January 31, 2015
And that’s why I love everything about him!
Psalm 86:5
O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

And this is why I believe in God, why I follow him, and why I LOVE everything about him!

You are so good... James 1:17 says that whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. If there is something good in my life, it’s because God did it. That’s not only the big things like being rescued from financial debts and my husband’s health returning, but it’s everything! Cars that run, clean running water, productive gardens, and food on the table every day are all things GOD does. These are good things, and God gives ALL good things. 

Conversely, bad things that happen should NOT be attributed to God. Unemployment, unfaithfulness, cancer, and any other bad thing is not God dishing it out. Those things are not good and are a complete and total direct result of the fact that we have an Enemy, the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (See 1 Peter 5:8) Sin is present in the world making bad stuff happen everywhere, and it’s really important to remember who put sin here in the first place; it wasn’t God.

So ready to forgive... I love that my failures never catch God off guard. It would be like me being mad at a toddler for not being able to walk in a straight line across the living room without wabbling and falling over. Toddlers toddle. They work on walking every day. No parent spanks them during those training days. We simply pick them up and help them start over. Sinners sin. So we don’t take God by surprise when we do. We look up to him and he helps us start over during these training years for complete godliness. 

Philippians 3:12-14
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.  No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

So full of unfailing love... A new term had to be invented for the kind of love God is. In our language it takes two words to describe it, “unfailing love.” Incredibly consistent and faithful love! And he’s full of it! That means he doesn’t run out or hold it back. He loves me just like I am while I’m on my journey pressing on to possess that perfection. He’s not going to reward me with a bunch of love later; he’s not going to remind me of all the crap I’ve done every time he picks me up and forgives me. He loves me right now just exactly the way I am. And that is what I love everything about HIM!

Dear God,
Thank you for being so good, for forgiving me, and for loving me exactly like I am. My heart is so free knowing these truths, I don’t walk on eggshells, or live in dread. Only you could do that. I love you so much and I just can’t thank you enough for who you are. And I pray in your Son’s name, amen.

January 29, 2014
No Scheming Necessary
Mark 9:35
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Human logic dictates that it is necessary to climb over people to get to “the top.” This is true in business, life, even in some families with lots of children where it looks like every man for himself at snack time. But in God’s economy, there’s room for everyone, so there is no need to shove your way to the head of the line. 

To get a scholarship to a prestigious university, get named CEO of some giant company, or get voted most popular something in the yearbook at school one must be the BEST and/or extremely lucky. But, thank God, salvation isn’t just for some. ANYONE who believes in Jesus will be saved (See Romans 3:22). 

So, along the way, we can live how God prescribes in his Word, the Bible. I can honor others even though society demonstrates that honoring ourselves is how people get what they want. But, we can actually be patient, kind, and faithful. We don’t have to boast about ourselves, wish ill on others, or finagle to get our own way (See 1 Corinthians 4:13-7). These things may get one ahead in life, education, and business, but if I’m living by following Jesus, there is no reason resort to the “every man for himself” mentality that comes naturally to me. 

God does not operate within society’s system of scheming. We can take delight in honoring each other with love and genuine affection (Romans 12:10) because JESUS is the one who made it so we’ll make it to “the top.” We don’t have to climb over anyone to get freedom, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Dear God,
Thank you that living as you direct doesn’t put me at the bottom of some human dictated “A list.” I enjoy the relief and the freedom that living by following Jesus doesn’t nudge me out of any special standing. You have saved me through your Son because you love me not because of how cleverly I can try to be. Thank you that forgiveness and eternal life is not up to my wits and means but out of your infinite generous supply of grace. I love you so much and pray for a heart that delights in honoring others even when society dictates we honor ourselves. Thank you for the way YOU operate; it is VERY peaceful for my heart – no scheming necessary. I thank you and praise you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 26, 2015
Real Hate Speech
Ephesians 4:12-15
(The responsibility of pastors and teachers ) is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

The Bible is not full of hate speech like so many people would like the world to believe. The Bible is full of TRUTH. Since people hate truth they project that the hatred as coming from God’s Word, but the hatred is actually coming from their own hearts against the Truth found in the Bible because it collides with what they want to do.

But it’s actually way more loving to point out what sin is to people instead of excusing  it socially or legally. Because the truth is this: God will judge every person (See Romans 2:5-10). Period. Whether they think he’s going to or not; he is. He absolutely is. So it’s way kinder and way more loving  for Christians to keep teaching what the Bible really teaches so people who don’t know won’t be punished eternally for their sins. 

Christians who don’t point people to the Truth because they’re afraid it isn’t loving to do so are completely misunderstanding what Ephesians 4:15 says about speaking the truth in love. Speaking the truth in love means loving people enough to tell them what the truth is even when it goes against the arbitrary and constantly changing social practices.

Reclassifying sins in order to make them acceptable behaviors to keep up with the times, or letting people think God is ok with doing that is mean and hateful. God is not ok with sin. Just because there are people who try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth doesn’t mean what they’re saying is the Truth. Anyone truly concerned with the life, well being, and future of others will not alter the Word of God because God doesn’t change with the times (See Malachi 3:6-7). And it is NOT loving to let people think he does; teaching that would be real hate speech. How much would I have to hate someone to not have my speech be full of life-giving and life-saving Truth just so we can politically and socially get along?

Dear God,
Thank you for your Word, for making right and wrong very clear, and for the opportunity and privilege to repent and obey. I pray for the steady forces at work today seeking to alter and censor your Truth. Give us boldness as Believers to love people enough to share the Truth with everyone and not water it down in any way because it would be cruel to let someone believe that you don’t mind sin.  I pray for our loved ones who need to know you and be saved from their sins as they are constantly being deceived by clever liars. Thank you that you haven’t hidden anything; it’s just a matter of us accurately executing you message. I want to love others more than I want to feel socially comfortable.  I love your Truth, and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 24, 2015
A Message to Unbelievers
Galatians 6:1
[ We Harvest What We Plant ] Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

This passage of Scripture has so many answers for the unbeliever. 

Unbelievers mistakenly assume that we Believers think we think we are perfect and don’t sin. That’s why the world has such a high double standard for high profile Christians who don’t practice what they preach. And there should be a high standard for Christians who are following Christ; we shouldn’t misrepresent our namesake. However, the only difference between me and my non-believing neighbor is that God is choosing not to hold my sins against me anymore since I believe in his Son, Jesus. It is God who is removing my sin not me. If another Believer can be overcome by some sin like this verse suggests, then Believers sin. Anyone who hangs out with me for 5 minutes will easily notice most of my flaws. The Good News isn’t that we don’t sin anymore, the Good News is that we are not going to be punished for our sins (although everyone must keep in mind there are always consequences to sin). Romans 3:23-24 describes how the penalty for my sin is gone not how I was magically turned into a perfect person. 

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Another thing people should know about Believers is that we take the gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path bit very seriously. We aren’t a group of judgmental hypocrites. We are saddened by sin. And when someone “falls off the wagon,” we help them get back on not kick up dust on them as we run over them by said “wagon.”  Everyone struggles with sin. Everyone. Otherwise this passage wouldn’t conclude with these words:  And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.  The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

It’s not that Believers don’t sin anymore, it’s just that we’ve been given a new protocol to follow when we do.

James 5:13-15
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Dear God,
Thank you for this good system you have for your children to be cautious how we live and to gently encourage others who struggle. Thank you that you are not holding my sins against me anymore. That is the most freeing feeling a person could have and you’ve made it so accessible to me, and I am truly grateful. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 23, 2014
A Wonderful Truth
James 1:5
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

There is a wonderful truth about God in this verse that I just love thinking about. Not only is God generous and full of wisdom, but (here’s the great part) he doesn’t make fun of us when we ask.

I’ve had teachers, tutors, even some “friends” who like to lord over people, and asking them for help is the last thing I’ve wanted to do even when I really needed it. Do you know people like that? They have the help I need but are not helpful in helping me get it.

But generous people aren’t like that. And God is generous. He doesn’t care why I need to ask for wisdom, and he doesn’t rub my nose in my mistakes, nor does he remind me how much I need him. I KNOW that I need him; that’s why I go to him. And it’s refreshing to go to someone for help and not be made fun of for needing help. I really like that because I really need that!

Dear God,
Thank you for knowing how flawed I am and just generously pouring out help when I ask you without some arbitrary time of shunning first because I made a mistake. You know I’m full of mistakes; that’s why you sent Jesus. Thank you for making it possible for me to be able to come boldly to your throne of grace... where I will receive his mercy, and  will find grace to help me when I need it most like Hebrews 4:16 describes. You are a refreshing break from all the world’s professors and leaders. Thank you so much for how you operate and how generous you are. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 16, 2014
God’s Currency
2 Corinthians 5:14
Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

Author and pastor, Tim Keller, says that when we repent of our sins, we also must repent of the things we did right because those “right” things weren’t enough to save us either.

Thinking I only need to repent for what I’ve done wrong is only half of it because even if I had never done any wrong, the good that I’ve done isn’t enough to save me either. So I must give no credit to myself; I must realize that all of me–ALL OF ME– needs to be excused. Otherwise I could fool myself into thinking that “I’m  not that bad” or at least not as bad as Charles Manson or Adolf Hitler.

We also believe that we have all died to our old life... including the stuff I ever did right. Romans 3:27 puts it this way: Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. God never intended on saving people because of the little bit of good that is in there somewhere. Regardless of what we’ve done, good or bad, we are only saved by faith. God never ever looked at me and said, “Yes, I forgive your sins and because you never did anything as bad as Adolf Hitler, you may have eternal life.” NO! He only saved me at all because I decided to believe in HIM. There is no currency I give in return this relationship. He just gives and gives and gives and gives and gives. It speaks VOLUMES to his love!

The good things I do as a “New Creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17) isn’t continually saving me either. If I can’t be good enough to get free from my sins, then how is it possible I stay free from them by doing all good things all of a sudden? First of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, the fact is that I stay free from sin and death because I admit daily that I have never done anything to deserve God’s grace. The only reason he keeps pouring it out on me is because he WANTS to for everyone who simply believes in him.

Hebrews 11:6 makes it clear:  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. His grace is my reward. By his grace, I am given forgiveness, a new heart, and eternal life. His grace has never been a prize for me doing something good before or since I believed in Him.

Dear God,
Thank you so much for your grace that is not dependent upon what I can do because I am inconsistent and extremely unworthy most of the time in the opinion of the world and all the time in comparison to you perfect Son, Jesus, who has SAVED me in every way a person could be saved simply by believing in him and not by accomplishing many feats of goodness. Thank you so much that you operate on grace and not any other kind of currency. You are so kind and good to free me this way. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 7, 2015
Smelling Good
Ephesians 5:1-2
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Live a life filled with love...There’s a New Year’s Resolution right there!

Love is so important it’s almost all the Apostle John writes about.

1 John4:20-21
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. (And he had already wrote this same exact message  in 1 John 2.)

Unconditionally loving one another is how families operate in their prime, so certainly it is how God’s family should be operating.

And Jesus gives startling instructions about love in Matthew 5:43-44. You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

I must admit that loving everyone like Jesus does and John instructs is a tall order. There are some people that I frankly do not know what to do with, what to offer, or how to show love. So I have taken to prayer. For me spending time praying for someone is the absolute best way to show love for them. They’ll never know it as there is no physical evidence unless you count the evidence that shows up in my previously hardened heart!

Dear God,
I want my life to smell good to you by how I interact with people and loving them like you say. Thank you for your love for me, and I truly desire to not take that for granted by loving others in return. You are so great and greatly to be praised and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 2, 2015
Understanding What Really Matters
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

We do make better decisions and make wise choices when we have all the facts. For example, no judge and jury convict without all the facts being given. The most important fact is that life is short. We all have a limited number of days to live. When we carefully consider how short life is and how quickly it flies by, we should behave like that is true; there is no time to waste on unwise living.

Something God has put on my heart in the past few months relates to this passage. What I think is important isn’t really important, and what I think isn’t important actually is. The Apostle Paul says it like this:  I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. (Philippians 1:9-10)

I can easily get talked into all kinds of activities that are good and purposeful for the community, but life is short. If my kids are growing and changing with every blink of my eyes, then isn’t sitting on the couch reading to Ben actually more important than cluttering my schedule (even if it’s a schedule full of worthwhile activities)?

Living each day by appreciating how limited my days are affects my priorities and behavior. I ask God to show me what actually is important and pursue that. And seeking godly priorities and behaviors is wisdom.

Dear God,
Thank you for giving us all the facts so that we can be wise. Help me to understand what really matters today and each day. Thank you for your Word and your Holy Spirit to guide me. Help me to disciple my kids properly and enjoy my family. Help me not to worry about what other people are doing but to work diligently with my own hands today. I love you and thank you and pray for your wisdom to influence my life today. And I thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

January 1, 2015
New Year’s Realizations
2 Corinthians 5:17
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Today isn’t just a new day but also a new year! Happy New Year! This month is famous for resolutions and promises that last for a few weeks if we’re lucky. Resolutions aren’t bad. I’ve never met anyone who made a “bad” resolution. People don’t resolve to eat more junk, tell more lies and waste money at the onset of a new year. But it is important to understand that the only way we change our behavior and even our character doesn’t lie within our own limited amount of will power to keep a bunch of resolutions.

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person... If there’s things I need to change and do differently, it is out of a great desire to be more like Jesus.

Jesus actually came to set us free from lists of laws and resolutions (See Romans 8:1-4). For me, trying harder to do something, be something, or change something usually means failing faster. But putting as much Jesus as possible in my heart allows him to seep out. THAT is what changes my character and behavior not accomplishing a list of changes I want to make on the outside with my own limited source of will and strength.

It is imperative to resolve to realize that the JOY of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Resolve to realize that without HIM I can do nothing (John 15:5). I need these New Year’s Realizations not more resolutions. And letting a bunch of Jesus in my heart by telling him how much I love him and how thankful I am for all he’s done is how I can continually access the new person he is making in me.

If there is something that needs to change in my life I want Jesus to change me from the inside out. Those changes are lasting. Any resolution a person can come up with only changes one from the outside. When we let Jesus seep out of our hearts, it changes who we are and what we do, what we think about, how we act and how we react.

I found that by being married, I have adopted many of my husband’s preferences naturally simply because I love him. Why not apply this same axiom to my relationship with Jesus? Fill my heart up with him and see what changes. Man, when I met Rob I thought about him all the time, talked to him all the time, visited with him whenever possible, talked about him when I wasn’t with him, and always wondered what he was up to when we weren’t together. 25 years later, it’s no wonder that I act like he acts, talk like he talks, and think like he does too! 

So, I tell Jesus how much I love him - just verbally saying it often (see 1 John 4:19),  I constantly think of things I’m thankful for (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17), and I read about him frequently in the Gospels because I love all of his interactions with people (see Luke 19:10). This fills my heart with JOY about HIM, and I find that I start being more like him. 

So, instead of making resolutions to try and be a better person, spending more time with Jesus -the best person - is way more effective and lasting. 

Dear Lord Jesus,
I love you. I love you so much and I am so thankful for all that you have done for me. Thank you for freeing me from the burden of trying to act “good.” Thank you for your comfort and grace and forgiveness. Thank you for my family and my husband and our kids. Thank you for the many blessings of this past year and for your unending source of hope and strength for this new year. Thank you so much! And I pray in your name, amen.