May 29, 2015
Together Forever
Psalm 103:17-18
But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

It is wonderful to see our kids grow up and have their own faith in Jesus that is all their own. They are not studying the Bible, going to church, or praying because someone is forcing them to; they do these things on their own because they have their own relationship with God that is very personal to them.

I remember when I was very young doing all these same things myself and it honestly had absolutely nothing to do with my parents’ expectations or anything like that. The only role they had in it was telling me about Jesus. And I believed in him, read my Bible, prayed, and trusted him all on my own because I loved him and had my very own relationship with him and still do to this day. This is a stark contrast to people I know who say they were raised Catholic, but don’t do anything Catholic-y – or like people who say their family is Jewish, but it’s just a label. 

But God gives us a relationship not a religion. The Good News of Jesus is so good, that even a child knows they want that!

That’s what’s so wonderful about this Psalm 103 passage. God’s salvation extends to subsequent generations because the ones who love him are going to tell their kids about him, and those kids are going to perpetuate the cycle of families trusting and obeying God all on their own. And those families are going to be together forever with Jesus!

Dear God,
Thank you so much for my parents who read Bible stories to us and prayed with us and talked about your goodness all the time. Thank you for showing me, even at a young age, my own real and wonderful relationship with you. And thank you so much for the promise of this passage being true as now Rob and I watch our kids grow in their own personal relationships with you. I love you so much, and I love this cycle that leads to all of us being together with you forever. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 25, 2015
Grateful Memorial Day
John 15:13
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Saying Happy Memorial Day to someone is oxymoronic. There is no happy about it for the loved ones left behind. And everyone in our country has benefited from brave soldiers willingly laying their lives down to keep us safe, so we are all grateful but not happy about it. But saying Grateful Memorial Day doesn’t roll off the tongue like Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas. But that’s what we are... very grateful.

Whether they are Believers or not, every American Solider is following in the steps of Jesus as they voluntarily pledge to put our safety and comfort ahead of their own when they join the service. They are paying the price for our country’s freedom, and Jesus paid the price for everyone’s ultimate freedom.  I know this correlation is well known and that I am not typing out some originally grand theological idea here, but it is fitting to point out on this Memorial Day that I am grateful to Jesus for his sacrifice who inspires our troops to have the guts to act just like him.

Dear God,
Thank you for your Son. Thank you for showing us what real love looks like. Thank you for an amazing country where we have a whole bunch of people willing to love us and keep us safe and free. Please bless them, bless their families, and especially comfort the families of those who have given their lives on our behalf. I am so thankful, and I know that only YOU inspire great love like that. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 23, 2015
The Best Way to Build a House...
Romans 15:2
We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

How do we do this without offending people? Answer: It probably can’t be done.

When someone is doing something wrong, chances are it’ll be a sore spot if it gets brought up, that’s for sure. So, Paul expands on this process in Galatians 6:1-3...

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. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

So helping people do what is right involves being together a lot, encouraging people before things go wrong so things won’t go wrong, “recharge our batteries” together (spiritually speaking) when we get together because we all have the potential of being one bad decision away from putting ourselves in a bad spot. 

Ya know, the best way to build a house is to work on it everyday. Likewise, the best way to build each other up in the Lord would also be to work on it every day. Neglect leads to an unfinished project or a job not well done.

That’s why I love Wednesday night Bible Study at church. I love Women’s Bible study once a week. I love reading godly encouragement posted on facebook. I love talking about Bible verses with my kids in the mornings, and praying with my family at night. I love the Sunday worship, fellowship & teaching at our church each week... Every day of the week can and should be filled with an opportunity to encourage others and be encouraged in our great faith. That’s how the job gets done.

Dear God,
Thank you for establishing a process that is good, enjoyable, helpful and extremely preventive. I love being encouraged by others, help me to be an encouragement in return, to not think of myself as too busy or important to help get houses of faith built in people’s hearts as well as my own. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 20, 2015
Pride isn’t Fitting
Romans 15:5
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

Believers should get along with each other, and when they don’t, it’s helps the unbelievers to remain unbelievers because to them we don’t look any different.

According to this passage, it takes patience and encouragement to get along with others and live in harmony with them.  But when we continue to operate out of our default setting (which is usually just plain ol’ pride) we do not show to the world a group of fitting followers of Christ Jesus.

Pride doesn’t mix with patience, encouragement, and repentance. Pride prevents us from admitting faults or dwelling with others in an understanding way. Pride makes hearts hard, and a hard heart makes a person completely irrational.

For the hearts of these people are hardened,
    and their ears cannot hear,
    and they have closed their eyes--
so their eyes cannot see,
    and their ears cannot hear,
    and their hearts cannot understand.

This passage from Acts 28:27 describes an irrational person. Picture a toddler closing his eyes thinking he’s made you go away or a spoiled brat covering her ears and making noise while you’re talking, “la la la I’m not listening to you.” They’re prideful. They don’t want to be corrected, and it’s made the irrational, deceived, and unfitting.

Believers I have witnessed who fail to live in harmony with other Believers simply just have a beef. They’ve taken an offense over something without knowing the whole story, yet when they find out the whole story they are too embarrassed (prideful) to admit being wrong in any way and the result is always a heaping big batch of divisiveness and bitterness. It’s ironic and weird and certainly shameful that churches are full of these people. But you just can’t reason with an irrational person. It’s impossible.

It’s better to be patient with one another like God instructs. Find out the all the truth before declaring war and taking sides on an issue. Remember, the first person to speak always sounds right according to Proverbs 18:17. So, we’d better just make sure that person isn’t insane from pride!

Dear God,
You know how you want your Church to operate -- Loving and forgiving, like a family. Help the Believers I know to cling to the patience and encouragement that you give so that we can all be fitting followers of Christ together, so unbelievers won’t be misled, so that we won’t be blind and crazy from pride. Thank you for always giving us the Truth and the instructions and the ability to obey and trust you. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 19, 2015
A Simple Little Study
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

Facts:
1. There is wisdom in not getting my way all the time (willing to yield to others).
2. Wisdom is gently presented and not “in your face.”
3. Wisdom is related to good deeds and not selfishness, stubbornness, or pride.
4. Wisdom is for everyone not just some (Psalm 19:7)
5. Wisdom is honest & genuine, not for show or to win an argument but to point everyone (even the sharer) to Truth.

Corresponding Verses:
Colossians 3:13 Make allowances for each other’s faults...
Proverbs 24:17 Don’t rejoice when your enemy stumbles...
Hebrews 10:24 Encourage each other towards love & good deeds...
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Psalm 19:7 God’s Truth makes even the simple wise...
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Turn the Facts into points of Prayer:
Dear God,
Help me to yield to others in preference for truth to be heard. Help me not to try and be the “winner”of every discussion but have a genuine concern for the hearts of others. Help my priority to be doing good things and to encourage others to do good things too. Thank you that you have shown us in your Word the good deeds you have for me to do so that people can be pointed to your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray, amen.

May 18, 2015
Showing Love
Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

Someone who is unjust would forget all kinds of things on purpose because they don’t have anyone else’s interests in mind but their own. But God tell us to not  look out only for (our) own interests, but take an interest in others, too (Philippians 2:4) because that’s what he does. 

God leads by example, and he wants me to care for others because he cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). He wants me to comfort others because he comforts me (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  And caring for others is not only beneficial to them, it’s beneficial to me. 

I am so thankful for all that God has done for me, and I know I love him very much. And I love that he has told me the way to show him that I love. Simply love him by caring for others. 

I was talking with my kids this morning about this verse and how we want to help many Believers in so many ways but sometimes are powerless to do so. Like for Pastor Saeed who is imprisoned – we may lack an army of our own to go get him out, but we can pray for God to sustain him and his family. How about hungry people across the world – we maybe can’t feed them all, but we can adopt a family in Bolivia and feed some. 

Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies (Hebrews 13:3). There are some people I can’t physically impact, but I certainly can pray for others as a way to show God I love him. That counts too!

‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

Dear God,
Thank you for blessing me so that I can bless others. Thank you for comforting me so that I can be a comfort to someone else. Thank you for caring for me so that I may care for people in need. Help me to be generous with my time and resources and prayers because you are generous and lavish with your love towards me. I love you so much and thank you for giving me lots of ways every day to show you that I love you by paying attention to the interests of others, praying for them, and helping them when I can. Thank you for how you operate your family, I love being a part of it, I love you, and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 16, 2015
The Verse for Parents
Zephaniah 3:17
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

This is my favorite Bible verse for parenting. It’s a beautiful picture how God parents me, and when we figured that out, these words certainly changed how we parents our kids.

Parents dwell with their kids. (For the Lord your God is living among you.) Parents do things for their children that their children can’t do for themselves. (He is a mighty savior.) Parents are proud of their children. (He will delight in you with gladness.) And here’s the best one, the one that makes all the difference in the world...

He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing...

That’s what was missing from my parenting resources. Of course I live with my kids and provide for them and am very proud of them. But when they are upset and troubled, what words are better to offer them? Shake it off. Buck up. Get over it. Suck it up. OR How can I help you? You seem upset. Come here, let me hold you and quiet you with my love. I must say from personal experience that I have seen incredible and dramatic results from quieting my children with my love over rebuking them with parenting cliches. It doesn’t matter if correction is going to be carried out too; I just calm them with my love. I even use these very words: "Ben, let me quiet you with my love." God calms me with his love, so I should calm them with mine. 

Offering calm, soothing words with hugs and simply stating what seems to be how they’re feeling also fulfills Proverbs 15:1. A gentle answer turns away wrath. (Their wrath and mine.) It’s also a very kind way to communicate. And we all know what the Bible says about kindness.  Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4) Kindness does have way better results than anger, that's for sure!

He will rejoice over you with singing... another beautiful imagery of parenting. Lullabies, singing the Birthday Song, turning up the radio really loud in the car and singing like crazy are ways parents convey love for their children beyond verbal expression. And I get goose bumps knowing that God does this for me!

Dear God,
Thank you that your parenting is awesome and also provides incredible insight as well as being a beautiful illustration for how we should parent the four wonderful kids you’ve blessed us with. I love you so much. I thank you for this passage of scripture and for the incredible results it has provided for our family, and I pray to you in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 8, 2015
God Brings it Back Around
Colossians 4:6
Everything you say should be kind and well thought out so that you know how to answer everyone.

Everything you say should be kind... 
That’s easier than it sounds when I remember Proverbs 15:1. A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. It actually requires less energy to simply respond to someone rather than to respond plus add all the flare of raised eyebrows, elevated voice, and huffing. A response intended to ruffle someone’s feathers in actuality ruffles my own feathers and isn’t kind. Even if my response needs to be corrective, it’s more constructive if it’s kind.

Everything you say should be well thought out...
There’s a big difference between making decisions about stuff as you read God’s Word versus reading God’s Word in order to try and make it fit with decisions you’ve already made. It is very beneficial to take time to read God’s Word every day and let how God thinks about stuff build up in my heart. This way my life decisions are based on real truth and not arbitrary ideas. James 3:17-18 describes the wisdom we gain from God. 

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.  It also sounds like a well thought out position based on God’s wisdom is also kind.  I like how God always brings a point back around!

Dear God,
Help my words today to be based on your wisdom and delivered in kindness. Thank you for your Word to equip me and your Holy Spirit to help me. I love you so much and thank you for all you’ve done and ask you to help me in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 12, 2015
Wives are Awesome!
Proverbs 31:10-12
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
    She is more precious than rubies.
Her husband can trust her,
    and she will greatly enrich his life.
She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

Look at the characteristics of a good wife:
She is capable (which also means ingenious, by the way).
She is precious & valuable.
She is trustworthy.
She brings good and not harm.
And she will greatly enrich his life means that everywhere she goes, she makes things better.

This passage is not describing a to-do list for wives, which might be why so many women shy away from appreciating Proverbs 31. This is passage is not a “to-do list” it is a “YOU list.” These words are describing us. This is what a wife is! This is why God wants men to have wives. Wives are awesome! And, as a wife, I look at this list and think that being described as capable, precious, trustworthy & good is just fine with me! 

Dear God,
Thank you for giving wives a clear, cut mission with a fabulous and beneficial outcome. I thank you for my marriage and that my husband wants to confide in me and we build a relationship together that makes our home a wonderful place. I love you so much and your intentions for married people.  And I thank you and praise you in Jesus’ name, amen.

May 6, 2015
A Big Misunderstanding
James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

I’ve known some Believers in the past who misunderstand this verse in some way. One girl misunderstood it so much that she deliberately stopped following Jesus. She got really caught up in thinking that God is magical rather than miraculous. She said she prayed in a group for another person’s back problems and that she could feel heat coming off the girl’s back while they prayed. I don’t know what they felt because I wasn’t there, but my friend came away with the idea that it was the power of the group and not the power of God working that day. And she went looking for that experience to repeat itself rather than experiencing a relationship with Jesus. No wonder she doesn’t follow Jesus anymore, she put all her hope in the wrong thing and gave credit to where credit is not due.

Even without any knowledge of original Greek, one can look at this passage of Scripture and understand that it doesn’t claim to allow us to tap into magical powers. It simply gives the directive to pray.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other... Notice it doesn’t say confess to everyone like people tend to do on tv talk shows. Simply have a person or two that you share your heart with. This keeps us from becoming wise in our own eyes and ignoring things we do and say that need to go. It’s called accountability.

Galatians 6:1-2
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.  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

So that you may be healed...Accountability doesn’t have to do with a physical ailment; being accountable address matters of the heart. So, this healing must be taking place in the heart. Lots of people went to Jesus for physical healing, but what did he always say? Not, “Ah, look! You’re all better!” But he said, “Your sins are forgiven.” (See Mark 2) He knows what people really need. Anyone can live with an ailment; ailments are temporary in light of eternity. We can NOT  live with guilt, shame, grief, and sin. Those things are eternal and need to get cleaned out of our hearts.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

This James 5:16 is not a license to travel the country putting on a faith healing show so people can see what WE can do. This is a passage about getting our hearts right with God so that we can see what HE can do!

Dear God,
I pray for my friend that I’m thinking about who did not properly understand this passage and that she would turn her heart to you once again, this time to be forgiven instead of to get caught up in dramatic experiences. Thank you for the dramatic experiences in our hearts every day as we get to try and be more like your Son that indeed makes us well in every way, takes the focus off of the physical and on to the spiritual, for the spiritual things are what’s eternal. And I thank you for preparing eternity for me and for those who love and trust you. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

PS. The Greek word "sozo" (used in James 1:15 for "healed") means made whole, saved, delivered.