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Beyond Fear

“. . . for the believer, fear is always God-forgetful. If God is sovereign and his rule is complete, wise, righteous, and good, why would you fear?” – Paul David Tripp

How do you think God reacts when we are constantly stressed and worried? When I go to him with my troubles, I often find soothing words in the Bible, or I sense his tender care toward me. He responds to our fears, but I found out recently that, at some point, he seems to think we should develop enough spiritual confidence to get beyond fear.

I had been lying in bed worried about stuff (you probably understand). Then I prayed, giving it over to God. And I fell asleep. About two hours later, I was wide awake – thinking about everything that challenged me and assuming the worst possible outcomes.

Before I could even begin to pray about it all (again!), I sensed these words in my head, “Don’t you dare be anxious. After all I’ve done to prove my presence in your life, you have no right, no cause, to be anxious.” Hey, where was that tender touch, that reassurance, that sympathetic response? God was challenging me to grow up spiritually. To learn to really trust him.

Then I remembered when Jesus and the disciples were in a boat and a violent storm came up. When the men called frantically to the sleeping Jesus, he didn’t say “Don’t worry, guys, I’ve got this.” No. He said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Kind of what he said to me. He wants us to grow up spiritually. And the true test of that is whether we really trust him or not.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise-
in God I trust and am not afraid.”
– Psalm 56:3-4a

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Looking for change?

“It’s much less demanding to think about God’s will for your future than it is to ask him what he wants you to do in the next ten minutes.” – Francis Chan

Do you realize how often in the Bible we read stories of instant change?

Think of the man born blind who was made to see. Do you think he thought that would happen when he woke up that morning?

Or of the Samaritan woman who, after just one conversation with Jesus, announced him as Messiah to the people of her town who had condemned her life choices. He even came into the village with her and stayed for a few days. She went from outcast to heroine instantly.

Or of the people of Israel, under enemy siege and out of food, barely surviving on scraps. Two lepers found the enemy camp hastily deserted, leaving an abundance of food behind. They went from starvation to plenty in one instant. From despair to joy. No one saw that coming.

As we look back on our lives, we sometimes can identify meeting someone who changed our life. Or making a small decision that had big consequences. Or having an opportunity we never could have anticipated. These turning points have happened to all of us.

So if you are feeling stuck now or in a rut or disappointed with the way things have turned out for you, don’t despair. God can intervene. We just need to watch for his hand and his guidance as we go through our days. Sometimes God’s changes are slow, sometimes fast, but there’s always a turning point. Today may be the day when everything changes!

“Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:1

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It’s a family thing.

“Father is the Christian name for God.” – J. I. Packer

We all have an idealized picture of what a good family should be like. It’s where we are loved, accepted, corrected, and encouraged. It is where we’re secure and confident. While every earthly family falls short of that, there is a spiritual family designed to meet every one of those desires. Let’s look –

On the cross Jesus paid the debt we owed for our sins and he offers us forgiveness. That is an astounding gift. But it doesn’t stop there. The cross was the first step in God’s ultimate goal for us – that we be adopted into the family of God. It’s not a perfect family yet, but this family does have a perfect Father and we are his kids.

J. I. Packer in his book Knowing God teaches that having God as our Father means that, much as a good earthly father, he has authority over us, he has affection for us, and he provides for us.

Unlike earthly fathers, he is all-wise and all-sufficient. He will never steer us wrong and he will never run out of resources with which to help us.

Having God as our Father also means that we can approach him without fear and we have the honor of carrying his name. We are children of the King – forever. That should make us all smile – and relax!

Whatever our circumstances today, we know we have a Father who loves us, who will never leave us, and who will provide for us from his endless resources. It’s good to be adopted into God’s family!

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” – Galatians 4:4-5

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Thirsty?

“Knowledge about Him will not do. Work for Him will not do. We must have personal, vital fellowship with Him; otherwise, Christianity becomes a joyless burden” – John Piper

When I talk to friends who are more health conscious than I am, they always encourage me to drink more water. Apparently, water lubricates joints, is necessary for digestion, delivers oxygen throughout our cells, makes healthy skin, regulates body temperature and blood pressure. We need water, and when we don’t have enough, our body calls for it by making us thirsty.

Thirst is typified in the Bible as a longing for God. The psalmist said it this way: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Do our souls thirst for God? If things are going OK, we just move along sipping here and there, but not really feeling the thirst. That’s when he may take us to the desert for a time so we will begin to thirst again.

I have a friend in the desert right now. She’s not sure how she got there; the journey there was just a little at a time. She’s beginning to feel God’s absence, his quietness, and she wants to sense that connection again. She’s getting thirsty!

God wants us to want him. He wants us to be dependent on him, to know how much we need him. And we do need him, but we don’t always realize our great our need is. The desert, as much as we resist it, creates the thirst that will bring us back to the still waters. He is leading us there.

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.– Psalm 63:1

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Direction, not Perfection

“Hope in God, who is not the God of the perfect only, but of the becoming.” — George MacDonald

Don’t we all sometimes think that we want to be further along in our spiritual life than we are already? That God must sometimes shake his head in disapproval of our spiritual status? That maybe he’s getting impatient with us? If so, read on for some encouragement.

The people of Israel had wandered away from God for many years. King Hezekiah cleaned up the temple and wanted to call the people back to worship. So he scheduled a Passover celebration, an annual commemorative feast commanded by God, but that had not been kept in years.

People began to come to Jerusalem for the celebration. But when Hezekiah realized that some of the people had not done the proper spiritual preparation which was required to participate, he was worried. He didn’t want them to be excluded, but he didn’t want God to reject them either. So he decided to pray.

Hezekiah said, “’May the Lord, who is good, pardon those  who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.’ And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people” (2 Chronicles 30:19-20).

Do you see God’s response to Hezekiah’s bold request? He accepted and blessed those whose hearts were turned toward him. They didn’t have to have followed the rules perfectly, they just had to have the desire to please him. He would forgive what needed to be forgiven.

What an encouragement! We don’t have to be perfect to be blessed by God, we just have to be pointed in the right direction and moving toward him. That’s what he wants.

“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” – Psalm 25:4

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Somebody doesn’t like me.

“You can love without agreeing with someone. You can disagree without hating them.” – Tim Keller

There are many reasons someone might be critical of us: They disagree with our decisions. They feel hurt by something we said or did. They are of a different political persuasion than we are. Or there is just a conflict between two differing personalities.

Getting others to like us is not the primary goal of life. Not everyone liked Jesus. Some hated him enough to hire witnesses to lie about him so he would be sentenced to die. Not everyone liked King David, or Joseph, or Daniel. . .

So what do we do when someone expresses anger toward us or just doesn’t like us?

If we have hurt them, we should seek forgiveness. Sometimes we are the forgiver and sometimes the forgiven, often it’s both: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

If it’s a difference of opinion about lifestyle, leadership, or politics, we should agree to disagree and continue in a respectful relationship: “. . . let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall” (Romans 14:13).

If these approaches don’t bring peace, we should give it all to God and move on. “Never pay back evil with more evil. . . Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:17-18).

We should try to live in harmony with others, especially with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should address conflicts, pray for one another, and grow in our relationship with God. He is the one we want to please the most.

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8

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A Big World. A Big God

“God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself.” – John Piper

Have you been looking at some of the pictures of space and stars and galaxies that are being captured by the James Webb Space Telescope? They are revealing . . .

. . . the vastness of the universe – bigger than we thought it was, endless maybe.

. . . the details of the universe – like icy compounds of complex organic molecules that scientists can identify from millions of miles away.

. . . the beauty of the universe that inspires awe just because it is there in dramatic expanse and color.

Then we think about the God who created it. The creator is greater than the creation. How limitless our God must be in terms of his mind, power, and authority. The more we learn about the universe, the more we stand in awe of him.

And that leads to something else:

When we stop to think about how great God is, we begin to understand that we can’t demand anything of him. We can’t control or manipulate him. And we are wise not to be angry at him or disappointed in him. Who are we compared to God? Who are we to question him? To second guess him? The universe, as it unfolds before us, invites us to do one thing: Worship the one who created it.

We will never completely understand God and his nature, but the more we allow ourselves to ponder his greatness, the more we will learn to depend on him and trust him and, eventually, to love him. We don’t have to understand everything. We just have to receive what he offers of himself and his gifts. And that is enough.

“These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power.” – Job 26:14

Photo of Saturn from NASA’s website, taken from the James Webb Space Telescope, 2024.

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Care and Feeding of the Soul

“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing” – C. S. Lewis

We focus a lot on our bodies. We try to exercise, eat good food, get enough sleep, and take the right supplements. Why do we do these things? So our bodies will be healthy, our organs will be free to do what they were designed to do, we’ll have less pain, we’ll live longer, and we’ll be useful. On the other hand, there are practices that will destroy our bodies: addictions, inactivity, poor diet, and stress, to name a few.

Just as there are healthy practices for our bodies, there are healthy practices for our souls. We can feed our souls by reading and meditating on the Bible, slowing our pace, and spending time with others who are also feeding their souls. We can exercise our souls by worshipping God and by loving others. We can undergird our soul health with sincere prayers to the one who created us and who is preparing a place for us to be with him forever.

Caution: Just as with our bodies, there are things that can damage our souls: Lies, evil influences through people or media, hardheartedness toward others, bad attitudes, and neglect of God. Run from those!

God wants us to take care of our bodies. He made us, and caring for ourselves honors him. But, if we want to be happy and to live meaningful lives, we must not neglect our souls. A sick body with a healthy soul is at peace. A healthy body with a sick soul will never be satisfied. Do we need to adjust some priorities?

 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:8

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I don’t want to bother God about this.

“It is but a small thing for Me, thy God, to help thee.” – Charles Spurgeon

Do you ever hesitate to pray about something because it’s just too little a thing to bother him about? Or too big to ask for? Or because you don’t deserve his help? I think we’ve all been there.

Then I read this (below). It was as if a switch was flipped, and I had an entirely different perspective of what God thinks of my human requests. This is from Charles Spurgeon. He lived a long time ago, so you’ll have to put up with some “thee’s” and “thou’s”, but take a deep breath and read what he sees as God’s response when we ask for help:

Consider what I have done already. What! Not help thee?

Why, I bought thee with my blood. What! Not help thee? I have died for thee, and if I have done the greater, will I not do the less?

Help thee! It is the least thing I will ever do for thee. I have done more and will do more.

Before the world began, I chose thee . . . I laid aside my glory and became a man for thee; I gave my life for thee; and if I did all this, I will surely help thee now.”

Wow, right? What we think is too much to ask of God is a small thing to him. If he loved us enough to save us, won’t he love us enough to listen to every prayer, no matter how big or small? Won’t he love us enough to give the answer to our prayers that will ultimately be the best thing for us? Yes.

So, let’s ask!

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” – Psalm 145:18

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Adventuring

“. . .if you have not been enchanted by this adventure – your life – what would do for you?” – Mary Oliver

Do you ever just pause and consider the wonder of living? The amazing fact that we are alive, breathing, thinking, seeing, processing, planning, eating, talking, sleeping, and waking? It’s an adventure walking through this life with God. We trust him, we know he has our best interest at heart, and we know that, no matter what, he is with us.

But, someone reading this is saying, “Adventure? But, I have big problems.” Yup. There are problems. As I was taught by a friend many years ago, “Problems are opportunities.” Opportunities to grow, to be courageous, to prove ourselves, to learn, and to know the joy that comes at the end of the struggle.

Attitude plays a big part in living an adventurous life. Every person on this planet has problems, it’s just that some people’s issues are more visible than others. We get to choose how to face life – with joy and anticipation and trust in our all-powerful, all-wise Father or with dissatisfaction and fear, thinking we have to control everything ourselves.

What is it that would make us truly joyful about the life we are living? I believe it is when we walk in lockstep with Jesus, following him and his teaching, believing he is preparing a place for us, and trusting that everything that happens to us has a benefit we cannot see. That’s trust. Faith. Confidence in the One who is in control. As we learn to do this, it becomes easier, and life, even with problems, turns into an adventure!

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” – 1 Peter 1:8

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Spiritual Boost

“A spiritual life requires human effort. The forces that keep pulling us back into a worry-filled life are far from easy to overcome.” — Henri Nouwen

Have you ever felt your spiritual life growing cold? The fire you once felt is now just embers? Here are some practices that help me when I feel that way:

  1. Gratitude: One of the easiest antidotes for spiritual stagnation is thanksgiving. It sparks the life of the Spirit. Every. Single. Time.
  2. Solitude: This means removing distractions – whether those distractions are work or people or cell phones. A vibrant spiritual life depends on time alone with God.
  3. Fasting: Traditionally, this means giving up food for a specified time to allow for more focus on the eternal matters of life. It can also mean fasting from anything that seems to draw us into excess.
  4. Spiritual friends: I have a friend who sometimes says, “Do you want to get together next week?” When she does, I find time because I know she wants to meet in a quiet place to talk about spiritual matters and pray together. We all need friends like her.
  5. Worship: It doesn’t have to be in a church. We can worship in a quiet place at home, or on a walk, or while driving the car – anywhere we can think about the absolute wonder of God, enjoy his presence, praise him with words or song. Worship wakes us to the awe-filled mystery of being in relationship with our Creator.

The Holy Spirit is often depicted as fire. The practices listed here will invite the Spirit to reignite our love for God and others. And there is amazing joy and excitement when he does!

“. . . I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you. . .” – from 2 Timothy 1:6

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Can’t win the battle?

“God helps those who cannot help themselves.” – Charles Spurgeon

Do you feel like you’re trapped in a situation you can’t find your way out of? Or that everything’s going wrong and you can’t seem to stop it? Sometimes we just feel helpless!

The people of Judah felt that way, too, when scouts returned with the terrifying message that a huge army was heading their way and they were about to be attacked. King Jehoshaphat called all the people together and began to pray. He reminded God of their powerlessness against such a great army and then said this: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12b).

A prophet was then inspired to tell them to go to the watchtower the next morning and wait. Here’s what they saw: Another army came in and ambushed the army that was about to attack Judah. Instead of moving toward Jerusalem, they fought each other. Many were killed. Others fled. God intervened and the threat was gone. Just like that!

When we’re struggling and getting nowhere, we need to acknowledge our helplessness. Then we redirect our eyes away from the struggle where all we see is darkness and all we feel is fear. If we can turn our eyes to God, hope will replace fear and light will come. God’s strength is always there, but usually we don’t see it in action until we realize we have no hope without him.

So, let’s not sit around worrying. Let’s admit our helplessness to make any lasting change and then plead with him to fight for us and to lead us to the light. Now let’s step back and see what he will do.

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:10

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True or False?

“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” – Blaise Pascal

I read once that when law enforcement officers train business owners to recognize counterfeit bills, they don’t spend any time looking at the counterfeits. Instead, they study a real bill, implanting every detail in their brains. Why? Because if they know what the real thing looks like, feels like, and smells like, they won’t be fooled by something that’s close, but counterfeit.

It’s one thing to be deceived about the validity of paper money; it’s quite another to be misled about matters of eternal consequence. The place we go to for truth we can rely on is God’s Word. The Bible is God’s revelation of ultimate truths about our purpose in this world, his character and standards, how we should relate to other human beings, how and why we should take care of the earth, and life after death. It really matters that we get those things right!

There are many theories out there about these issues, but there’s only one source of truth by which we measure everything else we hear, see, or read. If the message syncs with what God says, it’s truth. If it varies, even a little bit, it’s false. It’s of ultimate importance to know the difference.

The only way not to be misled, is for us to immerse ourselves, first of all, in reading and studying God’s Word. Then we can supplement that by listening to trusted biblical teachers and reading reliable Christian authors. When we have the truth firmly implanted in our minds and hearts, it will be easy to see and discard the counterfeits.

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” – Psalm 25:5

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How do you treat a friend?

 A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend.– Dwight L. Moody

Years ago, a simple statement transformed my thinking. A. W. Tozer wrote, “God is a person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can.” I read that and began to think about how I treat people with whom I’d like a relationship.

First, I’m willing to spend time with them. Eventually, we both begin to share things close to our hearts – ideas we were pondering, spiritual struggles, family, hopes, fears. Over time, those shared concerns create a loving bond.

So, I began to do that with God. As I went through my days, I talked to him about family, worries, struggles, and dreams. I knew he was listening and felt him near. I read his word so I could get his responses to the things I brought up during the days and nights of our conversations. In short, I learned to spend time with him as I would do with any friend.

Then Tozer said, “God is a person, and in the deep of his mighty nature, he thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires, and suffers as any other person may.” If God has feelings similar to humans, how should I treat him? If a supposed friend ignored me or didn’t return my calls, that would be hurtful. If, though, that friend loved me, listened to me, or followed my advice, I would be pleased. I decided I wanted to do and say only things that would give him pleasure.

A lot changed for me when I began to think of God as a friend. It can for you, too. Just hang out with him, include him in everything, and enjoy his company. You’ll both like it.

“Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” – Exodus 33:11

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The True God

“Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle . . . will you know that you have gotten hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination.” – Timothy Keller

Sometimes when we’re reading a Bible passage, we just have to stop and say, “What?” I feel that way when I read about God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, who was supposed to be the one through whom God would fulfill all the promises he had made to Abraham. What could God be thinking?

Then I realize that the fact that we don’t know what God was thinking reinforces his deity. His thoughts are way beyond any we could think. His purposes are often hidden and we don’t understand what he’s up to. He is far beyond our human ability to imagine or understand.

God has revealed a lot about himself in the Bible. But not everything – not even close.

We read about other gods like those in mythology. These are gods that are like exaggerated humans, with human characteristics and idiosyncracies. We can see how a human could imagine a Zeus or a Hercules.

The God we know is different from gods of human imagination. He’s not like a giant or exaggerated human. He is, as the theologians say, totally “other” – different from us in every way. And because mere humans could never have dreamed up a god like our God, that makes his reality more trustworthy. Not being able to understand him completely is part of our assurance that he is the real, the revealed, the only God of the universe.

So, instead of objecting to his decisions or direction, I am learning to trust that he is God. And he is good. That may be enough to know for now.

“. . . great things he does, which we cannot comprehend.” – Job 37:5

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Extraordinary Things

“Jesus was God spelling himself out in language humanity could understand.” – S. D. Gordon

I don’t think we are supposed to live ordinary lives. Why? Because we follow Jesus and, because of him, we have a chance of participating in the extraordinary every day. There’s a great example of this told in the gospels.

Jesus was teaching, and people had comes from miles around to hear him. Some caring friends brought in a paralyzed man. They had come in through the roof because the crowds made it impossible to get close to Jesus any other way.

Jesus looked at this man who couldn’t walk and told him his sins were forgiven. Who says things like that? The religious leaders who were watching knew exactly who says things like that – they knew he was claiming to be God.

Then Jesus healed the paralytic, who promptly got up off his mat and walked!

And then we read about the reaction of the crowd: “. . . amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today’.” (Luke 5:26)

The One we follow still teaches – through the Bible, other Christians, and in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Crowds are still following him from all over the world. Jesus still forgives sins. He still is God who came in the flesh so we could be with him forever. He still works miracles. These are all things that should amaze us every day!

Lord, I want to live close enough to you to see extraordinary things – to participate in them, to know you through them, and to share, with anyone who will listen, who you are. With you, no life will ever be ordinary!

“We have seen extraordinary things today.” – Luke 5:26b

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Very Present

“A sense of the divine presence and indwelling bears the soul towards heaven as upon the wings of eagles. At such times we are full to the brim with spiritual joy, and forget the cares and sorrows of earth; the invisible is near, and the visible loses its power over us.” – Charles Spurgeon

I had one of those situations recently: Someone I was working with had frustrated me – again – with an issue I thought had been resolved. I was upset, angry even, to the extent that I couldn’t sleep. So I lay in bed praying a really simple prayer, “I need you, Lord.” Then a few minutes later I got more deeply theological, “Help me!”

Soon this verse came to mind: “God is my refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Did you ever think about what it means to be “very present” to someone? I found out that night. It meant that he listened. I sensed he was attentive, he heard what was underneath my complaints, he was empathetic to my frustration.

Then he calmed me. I felt better just knowing he was there, that he cared and understood. And, over time, he directed my steps: After on-and-off praying and sensing his nearness all night, I awoke with a plan for how to address the problem.

My heavenly Father was very present in my time of trouble. The problem didn’t go away, but I got something better: I had God’s attention, his peace, and his direction. His very presence.

If you are in deep distress now, know that he is there for you, too. He’s just waiting for your own version of the “help me” prayer.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11

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No control!

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” – Corrie Ten Boom

At times, we have all found ourselves in impossible situations, and life seemed out of control. I hate those times, but they do teach us something about trusting God.

Have you ever thought about the kind of faith Noah and his family must have had while they were in the ark? They were locked in – God himself shut the door. Might that not feel a little claustrophobic? Some of us understand that feeling!

They didn’t know how long they’d be there. Have you ever asked God, “how long?” When will you take care of this problem for me? How long do I have to suffer or wait?

They probably didn’t have a picture window on the world around them – they could see very little and actually had to send out birds to find out if the land had dried up yet. We want to see, to understand, to know,so we pray for God to reveal his plan and what he is doing in the world. But he doesn’t seem to answer.

Worst of all, they couldn’t steer the ark. They just had to float along wherever the floods took them. If they had known what would eventually happen with the Titanic, they might have been afraid of crashing into an underwater mountain peak.

We sometimes feel like we have very little control over what is happening to us. We have no steering wheel, no way to see clearly, no understanding about how God will see us through. In these situations we can do one of two things: We can fight against our situation with worry, anxiety, and useless activity, or we can consciously, intentionally give it to God, and trust he has a plan for our ark.

” . . . to you the helpless commits himself.” – from Psalm 10:14

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Doing, being, becoming

“To fail to see the value of simply being with God and ‘doing nothing’ is to miss the heart of Christianity.” – Peter Scazzero

Have you set goals for 2024? Many of us have. We want to set our sights on what we can accomplish before another new year dawns. Many of the self-help books tell us to set goals that will challenge us – “dream big”, they say.  I think it’s good to keep reaching, to want to achieve, but most of us will get to the end of this year with some goals that are unfinished, unreached. What do we do with that?

Maybe we need a little balance: Striving and achieving, yes. But, maybe more importantly, being and becoming.

Here’s why: Some year, we’ll set our goals for the last time and we don’t know when that will be. So wisdom tells me that part of our planning this year should include becoming. Becoming more peaceful and less anxious, more loving and more generous, quieter and wiser, becoming more like Jesus. There will always be goals and plans that are unfinished! If we wait to get them all done before we focus on our personal and spiritual growth, we will never give ourselves permission or opportunity to become.

Let’s  go for it with goals for 2024. We can work hard, achieve, and glorify God in the process. But, at some time each day and for longer times on non-work days, let’s stop doing to spend time with God: talking to him, walking with him, reading his book, singing him songs, listening for his voice. These will open the door to becoming who God created us to be. Then we’ll know that it may be OK if lesser goals remain unfinished.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.” – Psalm 62:5

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Need grace?

“Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.” – John Stott

I’ve heard it said the Old Testament is about law and the New Testament is about grace. Funny, though, but the more I read the Old Testament, the more I see grace there, too. Example:

After King Hezekiah restored the temple (2 Chronicles 30), he called the people to come to celebrate Passover. It wasn’t in the right month. Would God allow that? There were those who had not properly consecrated themselves. What to do? God had struck people dead for what seemed like lesser offenses than these.

Hezekiah prayed, asking God to accept the people as they were – sinful, unsure, but willing to come back to him. God heard and answered that prayer, and a great celebration of Passover occurred with much repentance and rejoicing. God, in his amazing grace, opened the door to the undeserving, the unwashed, and the wayward. Maybe he saw their hearts. Maybe he just wanted them back. But it was pure grace.

This may be a foreshadowing of the grace that would come in Jesus – grace that would allow us to be made clean enough to approach him without ceremonial washings and ritual – just to come as we are with hearts full of repentance, offering him ourselves and our gifts, yielding to his will for our lives.

It also reminds me that we need to extend grace to others. We receive it freely from God’s hand. Why, then, would we withhold forgiveness or second chances or new starts to anyone around us? Knowing God, following Jesus – it’s all about grace!

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,” – 2 Timothy 1:9

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A Blessing for You

“However many blessings we expect from God, his infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.” – John Calvin

Need a blessing? Accept this prayer, written by a friend of mine, as a gift meant especially for you:

“Abba Father bless all your faithful children and keep them; make your face shine on them and be gracious to them; turn your face toward them and give them your peace.

May each of them always be aware of your presence, Lord, in their lives, leading, guiding and caring for them with your amazing love, grace, and mercy. May they always remember that greater is the one who is in them than the one who is in the world. Remind them that they are more than conquerors, that they are sons and daughters of the most high God, and that before the beginning of time, you, Lord, set in place plans to prosper them and not harm them, to give each of them hope and a future.

Lord, watch over them and their families and keep them from the temptations of the enemy. Lord, continue to challenge them, strengthening their faith and growing the fruit of the Spirit within them to overflowing, enabling each of them to show the love you have for them to all who cross their paths.

Father, fill them with your peace from the tops of their heads, to the ends of their fingers, to the bottom of their feet. May every step they take be filled with your blessing, may every challenge be filled with your mercy, and may every night be filled with your peaceful, restful, regenerating sleep. In the name of our savior Jesus Christ – Amen!”

I hope you can receive these words as promises of God. Now, let us go and bless someone else!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” – Ephesians 1:3

*Thank you, Jane Sironen!

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Peace. Rest.

“Peace and rest belong not to the unregenerate, they are the peculiar possession of the Lord’s people, and of them only.” – Charles Spurgeon

Peace. The angels announced it, Christmas cards call for it, and nations of the world seek it. We want it, too, don’t we? Peace in our hearts. Calmness. Quiet. Rest.

But peace seems to be hard to come by these days. Wars between nations, terrorism, violence in our cities and towns, internal turmoil, restlessness, anxiety, hurry, sleeplessness. I thought about all that.

Then, in the early hours of the day, I read the quote by Charles Spurgeon that you see above. Peace is a special gift reserved for the people of God. The world will not have peace until Jesus returns as King. People who don’t know the Prince of Peace will never be able to find peace on their own. It just doesn’t happen.

But what about those of us who know and follow Jesus? He said this to his disciples as he prepared them for his arrest, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). The peace we need is not something we can find on our own, either. It’s supernatural, and it comes only from relationship with Jesus.

Peace is ours as a free gift and takes root day-by-day as we make him the priority of our lives. As we learn to think as he thinks. As we absorb all that he taught. As we talk to him about everything.

Peace is the gift he gives in return for our devotion to him – a feeling completely out of sync with the rest of the world: Unexplainable peace. Extraordinary gift.

“My people shall dwell in quiet resting places.” – Isaiah 32:18

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Too much to do?

“Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us.” – Elizabeth Elliot

It’s that time of year when, in addition to our standard job and family responsibilities, we add Christmas preparations: shopping, sending cards, cooking/baking, concerts, church programs, parties, school celebrations, and on and on. Result: stress!

How do we do it all? Here are a few practical suggestions:

First, pace yourself. Start early to avoid crowds and to spread out the work.

Second, be organized. Put everything on your calendar, including reminders along the way. Make every shopping trip count by planning ahead for what you will need for each event in the month.

Third, solicit help. If you have a family, make sure the kids are included in the work, as well as the joy, of this season. Share the load: It will be lighter for you, and they will learn to be part of the team. Talk to your spouse, too. See what you can do together to streamline the “to do” list this season.

Finally, trust God. I heard a speaker on the radio say this years ago: “You have time to do today everything God wants you to do.” That hit home to me. I knew it meant that, if I was overwhelmed, I must be doing things God had not put on my list. So, a big way to avoid stress this season is to ask God every day what he wants us to do that day. Then we trust him and do with all our might the things he places before us.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2

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First, a bath . . .

“God sometimes takes us into troubled waters not to drown us but to cleanse us.” – Andrew Murray

God hears our prayers and sometimes chooses to intervene directly in our lives to answer them. There are times, though, when he thinks it’s important to do something inside us before he responds to our cries for help.

The Bible tells us about a proud Syrian general named Namaan who had leprosy. He came across the border into Israel because he heard the prophet Elisha had power to heal. But when he was told that he had to bathe in the muddy waters of the Jordan River to be made well, he was angry. Him? A military general? Bathe in the Jordan? No! It took some convincing, but finally he humbled himself, dipped in the waters, and came out cured from his disease.

We ask God to intervene in our lives, to make us well, or to meet some other overwhelming need. He hears and answers, but, as we see with this leper, he sometimes has a bigger plan in mind: A plan to draw us closer to him, a plan for our spiritual good and not just for our physical good.

And, for many (most?) of us, what God addresses first, as he did with Namaan, is the problem of pride. It sneaks up on us, and it gets in the way of our ability to know and respond to God. It’s a barrier to relationship with him and with others.

Let’s not let pride, or any sin, keep us from dipping in the waters of his grace and being restored to a place of humility and spiritual wholeness. Then we can confidently bring our prayers to him. It’s worth the bath!

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. – Psalm 51:10

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He sees.

 “An intimate encounter with Jesus is the most transforming experience of human existence.” – John Eldridge

Have you ever tried to avoid someone and then found yourself face-to-face with that person in a situation from which you couldn’t escape? It’s happened to all of us!

I think Zaccheaus in 1st-Century Jericho may have found himself in that predicament. The crowds were great and Zacheaus was not a favorite among the people because he collected taxes for the hated Romans. Apparently he had a curiosity about Jesus and wanted to know more, but only from a distance. He climbed the sycamore tree because he wanted to see, but not to be seen.

But, this is Jesus, right? He doesn’t miss anything! Of course he sees this little man in the big tree and is not going to let him get away with hiding. He calls him down from the tree. And, if that’s not scary enough, he then invites himself to Zaccheaus’ house for a meal. Zaccheaus couldn’t hide from Jesus, but he did get to know more about him! And his life was tranformed forever in that one encounter.

We don’t have to hide our struggles. Jesus sees. We don’t have to be embarrassed about our doubts. Jesus sees. He sees our joy, too. When we are kind or generous, he sees. When we are afraid or anxious, he sees. He even sees us when we’re trying to hide.

He invites us to come out of hiding, and he waits for our response. Jesus always sees. And he looks on us with grace, love, and forgiveness.

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.” – Psalm 139:2-3

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Sometimes he just does.

“The dearest friend on earth is a mere shadow compared to Jesus Christ.” – Oswald Chambers

When we’re in trouble, or sad, or anxious, we turn to prayer. We are supposed to do that, and we find comfort in reaching out to God for help.

But I have been noticing something as I read the Gospels: When Jesus was here, he looked for those he could help. Sometimes they came and asked him to do something. At other times, he saw their need and simply filled it. The feeding of the 5,000 was like that, right? We don’t have a record of the people clamoring for food. He just knew they were hungry, and he miraculously fed them.

Once he saw a funeral procession leaving a small town. A young man had died and was being taken out for burial. His mother, who was a widow, was in the procession and weeping. Jesus, we are told, commanded the young man to come back to life. And he did. But no one asked Jesus to intervene. He just did.

Another time he walked up to a paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda and said, “Do you want to be healed?” The man didn’t really answer that question, but Jesus healed him anyway. Just because he wanted to.

I’m thinking there are times when he does those things for us, too. If we are his, he wants to help even when we don’t ask. And maybe we recognize his hand maybe we don’t. But I like the idea that he is guiding my decisions, protecting my path, and seeing to my well being just because that’s who he is. It’s so good to have my Savior as my friend!

“As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” – Psalm 103:13

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Living and Dying

“What was once foolishness to us—a crucified God—must become our wisdom and our power and our only boast in this world.” – John Piper

Jesus lived an exemplary life on earth. We learn so much by looking in on his interactions with all kinds of people – the wise and the uneducated, the poor and the rich, the strong and the weak, the young and the old. He showed us how to live.

He also showed us how to die.

His death was for the redemption of the world, but he did die. And his deathbed was a cross. He had last wishes, last words, and last acts. What did he model for us?

He cared about those he was leaving behind. He looked down from the cross and saw his mother with her heart breaking. He also saw his disciple John and asked him to take care of Mary as if she were his own mother. Jesus was suffering unspeakably, but remembered the pain his death would bring to others.

He forgave those who hurt him. The soldiers had whipped him, mocked him, driven nails through his hands and feet. In spite of all that, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness.

He prayed. While he was on the cross, he was communing with the Father, and that connection was so intense that he was desperate when God temporarily turned away from him. He could not bear being separated from his Father in Heaven.

If this was the way Jesus chose to deal with his dying day, it might also be a formula for us – for living and for dying: Caring about others, forgiving those who’ve hurt us, and talking to God.

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” – 1 John 2:6

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Giving Back Better

 “We are all desperate, and that is in fact the only state appropriate to a human being who wants to know God. Having fallen from the absolute Ideal, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.” – Philip Yancey

When we’re good at something, we like doing it. So, we lead the team, build the cabinet, make the meal, give the speech, or fund the project. We like to feel useful, and we announce that we’re “giving back”.

But, there’s the thing: To be able to give back on a spiritual level, we must first receive, and for many of us that’s harder than giving.

When we’re on the receiving end, it means we have a need we can’t meet on our own. It’s much more comfortable to be the giver! We treat God that way, too. We think that when we give gifts or do good deeds, we earn his favor, but it doesn’t work that way.

Instead, we have to understand how spiritually desperate we are and to gratefully receive his undeserved grace. It’s hard and it’s humbling, but when we ask him, he’ll give us new life and the ability to serve him and others on new level. Our motive to give then changes from seeking approval to showing love. And when we do what we are spiritually gifted to do, the results are life-changing for us and for those to whom we give.

But, first, we receive God’s grace. He’s ready when you are.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10

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Misfit?

“For the church is not a human society of people united by their natural affinities but the Body of Christ, in which all members, however different . . . must share the common life, complementing and helping one another precisely by their differences.”– C. S. Lewis

There are times when we all feel like misfits. Why do I feel odd or different? How can I be needed or useful to someone?

Paul teaches in his letters that God is building a temple for himself and that temple is made up of those who follow Jesus. He talks about us all being stones and those stones are fitted together to build a place for God to dwell.

So, if you’ve ever seen an old stone wall, you know those stones are of all shapes, colors, and sizes. No two are exactly alike. And yet, with the work of a master craftsman, they fit together perfectly to make a beautiful, strong, and purposeful wall.

So, guess what? Your peculiarities and mine are actually what make us a unique fit into the temple God is building.

We are (collectively) God’s temple, each of us formed for a specific place in the wall. We must not resist the cutting, scraping, and molding – that’s how he shapes us for a precise purpose.

So we should never feel we are not needed, or we are too odd, or not attractive or talented or strong. God is building his house and he has designed each of us to fit in a particular and unique place. You are not a misfit, but a perfect fit in God’s temple.

” . . . Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:20b-22

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In the Middle of the Muddle

“Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with Him; it will take our attention from ourselves and give the Spirit room in our hearts.” -Andrew Murray

This morning I woke up early, processing events of the past week – things I didn’t like. The processing had been going on for a couple of days and was more like what I call a “muddle” rather than coherent thoughts. I wanted to go back to sleep, but couldn’t, so I began to ask God to come into my muddle. I specifically asked him to give me a verse to think about. In a nanosecond, I recalled, “In everything give thanks.”

I had an assignment from God himself, so I began to thank him – first for the basics like we all do, then for some specifics related to the events that put me in a muddle in the first place. My heart felt lighter. I began to feel less stress, less frustration, less worry. I started to realize I had been making everything about me, when he wants me to make everything about him. I felt in my deepest being that he is in control, he loves me, and he will give the answers to the problems I’m trying to solve.

I have a feeling I’m not the only one who muddles. Sometimes muddling is our “go to”, and we need, instead, to turn to Jesus instead of our own incoherent thoughts. Occasionally we need a reminder of that. I had that reminder this morning, now I’m passing it along just in case you need one, too.

May you get out of the muddle and into the praise today. It’s happier there!

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:5

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What matters really?

“Right now counts forever.” – R. C. Sproul

When scribes of old copied a biblical text, they saw it as a sacrificial work done out of their love for God. They wrote, often in dim candlelight, on parchment usually, with nibs dipped in ink – letter-by-letter. It was hard work with physical side effects such as poor eyesight and deformed bodies from bending over the text, but they persevered.

At the end of the manuscript, they usually signed their names and often added a comment, the most common of which was this: “Reader take note: While the hand that copied this text rots in the grave, the word of God lives forever.” Hundreds of years later, we’re reading the Bible in part because this monk, whose body is long gone, valued the text enough to commit his life to copying it for future generations.

What are we doing that will outlast us? The eternal things are generally seen in people we influence – our family members, co-workers, neighbors, and even our enemies. And those eternal influences flow out of the Bible and its message to humans.

We may not copy God’s word as the monks did, but maybe we are today’s scribes by living the message of the Bible every day – adding our notes and pointing to God as we do.

God’s word is his revelation of who he is and his desire to relate to humans in forgiveness and love. It’s a message to be cherished and shared. In the busy-ness of everyday, what we do matters – to someone’s eternal salvation, to someone’s deeper walk with God, and then, to all the people they will touch because of their understanding. May something we do today matter 100 years from now!

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. – Isaiah 40:8

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Sit still.

In place of our exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, God will give us rest. All He asks is that we come to Him…that we spend a while thinking about Him, meditating on Him, talking to Him, listening in silence, occupying ourselves with Him – totally and thoroughly lost in the hiding place of His presence. – Chuck Swindoll

It’s a human failing to try to do too much, too fast, without pause for refreshment or renewal. It’s so easy to get to that place: a place of anxiety, restlessness, fatigue.

Recently, my morning reading took me to 2 Samuel 7 where I read that King David went to the place of worship and “sat before the Lord.” Eventually he prayed, and God responded, but I loved that, at first, he just sat there in stillness, knowing he was in the presence of the holy, almighty, sovereign God.

Do we ever do that? Just find a quiet place and sit in God’s presence? As if we have all the time in the world. As if he’s the most important person in our lives. As if sitting with him is the most important thing we have to do that day. Maybe it is.

David was King. He probably was busy all the time. But this day, he cleared his schedule. He walked away from all the hubub of the palace to find God in a tent and sit in his presence. Just reading that made me want the same. Sometimes we need to do a little clearing of our own schedules, so the connection stays strong, so his voice can be heard, and so we will restist the temptation to rush off and try to do everything without him.

Just sit. In his presence. Still. Quiet. All will be well . . .

“My soul clings to you;  your right hand upholds me.” – Psalm 63:8

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The kind of person who . . .

“True Christlikeness, true companionship with Christ, comes at the point where it is hard not to respond as he would.” – Dallas Willard

I have been revisiting The Ten Commandments lately and realizing the commands to honor parents, respect property rights, tell the truth, not to be envious, put God first, and so on are as relevant today as they were then. So, what do we do?

We can do our best to keep them, but that’s been proven for centuries to be impossible.

Or we can start right now to ask God to make us into the kind of people for whom keeping the commands is automatic. Instead of thinking “I can’t fudge on my tax return because God says not to,” we say “I am no longer the kind of person who steals.” Do you see the difference? It’s about inner change, not just outward behavior. It becomes part of our nature to never want to do anything that would hurt God or another human being by not following the way of life as defined in God’s law.

How does God change our character to be persons who always do what is right and just and true? By spiritual disciplines: Prayer, worship, Bible reading/meditation, relationships with other believers, and even by trials that we go through. He molds us. Makes us more like people who are enabled to do what he wants, who long to please him, who love him completely, and love others as we love ourselves.

It will never work by trying harder. It only works by yielding to the One who can make us into people who think and act like Jesus. It’s a long journey. Are you in?

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” – Romans 13:10

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How can I help?

“What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.” – Augustine

There are needs all around us. In some cases, it’s clear what we should do to help. At other times, we’re not sure what to do. Paul, in his letter to the church in Thessalonica, gave some specific instructions for coming alongside someone in need. He said, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Let’s think about that.

  • Admonish the idle. The idle need to be reminded of what they can and should do; our role may be to help them understand that and, if the person is open to it, to assist with a resume, idea, or connection to get started.
  • Encourage the fainthearted. Many are just tired or discouraged. They may need counseling, direction, encouragement, or a boost – helping them get to a point of being able to take care of themselves.
  • Help the weak: We need to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. Some of you are in this situation with an elderly parent, disabled child, or someone with a chronic illness. It’s not easy, and maybe that’s why Paul concludes with . . .
  • Be patient with them all.

If there is a crisis, we need to act decisively as the Good Samaritan did. If we have more time, Paul advises considering the particular situation we are presented with and then acting with wisdom and compassion. It’s not just about helping, it’s about relationship.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16

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Light in the Darkness

“How good the Savior is to me! He not only helps carry my burdens, he carries me also.” – Corrie ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch woman who, during World War II, sheltered and hid Jews to keep them from being sent to work camps or to execution. Eventually she and her family were found out, and Corrie, her sister Betsie, and their father were themselves arrested. Corrie and Betsie ended up at Ravensbruck, one of the cruelest and most lethal concentration camps of all.

They suffered as all the others did – hard work, little food, winter cold, filthy and infested living conditions, and impossible demands. They began praying with other women, most of them Jews, and holding quiet Bible studies after the guards had gone at night. In all their suffering, they felt Jesus beside them, comforting, leading.

Betsie and Corrie talked about what they would do if they were ever released. Betsie said this, “We have learned so much here, and now we must go all over the world to tell people what we now know – that Jesus’ light is stronger than the deepest darkness”

Betsie died soon thereafter, and Corrie remained in Ravensbruck until, through a clerical error, she was released. After recovering from her ordeal, she did travel the world telling the story well into her 80’s. And what did she tell? Her hate for her captors? No. She told of the miserable conditions, but always directed her audience to the presence and power of God – to the light she had because he was with her in this dark place.

Are you in a dark place right now? You are not alone. Reach out to Jesus. You will find light in the darkest of nights.

“The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” – Matthew 4:16

Source: The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Larry Loftis, published March 2023

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The Judge

“If you want to see what judgment looks like, go to the cross. If you want to see what love looks like, go to the cross.” – D.A. Carson

I went to court once just as support for a friend who was fighting against a person who reneged on a contract. It seemed obvious to us that the law was on her side. It should be a slam dunk.

But, as we walked into the courtroom, I realized that the matter now was entirely out of her control. The judge’s ruling would be what she would have to live with. Her fate was in his hands.

I have to admit that created some stress in me. Then I thought about the fact that Jesus is returning someday to judge the world. It won’t be enough to have lived a pretty good life. None us can live up to what is required in the heavenly court.

There is a way to avoid that judgment: Settle out of court! Jesus invites us to come to him now so we can know him as Savior and then not have to face him as judge. Our record will be clean because he will have paid our penalty. Those who choose not to accept Jesus’s payment in this life will stand before him as Judge where opinions, excuses, and apologies won’t make a difference.

Take care of the charges against you while you can because once the Judge enters the room, it’s out of your hands. And his decision will be final. No arguing, no appeals. It will just be as it is – forever.

“It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” – Romans 8:33a-34

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Jesus loves me, this I know.

“It’s been a common thought of my life: How excited I will be to see Jesus in heaven some day. An uncommon thought I’ve never considered before this morning: How excited Jesus will be to see me. . .” – Leonard Sweet

My sister-in-law once observed, “There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who enter a room as if they are saying ‘Here I am!’, and those who enter a room and, by their manner, say ‘there you are!'” She was always the second kind of person. She made everyone she talked to feel special and loved.

It’s impossible for us to comprehend how much God loves us, how much he wants us to engage with him. When we start to pray, I think he’s excited to hear from us in the same way we’re excited to hear from someone we love. It’s as if he hears our voice and says, “There you are!” with joy in his words. He’s willing to focus on each of us as if we were the only person in the world. Our prayers get his undivided attention.

The apostle John often referred to himself as the disciple Jesus loved. John knew Jesus loved the whole world (John 3:16), but when they were together, John felt that he and Jesus had a special bond. I’m sure they did. I have a special bond with Jesus, too. And so do you!

By the way, my sister-in-law has been with Jesus in heaven for a few years now. I like to think of the moment she walked into the throne room and made eye contact with him. I can almost hear their simultateous and excited cries: “There you are!”

‘. . . keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” – Jude 21

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Risky

“By his word and Spirit he guides us, using even our mistakes to bring blessing.” – Edmund P. Clowney

Has anyone ever asked you to take on a service responsibility, and you reacted in fear? You knew you were qualified to do the job, but what if you failed? It’s safer to say “no” than to risk letting people down.

There are a lot of us who want to play it safe, but, you know what? Living the Christian life in all its fullness requires risk.

I was recently asked to take on a responsibility I wasn’t expecting. When I began to pray about it, it wasn’t long before God reminded me of the Parable of the Talents. The master was going on a journey and gave money to three servants to invest for him. When he returned, two of the servants were commended for their faithfulness because they doubled the money by wise decisions and, probably, some risk-taking. The third servant, though, was so afraid of losing the money, of making a mistake, that he buried his allocation in the back yard to keep it safe until his master returned. The master was not happy about his safety-first choice!

As I read that story, I realized two things. First, God had given me talents that could be put to good use in the task I was being asked to do. And, second, God seems to be more pleased with my willingness to try than with my fear that I’d fail.

Do you have any God-given gifts that you’ve buried? Maybe it’s time to dig them up, dust them off, and put them to work. It’s worth talking to him about.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. . .” – 1 Peter 4:10

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Storming the Gates of Heaven?

“We do not pray to tell God what he does not know, nor to remind him of things he has forgotten. He already cares for the things we pray about… He has simply been waiting for us to care about them with him.” – Philip Yancey

I heard someone recently telling his audience about a situation he saw as unacceptable, and he wanted it changed. He asked those listening to help him “storm the gates of heaven” with prayer. Have you heard that call before? It sounds earnest and seems to promise effectiveness in getting what we want from God.

It made me feel uncomfortable, though. I tried to find Scripture to support the concept of storming heaven’s gates and came up empty. Instead I found all kinds of invitations just to pray, just to be in God’s presence and to share our heart concerns with him.

Then I turned to the author of my favorite book on prayer, Philip Yancey. And I found him saying, “I need God more than anything I might get from God.” Yes! That’s exactly the way I feel about prayer. Not demanding, just asking, sharing, being with the God who cares and acts, and learning to trust his response.

If we belong to Jesus, heaven’s gates are already open to us. We don’t need to “storm” them! We are invited to come boldly and often. God wants to hear our desires as long as we remember that it’s his will, not ours, that ultimately will be done.

It’s not a battle. We and God are on the same side.

Dear Lord, I pray because I want to be with you and to know you, not to change your mind.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14

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His Job or Mine?

“This is God’s universe, and God does things his way. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe.” – J. Vernon McGee

If you’re like me, you look at events in our world and wonder. Who will “win” the war in Ukraine? Or exercise control in the United Nations? Or be our next president? And how will it all affect me?

Then I read about Jeremiah who was told to give this message the kings of Judah and five neighboring nations: “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me” (Jeremiah 27:5).

They were worried about the Babylonians and were trying to figure it all out on their own. But God’s message was clear: He was in control. They were not.

That’s still true. It’s God’s universe, not ours. We spend a lot of energy focusing on the power struggles in our world. It’s right for us to care. It’s not right for us to worry. It’s our job to yield to God and his control. It’s our job to trust him.

If we can learn to relax into trusting him, we don’t have to have answers to all our questions, we don’t get distressed about news headlines, and we don’t get anxious about end times or in-between times.

Instead, we focus on God’s trustworthiness, kindness, faithfulness, and power.

If we can learn to relax into trusting him, we trade in our stresses for peace. We feel loved and secure. We then can love others. Suddenly, life is not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be lived.

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

Photo from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope

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Maybe it’s time to act.

 “The believer at minimum can declare by his will that he wants the truth, that he wants to know and obey the truth.” – Watchman Nee

There are times in life when we have the luxury of thinking things through then making well-reasoned decisions. There are other times when we have to make an immediate choice.

Such was the case in the time of judges in Israel. The battle was on and the tribes of Israel were called by Deborah and Barak to send fighters to defend their land and their families. Many came immediately. Others refused. The tribe of Reuben simply thought about it too long, and the battle was over while they were still thinking: “Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart” (Judges 5:15b).

We can get paralyzed with overthinking when God is calling us to act. We want to do things right and to confirm God’s leading, but we don’t always have the luxury of deliberation. What then?

If we are consistently reading the Bible and taking it into our hearts and lives,

If we are people of habitual prayer, and

If we are growing accustomed to sensing God’s direction in our lives

Then we often can proceed without the prolonged “great searchings of heart” experienced by the Reubenites. Why? Because we will have been trained by God and his Word to think biblically, to understand the way he leads, and then to respond in confidence when we need to make a quick decision. After all, we don’t want to deliberate too long and then find out we have missed a God-given opportunity.

Wisdom tells us to practice biblical thinking every day so when we need it most it will be ready to use.

“Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.”

– Proverbs 3:6 NLT

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But, I don’t understand.

“You need not cry very loud; he is nearer to us than we think.” – Brother Lawrence

Meet our cat, Abi. She likes everything to always be the same. She likes her Amazon box. She loves to be brushed.

She does not love being put in her carrier to ride in the car. Scary. Might end up at the vet. And her cries are like prayers asking us to set her free.

If you have a pet, you can relate, right? Have you ever thought that our relationship to our pets might be somewhat parallel God’s relationship to us? He knows what we like, but there are times he put us through something equivalent to getting in the carrier to go to the vet. We don’t understand how what he’s doing is for our good. For us it’s just scary and uncomfortable, so we cry out to him in prayer.

Can you imagine how infinitely more God loves us than we love our pets? He faithfully walks with us as we suffer, but his love is too great to give us the relief we pray for. Relief won’t come until he has accomplished his purposes for us and maybe for those around us.

We cannot understand that kind of love from a human perspective. We can only find glimpses as we ourselves cause necessary pain to someone we love even though they can’t understand why.

Know this: God loves us infinitely. He’s always working for our good. And he walks with us through the struggles.

Sense his presence. Trust his love. Something good is happening even when we can’t see it.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” – 1 Peter 5:10

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There’s no law against it.

“A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing. It is his great concern. As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian is to be like Christ.” – Jonathan Edwards

There are many in these days who worry about our rights to free speech, to practice our faith as we think appropriate, and to live our lives as we believe we should.

I read an encouraging word about this in the Bible recently and it has redirected my thoughts away from the fears and worries and toward something so positive it absolutely draws me in. Maybe it will do the same for you.

Paul was writing to the people of Galatia who were Christians at a time when the rulers were legislating all kinds of things against them. Paul himself was killed by the Roman government because of his preaching and teaching ministry. But, living in those difficult times, he focused the attention of his audience on the characteristics the Holy Spirit was growing their lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As he concluded this list of amazing traits, he commented, “. . . against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

No legislation has ever said it’s illegal to be kind or good or joyful. And this is exactly what the Holy Spirit will grow in our lives if we commit ourselves to him, direct our thoughts toward him, and obey his direction in our lives. Maybe we shouldn’t focus on what we can’t do and, instead, focus on our freedom to become all God has designed us to be.

“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” – Romans 8:5

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Send it on ahead.

“He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.” – Randy Alcorn

We recently had the privilege of traveling through Greece. We saw a great deal of history including some of the tombs in which the leaders and influencers from earlier eras were buried – often surrounded by great caches of gold, jewelry, crowns, and shields. They thought this treasure would benefit them in the next life.

The problem? The tombs were robbed. The treasures the great ones thought they were protecting for eternity were stolen from them. Occasionally, an archaeologist will uncover a tomb that has not been raided, and they find the gold and jewels that were buried with the deceased. What the dying person thought he could take into the next life was, in fact, left behind.

The Bible addresses this problem, doesn’t it? “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6 20-21).

So how do we accumulate treasures in heaven? By using our money, time, and skills to advance God’s Kingdom here on earth: Giving to ministries sharing the good news of Jesus around the world; helping those who are in need – physically, mentally or spiritually; taking time to share our own understanding of God and the Bible with others; living generously. And, if God wills, earthly treasures used this way will translate into people from around the world worshiping God with us in heaven. They are the treasure that really matters.

We can’t take it with us, but we can send it on ahead.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:22

Note: Original thought for this was from a fellow traveler in Greece. My thanks to him.

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Start with one.

“Our efforts to be useful bring out our powers for usefulness. We have latent talents and dormant faculties, which are brought to light by exercise.” – Charles Spurgeon

We usually know the things we are good at and we like doing them. But what about things we aren’t so good at? Sometimes it’s not that we’ve tried and failed, it’s that we haven’t tried at all. And some of the things we should try are those commanded by God himself.

I’m thinking now about compassion. Jesus was the perfect example of compassion. We see it as he healed the sick, wept at his friend’s grave, talked with a Samaritan women, and fed hungry crowds. How can we learn to feel compassion for those in need and then act on that feeling as Jesus did?

For some people, that’s easy. They exude compassion and they act accordingly. For others of us, it’s more of an effort. But it’s an effort the Holy Spirit will empower us to make because he is making us more like Jesus.

Maybe we learn it like we learn any new skill: One step at a time. If we want to grow our compassion for others, we can begin by showing compassion to one person. That’s not too hard, right? Find someone in need and let yourself care. Then act. Maybe they need groceries, a listening ear, help writing a resume, relationship advice, spiritual counsel, or transportation to an appointment. There are many ways we can help, but first we have to care.

I’m learning that one act of compassion will stimulate more. Over time we might find ourselves caring more deeply, loving others just as Jesus commanded. It’s OK to start small. Start with one.

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” – Proverbs 11:25

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Bonds of Love

“Trusting God’s grace means trusting God’s love for us rather than our love for God.” – Peter Kreeft

Do you ever miss God? Do you sometimes feel like he is far away and you want him back? I feel that way sometimes when it seems I don’t have time to pray except for quick “help me” prayers or short “thank you” prayers. I feel that way sometimes when I haven’t spent quality time in the Bible for days – maybe when I am traveling or sick. I just start to miss him. That happened to me recently.

I found myself one morning praying something like this: I feel like I’m not paying enough attention to you, Lord. I don’t mean to do that. But we are so busy, and I am so tired.

God could have told me I was letting him down and really needed to get my act together. But he didn’t. Instead, he responded with something like this: I know. But because you reach out to me so consistently in calmer times, these times when you can’t stay in touch do not separate us. We have bonds of love. I reach out to you when you can’t reach out to me. I’ll never leave you. I am always close.

How do you think I felt after that message? Amazed. Assured. Comforted. At peace.

We worship a great and loving God. He never lets go of us. Knowing that gives great comfort in our times of stress. Knowing him this way is exactly what makes us miss him and draws us back into communion with him as soon as the whirlwind stops.

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

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Watch, Wonder, Worship

“The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God who as led us through all and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life’s song. “- Charles Spurgeon

Might God be at work around us and we are missing it?

The writer of Hebrews talks about God’s own people seeing his works for 40 years in the desert and still not trusting him to take care of them. He said they had hardened their hearts so they would not/could not understand the significance of what God was doing for them.

They ate the manna, but didn’t realize he was providing food because he loved them.

They drank the water from the rock and didn’t recognize his power.

They won wars and didn’t understand his purpose.

How could they have missed his presence, his power, his love, his intervention?

We can criticize their blindness, but maybe we would be wise, instead, to ask if we are making the same mistake. Do we credit “coincidence” with bumping into an old friend? Do we think it was “good luck” that we got the job? Do we think it “fortunate” that our bonus came just when the medical bills arrived?

God is active in our lives every day. We need to look for his hand at work and then thank him. Thank him in the morning for a new day. Thank him through the day for every good thing that happens to you. Thank him at night for his faithfulness. Then worship him for who he is and for how much he loves us. That’s the whole point! Knowing him. Loving him. Worshiping him.

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns!’” – 1 Chronicles 16:31

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Living Your Best Life

“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing” –C. S. Lewis

Wouldn’t it be amazing if life could have purpose, be interesting, and be filled with joy? The kind of life that makes it exciting to get out of bed every morning? In an earlier post, I told you about my recent study of the book of Proverbs. This week, I want to pass along what I think that book teaches about living life to the fullest.

God first.

There is no wisdom, security, or forgiveness without a relationship with God. That relationship doesn’t just happen; it must be developed. Worship, praise, study, and prayer all help to build a stronger, deeper two-way connection with God.

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” – Proverbs 19:23

Get personal.

Proverbs says much about friendships, family, and neighbors. These are important relationships that take time to grow. We must be intentional about cultivating relationships that matter.

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” – Proverbs 21:3

Seek advisors.

Proverbs encourages us to be teachable. We all would do well to begin a relationship with a mentor and to listen with openness to the counsel they give. We can learn from each other.

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” – Proverbs 19:20

The good life is possible – if we see it from God’s point of view and live it in light of his instruction. The book of Proverbs is a great place to start!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.“

– Proverbs 3:5-6

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Do they know they will fly?

“The best we can hope for in this life is a knothole peek at the shining realities ahead. Yet a glimpse is enough. It’s enough to convince our hearts that whatever sufferings and sorrow currently assail us aren’t worthy of comparison to that which waits over the horizon.” ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

We had left our artificial Christmas tree outdoors for the winter – with decorations removed and lights unlit. In the spring when we were putting it away, we realized a bird had built a nest in its plastic branches. Inside were four furry balls, and they were breathing. We carefully put the tree back in its place and watched over the next couple of weeks as the little balls became recognizable as birds. Eventually it began to get crowded in that nest as they wiggled and jostled for space.

The day I took this picture, I wondered if they knew they would soon fly? They were likely getting dissatisfied in this crowded nest wishing they could explore the things they glimpsed from their hideaway. I wanted to tell them it would be OK. They just needed to be patient. They would all be flying all over the sky soon.

Where are you in life? Feeling dissatisfied? Frustrated? Crowded? Held back? Wanting something more or different or better? Sometimes God moves us on to the next stage in our life by making us uncomfortable where we are. The discomfort challenges us look beyond our present situation and wonder what may be next. When we are in that place, we, too, must be patient. God has a plan to help us fly!

But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

– Isaiah 40:31