Category: Encouragement

No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:39

My husband and I drove by a church recently and read this message on the sign board:

No church services until  ?

Share the good news

Because of the Coronavirus issue, many churches have closed their doors to in-person worship services for a time.  And there may be some people who would agree that is good news!  But I’m quite sure that’s not the good news the church was encouraging people to share.  With all the many months of world-wide pandemic, people need to hear good news that can only come from a personal relationship with the One who came to save the world. 

No one is unaffected by this pandemic, and our hearts ache for those who have lost loved ones, their own health, a business, a job. New phrases have been added to our common vocabulary: “social distancing” and “masking up.”  Relationships are suffering because of the distance we are supposed to be keeping from each other.   

As sad as I am about the restrictions imposed because of this virus, I understand the need for it.  But it has made me think about how grateful I am for my relationship with God and His Son Jesus. They will never require distance from us once we receive the gift of salvation God offers through Jesus’ death on the cross to forgive us of our sin!  Jesus came to this earth He created so that we can know God, know His eternal love for us, and understand our need to be forgiven of sin.  And when we receive Him, He gives us another gift — the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. He teaches us, guides us, connects us with the mind and heart of God and gives us everything we need to follow His plan for our life as we depend on Him.

No matter how sad and disconnected we feel from the life we had before this year 2020, here are some verses that have encouraged me to remain thankful for God’s promises:

The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

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).

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…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 40:29-31).

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  (Psalm 23:4)

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

For I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow (Jeremiah 31:13b)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)

We can’t get together in large groups like we used to, but it is important to stay connected with God through time alone with Him in the Word and in prayer.  His Word assures us that He knows exactly what we are going through, each and every moment of our lives.  He sees us, He hears us when we talk to Him, and He delights when we put our trust in Him no matter what circumstances we are facing.

It’s also important to stay connected to other followers of Jesus.  We can email and text, but what really encourages me most is to hear another friend’s voice over the phone.  I’ve enjoyed many conversations during these months – encouraging and being encouraged.  I love praying together over the phone! Let’s stay connected and share the good news!

I’m reminded of the song: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Can you think of someone you could call and offer encouragement to during a difficult time?

Maybe you are the one who needs encouragement.  Can you call a friend and share what you are going through and ask for prayer?

What can you choose to be thankful for even during these months of unsettled and difficult time?

What can you do to keep your focus on the Lord, His love, His presence with you and the promises in His Word?

Behold, the bondservant of the Lord. 

Be it done to me according to your word.

Luke 1: 26-38

Last week I wrote about Moses and the many excuses and “what ifs” he offered when the angel of the Lord spoke to him in the burning bush and told him he had been chosen to lead God’s people out of slavery in Egypt.  I also mentioned Gideon and Jeremiah and their initial excuses about not being qualified to do what the Lord was asking.

This week I want to focus on the experience of Mary with the angel Gabriel from Luke 1:26-38.  She was greeted by Gabriel with this message from God: 

“Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.  Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and His name will be Jesus.  He will be great, the Son of the Most High.  The Lord will give Him the throne of His father David.  He will reign forever and His kingdom will have no end.”

Think about Mary’s situation and what she might have given as excuses.  She could have mentioned that she was engaged to Joseph, and what would he think of her if she became pregnant before they were married.  She could have brought up the fact that she would bring shame to herself and to her family.  She could have mentioned that she was so young and had no experience raising a child, let alone the responsibility of raising the Son of God!

Instead, she only asked the simple question, “How can this be, since I’ve never been intimate with a man?”  Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her, and the baby will be called the Son of God.

I love Mary’s response of absolute trust in God: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your Word.”  (A bondslave was someone who could have been set free, but they chose to stay in service to the family because they loved the family and wanted to stay.)  So Mary was declaring her choice to follow God, no matter what, and to commit her life to His purpose for her.

Mary’s response inspired me to think about my own life.  The Holy Spirit came upon her and created new life – the birth of Jesus.  It is the same Holy Spirit who comes to live in every person who believes in Jesus and receives Him as their Savior and Lord.  The Holy Spirit creates in us new spiritual life.  He will never leave us! And as we learn to depend on Him completely for everything in our daily life, we can enjoy peace in His presence, His strength in our weakness, His clear direction for our guidance.  And He is our guarantee, the seal of God’s promise of our eternal salvation (Ephesians 1:13).

This Christmas season is a special time to re-evaluate our relationship with the Lord. I ask myself, “Am I serving Him out of duty or habit or just because someone is expecting me to serve?  When God calls me to do something for Him, do I offer excuses about not being qualified?  Maybe the timing isn’t really convenient for me.”   

I want a heart to serve the Lord out of love, trust, and unshakeable faith.   I want to say to the Lord just as Mary said to the angel: “Behold, the bondservant of the Lord.  Be it done to me according to your word.” 

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this week, let’s give Him the gift of our heart that is surrendered to Him in complete faith and trust and love, ready to do whatever He asks us to do, to follow wherever He leads.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

What is God calling you to do at this time in your life?

Do you have any excuses for not doing what He is asking you to do?

Are you able to put your complete trust in the Holy Spirit to enable you to do what He is asking?

How are you encouraged as you consider Mary’s response?

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?

Exodus 3:11

For several weeks I’ve been writing Bible studies on Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah focused on how God called each of them for specific assignments He had for them.  Today I just want to share a few thoughts about how God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of cruel slavery in Egypt and bring them to the land He had promised to Abraham long ago. I pray that some of the valuable lessons I’ve learned for my own life will encourage you to say “Yes” to God when He calls you for a specific assignment. We can learn a lot from what God says about Himself, what He promised Moses, and how Moses responded.  I hope you’ll take time to read the whole story in Exodus 1-4, but here is a brief summary:

Moses was a Hebrew who had been raised in Egypt by the Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1-10).  The Hebrews had been suffering greatly as forced laborers in Egypt. As an adult, Moses kills an Egyptian who had beaten and killed a Hebrew slave. Pharaoh tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled for his life. Fast-forward about 40 years.  The next time we read about Moses, he is minding his own business on a normal day shepherding his father-in-law’s flock in the wilderness.  From a distance he sees a very abnormal sight – a bush is on fire but it is not being consumed! When he turns aside to investigate, the angel of the Lord speaks to him from the burning bush. He tells Moses, “I have seen the misery of My people and have come to rescue them.  I am sending you to Pharaoh to lead my people out of Egypt.”

Then we get to listen to the ongoing conversation between the Lord and Moses:

The Lord:  Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh.  You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.

Moses: Who am I to appear before Pharaoh?  Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?

The Lord: I will be with you…

Moses: If I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of you fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What should I tell them?

The Lord:  I Am who I Am…  Now go to the Israelites…assemble the elders of Israel and say to them: “Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me and said, ‘I have paid close attention to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt.  And I have promised you that I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites…a land flowing with milk and honey.’”

Moses: What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me, but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?

The Lord gives Moses several miraculous signs to convince him that He is in charge.  Moses finally turns from his “What if…” questions to tell the Lord about his inadequacies for the task.  Moses makes excuses for not doing what God asks:

Moses: O Lord, I’m not very good with words… I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.

The Lord: Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?  Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.

Moses: Lord, please send anyone else.

The Lord became angry with Moses, but He answered Moses’ request by agreeing to allow Moses’ brother Aaron to be the spokesman instead of Moses.  You can read in the rest of Exodus how the Lord miraculously provided for the Israelites to be led out of slavery in Egypt.  Their story continues with their grumbling and complaining and refusal to trust God to conquer the enemies living in the land God had promised them. That led to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness before they were finally allowed to enter their promised land.

Here’s what I have learned for myself.  Even after God’s declaration of Himself as the “I Am,” the eternal covenant-keeping God, the assurance of His own presence to be with him,  Moses continued to focus on himself and his own inabilities and inadequacies.  So many excuses and “what ifs.”  It’s easy to be judgmental. But then I think of what God has called me to do – to write these devotionals and then to set up a website to publish them.  My initial response was to think about all the amazing devotional books already in print written by world-famous people.  What do I have to say that hasn’t already been written? How do I even begin to set up a website? “Who am I” seems like a legitimate question.  But God has a way of making His will clear.  So, after some amount of hesitation, I began to realize that I just needed to take each Next Step as He led me. I know the promises in His Word, that when He calls His people to an assignment, He provides all that is necessary to complete it.  He empowers us by His Spirit as we depend completely on Him. So, no more excuses! I’ll just do what He asks and trust Him for the results.

Next week I’ll share the story of Mary.  I’m so encouraged by her response to the announcement from the angel Gabriel that she had been chosen to give birth to Jesus.  No excuses!

Personal Reflection

What is God calling you to do?  Have you given excuses for not doing it?

Here are a few promises from God’s Word to encourage you:

Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans I have for you…

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you…I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on  your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:38-42

Even if you are familiar with this Scripture about Mary and Martha, let’s remind ourselves of valuable lessons we can learn from observing Jesus as He and His disciples visit His friends.   While Martha was busy preparing a meal for them, Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him.  Martha came to Jesus and asked Him, Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Martha was doing a good thing which was very necessary, but Jesus’ response revealed that her attitude was not pleasing.  Martha, Martha, you are distracted, worried and bothered about so many things. But only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Especially in this year 2020 so much has been taken away from so many by the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have lost lives, loved ones, jobs, businesses, homes. We have all been affected. For those who are followers of Jesus, we have the assurance that He knows what is going on in our lives, His promise that He will never leave us, He will provide for us, and the promise of eternal life with Him. We can encourage others to come to the Lord for the hope that only He can offer. Those promises can’t be taken away.

What can’t be taken away from our daily lives if we belong to the Lord and we choose to make time with Him a priority?

As we get to know Him through His word, our faith and trust will be strengthened.

We will grow deeper in our love for Him.

We discover His will and gain His wisdom and strength by complete dependence on His Spirit to accomplish it. 

Walking in His will brings purpose and meaning to every activity.

We enjoy His peace and joy as we allow Him to guide our steps throughout the day.

We can go through times of trial and loss knowing that He is with us and we have nothing to fear.

            It’s easy to be so busy with jobs, family, church activities, multiple obligations outside the home – all good and necessary things.  But we can become overwhelmed with all the responsibilities and become like Martha – distracted, worried, bothered.  I want to be like Mary, willing to spend time Jesus, making that time with Him my highest priority, listening to Him as I read His Word and pray.  But if we wait until the perfect time when we are all caught up with everything else that needs to be done, it will never happen!  Jesus took time out of His busy life to spend time alone with the Father.  If Jesus knew that was necessary, how much more must we need to follow His example!  His Word calls us to “Be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10).

Here are some practical thoughts and ideas that may be helpful as we choose to spend time with the Lord:

• Find a time and place that you will be able to spend quality time alone.
• Do your best to be uninterrupted.  If possible, turn off the phone.  Most situations can wait awhile.
• It takes time to “be still” in your mind.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you set aside all other distracting thoughts so you can focus on the Lord.
•  Praise Him for who He is all He has done.
• Ask God to search your heart and see what needs to be confessed, and then ask forgiveness.  Remember Lamentations 3:22-23: His compassion and mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.
• Listening to (or singing) a favorite worship song may help to settle your mind and create a peaceful and worshipful attitude.
• Maybe you’d like to go for a walk as you talk with God.
• Pray for your own needs and the needs of others as He brings them to mind.  Then leave your concerns with Him and trust that He hears, He knows what is going on, and He is in control.
• Read and meditate on His word.  Meditating is more than just reading – it’s thinking and praying about how you can apply it to your life.  Ask God for the message He wants to speak to you.  You can ask yourself:
  • What did I learn about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit in this passage?
  • Is there a command that God wants me to obey?
  • Is there something that needs to change in my attitude or actions?
• Journaling – I find it so helpful to write the thoughts God brings to mind as I read His Word and pray.  A journal and pen nearby remind me to expect that there is a message I need to respond to. I love looking back at what I’ve written and being reminded of ways God has provided answers to situations when I have asked Him for wisdom and understanding.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Is time alone with Jesus a priority in my life?

As I look at how I spend each day, what is a higher priority?

What are some practical steps I can take to “sit at the feet of Jesus?”

Am I living in fear of the future, or am I trusting God’s promises in His Word?

Create in me a clean heart, O God

                                                                    Psalm 51:10

I think about the way I often clean house.  I straighten the piles of books and magazines, make sure everything is neatly arranged, hang the coat someone tossed over the back of the couch.  So, usually my house looks neat and in order to a casual observer.  But upon closer inspection, it isn’t thoroughly clean.  I dusted the exposed areas, but what about under the couch or behind the chair?  What about the areas where no one looks?

            The way I clean house is the way I lived much of my life in the past.  I felt satisfied as long as things outwardly look good.  To a casual acquaintance my life would appear to be in good order when I talked about my volunteer work at a Christian organization, regular church attendance, and weekly Bible study.  But what about the areas of my life that no one could see?  What about my occasional boredom with those Bible studies?  What about my regular attendance at church just because people expected it of me?  What about the attitudes that were hidden from others?  I easily became complacent about my Christian life.  I knew my relationship with God lacked intimacy.  When I felt a twinge of spiritual dissatisfaction, I mentally listed all the things I have done for God, even sacrifices I have made.  But then what about these scriptures:

For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:16-17). 

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom (Psalm 51:6).

Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

God wants to shine His light on those hidden areas of our lives.  Once He exposes sin, we can confess and He will forgive.  The Holy Spirit who lives in us can renew us and fill us with His living water. 

            I thank God that I am no longer satisfied with a life that outwardly appears in order to the casual observer, or even to my closest friends.  I long for an intimate relationship with God, cleansed in my innermost being so nothing stands in the way.  I long for a clean heart pleasing to God.  I pray with King David, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Find a time and place where you can be alone and undisturbed to spend time with God. Ask Him to reveal any obvious sins of action or attitude that need to be dealt with. 

What about the sin you know about, but no one else sees?  There may be sin you are not even aware of.  Ask God to reveal anything that needs to be exposed so you can confess it and be cleansed.

May our motivation be unbroken fellowship with our Father, a clean heart filled with His Spirit, loving Him and loving others and desiring to please Him above all else.

Be imitators of God, as beloved children…

                                                                   Ephesians 5:1

What does it really mean to be an imitator of God?  I had been thinking about this verse for several days wondering what it means for me.  Then our l0-month-old grandson came with his parents to spend the weekend with us.  It became very clear that everything he learned came from observing and imitating those around him.  I tried to teach him to call me Nana.  What a joy to hear him repeating the sounds “na-na-na-na.”  In order to be imitators of God, we must spend lots of time with Him listening to His words through reading the Bible and asking Him to show us what He wants us to see and hear each day.  It is a moment-by-moment walk with God that will encourage us to imitate Him.  He wants to live His life through us.  We are to be His hands and feet and voice reaching out with His love to those He brings into our life each day.

            The rest of Ephesians 5 and continuing into chapter 6 explains some specific details about being imitators of God.  Two categories become apparent as we read these chapters — negatives and positives.  Do not act this way, but do this instead. First, let’s look at the negatives:  There is to be no immorality or impurity, or greed, no filthiness, silly talk or coarse jesting. We are not to participate in unfruitful deeds of darkness. We are not to be foolish or drunk with wine (Ephesians 5:3, 4, 11, 18).

            Now let’s look at His instruction for the positive behavior.  He tells us to walk in love, as Christ loved you, and gave Himself up for us…walk as children of light (the fruit is goodness, righteousness, truth) …learn what is pleasing to the Lord…be careful how we walk, making the most of our time.  For a second time we are told to understand what the will of the Lord is and be filled with the Spirit and encourage each other with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…always giving thanks to the Father… be subject to one another in the fear of Christ (Ephesians 5:1, 8-10, 15-20). He then goes on to explain relationships with husbands and wives, children, fathers, slaves and masters. He tells us to be strong in the Lord by putting on the full spiritual armor that He provides.  Finally, we are to pray at all times in the Spirit.

            God’s standards for us are high.  If we begin to compare ourselves with people around us, we can be guilty of thinking we are much better than they are — we could think, “I would never do what they do; I would never go to the places they go; I’m pretty good compared to them.”  Or the opposite could be true – “I could never be as wise as they are; I could never be as good as they are.” We all fall short when we hold ourselves up to God’s standards, but I’m so encouraged by God’s promise in Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB)  The lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

            Children learn by observing people in their environment.  Let us, as God’s beloved children, observe Him, walk with Him moment by moment,  and learn what is pleasing to Him.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Below are two lists from Ephesians 5, the list of negative behaviors we are to avoid, and a list of positive behaviors we are to pursue.  Take some time to consider each item on both lists. Ask the Lord to show you any attitudes or actions that need to change, and then give you the power by His Spirit to make that change.  Be encouraged in the areas where you are making progress.

Negatives

immorality

impurity

greed

filthiness

silly talk

coarse jesting

unfruitful deeds of darkness

foolishness

drunk with wine

Positives

walk in love, as Christ loved you

walk as children of light (the fruit is goodness, righteousness, truth)

learn what is pleasing to the Lord

be careful how you walk, making the most of your time

understand what the will of the Lord is

be filled with the Spirit

encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

always giving thanks to the Father

be subject to one another

be strong in the Lord, putting on the full armor

pray at all times in the Spirit

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever.

                                                                   Hebrews 13:8

This Scripture is easy to memorize and tuck away with lots of other verses about the character of Jesus.  We can easily take this truth for granted. But consider how different life would be if this verse were not true?  What if Jesus’ words are not always true?  What if His will or His standards changed from one generation to the next, or even one day to the next?

            My college freshman psychology instructor was an example of someone with a changeable nature.  He told the class on the first day that he would often “role play” during his lectures, and we would never be able to tell if he actually believed what he said or not.  I never knew what to expect from him, and always had to be on guard, wondering what reaction I might get to an opinion I expressed in class. He gave us several assignments to do outside of class which he never mentioned again.  He promised on several occasions to bring a particular specimen into class for our observation but never brought it in.  It is extremely confusing and unsettling to deal with people like that.  Changeable people can never be trusted completely or counted on to keep their word.  You can never be sure what to expect or know for sure what is expected of you.

            Think about how different it is with Jesus.  What He promised in the past we can count on to be fulfilled.  What He expected in the past from His followers, He still expects today.  By studying His Word, we can know how He wants us to live – loving, trusting, obeying Him and following wherever He leads us.

            Think about the changes in society in recent decades.  The standards of morality change rapidly.  The unthinkable and unacceptable only a few decades ago became commonplace and accepted today.  And there are changes around the world in this year 2020 because of the Coronavirus pandemic.  Who could have predicted how so many lives would be forever changed because of this. 

            But Jesus never changes.  He hasn’t changed His moral code just because many consider the old standards outdated.  God revealed His perfect will in His Word, and His indwelling Holy Spirit guides and empowers us.  Following Jesus creates a firm foundation, stability, and security in life.   His Word is full of promises to those who follow Him.  He loves us, He will be with us always, He will provide, He is sovereign over all, no matter what is going on in our personal life or in the world around us. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Have you known someone who was unpredictable and changeable?  How did that person affect you?

How does the truth of Jesus’ unchanging nature affect you?  Think about what life would be like if that were not true.

What promise can you hold onto in this current time of worldwide change?

    

When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers… what is man, that you are mindful of him?

                                                                     Psalm 8:3-4

On July 19, 1969, the Apollo 11 spacecraft landed on the moon. Twenty-five years later, the media devoted considerable time replaying that event on the anniversary of the landing.  Interviews with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin recaptured their emotions and impressions as the first humans to set foot on the moon.  What an awesome display of the ingenuity and daring of mankind to design a spacecraft and carry out a mission that resulted in sending men to the moon and getting them back to earth again!  And, of course, the accomplishments since then in space exploration are even more amazing!

            A picture of earth taken from the spacecraft on its way to the moon started my pondering of God’s awesome power.  Think about this with me — the Apollo astronauts reported from their vantage point that the earth looked like a marble suspended in space.  The moon is a mere 240,000 miles from the earth.  In contrast, the nearest galaxy to our own is 25,000 light years away. That means the light we see now from that galaxy has traveled at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second) for 25,000 years to reach the earth. We can’t even begin to imagine that kind of distance!  That is only the nearest galaxy. And the universe contains billions of other galaxies!   Do you begin to feel small and insignificant when you see yourself in relation to the entire universe? Do you feel an increased sense of the unfathomable power of God to create such an immense universe?

            King David experienced that feeling of insignificance as he gazed into the night sky.  He was overwhelmed by the countless stars, and he responded by writing: What is man that You are mindful of him?…  Insignificance is a logical conclusion if we consider ourselves only in the context of living on this planet which appears as a marble even from the short distance of our own moon. 

            Now think with me about what we learn from God’s Word about each individual person.  Even before God created the universe, He knew you — He knew me.  Ephesians 1:4 says He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.  Can you even begin to grasp that truth?  Read Psalm 139:16:  You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (NLT)

            With our finite minds it is impossible to comprehend how God created and sustains the immeasurable universe and yet so intimately involves Himself with each individual life ever conceived.  Psalm 139:13 tells us: You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.   

            If you ever struggle with feelings of insignificance, read and meditate on these verses and let God fill you with the wonder of His hands forming you in your mother’s womb and writing in His book what you would experience every day of your life. Ask the Lord to help you comprehend His love that caused Him to leave the glories of heaven, become a fully human infant, live and grow up on this planet He created, knowing that He would be rejected and crucified.  It was His love for you, for me, that brought Him to earth to die so anyone who responds to His love, accepts His forgiveness for sin, and receives Him as Lord of their life, will spend eternity with Him.  I say with King David: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high; I cannot attain to it (Psalm 139:6).

            Our finite minds can never fully comprehend the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God.  But we can ask Him to open our eyes and our hearts, to reveal all that we can possibly understand.  Our response should be one of awe and worship of our infinite, intimate God.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Have you ever struggled with feelings of insignificance and lack of self-worth?  Read Psalm 139 and meditate on God’s intimate knowledge of you and his creation of you as a unique individual.

Make it a point to go outside and gaze into the starry night sky.  Consider the vastness of the universe and remember that before God created any of this, He chose you to belong to Him.  Describe your experience.

Take time to read Matthew 6:26-30.  Think about the Father’s care for even the birds and the flowers.  Hear His words to you: Are you not worth much more than they?

Ask God to help you understand your priceless worth in His sight.  He gave His only Son to die for you! Read again Ephesians 1:4 He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…

Write a prayer of response.

                                                              

I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

I love this picture of what the Lord desires for our relationship with Him.  He wants us to be as closely connected to Him as a branch is attached to the vine. 

The Lord calls us to a relationship with Himself as our source of spiritual life.  He desires us to “bear fruit.”   What is the fruit that will be evident in our life as we are connected to Him?  In Galatians 5:22 we find a list of the fruit of the Spirit: 

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

One Bible teacher defined self-control as “Self under the control of the Holy Spirit.” I especially like that definition! Instead of just gritting my teeth to control myself and my attitudes or my words, I can depend on the Holy Spirit and trust Him to produce in me whatever is needed at the moment.

As followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, and He produces these attributes in us.  But it doesn’t happen immediately or automatically.  It is a growth process that begins when we are born again and then continues throughout our life.  We can’t just try harder on our own to produce this fruit of the Spirit.  The fruit will be produced as we stay connected to Him. 

How do we do that?  Our relationship with Him grows stronger as we spend time with Him in prayer, studying His Word, and responding to His teaching.  Bearing fruit requires a choice on our part to stay connected to Him, cooperating with Holy Spirit as we trust, obey, and depend on Him moment by moment throughout each day.

A branch no longer attached to the vine will wither and die because it has lost its source of nutrients necessary for life.  If we turn away from God, refuse to listen and obey, our spiritual life will suffer.  If we stay connected to Him, He works in us to fulfill His purpose for our life.  As we seek Him and His will, we gain a sense of His pleasure and the fulfillment of meaning and purpose. Our lives will show evidence of the fruit He desires to produce in us. He will use us to encourage others in their walk with Him.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Look again at the above list of the Fruit of the Spirit.  Do you see evidence of this fruit in your life?

Ask the Lord to show you what needs to change in your life to bring about the fruit that He desires.

What steps will you take to be obedient to what He has shown you?

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty… He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge…

                                                                    Psalm 91:1, 4

Security.  It is one of our basic needs.  But where do we go to find it?  When our physical, emotional, or spiritual safety is threatened, what should be our response?  The fact that we will often need a place of safety and refuge from the turmoil of the world should come as no surprise to us.  We are clearly warned that the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  The problem comes in our decision of where to seek shelter.

            Here is the situation we read in Jeremiah, chapters 39-44.  The people of Judah had been released from captivity in Babylon.  They had returned to Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.  They were feeling very weak, vulnerable and fearful.  The people gathered together and asked Jeremiah the prophet to pray for direction from the Lord about what they should do.  The Lord answered very clearly that they were to stay in their land and not fear the king of Babylon.  He promised to be with them, to save them and deliver them from the king’s hand.  He warned them very specifically not to go to Egypt for protection and what the consequences would be if they did go.  There would be famine and war and there would be no survivors.  Jeremiah came back with this clear answer, and the people accused him of telling a lie!  Sadly, they did not listen to the word of the Lord.  Against God’s explicit direction, they marched straight down to Egypt for protection!  They chose to trust a mighty nation for their protection instead of relying on God and obeying Him.

            Once again, I am shocked at the outright disobedience of the Israelites — until I look at my own life and see that I have done the same thing.  God has clearly shown me not to go a certain direction and warned what the consequences would be.  But my mind was made up to do what I wanted to do.

         God’s heart is broken over His rebellious children.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,…How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling (Matthew 23:37).  He longs to provide a place of security, a place of comfort and refuge.  But often we refuse what He offers.  We can hear sermons, we can know what the Bible says, we can listen to the advice of Christian friends, and still stubbornly refuse what God is saying to us.  Read His words in Isaiah 30:1-2: 

            Woe to the rebellious children…who execute a plan, but not Mine, and make an alliance but not of my Spirit, in order to add sin to sin; who proceed down to Egypt without consulting Me, to take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh.

            Think of times you have refused God’s clear direction in your own life.  Think of the consequences you paid.  What is your “Egypt?”  What is it you run to for protection instead of running to God?  Is it your work?  Is it a relationship?  Is it drugs or alcohol?  Money?  Television?  Busy with too many activities?  Enslavement is the result.  God wants to set us free.  He wants us to enjoy His comfort and protection.  But we have to make the choice to go to Him.  No matter how far we have strayed, no matter how many times we have run from Him, He is longing to have us back under His wings.

            Spiritual famine and war are the consequences of refusing God’s call.  There are no survivors.  If you are even now on your way to “Egypt,” turn back.  Take God’s offer of refuge and shelter under His wings.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

What is your “Egypt?”  What is it you turn to for security instead of turning to God?

Think of times you have been disobedient to God.  What were the consequences?

Have you discovered that any other source of security is only temporary?  What are the situations which have shown that to be true?

When your security is threatened, how could you respond in a way that would be pleasing to God?

If you are even now straying away from God, turn back.  He will never leave us, but the longer and farther we stray, the less we feel His pull to come back.  Our hearts become hardened.  Confess your sin and disobedience and let Him gather you under His wings.

From the ends of the earth, I call to you; when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I…

Psalm 61:2

            My husband and I had been separated for several months. With the hope of restoring our marriage, we agreed to attend a ten-day session of counseling in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies to help us get back together.  One early morning, I felt the need to be alone for a while, so I went for a walk.  Sitting on a rock overlooking a magnificent view of huge red rock formations scattered over the landscape of the Garden of the Gods, I cried out to God for help in my emotional and spiritual crisis.  

Psalm 61:2 was God’s answer. I began to ponder “the Rock that is higher than I.” and asked God to help me understand what it means.  The picture that came to mind was a flood.  I have never personally experienced a flood, but I have seen on television the devastation that occurs.   I thought, “Where do people go when their land is flooding?  They go to the highest place they can reach so they will be safe.”

            That morning, I could relate.  I was experiencing an emotional “flood” which threatened to pull me under its swift currents.  Meditating on this verse filled me with the assurance that God is my Rock, the highest point I will ever need to stand on to be saved from the flood of circumstances and emotions.  He is the firm foundation on which I can stand and never be swept away. 

            This new awareness and assurance did not free me immediately from the “flood.”  The waters continued to rage for some time.  But it the midst of it, I knew my feet stood on the Rock that is higher than I, and I would never be destroyed.  By God’s grace, our marriage is restored and is stronger than it ever was before.  I am filled with humble gratitude and amazement for what God accomplished.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Are you in a situation in your life right now that seems like the “flood waters” are threatening to overcome you?

What truth about God can you claim that will give you strength to hold on?

I encourage you to spend time in God’s Word and ask Him to show you His promises that you need in this moment.

Maybe your own life is safe from “flood waters” at this time.  Do you know someone else that you can encourage with the promises in His Word?

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

                                                                  Ephesians 2:10

How do we know God’s plan for our life?  Christians often seem to struggle with how to know God’s will.  “If He would just show me, I’d be happy to do it.  If only He could put it in writing and send it to me, it would be so simple.”  I’ve said those words on many occasions.  I used to be tempted to think, “Maybe I’ll miss the answer when it comes.  Maybe I won’t hear correctly.” I no longer believe that!

            First, we must begin by believing in Him and receiving His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus.  Jesus was willing to die on the cross to forgive our sins so He can adopt us into His family as His sons and daughters.  As we respond in faith, we are to invite Him to be Lord of our life, making a commitment to follow Him instead of our own desires. 

            The Holy Spirit gives every believer one or more spiritual gifts which prepare and enable us to do the work He has designed for us.  You can read about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. 

             Ephesians 2:10 offers real encouragement to me, that God has specifically created us and given us spiritual gifts to use for His purpose.  I am content knowing that He will reveal His plan for me as I ask Him, get to know Him more through spending time with Him in prayer, studying His Word, and commit to follow wherever He leads, using the spiritual gifts He gave me.

            Years ago, a friend gave me a beautiful lily for Easter.  Any plant in my possession at that time might as well have an immediate death sentence pronounced against it.  I just didn’t take the time and effort to discover exactly how to care for plants.  When the Easter lily died, I felt bad about my friend finding out.  Then another thought came to mind:  What would I say to God if I had never bothered to find out what spiritual gifts He has given me?  What if I never took the time and effort to find out what how He wants me to use them?

            It is of utmost importance we discover our gifts and use them diligently to serve the Body, wherever God has placed us.  Those who are familiar with their gifts, and are using them to serve, know there is nothing else that brings such joy and fulfillment, and the Body will grow as we all work together for God’s purpose.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

If you are a Christian and have not yet discovered your spiritual gifts, I encourage you to begin by asking God to lead you.  Read the passages of scripture devoted to these gifts.  It will help you determine God’s will for your life.  It will also enable you to function as part of Christ’s Body as He intended.  You will be prepared to walk in the good works God chose for you.

If you have discovered your spiritual gifts, what are they?  How are you using them to serve? If you don’t know how God wants to use your gifts, ask Him to show you, and trust that He will.

Remember that you are an important part of the Body.  We all need to be doing what God has planned for us to do in order for His Church to function properly.

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If you are interested in taking a Spiritual Gifts Assessment Test, click here.
This is just one simple test that can help you begin to discover your own spiritual gifts.  It may be helpful to discuss the results with your pastor or another spiritual leader to consider where you might best use your gifts to serve God in your church.

…You are not your own, for you have been bought with a price…

             I Corinthians 6:19-20

  Every Sunday for years, these are the words I saw carved into the wall behind the platform at church.  I lived much of my life with a mindset far removed from that message.  Even though I faithfully attended church with my family every Sunday, participated in youth groups and other Christian activities, somehow all that knowledge about God had never penetrated my heart.  

I was twenty-eight years old when my husband and I moved to another state and I started attending church with a new friend.  It was there I finally heard, understood, and responded to the message that Jesus had died for me so that I could be forgiven for my sin and have a personal relationship with Him.  Death on the cross was the price He paid to save me.  I realized Jesus loves me and He wants to be Lord of my life! That is when I committed my life to Him and began a life-long journey of knowing, loving, and following Him.

            At first, even after making a personal commitment and inviting Jesus to be Lord of my life, I was still living as though I had to earn God’s love. I added more Christian activities — attended a weekly Bible study, taught children’s Sunday School, sang in the choir. As I grew in my knowledge of God, I even incorporated somewhat regular “quiet times” and began leading a women’s Bible study. 

            Several years passed before I finally began to truly understand that God loves us unconditionally, not based on our Christian activities and trying harder to please Him. He was willing to die so that we could have a relationship with Him.  He desires to be Lord of our lives.  He wants to live His life through us. He wants us to be His hands and feet, going where He wants us to go and serving where He wants us to serve.  His Holy Spirit indwells every follower of Jesus and equips us for what He calls us to do.

            Perhaps we think negatively of this master/servant relationship, having to give up our freedom, our rights, the things we think we need to make us happy.  But actually, it is only as we surrender ourselves completely to God that we can experience the joy and fulfillment, the abundant life He intends for us.  Anything else we seek may offer temporary pleasure, but nothing else will completely satisfy us and give the deep joy and peace as we experience in loving relationship to Him. 

              It is easy to just go through the routine of living day after day, responding to the urgent situations that demand our attention, being drawn to all kinds of activities, without ever stopping to ask God what He would choose to do with our life. I pray that God will draw us closer to Himself and give us the desire expressed by this song:  “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.  Take my hands…my feet…my voice…my lips…my silver and my gold…my intellect…my will…my heart…my love.”  The last verse ends with “Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.” 

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Read again I Corinthians 6:19-20 You are not your own, for you have been bought with a price…

Is Jesus truly Lord of your life, or are you just going through all the right motions of being a Christian?

If you are still living life as if it is your own, you can ask God to change your heart and make you willing to live completely for Him. I encourage you to spend time alone with Him each day acknowledging that you are not your own.  Ask Him how He wants to live His life through you today.  Jesus bought you with the price of His own life.

Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 

Put on the full armor of God…

                                                                Ephesians 6:11-13

I memorized this Scripture about the armor of God as a child during Vacation Bible School many years ago. On a flannelgraph board, we saw colorful pictures of a soldier wearing a belt of truth, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and shoes of the gospel of peace   But it is only years later as an adult  I have come to a deeper understanding of spiritual warfare, the spiritual life-and-death importance of being prepared for spiritual battle. 

The Scriptures tell us we have an enemy who is out to destroy us.  Who is the enemy?  It is Satan, the devil.  1 Peter 5:8 says: “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”   God has clearly warned of the enemy’s intent.  Do you take the warning seriously?  Do I? 

In the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve to disobey God’s clear command not to eat from the tree of life.  He is still very much at work with his forces of darkness attempting to destroy us emotionally and spiritually.  His temptations are altered to meet our own vulnerable areas. What can we do about it?  How can we remain strong?

Ephesians 6:11-13 gives us the battle plan to fight the enemy, God’s provision of spiritual armor for the spiritual battle:

            Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

              The first piece of armor is TRUTH.  We need to know God, know what His Word says about who He is, what He has done for us, and who we are as those who have received His gift of salvation through faith in Jesus.  The next piece is RIGHTEOUSNESS.    We must be cleansed of sin and be born again in order to be in a right relationship with God. It is necessary to understand the gospel of PEACE, the good news that we are no longer separated from God because of our sin.  We need to be prepared to take the good news to others wherever we go.  FAITH in God is the shield that will protect us from the fiery darts (the temptations) Satan throws.  We need the solid foundation of SALVATION, to recognize we have been saved from sin to live for God. The WORD OF GOD is the one offensive weapon.  We need to know God’s Word, to have His Word hidden in our hearts.  When Jesus was being tempted by Satan, He was able to firmly respond, “It is written….”  He added nothing, just spoke the Word of God.  We must be able to do the same.  Finally, we are to pray and “be on the alert.”

            Years ago, I was reading these verses on spiritual warfare and asked God to help me understand it better.  What finally became clear to me is that Jesus Himself is the full armor. He is truth, He is righteousness, He is peace, faith is a gift He has given, He is our salvation, He is the Word of God.  I am to “put on Christ” (Romans 13:14).  I am to acknowledge that I am in Him and He is in me.  He has made Himself and His power completely available to fight the spiritual battles and the temptations that will inevitably come.  But the choice is mine, moment-by-moment, to be in Him and claim His protection, or to set Him aside and listen to the lies of the enemy and respond to the inviting temptations Satan places before me.

            Entire books have been written on the subject of spiritual warfare.  God’s Word clearly warns us of the battle and provides all the protection we will need.  I encourage you, as I remind myself, to take very seriously the battle we are in, to consciously put on Christ each day, to pray, be on the alert, and be strong in the Lord. 

I just read these words from the Jesus Calling devotional book, September 18th: “You inhabit a fallen, disjointed world, where things are constantly unraveling around the edges. Only a vibrant relationship with Me can keep you from coming unraveled too.”

Yes, even in the midst of this current worldwide pandemic, where life as we knew it has changed so dramatically, we can be strong in the Lord! We can keep our focus on the Lord who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He will never leave us. He is our strength to endure anything we are going through.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Satan is very crafty.  He knows your weakest areas.  Do you?  Have you identified the areas where he is most likely to attack?  What are they?

We must prepare ourselves daily by putting on the armor, “putting on Christ.”  Review the parts of the armor. Ask God to make each one a reality that you can understand in a meaningful way.  Write down what you learn about each piece of the armor.

            Truth

            Righteousness

            Peace

            Faith

            Salvation

            Word of God

Know the Truth.  Refuse to listen to the lies of Satan!

Pray and ask God for opportunities to share God’s truth with others who are struggling.  We all need God’s truth to stand firm in our faith.

… present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Romans 12:1

In the Old Testament, we read God’s commandments to the people of Israel about how they were to offer animals as a sacrifice for forgiveness of sin and to express their worship to Him.  The animals were to be without blemish or defect.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 9:14, we learn that Jesus is the Lamb of God who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, crucified on the cross, to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.  Now, instead of offering animal sacrifices, God asks us to respond to Him in worship by offering ourselves in complete surrender to Him — to know Him, love Him, and follow Him in obedience to His Word. 

So how do we “present our bodies to God as a living and holy sacrifice?”  It is not a one-time-once-for-all response.  Here are some thoughts about what we can offer Him daily:

Our best time of the day to spend with Him, making Him our highest priority

Our worship for who He is and what He has done for us

Our surrender, trust, obedience, complete dependence on Him

Our mind, will and emotions

Our abilities, strengths and gifts, and even our weaknesses

Our loved ones

Our possessions

Our past, our present, our future

I’m sharing a few lines from “A Prayer for First Thing in the Morning” by the author Asheritah Ciuciu. I received permission to quote a few lines if I include the link to her website:  onethingalone.com.

“Thank you that Your compassion is renewed every morning.  Great is Your faithfulness and Your steadfast love, O Lord!…. Holy Spirit, come and hover over my mind like You hovered over the waters at creation and speak order out of the chaos! Help me to cease striving and trust that you will give me all I need today to do the work You’ve given me to do…. Everything I am is Yours.”

I especially love the idea of asking the Holy Spirit to bring order out of chaos in my mind. I’m sure we all struggle with distracting thoughts as we spend quiet time with the Lord in prayer. We can specifically pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us in how to worship, how to seek Him with our whole heart, and how to pray for others.

And here is one more prayer of surrender from Sheila Walsh in her book Honestly. I want to have this attitude each day! “Lord, I stand before You with open hands.  Whatever you place in them I will welcome.  Whatever you take away I will gladly let go”

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Ask God to reveal any area of your life you are not surrendering to Him.

Praise Him for His sacrifice that has accomplished for you what you could never accomplish for yourself.  In obedience, you can respond to Him by “presenting yourself as a living sacrifice.”

Consider writing your own prayer of gratitude and surrender to God.