​23 January 2017
Grouchy Teachers
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.
When I read this passage, I see many wonderful facts about God right off the bat:
1. He is full of wisdom.
2. He shares.
3. He is generous. (This goes beyond sharing the minimum; it’s lavish.)
4. He doesn’t make fun of us for needing stuff.
5. These are the actions of someone who is very kind.

School just started up again after a nice, long Christmas break. This Bible verse makes me think of school and all the times I did NOT ask a question. We could figure our teachers’ personalities quickly enough and knew when asking questions would be accompanied by the hassle of, “Weren’t you listening?” and, “You should know that already,” or whatever crabby remark they had stored up. We don’t want to hear it, we don’t enjoy temporary humiliation, so we don’t ask too many questions, do we?

God is not a cranky, underpaid, underappreciated, over-sensitive school teacher who explodes. He is always kind; we don’t wait for him to be in a good mood – he IS a good mood.  Personal experience has shown me that it doesn’t bother him when I ask him things, and he also will gladly answer the same questions over and over again without rubbing my nose in it.

Well, what does that look like since spiritual matters are invisible? It all takes place in my heart. I do not feel shame or rebuke for asking God stuff. I get answers wrapped in peace and confirmation. If he wanted to make me feel stupid for asking, I’d get no answers or answers with contingencies wrapped in guilt, shame, and uncertainty.

Psalm 25:3-5
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

But the fact is, I have never felt stupid for praying about something. So, I am free to ask him about anything. Being treated this way can also affect how I answer others. Why not just simply tell someone something twice or answer them even if they should already know it. What’s the harm? They wouldn’t ask if they knew; why make someone feel awkward and shamed for just asking a question and seeking clarification? The Lord doesn't even lord, so why should I? I had teachers that treated me that way, and I couldn’t wait to get out of their class. I don’t want the people in my life to feel that way about me, and I am so thankful that God has never given me the opportunity to feel that way about him!!!

Philippians 3:1
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again.

Dear God,
I pray for me not to get caught up in human hypersensitivity and simply answer people plainly and full of generosity and kindness just like you do for me. It is not trouble. I thank you for never having a reason to regret a single prayer or a single time I put all my hope and trust in you. Thank you for not being a grouchy school teacher. I love you and praise you for all the good things you are, and I pray in Jesus’ name according to your good will, amen.
      

11 January 2017
What’s Your Conviction Worth?
Psalm 188:5-6
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

The person who lives with conviction will be persecuted. Period.

There is no genetic marker for a Christian. People have the opportunity to be made right with God simply by what they believe. (See Romans 3:22) No specimens under a microscope will confirm this. But the scientists from ancestry.com can pinpoint the location of my ancestors if I send them a DNA sample.

For example, people who are of Jewish descent can be identified by their DNA, and they can also choose to practice the Jewish religion. So, there can be a Jewish person who isn’t a practicing Jew. Likewise, a non-Jewish person can practice the Jewish faith, but that won’t make them Jewish when they send in their DNA to ancestry.com no matter how much they appreciate and identify with the Jewish religion and culture. All races are confirmed in this way with a seal of authenticity within our own DNA regardless of how we see ourselves. Anyone, regardless of their ancestry can practice any religion or ideology; it doesn’t originate in our DNA.

The gay community, for example, seems to feel like they should be exempt from the persecution that accompanies living under personal conviction. There is no “get out of persecution free card” for the person living under their convictions. None. Christians and conservatives certainly aren’t exempt from being marginalized, so why do other groups think they can live with their beliefs scot-free?

When my sister and I were in school  people knew we were Christians, and we were teased for it. We were called “Goodie Goodies” and stuff like that. Do you know why? There’s a COST to living how you believe, and the price we paid was being teased and left out of some social circles. There are plenty of Believers being overlooked for promotions in the workplace because they don’t party or cheat. As a Christian and a conservative working in the public school system for 12 years, I certainly can identify with personal cost in such a god mocking, liberal environment.

If the gay community is just as convinced about their convictions as I am about mine, then they’re going to pay a price too. We all do. Don’t whine; just live. No one needs to endorse you. You will be persecuted for your lifestyle choices same as everyone else; get over it. Your options are the same as mine:  Practice your beliefs openly or keep it to yourself. The gay couple who feels they do not get the same considerations as a regular couple needs to know that is the price they may pay for living out their beliefs. I know there is a cost to living out mine.

Thankfully, God promises to be with those who fear him. What can mere people do to me? So Believers don’t live in fear of rejection or persecution; we boldly live with conviction. It doesn’t matter what the cost is for following Jesus; it’s worth it to us. What can mere people do to me?

What’s your conviction worth to you?
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Dear God,
Thank you for being with me. Thank you for protecting me and always providing for me even when I’ve been marginalized, misrepresented, or misunderstood. Thank you that mere people and their words and techniques have no power over you. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
      

​7 January 2017
Life Filled with Love
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.

As human ideologies become more polar, this concept of living a life filled with love is truly becoming a lost art. Today, one must agree with and endorse every single idea and behavior that’s out there or risk being labeled some kind of racist, hate speaking, phobic criminal. But I can say for certain that I certainly can love you even if I don’t agree with you. I learned it from Jesus.

The story of the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10 really captures my attention when I think about loving people who disagree with me. Jesus really loved that guy. And the guy even went away sad. (See Mark 10:20-22) I like to think that Jesus gave him a lot to think about and that we will see the Rich Young Ruler in heaven when we get there; just because the Bible is silent on his conversion doesn’t mean he didn’t have one later on, right?

Here’s two things to keep in mind for following Jesus’ example of loving people with whom we disagree:
1. Spend time with people and love them, and when they ask you a question about your faith, answer them honestly. A man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?... Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (v.17-21)
2. Realize they might not like your answer and walk away from you. Notice, Jesus did not end the relationship and send him away; he went away, and he went away sad, and Jesus let him go.  At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (v.22)

What’s this got to do with my relationships?
I live my life based on the Word of God. I believe every bit of it, and people who live their lives based on how they feel will not hold my views and I won’t hold theirs. It’s not personal. And I won’t take it personally if they can’t stand to be around me anymore or only tolerate small doses of me. Let them walk away. But don’t let them walk away without giving them the Truth to think about for when they lie awake at night. The most loving thing to do is making sure they know what the Bible teaches not chasing after them till they get it.

I also have lots of family in my life that includes my church family and my extended family. And I don’t agree with every single thing with everyone in these groups either. We are not strangers or colleagues, so we don’t walk away, but we remain in each other’s lives loving one another even if we don’t see eye to eye on every single thing. We keep in mind that God gives all of us different convictions because we all have different hangups, so there is no reason to part ways over non-salvation issues like owning a tv or not. I don’t mind hearing what they think, and I present my case too. And that’s it. It’s done. I pray for them, I’m sure they do the same for me, and we let the Holy Spirit do the rest. If I need to change, God will tell me, and he used a loving person in my life to get my attention and vice versa.

I truly can and do love every person regardless of their lifestyle, but love and endorsement are not synonymous. The problem is that the world has decided that those two words should be synonymous and that is why we have found ourselves in an extremely polarized society that doesn’t know how to live life filled with love!

Dear God,
I pray for my unsaved friends who don’t want to hear from me anymore. That’s ok, but I pray for you to continue to bring people into their lives who will point their attention to you. I thank you that I know the truth -- I know that I don’t hate anyone, and I certainly don’t want to see anyone die in their sins. And I know that I enjoy healthy relationships where I can challenge and be challenged. Thank you for Jesus showing us to tell people about your Word and to keep trusting you no matter what they decide, and I pray in his name, amen.
     

​6 January 2017
Prepare Your Minds
1 Peter 1:13
So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

​Basically, God is letting us know that there is no reason for life to catch us by surprise. Even though strings of days can pass with consistency and monotony, God wants us to not live in such a way like every day will be the exact same as the day before. There’s no reason to be caught off guard and panic with an unexpected encounter like a huge bill, a bad lab report from the doctor, an opportunity to share my faith, a car accident, unemployment, a death in the family, or even persecution.

Prepare your minds for action... Go ahead and go there in your mind – what would I do in any of these events? Most importantly, picture myself with Jesus there with me in any of these circumstances. That changes everything! He knows what I need and will surely give it to me.

Matthew 6:32-33 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

And exercise self-control... This may include having the self-control to not take control and allow God to show me what I should do even if it seems counterproductive because sometimes his solutions including waiting.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Put all your hope in... This is the KEY! What am I putting my hope in for any of those examples I listed? Money, wisdom of man, being socially uncomfortable, material objects, employment, grieving over loved ones. In any situation, preparing for it is one portion of this scripture. The main thing is to only and always put all my hope in Jesus who has saved me in every possible way. And I must allow him to fix any of these troubles for me either on this side or the other side of heaven.

Psalm 25:3 No one who trusts in YOU will ever me disgraced or regret putting their trust in YOU!

Dear God,
Thank you for your desire to prepare me for my own benefit. Help me not to fall into laziness or monotony but to take you with me every day in every situation. It sounds simple because it is. Thank you for making a rich full life simple like that. Thank you for being bigger than any of my problems even big time serious ones. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​3 January 2017
Tall Orders
Titus 2:11-12
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.

I hope no one ever feels overwhelmed from reading Bible verses. It sounds like a tall order and impossible task to turn from godless living, sinful pleasure and to have wisdom and righteousness and devotion to God. Usually, the harder I try, the faster I fail. Thankfully, when we do the last thing on this list, the other things on the list falls into place. If I choose to live a life devoted to God, it will affect all of my other choices too.

God simplifies his will for us all the time...
Micah 6:8 This is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Try walking humbly with God first, and then see doing what is right and loving mercy become part of life!

And Jesus simplified all the Commands into just 2...
Matthew 22:37-40 You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.

Following Jesus by obeying God isn’t as impossible as it sounds. Believers simply allow our love and thankfulness to him be what fills our hearts the most, then HE seeps out of us and affects how we live. It’s brilliant really, because trying to just be “good” is impossible. But remembering what Jesus has done for me and how much he loves me is something I can do!

What you say flows from what is in your heart. (Luke 6:45)
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Dear God,
I love you and thank you for sending your Son so that I can have a relationship with you and have your Holy Spirit with me all the time teaching me and reminding me everything Jesus ever said or did. Thank you that loving you, trusting you, and thanking you allows you to seep out of me. I love you and trust you and thank you in Jesus’ name, amen.

​2 January 2017
Moments of Wisdom
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
​so that we may grow in wisdom.

I wonder if a person on their death bed knowing their life is about to end has the same feeling we experience at the end of a year: Oh, my that went by fast...  This isn’t the same thing, but I remember graduating from high school thinking: That’s it? Wow, that went by fast! Did I make the most of my time at Granite Hills High School? And parents with kids! One day your youngest child is blowing out 10 candles on a cake: Oh, my! That went by fast! There’s no more babies in the house. Everyone can tie their own shoes and make their own sandwiches. Did I make the most of my time with them while they were little ones?

How is wisdom part of realizing how fast time goes by? I pair it more with depression than wisdom.  However, we grow in wisdom when we make the most of one short day, when we don’t put something off till tomorrow, and when we ask God what we should do with all of our moments.
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Dear God,
Show me what to do with my moments today. Thank you for showing me what to do with them yesterday. I really enjoyed asking Ben to read Psalm 1 to me and then teach me about it, and he did. What a fabulous memory! Thank you for that! On a day that would have otherwise gone as unproductive because I have the flu you gave me a wonderful time with Ben while we stayed home from church on a Sunday morning. Only you can do that. Only you can turn a sick day into a meaningful day that wasn’t wasted. And since I’m going to look back at the end of my life and see how quickly it flew by, thank you that you have the power and ability to keep me from wasting any of them. I love you and thank you for this good reflection this morning. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

1 January 2017
Like the Flu
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!

Happy New Year Everybody! How appropriate for biblegateway.com have this be their verse of the day for the beginning of a new year. Out with the old and in with the new. These are very hopeful and helpful words. Lots of people use the new year as a new start. And Believers remember with humility and thankfulness what God did for us the moment we believe in his Son, Jesus. Our Old Life, with no other choices to make but sin or sin has been replaced with a New Life of options to live like Jesus.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law. (Galatians 5:16-18)

I rang in 2017 with the flu. It has affected my whole person – body & mood. I can’t get away from it; I can’t even sleep it off. Is it hard for you to remember what feeling well even felt like after you’ve had the flu for a week, or is that just me? Even though the flu is a bad thing, and not something I want to sustain, it has served as a great reminder of how I want my life to be infected and influenced by the New Person God has  intended for me to be. I want it to take over my being like bronchitis does.

Not a great analogy, but there’s no two forces fighting it out in me right now. Undertheweather has won. So, everyday, even when this bug is finally gone, I want only the infectious life of Jesus influencing my body & mood and the “old life” forgotten and gone.
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Dear God,
Thank you for your love and influence that comes over me like the flu. And thank you for your healing and sustaining me from the actual flu. Thank you for this New Year to remind me that I am a New Person. Guide and direct my actions and thoughts this year with your Holy Spirit so I can be like your precious Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray according to your good will. Amen.