We have a job to do, however, we much evaluate who we’re working for. Are we working for ourselves or for some boss or are we working for the Lord? 

Taking a look at the Apostle Paul, while he was going on missionary journeys and leading Gentiles to Christ everywhere he went, he was still making tents to support his life (Acts 18:1-4). He was not dependent upon the church to take care of him. He wanted everyone to be clear that he was not there to take from them but that he was on a mission from God to introduce and preach the Gospel to those who did not know Jesus. He was about the Lord’s business. Are you? 

So I pose the question again – who are YOU working for? Are you on the throne or is Jesus? When was the last time you introduced someone to Jesus? Do you talk about the good news of Jesus in your workplace? Do you share the love of Christ at the grocery store? Do you bless those around you as you go about your way? We are be salt and light in the world (Matt 5:13-16). If we are not introducing those around us to the good news of Jesus, what are we doing? 

If we know Jesus, we are citizens of Heaven (Phil 3:20).  We’re just visiting this world. Life in this place is so short, we have maybe a century (at the most) here and then we’re gone. What will we be able to point to when we’re asked what we’ve been doing all these years (Rom 14:12)? Will we be able to point to souls we’ve pointed to Christ? Will we be able to point to someone we’ve helped along the way? If not, take steps now. 

We can’t do any work to get into Heaven or to make God love us more (Eph 2:8-9). He sent Jesus to die when we were wrapped up in sin, before we even recognized we needed a savior (John 3:16).  Because we love Him, we should care about the things He cares about. If we don’t, we should reevaluate our love life with Him.  Love is not about feelings we have – they are fickle. Love is about the conscious decisions we make to do for someone else’s good (I Cor 13). It’s putting others ahead of yourself. It’s doing the work. If we don’t love the Lord in such a way, that we put Him first, we’re wasting time that is precious and we’re missing out on the blessing of being intimate with Him. Who are YOU laboring for? 

Hearing from God

I often hear people talk about hearing from God on a specific issue and I always wondered if it was like hearing an audible voice (1 Sam 3) or a voice in your head or seeing a vision (Acts 10:9-16). I believe God can speak to us in any way He chooses, but I don’t often have those kind of experiences. In fact, I’ve have one such experience that I can remember. But I know I have a relationship with the Father and I know He moves on my behalf regularly. Because I have faith in Jesus and believe God, just like Abraham, it is accounted to me as righteousness (Rom 4:3). I have been made the righteousness of God because Jesus is righteous, not by anything I have done myself.

As I seek to hear more from God, I realize I have to spend more time with Him. The fact is He may be speaking and I can’t hear Him because of all the noise around me and because I can’t distinguish His voice from the others (John 10:27-28). One way to know it is Him speaking is to know what He sounds like. He is a good God but He is Holy and He doesn’t condone sin.

If a voice is encouraging you to do anything that is out of God’s character, it’s not Him. If a voice is suggesting you do something that is opposite God’s word, it’s not Him. He is the same God yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb 13:8). If we seek Him, we will find Him (Jer 29:13). Although societal norms may change, He does not. Although society accepts things that are contrary to God’s word, He has not changed. He is the same and He will hold us all accountable to what He has already said.

So if you want to hear from God, the first place to go is into His word. Every answer we need can be found there. It might not be the answer we want to hear, but it will be the right one. Our next stop should be quiet time with Him – praying and just being quiet. Ever been in a conversation with someone and they won’t stop talking long enough for you to get a word in?  If we’re praying and not giving God time to speak to us, why would we expect to hear from Him?

God will not force Himself on us. He allows us to invite Him into our lives and situations (2 Cor 9:15). But more than that, He wants to have a relationship with us that is not dependent on wanting Him to do something. He wants us to want Him. Does that blow your mind? It does mine. God wants me with all my mistakes and frailties. He is the seeker of broken and lost things. Luke 15 explores all the ways one can be lost and how much God loves us and seeks to save us. Let’s lean in and listen for His voice so we will be blessed and can move when He calls us.

A Leader! Are you one?

A leader is defined by one dictionary as the person who convinces other people to follow. According to one definition I read, a great leader inspires confidence in other people and moves them to action. They make sure those they serve have the tools and skills to get a desired outcome (Matt 20:26). They are good communicators and able to share a vision in a way to gain buy in from those around them. 

Many people consider themselves leaders because they are a boss. But a leader is so much more than that. In fact, a leader doesn’t have to be in charge at all. Leadership skills can be found in anyone and it’s all about how they use the skills they have to influence those around them. People can be led into success or trouble (Prov 11:14). 

If you take a look at the great leaders of the past, e.g., Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, etc. (Heb 13:7), you see people who valued others ahead of themselves (Phil 2:3-4). They fought for people who couldn’t fight for themselves. They set an example to follow and made sacrifices for the greater good. They were humble and recognized God’s hand allowing Him to raise them in stature (Jam 4:10). 

Bad leaders are all in it for themselves. They look for ways they can be elevated and don’t care who they step on so they can be thought well of. They don’t care about those they serve, but they are still able to sell their agendas. People have to wary of any leader’s motives and intentions – that will color what they do and say. 

I mentioned a while ago, we have to be careful because people are always watching. Recently, I realized a good leader makes good decisions and acts appropriately even when they don’t know anyone is watching. A good leader does the right thing because it’s the right thing to do whether people are around to be impressed or not. Their decisions and actions line up with their values and they strive to make sure others are encouraged and lifted up. Good leaders recognize that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). 

Are you a leader? Good or bad? Are you showing them good or bad leadership qualities? What do you do when you think no one is watching? Do you consider others before yourself? These are all questions to answer if you’re looking to lead people. These are also things to consider for when you answer for where you’ve led people.

Do It Scared!

Has God called you to do something you don’t think you can do? Are there things in your life that are scary? Do you feel compelled to take a risk but are afraid to step out? I know the feeling. Anytime something is too big for me to handle on my own, I get a bit anxious about it. I can know that God is calling me to it, but because I may fill ill equipped or think I’m not ready, I second guess what God has told me. I may be the only one who has that experience. 

I know my biggest problem is wanting to know and be able to control the outcome. The longer I live the more I realize I control very little in this life. When we really sit back and think about how much we don’t control, we realize the need for the One who controls everything. While God may allow bad things to happen, He’s still working it out for my good (Rom 8:28) and He keeps me even in the valley of the shadow of death (Psa 23). This is why I depend on the Lord so much. I realize I can’t control the outcome, I can only do my part and the rest is left up to the Father. 

If God is calling you to something (and I do mean him and not you calling yourself to something), heed His voice. He doesn’t make mistakes. It may not look like what you imagine, but God is faithful. Think about Joseph the son of Jacob (Israel). When he dreamed of the sheaves of wheat and the stars (Gen 37), he never thought he would have to be enslaved and sent to prison in order for his brothers and his father to bow before him. But, God was already working the circumstances for the protection of the nation of Israel from starvation through Joseph. God used the tough times to cultivate Joseph’s character and prepare him for the purpose for which he was created. 

He will do the same for us. Sometimes stepping out in faith feels like you’re taking risks because we don’t know the outcome. But when you think about it, it’s no risk at all. If God calls you to something, He will be with you to make sure it is completed for His glory. The bottom line is that while we are not, the Lord is a sure thing. We can trust and not doubt Him. He will do what He said.

If you’re risk averse or afraid, don’t allow that to keep you from gaining the riches associated with obedience. It would be a shame to miss out on God’s blessing due to fear. Do it scared!

What is Your Focus?

For the last several months, we’ve studied the book of Acts and anyone who has read it knows it is centered on the Acts of the Apostles and the how the Holy Spirit worked in and through them. A central character or person in the book is the Apostle Paul who wrote a significant amount of the New Testament. As we follow Paul’s like through the book, we first encounter someone who is fully opposed to Jesus – His enemy – and persecutes the followers of Jesus, even unto death. He was not a man of grace or mercy and was proud of the role he played at the time. Then we see him encounter Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and his life was totally changed. As a result, he became the mouthpiece of Jesus to the Gentiles and took several missionary journeys planting churches as he went. 

Everything Paul was before he was converted into a follower of Christ, God used in him to bring others to Christ. Paul was a new man with a myopic focus on pleasing God and pressing for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:13-14). This is significant to understand, because we, too, are new creatures when we are converted into Christ followers. Old things are passed away and all things are made new (2 Cor 5:17). 

Therefore, we must die to sin (Gal 5:24), after we are saved from God’s wrath through belief in Jesus, God’s son. Paul’s life teaches us that when we place our focus on what God has called us to do and be, while we may stumble and fall, we won’t stay there. If we are focused on what God has purposed for us, we can change the world around us. We have to be willing and obedient. It’s up to us to choose to focus on God or not. We have free will and we get to choose obedience or rebellion. 

The fact is that if we’re not obedient, we are rebellious. There is no middle ground or half credit – partial obedience is disobedience. Our future is up to us. Blessings or curses are in our choices and the more we focus on being obedient to God and His will (Deut 11:26-28), the more blessings we will receive from Him (Luke 11:28, Rom 2:6-8). God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow – He changes not. The more we, as Christ followers, study His word and hide it in our hearts, the less we’ll sin against Him (Psa 119:11).  We will recognize how very much we need Him and not just for what He can do for us, but because of who He is. Just as anyone or anything we spend time and focus on, we get to know them better and the better we know Jesus, the more we love and adore Him – the more we want to please Him. 

So where is your focus? Pleasing God? Pleasing yourself? If it’s the latter, I strongly encourage you to reconsider. If you’re focused mainly on pleasing yourself, you will never be content. Seek God first (Matt 6:33)! He won’t disappoint.

Do You Need to Set Some Boundaries?

This week has been a doozy. Between lots of work and prepping for finals, I'm traveling (for work) and that creates its own challenges. It's been a long week and I'm looking forward to a nap. 

But, before I do, let's chat. Last week, I wrote about boundaries and how they are God's idea. He sets boundaries for us to ensure our safety. When we live inside them, blessings come. Today, I'm writing about the need for us to set boundaries in our everyday lives for what we will live with and what we won't so we can live free and at peace.

Have you ever had a good friend who had a habit that drove you crazy? Or was just an annoyance? But, the habit made you avoid contact with them or limit your time with them. They were different than you and it drove a wedge between you. Ever given someone access to you and they didn't live up to the level of access causing you to be hurt or back away from them? 

When that happens, you can't actually put boundaries on other people or force them to rise to the level of your expectation. But, you can give yourself some boundaries about what you will or will not do or live with to obtain and maintain peace. And, you can be honest with your friend about whatever the issue is. It's our responsibility to voice what we see going on - people cannot read our minds (Prov 27:5-6). 

Just because we raise an issue with someone, doesn’t mean it has to be a confrontation or a heated conversation. We can still remain friends, when we talk out our issues or problems (Amos 3:3). No one has to change for us, but we can set parameters so our relationships can be maintained (Prov 27:9).  At the end of the day, a quote from Lysa TerKeurst is appropriate - "Mean what you say. Say what you mean. And, don't say it mean." 

Check yourself and see if maybe you have allowed some people into places they never should have been, given their level of responsibility. It's not too late to set some boundaries and have some conversations where you need them. 

Setting Boundaries

This weekend I participated in a virtual women’s conference – Desperate for Jesus – out of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship hosted by Chrystal Hurst and Priscilla Shirer. Many years ago, their mother started the conference at their church for the women there and now it is held annually and it was virtual as well for the past two years. So I attended the conference from the comfort of my kitchen and the Holy Spirit really moved.  As a note, the conference was so good – from the speakers to the worship to the prayer – I highly recommend it as you can participate from your computer at home if you don’t want to travel. So one of the speakers, Lysa TerKeurst, spoke on the need to have boundaries and it gave me a new perspective that I want to share with you. 

We often think setting boundaries with those around us can be mean or somehow unfair to them. However, we have to understand that within boundaries we find freedom. She taught from Gen 2 and the message really provided some insight into how boundaries allow us to move freely within them. In Gen 2:16-17, God gave Adam instruction that he could eat from any tree except the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This was Adam’s only boundary in the Garden of Eden. Of everything else, he had free reign. He could eat from any other edible plant or tree and he could go anywhere in the Garden. There was freedom within his boundaries. It’s when we violate the boundaries that we get adverse or bad consequences. God never intended for us to know good from evil, He wanted us to be obedient so we wouldn’t have to. With obedience, comes the blessing (Luke 11:28).

Ever had or seen a dog with an invisible fence? Once he/she learns the boundaries of the fence, they are free to run and play with no issues. That fence is there to protect them and others from the harm that can come from them running loose and having no rules or order. That is what God does for us. He sets boundaries for our own good where we can roam and run in safety. When we step outside them, the harm comes.  

When I think about my own life, whenever I have stepped outside the boundaries set for me as a child or an adult, it has never fared well. God is one of order (1 Cor 14:33) as seen by the oneness of His own person – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He sets a path for us through His word and we choose to stay within His boundaries or we don’t. When we operate within His boundaries, there is liberty and we are free to move as we will. It’s hard to remember that we are not in control. God created us and the entire world. He’s gets to set the parameters for us (Prov 19:21). It’s always in those moments we want to set our own that we get in trouble. Stay inside God’s boundaries. He’s never wrong (Rom 8:28).

How Does Your Character Stack Up?

Ever been in a situation where you knew you were supposed to do something, but you could lie your way out of it? Where it would be more convenient and just plain easier for you, if you got out of it? Recently, a friend of mine showed real character and integrity when she was traveling for work and someone who was with her tested positive for COVID. She was masking while on travel, but was in close contact with the person. She wasn’t symptomatic, but she wasn’t boosted. Everyone on the trip was advised that if you were in close contact with a COVID positive person and weren’t vaccinated and boosted, you should quarantine and remain at the travel location for 5 days. 

Now this friend was fully vaccinated and could have lied about being boosted. There was no way anyone would have known different unless she revealed it to them. She could have put on a more protective face covering and faked it for the rest of the trip. She may have been tempted to lie and continue on with her trip. But, she didn’t. She stood on who she is in Christ and did the right thing (Jam 4:17)…..even though she wouldn’t be able to go home on time and even though there were no signs she was sick. She understood that God would know, because He knows everything (Psa 139:1-3). She was more concerned with pleasing Him than her own comfort. 

What about you? What would you do in that situation? Would you have just lied and gone home? Would you be honest and transparent? I ask myself that question and while I’d like to think I would do the right thing, until you’re in the situation you just don’t know. She set a great example for me to follow as she follows Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Can you say that you’ve set a good example for following Christ to those around you? 

Someone said something recently to me and it’s true – people are watching you. No matter who you are, people are watching. They are taking note of who you say you are compared to who you really are. What lessons are you teaching them (Matt 18:6)? Do you do what you say you will do? Do you lie? Do you cheat? Do you steal? Are you really a person of integrity or are you just a talker? 

My friend showed me who she was by admitting the anger at self for not having found time to take a booster but still standing on what she knew to be the right thing. I’m so proud to call her my friend and even more ecstatic to call her my sibling in Christ (Prov 31:10). What about you? How does your character stack up?

Jesus? Yes or No?

Have you ever decided you don't like a particular food without trying it? I have a couple of people in my life who've done just that. It's so frustrating to me. They will just decide they don't like something and they don't even know what's in it. I will explain or cajole and still nothing - "I just don't like it." They have no idea what they are missing out on, but I can almost convince them to try it for themselves and then they will back off - almost convinced. But they are still not convinced. They still miss out. 

That is the way a lot of people are about Jesus. They may be almost convinced to accept and still not choose to have freedom in Him. I believe that's either out of fear of the unknown, the belief that they aren't good enough for Him or the belief they are somehow giving something up. In their minds, they have time to get it right later. But as my aunt said in Family Bible Study this week, time is not in our hands. As Ecc 9:11 states, "....time and chance happen to them all." We don't control time. We can not control all that happens to us, we can only choose right this moment what we will do or say. 

So the question is Jesus? Yes or No? Are we convinced or not? There is no in between. Either we're convinced He's the son of God and our Savior or we aren't. Either we believe  and  have asked Him for forgiveness or  we haven't. Either we've stepped from death into live or we haven't. Either we've sons and daughters of the Most High God through our belief in the redemptive power of Jesus death, burial and resurrection or we aren't. There is no middle ground. To be almost convinced or persuaded is to be not convinced or persuaded. It's to be without the benefits of being God's child. 

Yes, we are all His creation and created in His image (Gen 1:27), but we decide where we spend eternity - God gave us free will and we choose. I've heard people ask, if God is so  good, He wouldn't send anyone to hell. They are correct. He doesn't send His creation there.  We were headed there due to the original sin in the garden and some never changed their mind or made a different choice. They could have chosen Him but didn't - almost convinced  or not - those who don't  choose Jesus are choosing the devil. Choosing to wait is choosing the devil. All we have is right now. We can't depend on later because it is not  promised to  any of us. We may take time for granted and we may be wrong. Don't wait - choose Jesus today. He will never let you down. Your prayers may not be answered in the way you want, but He is always working things out for your good if you love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). 

Where are You Investing?

Lately, there has been lots of talk about how the stock market is doing and whether we’re in a recession? How long will a recession last? How soon will we recover? What will be the lasting impact on families and investors? It’s creating anxiety and worry among those who are dependent on money as their source. Don’t get me wrong, we all need some money to buy the things we need and to support ministry and all the other important things money can help us achieve. But at the end of the day, those of us in Christ know that money is a resource, it is not The Source (Rom 11:36). 

Not only do we invest the money God has given us stewardship over, we also invest our time in different things – school, work, activities, family, TV, music, reading, etc. We give our time and money to the things that are important to us. So the question is, where are you investing your time, energy and money these days? It’s a question we all have to answer, because it tells us where our heart is. The bible says where our treasure is, there is our heart also (Matt 6:21).  For some of us treasure is money, for others it’s time. I know for me, my time is more valuable to me than money. 

This is something for us to consider. Where are we investing? Investing suggests you will get a return. So if you invest time and effort in something, you expect a positive result. If you invest money in something, you expect to get a return on that investment. God says in Mal 3:10, that if we bring 10% of our increase (the whole tithe) into His storehouse, He will pour out a blessing that we won’t have room to receive it. Sounds like a good exchange to me. 

I’ve said before that everything we do, say, and think matters. If that’s the case, where are we spending the majority of our time and money and energy? I’m sad to say that work takes up a lot of my time and energy. I probably spend more time working than anything. That said, I take the Lord with me to work. I talk to Him about the things going on there and ask for wisdom and guidance when situations could be overwhelming. I seek His guidance with how I interact with my staff and others, especially when they are in need of an encouraging word or act. I want to make sure He is reflected in the best light. I want people to see Him in me. I don’t seek Him enough mind you, but I take Him with me wherever I go. And I want to be clear about something, He is everywhere all the time. He sees and He knows (Psa 139:1-4). What I mean is that I acknowledge Him there; I don’t pretend He’s not there and sees all I do and say. I mess up but I know He already knows, so it affords me a freedom when I talk to Him about it. 

Back to the original question, where are you investing? Are you using your time, energy and money to further God’s kingdom or are you behaving like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) by using the resources God has given you just for a good time? I beg you to consider your choices in this. God will bless you, but think of all you could be missing out on by investing in the wrong things. God is Good and His gifts are, too (James 1:17). Put your treasures into someone sure and not something temporary that will pass away. You won’t be disappointed.

How Well Do You Know Yourself?

I recently started taking classes and every time I study a subject I learn something new about myself. I learn my likes and dislikes. I get more in tune with who I am. Sometimes it’s hard to hear with all the noise (distractions, literal noise, my own fears, etc.), but if I quiet down, I get to know myself a little bit better. And the better I get to know myself, the more I realize I have to lean on Jesus. The more I realize how much I need Him. 

When I think back over my life, I realize how much God has blessed me and opened doors I never could have opened on my own. He has constantly been there just as He promised He would and my life has taken twists and turns and I still question how I ended up where I am. I can see the hand of God on my life and He has expanded my territory. Even in ways I didn’t ask. 

I recently took a spiritual gifts assessment (Romans 12) and it confirmed some things I knew and surprised me with others. It opened my thinking to other ways God can use me. Do you know your spiritual gifts? If not, I suggest you find out.  Here’s one test – www.giftstest.com, but there are many. Knowing what they are, the vulnerabilities associated with them and some of their traits, may help you better serve the Father.  Whatever they are, we just have to be submitted to Him so we’re doing things His way and not our own (1 Pet 4:10-11). It’s sometimes easy to get caught up and thinking your gifting makes you more important than someone with another gift. It’s not true (1 Cor 12:12-18).  Spiritual gifts from God may be different but not of more value. That’s why it’s so important to be honest with God and ourselves.

The more intimately I know Jesus, the more I hear Him and His direction (Prov 3:5-7). Also, the more I know Him, the more He reveals to me about myself. It is so important to know who we are with all the built in God given gifts and talents. God made you to be you, not someone else. The more we know ourselves, the better we can serve Him and worship Him with our lives. That is why we were redeemed – to worship Him. 

God wants us to bring ourselves to Him with all our talents and gifts and with all our flaws.  His Power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9). When we know ourselves and are honest with ourselves, we will give God glory because we can’t possibly take it for ourselves. He is worthy of our submission to His will and He is deserving of all our praise and worship (Rev 4:11). 

Do you know yourself well enough to give Him all the worship He deserves from you? If not, spend some alone time with Him. You never know what He’ll reveal, but you’ll be better off in the knowing.

A Good Father

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers and father figures who have contributed to others’ lives. You are loved and appreciated more than you know. 

As I was reflecting on Father’s Day, I was thinking about my own dad. He worked hard most of his life to provide for his immediate family and to help those in our neighborhood. He never shied away from hard work or letting me know that he loved me, even when I wasn’t at my best. He was always there if I needed him. He never turned me away because he didn’t have time or if he was in the middle of something, he always made time later to deal with my “crisis.” He is a good dad and I thank God for blessing me with him.

But, how much better is God the Father? He is immeasurable. Let’s look back and think about all God has done for us. I'm only going to list a few things here. When we sinned against Him and were separated, He sent His only Son to die for us as a sacrifice to save us and buy us back (John 3:16). He also disciplines us when we are going down the wrong path for correction (Prov 3:11-12, 15:5).  He provides for us (Matt 6:26). He directs us in the right path to go so we will have great success (Prov 3:5-6) and when we don’t follow His directions, He’s still there to guide us back when we turn to Him. He gives us grace and mercy when we have done nothing to deserve them (Jam 1:17). Even when we reject Him, He stays right there waiting on us – look at Israel throughout the Old Testament. God loves us so much and we take that for granted (1 John 3:1). 

God is a Good Father, but He is not a pushover. He will not push Himself on us. If we decide not to follow Him and not to have faith in Jesus, He will not force us. I hear the question, if God is so Good why does He let bad things happen? God is sovereign – He doesn’t answer to us. He created the world with a certain order to things and He gave us free will (we are made in His likeness). We get to reason and decide what we will do and what we won’t. When Adam and Eve decided to sin in the Garden, the sin nature was born in all of us (Gen 3; Rom 3:23). That’s why God sent Jesus so that we would have a way to be redeemed. But God does not act contrary to His nature (Num 23:19). He gives us a choice every day to follow Him or not (Rom 11:22). People do evil things. When evil is done, consequences follow – we may never see them, but they are coming (Deut 24:16). Reaping and sowing is a principle or law of nature – it will occur no matter how long it takes (Gal 6:7-9). 

We all have a choice to make whether to accept Jesus and have God be our Good Father or not. I choose the former. God has been so good to me my whole life, not because I’ve been so good (I haven’t), but because that is His nature.  Yes, I’ve done wrong and been chastised. I’ve also seen so much favor in my life. I hope you get to know Him for yourself. If you’re like me, you’ll be surprised at how much He loves us even when we’re so far from perfect it’s sad. There is nothing like a real relationship with the Father. There is nothing more worth it.

How do you identify?

How we think of ourselves is caught up in how we identify and who we identify with. I know when asked by someone who I am, I think I’m my parents child, I’m an engineer, I’m a homeowner, I’m God’s child, and many other things and not necessarily in that order. However, the longer I live I realize that I, just like you, are the sum total of my experiences. We are who we are because God made us in His image and then we experienced situations that framed our outlook and our perspective. Those experiences made us who we are. But, did they really? 

As God’s children, He defines us. Yes, we’ve had experiences that inform how we do certain things, but who are we? We are more than what we do. Ephesians 1:2-14 give a clue as to who we are in Christ and I highly recommend you read it for yourself. But a brief summary is that we are chosen, predestined, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, saved, marked, sealed, and God’s possession. When you read the scriptures you may find more attributes, but these are the ones that jump out to me. 

If God has made me all these things, then it must be for a reason.  I often talk about purpose. That is because if we are not walking in our purpose, we’re wasting time. That doesn’t mean time shouldn’t be spent with family or friends or doing something you love, but we were created to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it and to rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground (Gen 1:28). And to love Him first, then our brothers as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). If we love Him first, we will worship and praise Him with everything we have. 

Yes, we are constantly developing and growing into who He created us to be. Yes, He can use anything to fulfill His will. Yes, He tells us who we are in His word, but the question is do we believe it? If we have a relationship with the Father, through faith in Jesus Christ, it’s time to realize that we are adopted and chosen and sealed and forgiven. It is done. You can rest in that (John 5:24). You can’t do anything to deserve it – it’s been given to you. 

Know that God loves you so much (John 3:16) and that will not change. For those who have not chosen Him, He still loves them, but He will not force Himself on anyone and if they chose not to accept Him, they are making their own decision to not have eternal life. They cannot identify as his children even if they’ve gone to church their whole lives. How do you identify? I hope it’s as God’s child. If not, you can change it right now. Accept Jesus as personal savior – He will forgive you and accept you as His own (Rom 10:9-10). Don’t let the moment pass – the next one is not promised. Be blessed.

Are you too busy?

Can you believe it’s June? I can, but it’s hard. It feels like the year just started and there are so many things I haven’t done that I planned to do this year. Stay on track with my reading through the bible – I hate to admit that I’ve let some of it slip. Between planning and studying for family bible study and doing my devotionals, I haven’t read my pages every day and I’m behind. I haven’t cleaned out my closets, which is well overdue. Let’s not forget about work and work travel. There are several other things that I still need to get taken care of and my life is not making it easy. 

I don’t know about you but busyness has become a way of life and I struggle with doing what God has called and not just being busy. I try to take time away and it is amazing to do so, but it’s hard to set the time aside. This past week, I spent time with some of the people who are important to me. Not nearly enough time and definitely not enough of the important people, but it was good to do some things that just brought them and me some joy. 

While time is not promised (Prov. 27:1) and we need to do today what we can, we also need to find balance. Sometimes I believe I need to cut somethings out of my life so I have more time to rest. Rest is restorative and necessary to function well and I find that in my busyness, I take time from sleep and not other unnecessary endeavors (Psalm 127:2). What about you? Do you get enough sleep and relaxation so you can function at your best? If not, we both need to do better. 

Take a few minutes and evaluate where you are and make sure you’re taking time to rejuvenate. We have to be about the Father’s business, but we have to be healthy to do it (Gen 2:3; John 4:6). Do what you need to do to be at your best. We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1) – He doesn’t want a broken down present, just like we don’t. Our living sacrifice should be well taken care of as we live holy lives for God following the directions Jesus left for us. If you’re not taking the best care of yourself, join me as I work to do better. 

Like a Child

Have you ever taken a moment to look at things you’re used to seeing through the eyes of a child? They are fascinating creatures. God fashioned them (and us) after them (the Trinity). They are inquisitive and open to adventure and trusting. Earlier today, I spent time with two of my nephews and a niece at the children’s museum. While we were going from exhibit to exhibit, I realized how much they want to just experience the world we live in. While one of the nephews was concerned about what would happen later in the day, the other was all about the moment. Many times, he got so excited he couldn’t contain himself – he wanted to experience everything that was available to him. He had no thought to whether he could do something or not – he wanted to try. 

As I relate them both to regular life, I recognize the latter is who I want to live my life like. While we definitely have to prepare for tomorrow, we need to learn to live with abandon. I don’t mean to ignore situations and not take responsibility for our actions, but I do mean live in the moment…not worrying about what tomorrow will bring but making the most of today (Matt 6:34).  Carpe Diem – seize the day! 

Are you like me? Striving to be present and be in the moment and life gets in the way where feelings of inadequacy or fear rise up and make you question whether you should do or try something. Or thoughts of the future distract from what is right now. While the future is important and we need to consider it, thoughts of it should only propel us to take action now (Prov 6:4). 

Everything we do matters and it affects what will be. In order to make the most of today, we need to live as if this is the only time we have. The fact of the matter is that it is the only time we have. Right now is all we’ve got – we can’t go back and change the past and the future is not guaranteed (Prov 27:1). All we have is right now and it’s up to us to make the most of it. 

If we want to experience all that God has for us, we have to make the decisions in the now to seek and follow Him. The only limits with God are the ones we place on Him (Luke 1:37). Want to experience life at its fullest, be like a child and seek the Father (Matt 18:1) - live in His will with abandon and leave nothing on the table trusting Him. Take every opportunity to experience all things within His will. He will provide exactly what we need and we will never be sorry for following Him.

Redeemed!

Today, I was with our middle schoolers at church and we studied God as our Redeemer. I’m the first to acknowledge that I needed to be redeemed. Just like everyone else, I’ve sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23-24). When I think of all the ways I’ve messed up throughout my life, I thank God for always having a plan for my life…..even before the creation of the world (1 Pet 1:18-21). He knew me before I knew myself. Even though He knew we’d sin before He created us, He still created us. 

He loved us before He made us, knowing we’d need redemption and that His son would be the necessary sacrifice to save us. God’s love for us is amazing. In fact, the Bible is His story of our redemption. He started from our beginning and walks through the story of our existence ending with our restoration back to Him. There are plenty of lessons along the way, but the one that keeps coming up again and again is the story redemption and restoration. 

Just as God’s plan was to provide a new way of life for the Israelites when he delivered them from the hands of Egypt (Exo 3:7-10), He does the same thing for us. Before we accepted Jesus, we were living in darkness. Now that we have a relationship with Him, we are living in His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9). We have moved from darkness into light so that we might have life and it more abundantly (John 10:10), not when we get to heaven, but right now. We are already living in eternity, just on this side. 

We are visitors passing through this world (1 Chr 29:15). We are not here to stay but we can have a life that is full of God’s blessings for us. Yes, there will be trials and tribulations, but God has a plan for us and it will be fulfilled no matter what (Psa 138:8). When Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood, He paid our debt and redeemed the price of our sin for all time (Rom 6:23). What an amazing gift! This is why it’s so important for us not to sin – the cost is too high. Don’t you agree?

Getting Things Done

So, I’m late. I know. This has been on my mind since Saturday when I realized I wouldn’t be able to post on Sunday since I was traveling and didn’t take my computer. I thought I might be able to skip a week, but here I am on Thursday morning after having this weigh on me for days. Ever had something you knew you were supposed to do and you put it off thinking that feeling would go away. Well, the blog has been that for me this week. I kept telling myself, I would just pick up again this Sunday. It’s just one week, right? Well, it isn’t. 

When I agreed to this once a week, I told God that as long as He gave me something to write, I would. And apparently He’s still giving it to me and I having agreed to it, have to do my part. It’s better never to agree to something than to break that agreement (Ecc 5:5). When we know our purpose, we have a responsibility to fulfill it. Once we know better, we are expected to do better. This is the same with fulfilling our obligations. Once we’ve given our word to do something or give something, if we don’t do it, it is sin to us (Jam 4:17). 

We have to remember that we are to be salt and light to the world. While we are no better than others, we do represent a God who is AWESOME. He is everything that is Good, while our best is as filthy rags (Isa 64:6). We are made righteous through our relationship with Christ, because He is righteous (Rom 5:1-11). So when He gives us something to do, we have to get off the stick and get it done. He’s not going to beg us, but if you’re like me and you’ve been putting something off, it doesn’t feel good to have it hanging over your head. Don’t get me wrong, while I know I owe everything to the Lord (Psa 89:18), I do this because I believe it pleases Him. I love Him and I want Him to be pleased with me. 

Whatever you’ve been called to do, don’t sit still waiting. Go and get it done (Pro 27:1). You’ll be freer when you do.

Do you Know the Lord?

I’ve come to know that there are many people who know about Jesus, but don’t know Him. They are everywhere - in churches, workplaces, at the grocery store, etc. I’ve recently realized that those in churches may the hardest to reach. Much like the Sadducees, in the bible, many of them have grown up in the church and they’ve heard messages and they do work there and believe they know all there is to know, but their hearts are not changed (Matt 7:21-23). They haven’t really developed a relationship with the Lord. They haven’t actually accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Outside of the church environment, they don’t spend time with Him and their lives are not changed. The Holy Spirit is not present in their lives. They don’t know Him (1 John 2:4). 

How do I know? Because a tree is known by the fruit it bears (Luke 6:43-45). If we know Him, we will exhibit fruit that looks like Him. As my aunt and I were talking recently, if a tree doesn’t bear fruit its only for two reasons – it’s either a different kind of tree or it’s dead/barren. Jesus told a parable about a fig tree that was not producing that needed to be cut down (Luke 13:6-9). If we are not bearing Godly fruit (Gal 5:22-23), which is evidence that we are in relationship with Him, we should reevaluate that relationship and ensure we have one (1 John 3:10). Not only will our relationship determine where we spend eternity, but it will also impact the life we have here on earth. God expects us to be fruitful, if we are His (Col 1:10).

Jesus came that we might have life and it more abundantly (John 10:10)! But, it requires that we know Him intimately and we follow His leading and His ways. If we don’t, we can’t expect to have His promises. To know Him, we have to spend time with Him – in prayer and studying His word. Knowing God allows us to understand His nature and who He is. Knowing Him leads us to love Him and others, because He first loved us (1 John 4:8). While we were His enemies, He sacrificed His Son for us so that we could know Him (John 3:16). 

Yesterday, Cece Winans gave a message (during the Generations Live Conference) – Faith is in the Knowing. It moved me so much. One of the things she said was that Knowing God is the principle thing (Prov 9:0). She discussed how the Word of God is the ultimate authority on who God is, what’s He’s done and how much He loves us. She mentioned how we have to take time with Him to know Him. One thing she said that stuck with me is that even if we never get what we want, God is still GOOD. Our answers can’t be tied to God’s goodness – He is Good no matter what the answer is and even if I totally dislike it. That’s the assurance we have when we know Him. 

God is Good. It’s a trait of His. The more we Know God, the stronger our faith in Him grows. If we know Him, we know He will never leave nor forsake us. I realized I need to spend more time with Him – in prayer and study and quiet. I’ve mentioned before how easily I’m distracted – I don’t know that I spend enough quiet time with Him. I want to hear His voice clearly, but He doesn’t operate at my speed. God is in control and He moves when He’s ready to move. I want Him to move through me because He has purpose and plans for me and I want everything He has for me. But I have to understand there are things I have to do in order to get everything He has for me – I have to know Him (Phil 3:10), I have to obey Him (1 John 2:3), I have to pray to Him (Luke 18:1), I have to praise Him (Rom 14:11). 

Once we know God, we know what He likes and how He sounds - we know His attributes and we learn what He expects of us. Do you know Him? If not, I hope you get to know Him. While I’m continually learning new things about Him, I know His Holy Spirit lives on the inside of me. I’m by no means perfect, but I see the fruit in my life. The more I know Him, the more the fruit grows and flourishes. I pray God’s blessing over you that you would get to know Him and the power of His might and that your life would be transformed in ways you can only imagine - full of peace, joy and love.