​19 September 2016
#@%&*$!
Ephesians 4:29
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

There are people who like to reduce God to just a rule maker who punishes rule breakers. They want to understand and control the One who is beyond both, so they make God very small in their minds. For instance, their take away from this passage would be, “Don’t swear.” Thankfully, Jesus elaborates on this and we know why swearing is unbecoming in Matthew 5. But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;  or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (v.34-37)

Don’t use foul or abusive language... Not the same as swearing even though “swear words” are used. What’s wrong with a few expletives?  Let everything you say be good and helpful... Good and helpful means there’s a conversation going on here. So that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them... It doesn’t sound like someone just hit their thumb with a hammer alone in their garage, does it? This is directions for a Believer in a full blown conversation with another person.

God is not a hall monitor. I dropped a very heavy object directly on my big toe once that turned it purple and black for a year. At the moment of impact, there was swearing and praying. Both. And I am still saved.

In this passage, Paul is telling us how to communicate effectively and how to share our faith with others, correct someone, or debate – all things that will come up in the life of a Believer as we interact with all kinds of people. We’ll be called upon to defend the Truth and defend our Faith. These conversations can get heated, and it’s much harder to get a godly point across with heated words mixed in. Don’t use foul and abusive language to get a point across; it doesn’t work.

My husband knows a guy on facebook who says he doesn’t go to church because sometimes his speech is salty. Well, he’s welcome to come to our church where we haven’t reduced God to hall monitor status. God is big. And he gave us instructions on how to effectively communicate important things and be the voice of reason for others without using hot words in order that our words would be received. He knows, a CARPENTER knows, what hitting your thumb with a hammer feels like and is not out to get anyone for responding to that!

Dear God,
Thank you that you are big, Big, BIG! Thank you that you don’t keep a watchful eye on me waiting for me to mess up but because you LOVE me, care for me, and protect me. Thank you for giving me specific instructions in your Word on how to express myself to others, and THANK YOU that you never hold it against me for expressing myself to you. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​17 September 2016
Real Love
Ephesians 5:1
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

This verse immediately makes me think of my friend’s son when he was a little boy. He began tucking in  his shirt into his pants all the time. And since he was only 4 he did not do it right; he cinched the waistband up super high to make sure the shirt wouldn’t untuck. It was not very a flattering look and was extremely amusing. In addition, his parents were wealthy and “hip” so unflattering and amusing were not the looks they were trying to achieve with his expensive and trendy wardrobe. Several times a day my friend would untuck his shirt for him, but next thing you know  he was sporting his preferred Tweedle-Dum look again. This went on for several days several times a day. It was hilarious. Finally, his mom asked him why he tucks his shirts in all the time. He said he does it because Daddy does it. And that was true and so obvious; I don’t know why it didn’t occur to us before! His dad was a business man who wore a suit with a tucked in shirt every single day. Little dude was just imitating his dad. Isn’t that adorable?

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children... My friend’s son is dearly loved. He tucked his shirts in because that’s what the one he is loved by so much did with his shirt. He was not tucking in his shirt to be loved by his dad. He was loved and adored by his dad long before he started tucking in his shirt to be like him. Imitating him was the result of the dad’s love to the son, not the other way around.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children... I think some people have a misconception of what Believers are doing when we imitate Christ; it is not for show or in order to get something from God. This passage is not saying, “Hey, you’re a child of God, start acting like it!” anymore than my friend’s husband ever said, “Hey, you’re my son, and we tuck our shirts in around here, boy!” No. Being dearly loved is an amazing thing, and the Believers who realize that our Dad is crazy about us, adores us, blesses us, and loves us without condition emulate that. This relationship changes what we would otherwise normally do and say. My Dad loves me so much; I want to copy that because I want THAT around me all the time. I do not follow God to get him to love me; I follow him because he already does!

1 John 4:9-10
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

PS. My friend’s son is now 21 years old and a fine dresser!

Dear God,
Thank you so much for how much you love me. It is immense. Thank you that I have never had to do anything to gain your love; you just give it, and you love me exactly like I am. It’s incredible. Thank you so much. I do want to be like you. Thank you for your Holy Spirit giving me the ability and the desire to  do just that, and I love you and  pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

7 September 2016
Praying for my Friends
Colossians 1:11-12
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father...

This is how we can pray for others. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who has a chronic, annoying illness. She always asks me to pray for her, and I always do anyway, but she still hasn’t any relief from this reoccurring health issue lately. It’s also important to remember that God doesn’t whisk us away from all of our problems and infirmities when he saves us; he does what this verse says so the whole world can see that Believers get pressed but not crushed (see 2 Corinthians 4:8-9) because of the strength, endurance, patience and joy God gives us when we pray when, by all human standards, we shouldn’t have any of those things.

Praying for our loved ones is the most productive thing we can do for them to demonstrate our love for them. God hears and answers every prayer. And he is not a human that he should answer prayers like Santa Claus would. He is almighty, so he imparts his might to us all the time when we see our need and pray. And what we really need is his strength to get through all the things people go through in life.

King David noticed this about God and wrote about it in Psalm 138:3...
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.

The second we pray for ourselves or someone else and the struggles we’re dealing with, God answers affirmatively immediately and gives us the strength we need to endure, and he adds patience and joy to it as well. We might need to pray again 2 minutes later, but it will happen again. God is faithful and this is what he does. It’s fabulous!

So I pray for my friends all the time like this. Sometimes their circumstances change and sometimes they don’t. But they make it through because every bit of prayer provides every bit of strength they need for the moment because God is mighty and he has plenty to share.

Dear God,
I pray for my friend who isn’t feeling well. Help her to endure today, and thank you for her example to me of having such joy and thankfulness during her physical discomfort. You prove to me every day that what I believe about you is true and show me yourself. Thank you for the moment by moment strength you provide for me when I am pressed and thank you that I’ve never been crushed and that all who trust in you will never be ashamed or embarrassed for having trusted you. You are so faithful and wonderful and I love you so much, and I thank you in Jesus’ name, amen.

​5 September 2016
The End of the Lesson
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This passage is well known to Believers because it is the last walking instructions Jesus gives. These are, indeed, very important words for us. As a teacher, I think the most important thing to ask at the end of a lesson is What was your favorite part? It does not diminish the importance of any other part of the lesson to ask someone: What stuck out to you the most? And there is no incorrect answer.

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age... That’s my favorite part of this instruction; it struck me the most. In this passage, I do love the direction, the logical progression of thought, and the command. But the ASSURANCE that he adds at the end is my FAVORITE part.

And be sure of this... Take it to the bank! Count on it! It is both comforting and reassuring knowing that someone who holds incredible power makes an absolute statement. There is no way that what he is about to say next isn’t absolutely positively going to happen!

I am with you always, even to the end of the age... He is capable, able and willing to never ever be absent from me – not only for right now but for forever. He is always with me regardless of my situation, attitude, or position. No one else can make that kind of guarantee. Because of this promise, I am never alone, never lonely, never unloved. And that is why those are my favorite words from the lesson.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for promising to be with me and doing what you’ve promised. I love you so much, and I love the comfort and assurance of you words. I love that at the end of your instructions you give me such a reliable reminder that enables me to know you are with me giving me the desire and ability to do all the things you’ve said. You are with me all the time, so I am never lonely or unloved. Thank you, Jesus, thank you so much, and I pray in your name, amen.

​1 September 2016
Homeschool 101
Proverbs 22:6
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Everyone does this. No one allows their children to play in traffic. No one allows their children to eat sugary cereal all day long. No one allows their children brawl over toys or watch tv all day long. We direct our children’s paths all the time. Not teaching my children about God and his Ways would be like letting them play in traffic.

Pastor Dean says all the time that if we don’t instruct our children morally then we’re the only ones because the whole world is out to tell them what to think, do, buy and believe. In our home, we tell our kids about God because we LOVE them not because we’re control freaks trying to brainwash them.

I’ve shared my testimony many times that my parents were faithful to teach us about God right from the day we were born, and that it didn’t take long for me to realize as a little girl that I follow Jesus because I want to not because anyone made me. I am thankful for my parents direction.

I also view this passage as huge plug for homeschooling. No one else on the planet is as concerned as I am about my own kids. Somehow, the public schools today have become linked with ungodliness, faulty logic and immorality. In my opinion, with the internet and thriving library systems, I see no reason to support the broken system that is the modern day public school. The Bible right here tells us in this passage that we are perfectly capable to direct, teach & instruct our own children thereby greatly reducing the number of sources that desire to influence their path.

Dear God,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to teach our kids about you and to teach our kids all the time. I pray for the parents I know who are struggling with schools that are really letting them down. Help them to know that they are perfectly capable of instructing their kids themselves and that at just the right time in history when the internet has contributed to the moral problems that it can also be part of the solution as far as education is concerned. Help Believers to use the resources we have in our day and age for good and to make influencing their own children their priority and not just throw up their hands while society grows all the more immoral and evil. And thank you that the result of a child who has been trained to obey and love you grows up to be an adult who loves and obeys you and stands strong against the evils of the world. You plans are good and perfect, and I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

PS For homeschooling ideas for elementary students click here.