29 October 2014
A Living and Holy Sacrifice
Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice... A living sacrifice is a real and on-going thing. It isn’t theoretical or ideological; it is actually literally and truly happening. For instance, not repaying evil for evil but giving a blessing instead (1 Peter 3:9) is a sacrifice I must actually do not just an idea to agree with or talk about. To be a living sacrifice it’s a sacrifice I make while I’m living.

A holy sacrifice... Holy is what God made me the moment I believed in his Son, Jesus. Holy means set apart, and I must remember that God is the one who set me apart from the rest of the world and put me in the set of people who believe in Jesus, the people whose sins are not being counted against them anymore. And I didn’t get set apart in the holy group by any means of my own from anything I did. Jesus made me holy because of what HE did. So using my body as a holy sacrifice means staying in the set apart group that God put me in the moment I believed.

This is truly the way to worship him... Worship God with who I am. Do the things he says to do (be a living sacrifice), and remain in the set apart group (be holy).

Dear God,
Thank you for making me holy. Thank you for your Holy Spirit living in me giving me the desire and the ability to do what pleases you so that I can be a living sacrifice. I want to belong to you because I love you so much, and I just can’t thank you enough for all you have do for me through your Son, Jesus in whom I pray. Amen.

28 October 2014
Fading Flowers

1 Peter 1:24-25
As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.

People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower... Ok, so beauty is going to go first! I can see that. I already dye my hair and experiment with face creams, yet my life isn’t over yet. The grass in a field does last longer than the flowers that come and go. This Scripture is such a perfect illustration of what happens to us. Life is extremely short in comparison to all eternity. I have seen literally thousands of flowers come and go over the years from the flower bed on our patio. It’s so true; they do not last long at all. Likewise, I’m wearing out too.

But the Word of the Lord remains forever... In comparison to all eternity God’s Word will last, never change, never fade, never be irrelevant, never disappoint, and never disappear. And what the Word of the Lord is IS the Good News about Jesus Christ. He died for my sins so that I could spend eternity with him (John 3:16).

All who believe in HIM will, in fact, not wither and fade forever. He changes our finite lives to eternal ones! And eternal life is extremely eternal in comparison to all eternity. 

So, as my beauty fades and my strength withers, I am energized by the Truth. And the Truth is that I will not be withering and fading forever! 

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! (2 Corinthians 4:17) For Believers it’s our troubles that are going to fade not ourselves because we believe in Jesus. And that is really super Good News!

Dear God,
Thank you for not leaving me a fading flower. Thank you that any trouble or heartache I experience now will be as short lived as the flowers on my patio. Thank you for the promise and the hope and the reality of eternity with YOU because of Your Son, and it is in His name I pray, amen.

21 October 2014
I Choose Joy

Psalm 40:8
I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.

If joy is the result, then the instructions are not dreary. And how did God’s instructions get written on my heart anyway?

Jesus came into the world and died for everyone’s sins, not just the sins of those who have a line of heritage with the original Israelite people. Everyone. So people everywhere know God. Scripture tells us that he is evident all around. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20)

21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23)

The world today is the product of years of people suppressing the truth about God in their hearts and passing that suppression along from generation to generation which is why people are shocked to learn that God’s instructions have been written on our hearts.

But how else do societies draw conclusions and come to agreements about what is and what is not socially acceptable, moral, or illegal? There must be universal code somewhere, albeit very faint...

Jeremiah 31:33-34
“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

And the Psalmist concludes that there is joy attached to knowing we’re doing the right things. I choose joy.

Dear God,
Help me to not ignore what is so clearly evident, not only in nature, but also what is evident in my own heart - you are GREAT and greatly to be praised and I desire to serve you and follow you by obeying you. I love you and thank you for opening my eyes and not letting me be blinded by the indifference to you that has captured the world. I choose you, I choose obedience, and I choose joy. I love you very much and pray in your Son’s name, amen.

15 October 2014
I Have Never Heard of THAT Before!

2 Samuel 7:22
How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!

There are a lot of shocking things going on right now!

People are up in arms over U2's free download on iTunes while the Ebola virus is a real threat, Christians in the middle east are actively and literally being persecuted, bonafide scandals plague the White House, and Common Core Curriculum is going to destroy actual education in our schools. I have never heard of things being so dangerous, scandalous, and illogical in recent history.

We are certainly living in uncertain times.

BUT.

There is something else we’ve never heard of before... We have never even heard of another God like the One True and Living God. He is great and sovereign, and there is no one like HIM! And, thankfully, none of the afore mentioned problems are able to change that!

Dear God,
I’m so glad you are more powerful than any of the powerful problems plaguing society right now. Our country has changed, people’s values have changed, times have changed, but you are just as amazing, mighty, and powerful as you have always been, and I am so glad I can put all my hope and trust in you today as the changing times are really letting me down. I love you and praise you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

14 October 014
The Best Way to get Unbrainwashed

Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

God must have behaviors and customs of his own for me to follow if he so clearly expresses here not to follow the ones around me. That’s hard to wrap my brain around because society is intrenched in it’s ways. It’s like trying to get unbrainwashed. And it’s even harder to try and encourage others to get unbrainwashed too!

Change the way you think... Oh gosh, where do I start??? 

It is so important to really know Scripture in our day and age, otherwise I will think like everyone else even if it betrays all logic and common sense to do so.

For example, our government is not going to keep me safe. It’s obvious by the times we live in, but even more obvious when I know what God’s Word says. Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm (Psalm 20:7-8). 

Another example, society’s opinion of body image is completely inaccurate. God’s Word tells me that I am wonderfully made, a product of marvelous workmanship (Psalm 139:13-14)! Our bodies grow as children without us doing anything about it. We look a certain way in our 20's and then panic in our 30's that we don’t look like we did in our 20's! Why not let our bodies do what they’re going to do and be content? 

And for a very current example: Putting all my hope and faith in the medical profession is INSANE! Doctors have lots of theories and have made great discoveries by the hand of God, but Believers really need to get a grip and remember that no matter how nice a doctor may be, patients are just data to them. It is so common now for everyone to put their hope in medicine for good health instead of remembering that God is the one who sustains us (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). Remember, only 40 years ago DOCTORS were in cigarette commercials!

I could go on and on about everything else including the environment and education. The best way to get unbrainwashed is to know what the Bible really says. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect, and probably 180 degrees away from the behaviors and customs of this world. 

Dear God,
Help me to remember that the current establishments seek to serve themselves; they’re all selling something, trying to get notoriety, or advance an agenda. I want to know what you think I should do. I want to be transformed into a new person by getting unbrainwashed. I want to know YOUR WILL which is not only good but also pleasing and perfect. And people just don’t trust you enough to think so! I don’t want to use my own logic, I want your Will because you are trustworthy, you have no political agenda, and you truly care about every bit of me! I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

10 October 2014
Jumping on Board

Proverbs 19:20-21
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

It’s important to notice the outcome of the advice one receives in order make sure it is wise to follow. For example, when my husband was young he instructed his little sister to do all kinds of things like, “Put this pin in this electrical outlet...” The jolt and the crying that ensued was simply data he was collecting for his own purposes, and his sister learned quickly not to do what he said. I guess you could say they both gained wisdom from the incident, but ouch.

Consider the source of instruction. Is the instruction actually wise? Paul expands on this Proverb in Hebrews 13:7. Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Getting advice and instruction from a person with theories is one thing, getting advice and instruction from one with experience is totally different. 

Consider the outcome... The Lord’s purpose will prevail... Is the outcome of the advice going to further my human understanding, my limited imagination, and my finite solutions, or is the outcome going to lead me to see God’s perfect knowledge revealed with his unlimited imagination and infinite problem solving capabilities?

You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail... I may act like I know everything or follow the advice of someone who thinks they do, but no one has the ability to trump God. His will is being done. Yet we are not God’s pons, but we aren’t his thwart-ers either. His will and purposes are not dependent upon everyone jumping on board. But we can see by those who have gone before us that jumping on board IS the wisest thing to do!

Dear God,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and instruction with me in your Word. Thank you for helping me and for giving me the desire and the ability to do what pleases you. Help me to have wisdom and joy today. I love you and praise you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

7 October 2014
When Only One Thing Will Do

Psalm 63:1
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

When a  craving can’t quite be satisfied, an itch can’t be scratched, and a  hankering that can’t be hanked, our satisfaction becomes noticeably limited.  

When I was pregnant with my first kid, I ate at a Boston Market (they were everywhere in the late 90's). The baby found the mashed potatoes quite agreeable. Well, there wasn’t a Boston Market by our house, and I literally lived every single day waiting for the opportunity to drive about an hour to the nearest one in San Diego. I probably didn’t pay too much attention at work that week, and I just wanted night to hurry and come each afternoon so I could get another day closer to the weekend and free time to get me to some more mashed potatoes.

Ahhhh, the only thing that satisfied. Everything else I tried to eat during that week just was not satisfying and did not do - only mashed potatoes from Boston Market an hour away (until the baby decided to crave something else and I couldn’t even look at those mashed potatoes anymore.) Crazy baby. But I still remember those days when literally only ONE thing would do.

There are hankerings in my heart that truly only are satisfied with One thing. Society tries to tell us differently. A new husband, a new job, a new location, a new pair of shoes... But these things do not do what we truly want them to do in our lives. I’m better off sticking with the old husband, the current job, the present location, and the out of date shoes and paying attention to the real Source that really meets my really real needs.

Jesus. He said that he is the only One who can give me a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10). Trying to get a rich and satisfying life from a person, career, city, or foot apparel will not scratch the itch in my heart to have peace, forgiveness, love, comfort, joy, and belonging.

In this parched and weary land where there is no water... There isn’t what I need here. But see what David goes on to say in verse 3: Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! Turning to God for all my needs is exactly what I need, and it’s better than anything life on earth has to offer including really super cute new pair of shoes!

Dear God,
Thank you that you provide exactly what I need while I still live in a world that only offers distractions. Thank you for making you and all that comes with YOU available to me now. I also want to just thank you and praise you that one day all my “itches” will be completely “scratched.” You promise to right every wrong (Psalm 103:6) and wipe every tear (Revelation 21:4). That sounds very satisfying and wonderful. I love you so much and I thank you and praise you for your presence in my life. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

10 October 2014
A Rock is a Rock

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Trust in the Lord always... The only way I can do something always is if that thing is always the same. There is no circumstance that wouldn’t be cause for trusting in the Lord. I can always trust in him for everything, and here’s why: He doesn’t change.

Hebrews 13:8-9
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace... New ideas change, that makes them unreliable. But Jesus doesn’t change, and that is why we trust in him. He was trustworthy yesterday, so he will be trustworthy today and tomorrow and the tomorrows to come!

Trusting in and relying on something other than the One who never changes is as foolish as hoping that an ice cube won’t change its form of matter once it leaves the freezer. Trusting in money, favorable circumstances, and even in other people is like trusting unstable forms of matter won’t change. Money loses it’s value (or simply disappears), circumstances and status change, and people move away, get older, lose health and availability, and some even change their feelings about the ones they used to care about. Like ice to water. Not reliable. Not trustworthy.

For the Lord God is the eternal Rock... Comparing Jesus to a rock not only illustrates his strength but also illustrates the fact that Jesus is who he is all the time because so is a rock. A rock doesn’t change from a solid to a liquid or gas like other elements. Even if you bust up a rock with a sledge hammer all you have afterwards is a bunch of pieces of the same matter, just smaller. The rock is the rock.

Dear God,
Thank you for being strong, faithful, never- changing, and reliable. Help me to remember that you are to be trusted in FIRST and ALWAYS, for I do not want to fall into the trap of trusting in other people or money, status, or anything else for help or for a rich and satisfying life. That would be like trusting in matter that can be transformed into another form of matter. But you are like a rock, stable, reliable, secure. I love you and I love knowing these truths about you are true and good, and I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

3 October 2014
Really Matters

Philippians 1:10
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.

There are some things in life that just do not matter. 

I saw a facebook post the other day stating that the older a person gets the things they want for Christmas can’t be bought in a store. It’s true. Grandparents rarely whine for a toy or electronic gadget under the tree, and they never say, “Is that it?” after the presents have been opened. It sounds like with age and maturity we learn what really matters at Christmastime. Being together as a family and being healthy enough to enjoy it is what really matters at Christmas. Toys just do not matter.

This insight applies to more than just Christmas. As Believers, there are situations and activities that just don’t matter. Getting caught up in worries, status, and accumulation is like a granny pouting over opening the wrong dolly for Christmas. It’s unbecoming, it doesn’t happen (at least it shouldn’t), it is not the product of maturity.

Similarly, I can pursue maturity in Christ by obeying and trusting him every single day. Then, there will be stuff that I put away and just don’t do because it would be unbecoming of a Believer to get caught up in things that do not really matter. For, Hebrews 6:1 encourages Believers to become mature in our understanding not to revert to our pre-Christ existence. 

Colossians 3:1-5
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Dear God,
Help me to know what really matters today. Thank you that I am enjoying  good health, my family, your blessings, and being content with what we have. I love you so much and I love the great relief not being consumed with things that just don’t matter. Thank you for showing me your Word and your Will. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.