Freedom in the Chaos
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
Proverbs 3:5
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.
James 4:13-15
The last devotional I wrote was about the book of Habakkuk and God’s lesson to us about trusting in Him and not our circumstances. Realizing this, Habakkuk declares that despite all of the loss, he will yet rejoice in the Lord. A challenge to the believer, in two senses of the word: a call to take part in something like a contest or competition and also for some of us, a difficult undertaking. I shared that devotional the evening of March 18th; less than a week later I find myself faced with that challenge.
My husband Don is a civil engineer. He has worked in the government and private sectors for most of his career, the latest at a small engineering firm in Boerne. Mid-March, the leaders called the company’s 60+ employees together and told them that there was going to be some belt-tightening due to the work stoppages because of COVID-19 and that layoffs may occur. Last week, my husband and some others were called into a room and given the bad news: they would receive a week’s pay as severance and health benefits through April.
Don sent a terse text with the news and I won’t lie—I experienced an immediate sense of dread that stopped me cold. I honestly can’t remember what I was doing at the time – probably listening to some meeting at my desk at home, since I’m now working from home during this time – but I knew that I couldn’t wallow or worry, as I needed to call Don while he was driving home, and I needed to be as calm and collected and hopeful as the Lord would enable me to be.
The next morning as I spent time with Him, I cried just a little—not about the circumstance itself, but for my husband, for the pain he was feeling because of the layoff. He knows it wasn’t a personal thing against him; it’s just something that happened. The challenging thing is that he lost his job in the summer of 2018, so this happening 18 months after that was a bit too close for comfort and ego. But as I prayed to and with Him, and thanked Him, albeit weakly, for the trial, He led me to understand the freedom in the midst of all of this chaos. You see, despite our best efforts, I don’t know if anyone could have seen the impact that COVID-19 has had on not only on people’s health but also on the global economy. Who would have predicted, not even a month ago when we were hearing about everything happening in Wuhan, that businesses would be decimated and schools and church buildings emptied?
And yet, therein lies the glory of the Lord. In my struggle to quell the need to try to figure things out and plan for the future or even the next week, and make myself crazy in analyzing, in Dr. Strange-like fashion, the hundreds of different outcomes to something over which I have no control, He showed me the folly at even trying. And I felt peace…and freedom. Peace because I wasn’t trying to figure things out, and such freedom because I couldn’t and did not have to. Sweet relief!
I know that the Lord has us—and whatever is going to happen, it will all be all right. You see, the Lord doesn’t have to figure this stuff out—it just is, it just happens, He says it and there it is. There is comfort in knowing that He knows the outcome of all of this and is not surprised by any of it. There is security in the promise of that He will work good in all things for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. There is peace in the understanding that our ways are not His ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts.
He is God, and I am not. Praise be to His holy and beautiful name!
Prayer Requests
· For those working tirelessly in search of a cure, testing, vaccinations and the like, all because of this virus
· For us a nation and a world to repent from our dark and foolish ways and turn to Him
· For the victims of domestic violence, of which we have seen an uptick in due to the economic impacts of COVID-19
· For us to realize that even though we are not able to meet in person, we are the church, wherever we are, and to whomever we meet
Most assuredly, I declare that regardless of what happens with his job, with the economy, with my job, our health – we will be fine. The Lord has us. He will use this current bump to grow me and my witness, and He will be glorified.
Quotes
“Worship will get you through the roughest times in your life, because it shifts your focus from the problem to the problem solver.”
“A person who is hungry for God will seek His presence every day, not just on Sunday.”
P.S.
I’ve created a new COVID-19 resource page on the website where we’ll make updates and share information as things happen. This one is different than the one I sent out last time.
Please share feedback on how the live streaming of the worship service has been. Please know that we plan on having Pastor Wayne wear a wireless headset microphone as soon as we can get it to him, so that folks will be able to hear him better. Shout out to Kenny Williams for buying it!
Yet I Will Rejoice
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
I read the book of Habakkuk a couple of months ago and was drawn to its message and applicability from when it was written (likely sometime between 609-598 BC) to now. I knew immediately that there was a devotional, and perhaps even a sermon(!) from reading this book; the only thing in question was when?
If you haven’t read Habakkuk, I invite you to read its three chapters. Until then, allow me to boil it down for you: Habakkuk was a minor prophet who questioned God about the presence of evil throughout the land of Judah (his people) and God’s apparent silence and lack of action in response to this evil. In fact, the second verse of the first book reads
“O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save…For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore, the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore, perverse judgment proceeds”
Wicked things are going on all around Habakkuk and he doesn’t understand why the Lord hasn’t done anything about it. When the Lord tells Habakkuk that He would soon send the Chaldeans (Babylonians) to mete out justice upon the wicked in Judah, Habakkuk’s response is one of protest, lamenting that God’s act of judgment upon Judah (the punishment) is worse than the evil acts Judah was partaking in (the crime). God shares with Habakkuk that although He will use the evil Chaldeans, He will eventually destroy them. The Lord gives Habakkuk a vision to share with Judah of the pending judgment and disaster, changing Habakkuk’s outlook from doubt and worry to that of faith and praise. The vision is terrifying but magnifies the glory of the Lord throughout the natural world. It demonstrated that the Lord is in control, and that Habakkuk’s faith, like ours, needed to be placed in the Lord instead of his circumstances.
Habakkuk closes chapter 3 with one of the most comforting, declarative, and inspiring verses, demonstrating that as believers, we can know joy in the midst of desolation and darkness. He declares that he will rejoice in the Lord despite the barren fig trees, lack of food, and empty stall. Circumstances change—our world right now is evidence of it—but God is immutable. He never changes. Habakkuk realized, as so should we, that faith need not be in the circumstances—but in the One who is greater than them all.
In what or whom do you rejoice? In what or whom do you place your faith? The obvious answer, of course, is the Lord, as this is a Christian devotional. But I urge you to examine your heart and be thoughtful about your response. There’s no judgment here, I promise. In times like these, with the unprecedented rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, toilet-paper hoarding and hand-sanitizer stockpiling run rampant, worry about the global economy because of the impacts of travel bans and restaurant closures, it can be difficult to not worry, or even panic, especially when the impact could hit so close to home, either in sickness, loss of employment, impact to one’s investments, and the like. Many times, when things are beyond our understanding and seem to be happening to us, our immediate response is to act on those things that we think we can control, and put our faith in our abilities and material goods (finances and the like). We tend to trust more in ourselves and less in the Lord. It is a natural, human, understandable response.
However…God controls the circumstances. He may let us think that we can impact them, but we know that He is greater than our circumstances. Habakkuk realized this, and praised God. God’s majesty and glory are increased when we acknowledge Him for His sovereignty and power.
Prayer Requests
· For comfort and healing for those who are contract the COVID-19 virus
· For health-care workers in their tireless service
· For the children in abusive families for whom the now-closed school was a welcome and needed escape
· For those in society who are most impacted by the suspension of visitations—people in nursing and rest homes, prisons, hospitals
Dear ones, God is still on His throne. Whether you think we are in the end times or in a “this too shall pass” time, He is still in control. Our response is to have faith in Him, and to be obedient to His leading.
Quotes
“Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes He lets the storm rage and He calms His child.”
“Somebody, somewhere is depending on you to do what God has called you to do.”
P.S. I’ve created a special COVID-19 page on the website where we’ll make updates and share information as things happen. I’m also hoping to have a link to the livestream of our church services as they happen on that page as well. #NotAShamelessPlug J
Dear Younger Me
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
I recently heard the song “Letter to Me” by Brad Paisley, in which the singer-songwriter talks about writing a letter to his younger self, sharing wisdom and hope learned in hindsight of teenage heartache and youthful experiences. The song ends with “I wish you wouldn’t worry/Let it be/I’d say have a little faith/And you’ll see…” Hearing that song was an interesting coincidence, as the earworm I’ve had in my head since the MercyMe concert has been “Dear Younger Me”, a song written in the same vein, but the knowledge of the background of the song makes it that much more meaningful. You see, a friend of lead singer Bart Millard’s happens to be a professional athlete who fell in love with baseball because he was abused by babysitters as a child, and he chose baseball because he said that it [the baseball field] was the one place they [the babysitters] couldn’t get to. When Millard heard that in a television interview, he texted him these words, which he then turned into the lyrics of an extremely moving song:
If I knew then what I know now/Condemnation would have no power /My joy and pain would never be my worth/If I knew then what I knew now/It wouldn’t be hard to figure out/What I would’ve changed/If I had heard “Dear younger me, it’s not your fault/You were never meant to carry this beyond the cross.”
Millard knew of which he wrote, because his father was horribly abusive to him when Millard was a child.
I have known people who have defined themselves by the things that happened to them or by the mistakes they made earlier in life (or, like me, both). They struggle to overcome the shame and pain, and the enemy’s reminders of past hurts and failures keep many people a prisoner to their past, their perceived worth non-existent.
I’ve also known people, brothers and sisters in Christ, who have experienced the same type of trauma but who have been able to see their worth only in the imputed righteousness of our Savior. Some have expressed regret in having gone through the experiences that they did, either by their own hand or by others’, while others have expressed remorse about the time it took them to come to know Christ, feeling guilty about the perceived loss of time in accomplishing Kingdom work.
Friends, hear me now: what you have experienced is all part of God’s plan—the good (God be praised!), the seemingly bad (God be thanked for those trials), and what seems to be the ugly (remember Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17). The experiences that you went through made you who are you, and positioned you in such a way that you could be a witness to others—those who have experienced what we have—to help them through their trials. Paul points this out to the Corinthians: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Some of you need to know that the things that happened to you when you were younger are simply not your fault, and I beg you to not let anyone (least of all yourself!) tell you otherwise.
Some of you need to know that you are not defined by your bad choices and mistakes—that you are defined as a child of God and so desperately loved by Almighty God.
Some of you need to know that your salvation moment was on God’s timeline, not yours, and that you weren’t ready to accept Christ as your savior until that moment you did.
Let the Holy Spirit work on your heart to enable you to accept the things that I just wrote. The Lord Jesus has ransomed you, snatching you away from the grip of eternal damnation and declared your worth. The Creator of the universe has forgiven you—now it’s time to forgive yourself. The Prince of Peace loves you—now it’s time to love and value yourself, not for what you are or what you have done but for what He has done.
Prayer Requests
· Comfort and encouragement for those who are caregivers
· For law enforcement and first responders
· For those in military service and for their families
· For us to share the love of Jesus with this broken world
Dear ones, I don’t want anyone to think that God is mean-spirited and that His plans are to throw trials and tribulations your way, that He causes things to happen and you’re just at the whim of His capriciousness. That is simply not the case. God does not cause bad things to happen to us, but He does sometimes allow those things to occur because He can use them later to bring you or someone else closer to Himself.
Quotes
“You are holy, You are righteous, You are one of the redeemed, Set apart, a brand new heart, You are free indeed.” -- MercyMe from “Dear Younger Me”
“We’ve made loving people a lot more complicated than Jesus did.”
Like a Roaring Lion
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:11-12
My husband and I recently got the Ring video doorbell and alarm system. It has an app that you can use to enable and disable the alarm, receive notices when someone is at your front door, and even talk to people at the front door. It’s pretty nifty and I’m glad that we got it. But it also has this pesky feature in which I get notifications of “nearby incidents”—vehicle thefts and break-ins, home burglaries, gunshots (that last incident turned out to be fireworks but still), and the like—anything within a 2.5-mile radius of my home in Stone Oak. I didn’t realize all of the things that are happening way too close to my home – too close for comfort—but now I do. I don’t think I want to know, to be honest—ignorance truly was bliss. Oh, I knew that crime happened, and I’m not naïve enough to think it couldn’t happen within the Stone Oak area, but to know that a vehicle was stolen not too far from my neighborhood last week and that a couple of houses were broken into is unsettling. I reckon I could turn off these notifications, but I don’t think I will. They provide valuable information—information that I can use to increase awareness of my surroundings and mitigate my risk of being a victim. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.
This same concept applies to the work of the enemy. Peter tells us to be alert and of sober mind, for the devil prowls like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. We cannot ignore the threat of his presence by either denying his existence, or by attempting to live our lives under the proverbial radar, hoping to slip past his gaze, not daring to call attention to ourselves. No! I’m sorry if I am the one to tell you but he is real, he is deceptive and a liar. We play right into his hands, also, if we live our lives in such a non-threatening way that we aren’t even a blip on his radar. We cannot, if we are truly children of the living King, compromise on our duty to share the gospel with the unbelieving world.
James, Peter, and Paul provide us the knowledge we need with respect to the enemy. James tells us to submit ourselves to God, and to resist the enemy and he will flee from us. Peter tells us to resist him and stand firm in the faith. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians equips us with the tools we need in the full armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the readiness of peace, shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We needn’t be afraid of the enemy, for “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” We just need to be aware of his existence, and walk with the Lord, holding on to His hand for assurance. The enemy may try to do his worst, and it won’t be pleasant, but we need to remember that he is limited by our God. The enemy cannot take away your salvation or the love of the Father. So walk proudly into this broken world and share the gospel, fearing no one. The Lord’s plans will not be hindered by what the enemy does.
Prayer Requests
· Gratitude for all that the Lord has done for us
· Blessings on Ray, Wayne, George, and Carlos
· Healing for the who are sick, in accordance to His will, peace for those concerned about Coronavirus, and strength for those treating the sick and infirm
· For us to be the church wherever we are
Friends, don’t we serve an absolutely awesome God? He will never leave us or forsake us. He wants us to be bold and know of His presence always.
Quotes
“When God designed the plan for your life, it wasn’t dependent on you being perfect. Your mistakes are not a surprise to Him.”
“If you’re breathing, you matter, because you matter to the One who gave you breath.”
Shepherds
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Hebrews 13:17
“Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.”
Hebrews 12:28
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.
Exodus 17:11-12
Like I shared in last week’s devotional, friends and I saw MercyMe in concert the 17th of February. It was a fantastic evening full of praise and worship of our Lord, with much joy and admittedly, some tears. Their songs move and touch me so deeply. In introducing one of their songs, Even If, Bart Millard, the band’s lead singer, shared the story of his oldest son having juvenile diabetes and the struggles that he as a father has had seeing his child suffer through major health issues. He spoke of the challenges he’s had to stay positive and inspire concert-goers and witness to people, knowing all along that the Lord could deliver his son from this sickness if He so chose to do so. In fact, the lyrics exemplify this challenge:
I’ve stood on this stage night after night/Reminding the broken
It’ll be all right/But right now, oh right now I just can’t
And
They say it only takes a little faith/To move a mountain
Well, good thing/A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose/To leave mountains unmovable
Oh, give me the strength to be able to sing/It is well with my
soul
I can’t fathom the number of times he has willed himself to sing even though his heart is breaking or his faith is shaken. Although Millard is not a pastor, he is still leading worship and seeking to glorify God in his music. His music is his ministry, and he and his band members need to be remembered in our prayers for all that they are trying to accomplish for the Kingdom.
Similarly, and closer to home, pastors carry a large load on their shoulders as well. It cannot be easy, Sunday after Sunday, to consistently deliver His message when life’s struggles and the enemy’s attacks can distract and threaten to undermine. Pastors and other church leaders are not immune to the slings and arrows the enemy launches, some coming through challenging interactions with people in their congregations and yet others, through their own self-doubt and pity (note, I am painting with a broad brush and generalizing—neither Ray nor Wayne have ever mentioned anything to me about this at all, I promise). If I’m upset with my husband but have to buy a birthday or Valentine’s Day card for him, I struggle because the meaning of the card needs to be sincere—I cannot buy a card just because it’s a card with a pithy message—can’t get one that is all lovey dovey if that is not what I am feeling at the time. It feels disingenuous (the silly thing is—I’m the only one who knows this). I know how challenging it would be to preach a message during a time in which I were in a valley, or had a diminished amount of faith. (I’ll preempt what you may be thinking here—maybe that’s why I’m not up there preaching every week! God sure knows what He is doing, keeping me in the pews, hmmm?)
Here’s where you and I come in, friend. We pray. We pray for our pastors and leaders in the church. We pray for missionaries, itinerant preachers, evangelists, elders—whether we know them or not. For our own pastors, we come up alongside of them, arms out to hug, to lift up, to hold up the proverbial arms of those He set before us as pastors and leaders. We remind them that God is in the valleys as well as the mountaintops. We love on them, knowing they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We become Christ’s hands and feet to them, comforting, helping, all the while demonstrating God’s love to the bod of Christ.
Prayer Requests
· For our pastors and lay leaders in Stone Oak Church
· For our hearts to be prepared for Lent, starting this Ash Wednesday
· For government authorities and leaders at all levels
· For God to be glorified in all that we do
According to an interview I read about the hit Even If, Millard mentions that “Even If is a reminder to people in difficult situations that don’t seem to go away. God was worthy long before any of those circumstances even showed up. This song is a declaration to God that even if He went silent and never said another word, He’s still worthy to be praised and that He’s our greatest hope in the midst of the trial.”
Amen!
Quotes
“Speak the biblical truth, even if it doesn’t meet the approval of the culture.”
“Mountaintops are for views and inspirations, but fruit is grown in the valleys.”
-- Billy Graham
This So-Called Love
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
John 17:3
I went with some friends to the MercyMe concert this past Sunday—it was a fantastic concert! David Leonard (a new band) and Jeremy Camp performed as well. The music started at 7:00 p.m. and MercyMe came on at 9:00—I did not get home and into bed until midnight. Needless to say, I was quite tired the next morning. Rejuvenated and joyous Sunday night; my you-know-what dragging all day Monday. Since the concert, I’ve been listening to MercyMe through my iPhone in my car and working out—I had simply forgotten the beauty of their music and the truth of their lyrics.
There is one small song in their 2010 album The Generous Mr. Lovewell that seems almost an afterthought. At 1:36 minutes, it’s a short song, slow in nature, but simple in message. Entitled This So-Called Love, its lyrics are as such:
I can be there for you when it can't get much harder
I can cover your head when life starts to rain
I can hold on tight when it feels like you're falling
I can bread-crumb the path when you've lost your way
I can make you laugh when the whole world is crying
I can build you up when you're broken in shame
But if all that we do is absent of Jesus
Then this "so called" love is completely in vain
Y’all, this song was the last song I heard as I drove to my parking space this morning, eyes thick with tears. It has been one of those weeks/months—major change happening in key pillars of my life—and the Lord and I chatted about it while I waited in a traffic jam on my way to work. I was primed and susceptible to the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me, even though I know for a fact that the Lord has everything and that He would give me the peace I was so desperately asking for, if I just set back a bit and rested in Him. Struggling to get it together so that I didn’t look like a blithering idiot to the security guard checking my badge and waving me in, I was safe until the song came on. It’s a slow song, one that speaks of closeness, friendship, and security…until the end of the song, where the lyrics take that promise and shatter it with the Truth.
Friends, it’s not enough for us to love as the world loves. It’s not enough for us to do good works, and give money to outreach and mission work without sharing the love of Christ, or without Christ being the reason that we do what we do. Atheists and those from other religions can do good works. They can address the needs of the infirm, poor, imprisoned, and lonely. And they can love. But it is the works of believers, though, those who love because He first loved us, that are meaningful and lasting. When Christ-followers demonstrate the same love that Christ did when He died for our sins, God is glorified and people have the opportunity to not only have their needs met, but their hearts and value affirmed as well. When we are instruments of God’s love, we partner with Him for the eternal well-being of the person who is the lucky recipient of this wonderful attention. That person experiences an amazing blessing, and we too, are blessed.
Prayer Requests
· For the discernment of His presence as we walk through the storms
· Blessings on Pastor Ray and April as we prepare to transition pastors
· For those who are ill, and for their caretakers
· For us to be the church wherever we are
People need to know the love of Christ, y’all—it’s that simple. “Agapetoi agapomen”—Greek for “those who are loved, let us love” or “Belovd, let us love one another”.
Quotes
“Not everything that weighs you down is yours to carry.”
“The only One who can truly satisfy the human heart is the One who made it.”
Worship
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 4:23-24
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe”
Hebrews 12:28
Remember back in elementary school when you learned about the water cycle—how condensation in the clouds saturated the clouds to the point where precipitation would fall into lakes, streams, rivers, and the like (collection), and then through the process of evaporation, water droplets or condensation formed in the clouds, and the process starts again? That process came to mind when I was mulling over a statement I’d heard ascribed to Louie Giglio: “Worship is simply giving God His breath back.” Think about it—because God pours out His love and grace on us, we receive it and (ideally) share it, and simply and sometimes sacrificially offer up thanks for His blessings in praise and a declaration of His honor and reverence in worship. We rightly acknowledge His majesty, and He blesses us. Love rains down; praise goes up. It starts and ends with Him.
There is much talk these days of “praise and worship” being experiences that we consume as church goers. Megachurches have been accused of using praise bands and fog machines to affect an emotional response from the people attending, and that can be dangerous. Churches have split over changes to the worship services, while others modify and tailor the atmosphere to attract seekers and grow their congregations.
But the focus is all wrong—worship is not about the church goer. Notice in my example above—God is the one who initiates the process by pouring out His love on us and He is the recipient of our worship. He is the focus. Worship in Hebrew is Shachah, which means to prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage or royalty to God)—bow down, crouch, fall down (flat). In the Greek, worship is “Proskynō”, which has a similar definition but also conveys “kissing the hand of one who is revered.” Worship occurs when we acknowledge the greatness, majesty, sovereignty, and holiness of Almighty God in communion with Him. Praise and prayer are the media by which we do this; worship is the outcome.
Please don’t get me wrong—as part of the Worship committee/team, I want to be responsive to your requests with respect to the service. I understand that if there is something that is being done within the service that bugs the heck out of you, you might be less motivated to come to the service, or if you do, to get all that you can out of it—I don’t want that. If there is something that we can change up that does not detract from the primary reason we are in church (to worship Him), then by all means, we can try it. But the primary purpose of our worship is to declare, publicly and privately, that He is the source of love in our lives.
I read the story of how songwriter, singer, and worship leader Matt Redman’s song “The Heart of Worship” came to be. It was the late 1990s and the congregation was struggling to find its meaning despite the music and interaction within the services. “The pastor discerned that something was missing, and did a brave thing,” Matt shared. “He decided to get rid of the sound system and band for just a season, and we gathered together with our just our voices. His point was that we’d lost our way in worship, and the way to get back to the heart would be to strip everything away.” The pastor challenged the congregation with this question, reminding them to be producers in worship, not just consumers, “When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?” What developed in Redman’s songwriting mind were the lyrics to “The Heart of Worship”:
When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come/
Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless
Your heart/I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all
About You, Jesus..
What about you? What will you bring as your offering to God this Sunday?
Prayer Requests
· For discernment and trust to all who walk with Him
· For protection and blessing of our pastors and church leaders
· Praise for the rain!
· For us to be the church wherever we are
Friends, we praise and love because He first loved us. He is the source, and may our words and actions reflect that.
Quotes
“I believe churches are meant for praising God. But so are 2:00 a.m. car rides, showers, coffee shops, the gym, conversations with friends, strangers, etc. Don’t let a building confine your faith because we will never change the world by just going to church—we need to be the church.” (Twitter)
“Rest tonight knowing that whatever is on your mind is in God’s hands.”
Value and Self-Worth
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14
My coworkers and I were talking about family dynamics, birth order, and personalities the other day. Even though I am the oldest (out of me and my sister), some of my personality characteristics are atypical for a firstborn. While I am hard-working and responsible, I am also a people pleaser and empathetic. On one hand, I am committed and aspire to excellence, but on the other hand, I can also be fairly insecure and wound easily. My skin is too thin, and my heart has taken up residence on my sleeve. My people-pleaser nature makes me a great target for being overly concerned about what others think of me. Said nature also lends itself to de-escalating (or even preempting) conflict, as I am loath to experience it, probably for reasons stated above. (I feel that I should caveat some of this with the statement that I am more apt to (respectfully) challenge or (lovingly) confront if I know you better, and trust that you know my heart and motivation. But even then, my insecurities can still get the better of me).
Such has been my life and outlook for almost all of my life. It wasn’t until maybe last month after some diligent self-examination of my reaction to a particularly challenging interaction at work that I realized that my self-worth should not rest in anyone else’s opinion of me—that the Almighty Lord loved me enough to send His son to die on a cross for me, and that the love that Jesus has for me enabled Him to suffer and sacrifice Himself for me, in obedience to the Father. I realized that I had the ability to actively change and choose the source of the validation I needed—His was the only voice whose tones and opinions mattered. Since it was His breath that gave me life, it should be only His words that define my worth. In a world full of noisy gongs and clanging cymbals, it is the melodious tones of my Creator singing over me that declare my value.
I can’t convey to you how liberating this is! I can actually feel my skin growing thicker by the minute and my heart is packing up its stuff, getting ready to move off of my sleeve! I am now apathetic to what everyone thinks now. Just kidding—I’m the same person I was before, but I’m not, you know? It’s liberating and at the same time, calming, because I don’t have to fret and overthink about what I said and the way I said it, what the other person meant by what they said and the tone they used, and so on, ad nauseum. My Savior loves me, and I am the daughter of the King.
Prayer Requests
· For our government leaders at all levels of authority
· For China, and those impacted by the coronavirus
· For the Lord to be glorified in all that we think, say, and do
· For His will and our discernment of it
Friends, may you bask in the goodness of His grace, secure in the knowledge of His love for you.
Quotes
“God knows the when, the where, the why, and the how. So show up, do your part, and then let go and trust Him to do the rest.”
“People may have us because of Jesus, but they should never hate Jesus because of us. The way we treat others should lead them to only one conclusion: “If this is how Jesus loves, then I’m in.” -Jen Hatmaker
Not Exactly How We Thought It Would Be
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Acts 9:15
“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.
Acts 26:27-29
I’ve recently just finished reading the book of Acts. I’ve read Acts many times, but I always learn something new each time I do, and I am so thankful to the Holy Spirit’s work in that. I give Him credit, also, for turning me on to Enduring Word, a commentary done by Pastor David Guzik that is available in an app that I listen to in the car or when I work out.
It was while reading Guzik’s commentary on chapter 26 that I was inspired to write this devotional. The setting in here is that Paul, accused and hated by the Jews because of his preaching and testimony regarding God’s message for the Gentiles that sparked a riot amongst the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, stands before King Agrippa in Caesarea. Through a right provided by his Roman citizenship, Paul has appealed to Caesar, to be tried before his tribunal, and along the way has reiterated his testimony and preached Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected to a number of Roman statesmen and dignitaries. It is also with King Agrippa that Paul shares not only his dramatic past and conversion story but also the message about Christ’s suffering and resurrection, proclaiming “light both to our people (Jews) and to the Gentiles.” Agrippa, after being pointedly questioned by Paul, tells him, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (It sounds a bit more emphatic in the NKJV: “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”)
Paul is witnessing to the king, just as Jesus told Ananias Paul would. Only the route he took to get there was probably not the way he would’ve originally envisioned it. Truth be told, were I Paul, and were I told that I would appear before kings to preach the good news and name of Jesus, my first thought would be, “An audience with kings and other dignitaries—what an opportunity! It may take some coordination, connections, and string-pulling, but what an honor and great thing this will be.” I would endeavor to not allow pride to kick in, but knowing who I am, I fear I might lose that battle slightly. I don’t think I’d break my arm patting my shoulder, but I can see my head getting maybe a wee bit larger.
But the route Paul takes to get an audience with kings is quite different. Instead of preaching circuits in fine linens and horse-drawn chariots, with fine dining and drink, rubbing elbows with politicians and royalty, Paul, up to this point, has endured stoning, lashings, imprisonment, beatings, and plots to kill him. After he witnesses to the King and his entourage, Paul will face horrible storms while sailing, being shipwrecked, a snakebite, and further imprisonment in Rome.
Not necessarily the path one would want to be on, pre- or post-kingly visit, wouldn’t you agree? Oh, but it was a path put together by the Lord, one punctuated with its trials and sufferings as well as its highs of miracles (the earthquake that occurred while Paul and Silas were in prison as well as Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons being used to heal and exorcise), successful evangelization throughout Asia, and as we read at the end of Acts, “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
May we aspire to be obedient like Paul, knowing that although the plans the Lord has for us may not jive with how we thought things would go or turn out, He is sovereign and righteous.
Prayer Requests
· For the lost who desperately need to know the love of Jesus Christ
· For our hearts to be open to the nudging of the Holy Spirit in all things
· For us to be Jesus to this broken world
· For our pastors and lay leadership
Let’s open ourselves up to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and seek the plans that the Lord has for us, sooner rather than later. Let us put away preconceived notions on what we thought Christianity would be like – it can be messy, involved, heavy, challenging, and scary, but it can be oh so rewarding if we rely on Him and obey.
Quotes
“When thoughts bombard your mind saying, “Who do you think you are?” Just smile and say, “a child of the most high God!”
“It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way that you carry it.”
He’s Got It All Figured Out
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Sometimes when my older son Greg comes over on Sunday and Troy isn’t working, we’ll play card games—Tripoley, Texas Hold ‘Em (yes, I know I don’t have a poker face but I’m working on it!), as well as a board game like The Settlers of Catan. If you’re not aware of this game, it’s a strategy game in which players collect resources (sheep, iron, wheat, etc) and use them to build roads, settlements, and cities. I was at a bit of a disadvantage since Troy and Greg had played it prior to the three of us playing it together, and that disadvantage grew the more we played. I believe I ended up winning that game, however, because Greg and Troy played against each other, taking the other out, leaving me winning, and not fully understanding how nor why. A win’s a win, though, so I took it.
You see, I am not strategy minded. I’m not a visionary or a “big picture” kind of person. Sure, I can take a vision and map out how to execute to said vision, but coming up with the vision itself? Not my forte. I’ve never played chess or dabbled in office politics, as I lack the ability to anticipate the moves people will make—I’d always be like three to four steps behind.
Fortunately for me and those like me, when it comes to understanding what the future holds and how we each fit into it, we are in such a blissful state because we don’t have to figure it out--the Lord has it all laid out already. He has a plan; He already knows the part we will play in it, and the degree to which we will play. In fact, He doesn’t even need to “figure it out”; He simply knows how it will all play out.
How cool and liberating is that? When we are faced with surprising and upending news, and the few options our brains can generate leave us shaken, we can rest in the assurance that He has a plan. When we feel like life throws us the proverbial curve ball and the path that we knew in our heart of hearts the Lord brought us to closes and another path arrives, we can be confident that despite seeming like a really bad thing, the change in direction can be just what the Lord wanted to happen, and that He is moving us on to different things—things that perhaps we would have never thought of.
Y’all, the Lord is in our yesterdays and in our tomorrows. He will never forsake us. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Our inability to see the next three to four chess moves doesn’t negate our responsibility to be obedient to His leading. No, we trust in Him, praying for peace, discernment, and obedience to His will. Easier said than done, I admit, but necessary for our spiritual growth and discipline.
Prayer Requests
· For the friends and family of Billie Dees, beloved church member who passed away last week
· For the tragedy happening in Australia with the fires and loss of life
· For those struggling with self-worth, depression, addictions
· For His will to be done in our church
My dear friend, I’m not trying to trivialize your anxiety or worry. I’m merely reminding you that the creator of the earth, moon, heavens, and you has a plan for you. He hasn’t brought you this far to simply abandon you—I promise. He loves you overwhelmingly.
Quotes
“You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth by the Master Craftsman.” - Max Lucado
“If your Christianity depends upon a pastor’s preaching, then you’re a long way from being where you should be.” -- A. W. Tozer
Witnessing
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Mark 16:15
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect
1 Peter 3:15
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8
I read a story shared on Facebook the other day about Jake Fromm, the University of Georgia junior who as quarterback, led his team to a victory last week over Baylor in the Sugar Bowl. In an interview done by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, Fromm shared with her that the source of his optimism was “The Holy Spirit in me. I’m trying to live out the most godly life I can do. I’m trying to influence others and hope they can see Christ in me.” When asked if he had a goal for the new year, he replied, “Influence others, lead people to Jesus… and hopefully shed the light in their eyes.”
The Twitter bio of Carson Wentz, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, reads “Follower of Christ, husband, QB for the Philadelphia Eagles, Outdoorsman, … and includes a reference to his foundation Audience of One”, and seeks to praise God in all things—a tweet from him after a November loss to the Cowboys says, “Praise Him in victory & defeat, the hills and the valleys, the good and the bad” with a praying hands emoji.
The waitress at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant my husband and I went to the other day wrote the typical “thank you with a smiley face” on our check, but it was what was written at the bottom that stopped me in my tracks. She wrote “Isaiah 41:10”, and smiled when she gave us the check. Some of my most favorite verses are from Isaiah, but in my haste, I couldn’t recall exactly what this one was. So I looked it up on my bible app on my phone, and found it easily, as I had highlighted it a while back as it had spoken to my heart so comfortingly: “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
These three people are examples of the millions of people out there who are sharing their faith seemingly without hesitancy or fear. Carson Wentz may cast a wider net, as he has 1.1 million followers on Twitter and interactions with countless others through his foundation and job, thereby giving his witness a broader impact, but my little Texas Roadhouse sister-in-Christ may have a similar but deeper impact on a more personal level with the people she meets.
I have grappled mightily with the concept of witnessing on my own faith walk. I have friends who have no problems going up to strangers and talking to them about Jesus. And there are two specific friends who are not the extraverted gregarious kind who will talk to anyone and everyone about anything. But they are godly women who are sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and obedient to God’s will.
I know I need to be more like them.
It has been my prayer for a while that the Holy Spirit change me so that my witness is more identifiable and more evident to those I meet. I want people to know that I am a believer, not for my own sake, but for His sake. I want to be the hands and feet of Jesus to this broken world, and to be used for His service. I want to operate in the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given me, for the building up of the body of Christ. I know I do some of these things, but I feel like I should do more. I don’t think that it’s guilt, comparison of others’ actions (maybe?), or the enemy telling me I’m not doing enough so therefore I will be laughed out of the throne room or bema seat of Christ (depending on your thoughts on the great white throne judgment and when believers will be judged). No, I am being convicted to decrease the worldly human-y things that I think, say, and do, thereby increasing the ability for others to see Christ in me. And if people see Christ in me—if my spiritual walk is my witness—then perhaps seeds will be scattered throughout that walk. I can wrap back around and water those seeds, or taking the analogy even further, I can water the seeds that others have planted.
The question that has been rattling around in my brain in mental preparation and prayer for this devotional has been: if I didn’t wear a cross necklace all the time, would people know to Whom I belong? Sometimes I can say with a fair degree of certainty, “yea verily, they would”, and other times I can abashedly admit that the answer is a resounding “no”.
Would you join me in prayer for me that there be more “yea verily” answers and fewer resounding no responses? I shall do the same for you, my friend.
Prayer Requests
· For the equipping of discernment, obedience, and trust in Him throughout the various changes we will definitely experience
· For the abatement of violence in this broken world
· For those involved and impacted in the escalating US-Iran conflict
· For our pastors and leadership
It’s a challenging time right now, friends, especially with tensions rising in the Middle East. Regardless of what happens, God is in control—nothing surprises Him. Let’s share more of Jesus during these times. The world could use a large dose of grace and mercy, as well as the ability to see Him in His people.
Quotes
“Be an Esther, bold and courageous enough to stand for the truth, to voice your opinion and fight for the good of others, even when it means to sacrifice yourself. If God has put you in a position, it is for a purpose. Never be afraid to heed that inner voice.”
“Modern religion focuses on filling churches with people. The true gospel emphasizes filling people with God.”
Watching the Calendar
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Mark 13:32
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
2 Peter 3:10
Every single year around Christmas, I tell myself that I am not going to let myself get caught off guard with Christmas and all of the things I think I need to get done—determining and then shopping for the perfect gift, decorating the house, ordering gifts for out-of-town family members, searching charities for the right one to donate to, addressing and mailing Christmas cards—I tell myself that I will be better prepared for next Christmas. After all, the calendar is there in front of me—it’s not like it’s a surprise when December 25th is. And yet every year it happens—103-degree summer weather gives way to a modest 96-degree weather when Fall arrives and pumpkins fill our parking lot, and I tell myself that it’s time to plan for Christmas. I then blink and it’s Christmas Eve and I’m warming HEB’s Wintermarkt Gluhwein on the stove, a delicious sweet wine that I add mulling spices to and share with the family as we watch part of a Christmas movie on the television. In years past (when the kids were small) I’ve used the time after the movie to wrap presents and hide them away; now that they are grown, I can relax a bit with said wine and without guilt.
Year in, year out, the routine is pretty much the same, and I vow that the next year will be better (and it always does seem to be a smidge better. I’m not any more prepared than I was the previous year; perhaps it’s just that the pressure lessens each year?). Christmas is always on December 25th, and calendars and other means abound that will remind me of that fact.
With each Christmas, the body of Christ celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ—His first coming. We celebrate because we understand its meaning—Jesus, the Deity who stepped out of heaven and was borne into a meager life as a baby—as the Savior of us all, destined to die on a cross so that we may have eternal life. We rejoice in the thought of Emmanuel—God in flesh with us, the Word walking among us, showing us how to die to self and live with Him. We have opportunity to renew our wonder and commitment to Him each and every December 25th as we look to the potential of what each new year brings and how we can be used by Him. The calendar, right as rain, whether I’m prepared for it or not, brings the reminder of Christmas and all of its promise—His first coming.
What the calendar cannot bring is the notice of His second coming, however. And it is this fact that causes the us as believers to want to live our lives in certain ways, ways that reflect the goodness of Christ in a world darkened by sin and shame, so that those who don’t Him yet may come to know Him because of our witness. Friends, we do not have an idea as to how long we will be on this earth, but we simply must be prepared for the fact that He may come again while we are on here. No day is promised to anyone; we are merely the lucky recipients of each day as it comes. It is what we do with each day that is important. Are we sharing the love of Jesus with this world? Or are we overly focused on understanding what success in this world and lifetime means? Are we intentional in our church attendance, coming to worship the one true king, sacrificing Self in the process? Or do we consume what the church as to offer and look the other way when volunteers for ministries are sought? Would you do church or would you be the church?
“Would you live your life differently if you knew that Jesus were coming back tomorrow?” asks the old cliché, wisely.
Prayer Requests
· For those struggling with job loss or changes—know that He has you, even if you cannot see beyond the perimeter of this 24-hour day
· For those who are experiencing the first Christmas without their loved one being there due to sickness or death
· For victims of abuse and neglect—may they know His love and comfort
· For our pastors and leadership
May we always be ready to witness, to share, and to account for our actions here on this world when we see Jesus face-to-face.
Quotes
“It is better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.”
“He is bigger than the scars and all the secret struggles. And He can make some remarkably beautiful things from all of your ashes.”
Imperfect Worship
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous,
no one who does what is right and never sins.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
Not too long ago I put up this message on the church marquee: “God loves you and your messy heart.” The message spoke to me, and I wanted passersby to know that the Lord knows that we’re not perfect, that we’re messy, and that boy howdy—He loves us anyway!
It hit me a little bit Sunday, and Monday morning as I was praying and ruminating about the number of small kinks we had during the service this past Sunday—me, as liturgist, frantically trying to mic up Mateo for the Advent reading as church starts so I go sprinting up the aisle…me forgetting that the choir was going to sing after the Advent reading…confusion as to how many we needed up for communion, me saying Jericho was going to sing but then, oh wait, never mind…(yes, I’m quite aware that I’m the common denominator in these examples)—what hit me was the fact that although we had these kinks and “opportunities”, we still came together as a body of Christ to worship God. As much as I would’ve liked to have things go so much more smoothly, He was still praised and glorified. He still honors our acts of praise, even though they aren’t perfect. What we give and do in sincerity, He receives gladly. I’m not saying that we can just phone it in and that He’ll be okay with that, because that’s simply not true. He deserves our best. He knows our heart, and will honor the degree to which our outward expression matches our inward motivation.
I’m so thankful for this realization. I’ve been accused by friends of living too much “in the details” or maybe even being a perfectionist, and before this realization, something like the little challenges we had during the service would have weighed heavily on me. I’m also burdened with being a people pleaser. I take my role as being a member of the Worship committee very seriously, and I want you guys to know my commitment to having a snag-free worship service is honorable and true. However, I am human, those leading the worship service are human, and we’re going to have hiccups along the way. You extended grace to me throughout the service; the least I could do is extend that same grace to myself, right?
Y’all, we are so blessed to be able to come together to adore the One who gave us our very breath. May we always have a heart of worship for Him, for He is our focus and reason for being.
Prayer Requests
· For those struggling with change
· For those lonely this holiday season
· For victims of human trafficking, and for their families worried about and missing them
· For us to seek to do His will, regardless of whether we understand the outcome or not
Thank you, as always, for listening to my ramblings. Know that I appreciate and pray for you.
Quotes
“There will come a time when every step of the journey God is taking you on will make sense. Until then, keep trusting Him.”
“A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.”
Standing in the Gap
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11
There is a young woman I know through the Walk to Emmaus community who is one of the sweetest, tenderhearted people I have ever met. Their marriage was dealt a couple of blows, almost from the onset, in the form of job loss and depression that her husband experienced, and a miscarriage that they both suffered through. Their faith in His promises prevailed, however, and she is now the mother to three young boys who have the sweetest smiles, and love their mama tremendously. Her husband has made great strides with his depression, and has a job that allows him to work out of their home. Having overcome those large rocks, things seemed to be going well whenever I would see them. So it was with great concern that I heard this young lady confess, bravely to a crowd of about 60 people, that she had been struggling lately with dark and negative thoughts, thoughts that threatened to consume her, and that she desperately needed our prayers. The body of Christ came alive to her that evening, and subsequent days, as we lifted her up in prayer.
A dear friend of mine had the idea, after talking with this young woman’s husband, of inviting those of us within the Emmaus community to shower our beloved friend with tangible gifts of what we call “agape”. Without giving too much away for those who have never attended a Walk to Emmaus spiritual retreat, I’ll let you know that these gifts are little crafts, like a bookmark, card, or the like, that are made by the Emmaus community to the people who attend the Walk, and are present throughout the weekend. It’s truly touching to think that a complete stranger made or purchased something for you.
We each signed up for two days within the month of October in which we would send our young charge cards, flowers, small gifts of affection, some anonymously and some in which the giver was known. As hokey as it sounds, I was blessed in the giving of the cards and small gift, as I prayed over not only what to say in the cards, but also for her as she would read them.
Now that we’re in November, another friend and I have “nominated” a shared friend to be the recipient of this agape love because of the valley she has been in for a while, personally and professionally. My friend received a beautiful bouquet of flowers at work to kick off the love fest and she texted me to ask if I had sent them. I truthfully told her that I hadn’t, but didn’t expand on my response. I am giddy with excitement to check in with her tomorrow and hear her thoughts on this love that’s been coming out of the blue—not because I had anything to do with it, but because I know that the outpouring of love can be so overwhelming, and I desperately want her to know that she is loved.
This is what we’re called to do for each other, friends. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to stand in the gap with one another…sharing the burden…being priests to each other. Peter tells us that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” We are all part of the priesthood of all believers and as such, we have a responsibility to lift up our brother who is down, and to love on our sister who is hurting. We need to be Jesus to the body of Christ, for it is in this action that the entire body is positively affected—the recipient and the giver are blessed in and by the act.
Before you ask, no, you don’t have to go buy gifts for someone in need of Christian love. A simple hug, or note or card, or even a sincere “how are you really doing?” question (and then a patient and attentive ear) will go far in demonstrating the love of God to that person.
Prayer Requests
· For families torn apart by tragedy
· For those facing the news of challenging prognoses
· For our military service members and their families
· For us to seek to do His will, regardless of whether we understand the outcome or not
As always, the most important thing that we can do for each other is to pray. Intercessory prayer has formed some of the most intense conversations I have had with our heavenly Father. Know that I am praying for you, my dear reader. I also invite you to share your prayer request or need, if you feel so moved, with our prayer group who meets every Thursday night. You can submit it electronically on our cool new website here <shameless plug for the website!>.
Quotes
“Kindness is loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of their weakness.”
“When life is not a bed of roses, remember who wore the thorns.”
Running the Race
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12: 1-2
I was on the junior high girls’ track team when I was in 7th and 8th grades in Beavercreek, Ohio. I was a short distance runner, competing in the 220-meter dash as well as the 880-meter relay. Alas, I pretty much peaked there in junior high, sports-wise, but I’m okay with that.
I recall one time, early in my track career when both my parents came to one of my track meets (normally my dad couldn’t make them because of work conflicts), when I slowed down in the middle of a 220-meter race to wave at my parents. I was distracted by my dad’s uniformed-presence as I was running the race, so when I ran by where they were sitting, I broke my stride and waved to them. Needless to say, I did not win that race (nor many others, come to think of it. I’m self-aware enough to know of my lack of athletic abilities). Though no one really made a big deal out of it at the time, I recall receiving a “distracted runner” award at the end-of-year awards banquet.
That story came to mind as I was reading Hebrews 12. The author of Hebrews had identified honorees in the proverbial “Hall of Faith” passage that is Hebrews 11, and continues the emphasis on faith in chapter 12. He uses the running of a race as a metaphor for our spiritual journey in this world. The Greek word for ‘race’ used here is agona, from which we get the word ‘agony’ or struggle. The author tells us to overcome those things in our lives that would hinder us—sin and other weights or distractions—and looking to Jesus, run the race in faith. Jesus gives us the strength we need to persevere in our conditions. Jesus gives us the promise of hope, as we realize all that He has done for us, and for the fact that what He has done has settled everything for us. He is now seated at the right at of God at the throne. The fact that He is seated indicates the finality of His actions—as Redeemer, as High Priest, and because of what He has done and Who He is, we draw our strength from Him, and from Him alone.
I read a story that a man shared about the dog he had when he was a boy. He shared that his father would occasionally test the dog’s obedience. He would place a tempting piece of meat on the floor and give the command, “No!” The dog, who must have had a strong urge to go for the meat, was now in a conundrum—does he obey or disobey his master’s command? The man shared that the dog never looked at the meat. He seemed to feel that if he did, the temptation to disobey would be too great. So he looked steadily at his father’s face. This man then made the spiritual application: “there is a lesson for us all. Always look up to the Master’s face.”
Prayer Requests
· For the victims of unspeakable violence and loss
· For those who have not yet found Jesus – that we may be an instrument by which they see Him
· Praise for His providence and provision
· For our obedience
Even when we can’t see the finish line, or heck, even the running path we’re on because of the hilly terrain or fog or other conditions, we know that the Holy Spirit is with us, and He points us to Jesus, the author (creator) and finisher (sustainer) of our faith. And realize also that the author of Hebrews bids the reader “let us run…”—not “let you run” or “you must run”. No—“let us run”, emphasizing the fact that this is not a singular race, run by only you or by me. We are on this journey together. Charles Spurgeon on this point: “He stands with us at the starting point, and earnestly says to us, not ‘Run’ but, ‘Let us run.’ The apostle himself is at our side as a runner.”
Quotes
“Faith doesn’t exempt us from difficulties. The storms of life come to every person. But God will not allow a storm unless He has a divine purpose in it.”
“God does not want you to try harder; He wants you to trust Him deeper. Stop trying. Start trusting. This will change everything in you.”
A Kid in a Candy Store
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all me
1 Timothy 2:1
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25
I have a remarkably dear friend whom I met at a Walk to Emmaus in 2018; this friendship was tailor made by the Lord’s hands before the foundation of the earth. Although we don’t see each other all too often, we stay close via text and phone calls. Many times I will get a text out of the blue from her, just exactly when I need it, telling me that she is praying for me. A quick text from her to me or from me to her with a plea for prayers is answered almost most immediately, with the peace and presence of the Holy Spirit following nanoseconds behind the reply.
Words can’t convey the excitement I felt from receiving a text from my dear friend one morning, saying that she was getting ready to pray for me and was there anything specific she could pray for me about? I felt like a kid in a candy store! It was not a question I had been asked before and delight bubbled up inside of me as I pondered my response. Nothing sprang to mind immediately, as there weren’t any burning issues (fortunately) in my life at the time. I savored each idea that came into my head, like a child gripping coins in a sweaty little hand with eyes solely on the best piece of candy to buy and enjoy. What a treat this was! What a gift I had been given – to have someone approach the throne of grace to entreat the Author of Life on my behalf on a need that I had. And this gift, like the loaves and fishes, multiplied exponentially, because not only was my friend imploring the Lord on my behalf, but my King and Redeemer was interceding for me.
Friends, do not think lightly of the gift of prayer when it is offered, and do not be ashamed or embarrassed to ask for prayer. Many of us hesitate to share our prayer requests with others, for various reasons: we do not want to burden them, we don’t want to appear weak, or we may ashamed to admit the sin that we need to be released from. You have my promise and my vow that if you share your prayer needs with me, I will not judge you, I will not condemn you, nor will it be a burden for me. (I will warn you, though—if it’s a doozy, I cannot promise to control the reaction of my non-poker face J. I’m kidding.)
It’s a guarantee that when you share your prayer needs with the Lord, He will not judge you for them, nor will He condemn you—He has paid for the penalty for your sin. Paul reminds us also in Romans 8 that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Prayer is such a wonderful gift—one that blesses the pray-er as much as it does the pray-ee.
Prayer Requests
· For those dealing with physical, emotional, or mental pain and drain
· For those facing unexpected life events like the loss of a job or a divorce
· Praise for the changes we see happening in our church—both in the physical (changes to buildings, websites, and the like) as well as the people-related types—emotional and within the body of Christ
· For us to continually seek His will for our lives
One of the phrases I saw on our website at one time is that we called ourselves “the church that prays”. Let’s commit to living up to that moniker. I’d also like to invite you to come by and share in our prayer meeting time—we meet every Thursday night in the Fellowship Hall at 7:00 p.m. You won’t regret it—in fact, I’m certain you’ll be quite blessed!
Quotes
“My story is filled with broken pieces, terrible choices, and ugly truths. It’s also filled with a major comeback, peace in my soul, and GRACE that saved my life!”
“Sometimes God’s blessings are not in what He gives, but in what He takes away. He knows best. Trust Him.”
My Choice on How To React
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25: 21-22
You may recall my last devotional was about the Lord answering my mail a couple of weeks ago after a run-in with my neighbor at an HOA board meeting. This neighbor, whom I’ll call Karen, was quite upset with my statement that her strong personality made our HOA board meetings challenging for me. She did not accept my apology and I grappled with how to rectify the situation, knowing that anything I might say could be used against me later on, or wouldn’t be accepted, or whatever other Chicken Little concept I could come up with. Emails since that encounter among the five of us, as board members, had been civil. One such email from Karen asked me if I had an extra can of the fence stains we’d used to paint the common fence, and if so, could I leave it on her front porch one of the nights. I told her that I’d be happy to, and was hoping to be able to do it when I returned home from our prayer meeting on Thursday evening <shameless plug: we meet at 7:00 p.m. every Thursday in the Fellowship Hall. Please join us!>. Unfortunately (for me), I was home before the prayer meeting and in front of my house putting items in the recycling or compost bin when I saw Karen down the street, walking her dogs and heading for her house. Since I’d figured I’d been spotted, I got the paint out of my garage and walked to her house (just two houses down from mine), reaching her front porch as she got to her front door. She brought the dogs in and then SLAMMED the front door, about five feet ahead of me. Now lest someone think that she didn’t see me, I know that she did. She slammed the door almost literally in my face. I know that it wasn’t an oversight because the door slammed. As I stood there stunned, because such a thing has never happened to me, I knew that I had a choice on how I was going to react. And surprisingly, I started to chuckle. In that split second, I saw her as how she really was: a petty woman whose immaturity and bitterness combined to make her a sad shell of a person. I learned three valuable lessons in that suspended moment in time: first, that while I had it in my power to get angry at her treatment of me, I could choose to how to respond; that through my journey in spiritual discipline and maturity, the Holy Spirit could allow me to see her how she truly was, as a person, as one of God’s creations, and not the intimidating creature I’d made her up to be in my mind; and lastly, that leaning into that spiritual journey, I could indeed experience that seemingly elusive fruit of the Spirit I’d often grappled with: self-control.
I walked away from Karen’s house, still chuckling, and apparently went to the prayer meeting with a silly grin on my face, virtually beaming at this whole experience. I’ve never been so cool, so collected, and I was quite pleased with the work that the Lord did in me that evening. Now please note, lest you think I’ve broken my arm patting myself on the back for having such a mature reaction: I have yet to walk over to her house and ask her if she knows Jesus. I have yet to heap coals on her head by killing her with proverbial kindness. I can’t necessarily affirm that I know without a doubt that our next interaction will involve us holding hands and singing Kum Ba Yah and the “I’d like to teach the world to sing” Coca-Cola song (actually, I can probably guarantee that won’t happen, but you get my drift). In fact, I cannot declare right now that I will not dread our next HOA board meeting. I am, however, armed with this experience and it’s a fantastic start. And I attribute it all to Him!
Prayer Requests
· For our government leaders, at all levels, as we are called to do
· For those who struggling with depression and other seemingly unseen-at-the-surface illnesses
· Praise for the finally cooler weather
· For us to continually seek His will for our lives
I have to admit that for at least a day after the incident, the thought of what Karen did would come to mind, and I’d shake my head at it, disarming the potential the thought had for drudging up a negative attitude towards Karen and letting it fester. I acknowledged the power of indulging in the little hurts, barbs, and arrows, and in letting the enemy win, and decided otherwise. God be praised for His influence, example, and working on me!
Quotes
“You can be sure, the Holy Spirit never enters a man and lets him live like the world.” – A.W. Tozer
“God never said the weapons wouldn’t form; He said they wouldn’t prosper.”
God's Perfect Knowledge of Me
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Psalm 37: 3-6
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
Psalm 139: 1-4
I had a run-in with a neighbor with whom I serve on my neighborhood’s HOA board the other evening a couple of weeks ago. Now I like to think of myself as fairly nice and friendly; I’m also a people pleaser and peacemaker. I’d rather crawl on glass and squeeze lemon juice on the cuts before I’d upset or purposely offend someone, but I upset this woman by sharing, somewhat under duress, why I was not going to run again for the HOA board (because of her bossiness and strong personality, though I did not say the bossiness part. I did say that I wish there was a little bit more grace and openness when we talked about issues so that all voices and opinions could be heard, and that each meeting filled me with such dread because of the strong personalities and conflict). I could tell by her body language the rest of the meeting that I’d upset her, and I apologized for doing so when I walked her to the door when the meeting was over. She didn’t accept my apology and left quite upset. In chatting with two of the other women on the board, I was assured that what I had said was not ugly, and had I not said anything, they would have, and their way of saying it would not have been as diplomatic as mine had been. I still felt horrible for having upset someone, and my heart hurt. Right, wrong, or indifferent, I didn’t feel that I represented Christ in my actions, and I wondered how I could rectify the situation. Others in our neighborhood had experienced similar interactions with her in the past, and she was not one to forget each one who had crossed her. And now I was on her you-know-what list.
I prayed about the situation and asked for guidance on what I should do. As I am wont to do, I also thought of various methods to communicate my apologies to her, and played out each possible response she could have to each medium and message. Knowing how she has been with others in the past gave me keen insight as to how she would most likely respond. In talking with others, I did not see how any scenario could end well. The whole thing weighed heavily on my heart and mind, consuming more emotional energy that I truly wanted to devote to it.
As I started my morning one day last week before sitting down to pray, I played out a scenario in my mind in which I tried to talk with her, dialoging both sides of the conversation, again to no avail. I gave up in frustration, and read that day’s devotional in Jesus Calling. I’m sharing the first couple of sentences that stopped me in my tracks: “Trust Me enough to let things happen without striving to predict or control them….When you project yourself into the future, rehearsing what you will do or say, you are seeking to be self-sufficient: to be adequate without My help. This is a subtle sin—so common that it usually slips by unnoticed.”
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, slated that devotional content to be printed for that particular day, because He knew that I needed to read it, because I was doing that very thing. I don’t know what the future held, but here I was trying to be prepared for it. Though I’d asked Him what to do, I was not sure that my heart would have been 100% open to going over and talking to her if He had instructed me to do so (hey, I’m just being honest. I’m not perfect). I knew, however, that I needed His help to determine what my next steps would be, and I was confident that He would provide. I merely needed to let go of any preconceived notions I had and give to Him the burden. I started that morning. God be praised for His omniscience and commitment to maturing me.
Prayer Requests
· For our pastors Ray, Wayne, and George, for their sacrifices of time, and for April, Jody, and Pat, for their sacrifices as well
· For those who are struggling to make ends meet and are overwhelmed by their life’s circumstances
· For first responders and their families
· For us to continually seek His will for our lives
There is a Part Two of this whole situation, and unless He tells me otherwise, I’m going to share it with you next week. Next week’s devotional will come out a little later than normal as I will be out of town next weekend, returning next Monday evening.
Quotes
“Even as a Christian, you’ll have good days and you’ll have really hard days. But you’ll never have a day without God.”
“The enemy is not after your money or your stuff. He wants your mind…your attitude….your heart…your faith….your peace. Understand that you’re not being attacked over the tangible things in your life. The enemy is fighting over things you can’t see.”
Reflection
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
There’s a post going around Facebook that spoke to me, and I thought I’d share it.
There is a story they tell of two dogs. Both at separate times walk into the same room. One comes out wagging his tail while the other comes out growling. A woman watching this goes into the room to see what could possibly make one dog so happy and the other so mad. To her surprise, she finds a room filled with mirrors. The happy dog found a thousand happy dogs looking back at him, while the angry dog saw only angry dogs growling back at him. What you see in the world around you is a reflection of who you are.
Friends, we live in a ridiculously crazy world filled with unspeakable violence, sadness, sickness, betrayal, and a whole host of other things. It can be tempting and easy to see nothing but the negativity and the challenges, and forget that we, as believers, have our hope in something other than this world. It can be difficult to understand why things happen the way they do and to whom they do, and that difficulty can cause us to doubt. That doubt and negativity can seemingly quench the light that is within us, and we become the angry dog in the story above. In fact, that’s what the enemy wants us to become—that angry dog whose scowl reflects every last wrong that was ever done to him or her, the one whose use of certain language and hand gestures in traffic is at odds with the ICTHUS sticker on his or her car, the one who silently (and sometimes not so silently) judges others with an air of superiority that harkens the prayer of the Pharisee in the parable Jesus shares about the Pharisee and the tax collector.
But we must withstand the attacks of the enemy. We must focus on being the light in the darkness—that light that reflects Jesus. I’m not saying that as followers of Christ that we can’t have our days in which things just don’t seem to go our way, and that we just have to force ourselves to smile and be Pollyanna to everyone we meet. That’s just plain silly. What I am challenging us each to do however, especially yours truly who wears her heart on her sleeve, her emotions on her face, and who suffers from incredibly thin skin, is to strive for perspective in the face of troubles, to understand that the Lord’s promises are to work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called to His purpose, and to shine His light in spite of how we may feel.
And the cool thing? We don’t have to do it all on our own. We have the Holy Spirit with us as our Comforter, our Friend, our Protector. We just need to call upon Him, and He will respond.
Prayer Requests
· For those preparing for the contemporary youth service—our thanks for all that you’ve done, and praise to the Lord for helping us go in the right direction
· For those who face dark and negative thoughts and struggle against them
· For those in our armed forces and their families
· For those who are searching for meaning in their lives
· For us to be in constant communion and communication with Him
May we shine His light so that others will see that He is the reason for our joy, our proverbial wagging tail, and our hope.
Quotes
“A bad attitude is like a flat tire—you won’t go anywhere until you change it.”
“Life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail because they try to copy others, not realizing that everyone has a different question paper.”
Triumphant
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
I have to qualify a thought I shared in the last devotional entitled Grace. The comment read “We, as His creations, sin.” I never meant to imply or state that He made us to sin—quite the opposite. We sin because there is sin within us, as children of Adam after the fall. Praise be to God for His sending of His son as the propitiation for our sins.
I was praying the other day while I was driving to work, and as I was seeking for new and different ways in which to convey my adoration for Him, the word “triumphant” came to me. The treasure that this beautiful word brought with it overwhelmed me, and the fact that George talked about it in our Sunday School class the other day reinforces that treasure and the fact that I’m supposed to be writing about this topic.
Friends, no matter what challenge you are facing, no matter its magnitude, potential impact, or disruption, regardless of whether you can around to its outcome, know this: it cannot defeat you. Jesus, with His magnificent sacrifice, foiled the enemy’s plan and vanquished death, and conquered the enemy, and made us victorious. Dear ones, let us stand tall in that feat, knowing that while we did not contribute one iota to the achievement itself, we benefit by the achievement. The enemy can try to make us forget the overwhelming completeness and finality of the defeat in his attempts to fell us, but let’s not let him. Let us, as Paul, James, and Peter tell us, stand steadfast against the enemy, resisting him in the process. I’m not saying it’s going to always be easy, but realizing that we don’t have to fight because the battle has already been won by Christ can change our mindset dramatically.
You, my dear, are victorious! Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Prayer Requests
· For our country, and government leaders at all levels
· For first responders, to sustain them throughout the challenges they face
· For those who are searching for new jobs
· For those facing life’s trials—remember, you stand victorious!
· For us to be united in purpose and in seeking His will
Words cannot completely convey the extent of the love He has lavished upon us. May our lives constantly reflect that love to others, as we share the gospel with them.
Quotes
“The church cannot be the salt of the earth if we keep sugar-coating the gospel.”
“It’s time for us to rise up, get out of the rut and routine, and begin to take our Christian faith seriously.” A.W. Tozer