Get up and work

It is obvious we are supposed to work more than rest. Some people just lie on the couch, eating junk food and watching television all day, and then they wonder why their lives are a wreck.

Once rested, get up, and work. You can’t take authority over your life if you don’t have authority over a sink full of dirty dishes or a messy garage. If you want to grow in ministry to others, the Word says you must get your own house in order first (See 1 Timothy 3:5). Stay home and clean if you need to; but win the battle of getting your life in order before tackling the whole world.

Peek-A-Boo Jesus Loves You!

Wow! it's finally Halloween!

Do you feel special all dressed up in your costume? Jesus thinks you're special too, just like you are because he loves you.

Jesus loves you when you wake up with a big yawn in the morning.

Jesus loves you when you're playing or singing or laughing with friends.

Jesus loves you when you're quietly reading in your room or outside jumping in the leaves.

Jesus loves you when you stretch and sigh and fall asleep at night.

You see, Jesus loves you ALL the time, just the way you are!

Did you know that Jesus loves you even when you do bad things?

The Bible says anyone who does bad things (sin) will be punished and won't get to live with Jesus in heaven. But Jesus loved us so much that he died on the cross and rose again to save us from being punished.

The Bible says:

The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Roman 6:23

If you want to live with Jesus forever, say a prayer like this:

"Jesus, I'm sorry I do bad things. Please forgive me. I believe you died and rose again to take away my sins so I can live with you forever in heaven!" AMEN

Do you cook your Pancakes?

Pancake breakfasts have become a Wednesday morning tradition at our house. One morning, as I prepared a batch, my older son proudly told us he had cooked the pancakes for his Scout Troop on a recent camping trip. He’d never cooked anything at home, so this was a surprise to me. He was also pleased to report that they had liked his pancakes!

Well, the next time we made pancakes my younger son wanted his brother to make them. My older son did a great job making pancakes for all of us and each turned out perfectly! But we had to wait very patiently for our breakfasts because he cooked just one pancake at a time. I suggested that he could speed up the process by cooking more than one but he said that this was the way he did it.

We certainly cook pancakes differently. I cook several at a time and while waiting for them to cook, I try to multi-task by rinsing out the mixing bowl, pouring drinks and doing whatever else needed to be done. In just minutes I’d made a whole batch of pancakes and would have other tasks done too.

However, I quickly learned that productivity and efficiency weren’t the only differences in the way we made our pancakes. The results were different, too. His were better than mine! He had taken the time to tend to each pancake, making sure it cooked just right. I, on the other hand, tried to cook too many at once while juggling other tasks and my pancakes were inconsistent. Some were done perfectly, but others were too done or not done enough.

It occurred to me that results in life often parallel the lesson I learned from making pancakes. Whether tending to my family, church matters, school needs, assisting others, or just doing things for fun, the results are better and more consistent when I allow myself to tend to each task properly, treating it as if I want it to be a perfect pancake – not over-done and not under-done.

This lesson is especially important to me as I seek to serve the Lord. I want to do my best to serve Him and not compromise my efforts by taking on too much, or distracting myself with other tasks. For me, this is best accomplished by seeking God’s will and keeping my priorities in tact as I decide what to do and when to do it. I also must be patient in my efforts, taking the necessary time to do things well.

Dear Lord, Help me to serve You and manage my life and family, too, in a way that serves up satisfying and consistently pleasing results. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Here I am again, Lord

I had resolved the previous week to be consistent in exercise and healthy eating. I had made this resolution many times before, only to revert to old patterns before the week’s end.

As I sit outside on the patio with my Bible and journal, I feel discouraged as I remembered the previous night’s overindulgence in, once again, my favorite chocolate chip and m&m cookies.

I wanted to have a quiet time, I wanted to talk to God in prayer and to read Scripture, but I felt somewhat ashamed. I thought to myself, Here I am again, Lord, with the same old problem. Aren’t you tired of me, Lord? I’m tired of me, so of course you must be, too. I’m tired of dealing with the same old problems over and over again.

Then God whispered to me, Talk to Me. Just pray and see what I can do. So I did. In the quietness of the morning, God reminded me of His thoughts toward me, not my own thoughts. God never gets tired of us, and His compassions are new every morning. As the verses in Hebrews 4 remind us, God understands. What comfort in knowing this.

Better yet, as we look at today’s key verse we’re invited to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” Sometimes when I feel ashamed of myself, I am tempted to run from God rather than come humbly to His feet. I’m tempted to believe the lie that God is tired of me or has much more important issues to deal with. However, if I believe and act on these lies, I am missing out on the truth of whom God is and the reality of the kind of relationship He wants to have.

If I mistakenly believe that God is just tired of dealing with me, then I go away with just more of the same - more discouragement, more anxiety, more fretting. Worse yet, I’ll be missing out on what He is ready to give. I’ll miss out on His love, His grace, and His power.

Whatever problem we face, God’s very own power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, is available to us. Our God is intimately acquainted with us, gracious and patient. He is ready to give all His resources to us, His children. Isn’t that amazing?

Let’s press on in truth and faith and “take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:16 The Message). Then we’ll see what God can do with a heart that trusts Him.

Dear Lord, help me not to run from You when I feel ashamed or discouraged. Help me to believe that You always love me and are always ready to give me Your Help. Thank You for Your patience and Your lovingkindness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Sometimes we don’t turn to God because of independence or self-reliance. Take some practical steps to stay dependent on God. For example, resolve to pray about the situation each time you think about it. Ask a friend to hold you accountable. Memorize a verse that will help you apply God’s truth to your situation. Take one small step each day to remedy the problem.

Thoughts to Ponder:

Are you facing a recurring problem or challenge, which leaves you discouraged? Have you actually asked God for His help, or have you just been thinking about the problem?

Have you been running away from God?

Have you been still before God lately?

Neglecting Our Spiritual Life

I really don’t have a green thumb yet but that doesn’t keep me from trying to grow plants and flowers. This past year, my sister gave me a beautiful orchid for my birthday. On the card, she joked, “Happy Birthday. Enjoy the orchid and try not to kill it.”

Not wanting to disappoint my sister, I took extra care of the plant. I measured the water I gave it, marked the calendar so I’d remember when to water it again and I even prayed over it. Caring for the plant made me consider what my life would be like if I gave this much attention to my relationship with God.

Often we neglect to care for our spiritual life. Too often we become apathetic and lazy in our faith. The result is lost passion and commitment, while self and sin thrive. Too often, we get nothing out of church. God seems far away and freedom from bondage seems even further. I believe that these characteristics describe a Christian who is in need of a spiritual examination.

I realize that some of us are in a mess so big that we can’t see a way out. Others have tried and tried to live a holy life but continue to fall short. There are also those whose faith has become stagnate and everyday long for something more. I know. I’ve been there. Whether we realize it or not, we have neglected some area of our spiritual life. Our passion and power have dried up. But with God, there is always hope. He can revive us!

Our key verse tells us how. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV ). According to this verse, the way out of our struggle is towards God through personal revival.

What exactly is revival? As one pastor put it, revival is: “coming to life again. It’s when we go from indifference to making a difference. It’s when we move from being comfortably numb to being passionately committed. It’s when we move from an appetite for the world and self to an appetite for God.”

Right now I want to share with you a list of characteristics of a thriving believer that I keep tucked away in my bible so that I can periodically take a spiritual assessment of myself:

We need revival when....

... when we do not love God as we once did.

… when earthly interests and occupations are more important to us than eternal ones.

…when we would rather watch TV and read secular books and magazines than read the Bible.

… when our Christianity is joyless and passionless.

… when we know truth in our heads that we are not practicing in our lives.

… when we make little effort to witness to the lost.

…when we have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment, but not for Bible study or prayer.

... when we do not tremble at the power of God.

On the other hand, the characteristics that take place when revival comes are…

... a deepened spiritual hunger

... intense fervent prayer that is enjoyable not dreadful

... repentance

... reckless abandonment and surrender to God

... a fresh fullness of the Holy Spirit

... spontaneous evangelism and soul winning

... restored relationships

... a spirit of thanksgiving and joy

... increased hunger for God’s Word

... a desire to put God/church before entertainment

Just like any living thing, without proper care our spirits wilt. If you and I are smart, we will not neglect our faith. Daily, we will fall on our knees, confess our sin and seek God. Then, He showers down upon us fresh Holy Spirit power. Power that changes lives, restores relationships, brings healing, breaks strongholds, and enables us to live as God intends…passionate and purposeful.

Dear Lord, I confess indulging myself in pleasure and comfort. I confess a loss of passion and love for You. I have neglected my relationship with You and have lost the wonder of who You are. Oh, Lord, I cry out for forgiveness. I ask that You hear me, restore me, and heal me. I rejoice that You are the God of more than second chances. Awaken me, Lord, that I might live in righteousness again, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Resource for you:

Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst

Me, A Writer?

Some people say writers are born to be writers … that you can tell them apart at an early age because they are always writing. Some writers tell about scribbling their thoughts late into the night in a little journal, or even keeping a diary. They say they need to write or they will definitely fade away. I guess that’s true for some but certainly this is not the case for every writer.

Take me for example. I love to write now but when I was young I was too busy to sit and write. I was organizing clubs (with me as president), starting group games (like hide and seek), or directing neighborhood plays. No diary for me. Plus, my self-preservation was intact at an early age. Even as a child I worried, what if someone found my diary? I would be in so much trouble!

Once in school, however, I discovered I loved the writing assignments, like research papers or book reports. I wrote newspaper articles, brochure copy and put together many newsletters. What I discovered about myself is I care more about conveying a message, than the act of writing. So if I listened to those who said a writer feels they must “write or die,” I would have disqualified myself years ago. And I wonder how many men and women have disqualified themselves as writers because of what someone else has said to them? How many stories haven’t been passed on to future generations because of this?

Writing is important. Writing clarifies our thoughts, conveys a message and creates something lasting. Today we treasure the records we have from earlier generations. We learn things from history that can positively affect our future. Writing teaches us and can provide insight into deep truths. For a Christian, however, writing takes on an additional significance. Writing becomes a way to glorify God.

King David of the Old Testament knew this well. The book of Psalms is a magnificent testimony to God’s power and righteousness and we have David to thank for writing much of it down. David was an honest writer who poured out his pain and fear through His writing, yet He also records much about the character and actions of God. We know God better through David’s writing. I think David wasn’t just writing for himself. I think David’s heart was to attempt to capture the awesome nature of His God in words so that others would love and obey Him as well. Psalm 102:18 is our clue to David’s heart: “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD …”

What an amazing purpose of writing … that sometime in the future, some man or woman not yet born would read our writing and praise God because of it. What an encouragement to start writing down stories of God’s faithfulness to our family, of how He answered prayers, and of the daily miracles of life. Today, we have many avenues to capture stories of God’s work. We can start a blog, scrapbook, or even self-publish a book. It doesn’t matter how we record our experience with God, just that we do it.

Years ago a wise woman told a group of writers and speakers, “It’s not your story; it’s God’s story.” Yes, my story is important. But as a Christian, it’s my deepest hope that it always points others to God. Start writing and keep writing … so that “a people not yet created may praise the Lord.”

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your goodness and righteousness. I thank You that through Your Holy Spirit, You inspired the writing of the Scriptures. Through this writing, I am learning to know You and trust You in greater ways. Help me to write more about who You are and what You are doing in my life, so that my children, grandchildren and beyond, will love You and praise You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Resource for you:

The Little Style Guide to Great Christian Writing and Publishing by Leonard and Carolyn Goss

No More Shame

I still remember the outdated furniture and stale coldness in the room. It was so cold and out of touch. Women from all walks of life were there. Our paths had crossed at this awful place, a place where life was exchanged for death. We would now share an unmentionable secret.

No one let her eyes meet the other's. Though medical lights brightly lit up the room, the heavy darkness in my soul made true vision nearly impossible. What had brought me to this place? Certainly, I had people to blame. There was the man who sexually abused me in childhood. I could blame my biological father. Maybe if he had given me the love and acceptance I so desperately longed for, even going into my adult years, I would not have come to this place. I could blame God. Why had a loving God let such terrible things happen to me? Tears filled my eyes and deep sobs poured from my soul in that cold room. I knew I could not blame anyone but myself. I'd walked into this place. I'd signed the papers. I'd allowed my baby to be aborted.

I can just imagine Satan hissing as he writes his name across the victim's heart: Shame. I have felt shame's pain - a deep, constant throbbing of regret from the past mixed with dread of the future.

Let's look at when shame made its debut. Genesis 2:25 says, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." Then Satan slithered onto the scene to deceive Eve. When Eve fell into sin and took Adam with her, their reaction was to hide and cover up their mistake. That’s exactly what I did for so many painful years. But keeping my secret in the darkness allowed Satan use it against me. He is the father of darkness and the author of shame. He would constantly whisper that I was worthless, I was nothing and that if anyone ever found out about my secret they would condemn me.

But that is a lie from the pit of hell. When I finally brought my sin out into the light, God met me there with grace, forgiveness, and healing. I wish I could go back. Then he gave me the courage to let Him take my shame and use it for His good. I can say without hesitation the thing that has brought me the most healing has been to share my story with other women. Now that I have seen God touching and healing others through my testimony, the shame has gone and freedom has come.

Dear Lord, I thank You for seeing me as pure, clean and spotless and without blemish. You alone have the power to heal those parts of me that I have buried and tried to hide for so long. May Your grace be enough for me today as I trust You to work all things for Your good. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Write down and meditate on these three truths we all can be sure of:

1. By His wounds, I am healed.

2. God never forgets His promises. When He says that nothing I have ever done could make Him stop loving me, it is absolute truth. His love for me cannot be shaken.

3. Jesus died of a broken heart, so that I don't have to. He thought of me on that cross, and because of His sacrifice, I am forgiven and set free.

My Bible dictionary defines shame as the following: “disgrace, humiliation, often at hands of an enemy.”

We have an enemy in this world who leads us into temptation. Ultimately, if temptation overtakes us then we fall into sin which brings on a sense of shame. The feelings of guilt, disgrace and humiliation that we experience as a result of shame can bind us and paralyze our relationship with God. It will make us feel unworthy.

Remember that Jesus Christ defeated Satan, with the cross. Because of that, we don’t have to be held captive to shame at the hands of our enemy any longer.