Conversations With God

Wow, it's almost a brand new year! But before we rush into the next one, I want to reflect a little on this one and what has come before.

I've had many conversations with God through my time reflecting on his written Word, personalizing it and praying to him about what I was hearing him say. It's amazing to me how many times my scheduled reading has struck me as being just what I was needing to hear at that juncture in my life or even that particular day's circumstances. And even on the days when the reading wasn't about whatever was already on my mind, I found that it was still what I needed to hear. Sometimes God speaks right into the situations we are struggling with or celebrating. Other times he speaks into our value systems, our quest for character, our invariable search for meaning, acceptance and love.

Those very meaningful conversations have been the guide posts along my journey. Without them, I would have been lost in a fog. It strikes me that the populace that surrounds me seems to spend most of their time wandering in an unseen haze, unclear about what is true or what is truly valuable and beneficial to their own experience of life. Rarely do they pull themselves away from the distractions around them long enough to pause and look up to the One who thoughtfully made them and gave them physical life and every good thing they've ever received or experienced. He loves us more than we can fathom, yet not many people welcome his love and step into a real relationship with God where they can actually enjoy him.

People seem to be afraid to hear what God has to say. In reality, I have found that he is always saying the things that will bring people to life. The themes of our conversations are always consistent. God is saying to me, to you, to everyone . . .

"I created you to love you, and for you to experience a love like no other. In loving me back, you will find life. I'm not talking about having a heartbeat, eating, breathing, and the other things you think of as life. Listen to me and I will show you the morning sun. I will give you strength to work through midday and I will walk with you and open your eyes to the wonder of the sunset.

"I will make you the person you've always wished to be deep inside, the kind of person others look up to. I will free you from bitterness and unresolved guilt and from your feelings of inferiority so that you can experience satisfying, authentic relationships, beginning with me. You will begin to understand why sin is evil and hurtful to you and why my way is the way of love, forgiveness, compassion, justice, kindness, truthfulness, service, loyalty, self-sacrifice, courage and purity. All of your deepest needs will be met in the kind of life I am calling you to.

"I am the source of everything good, every joy that you long for. Give me your heart and I will give you hope. Trust me. Rely on me. Give to me everything you have and are and I will give you myself--not a bad trade!

"Quit hiding. Step out and engage your world. My light inside you gives you so much to offer the world. Share it! Give it away! You can make a difference.

"And never forget that when you stumble or fall and the pain overwhelms you, I am with you then, too. I never walk away and leave you when your trust is in me. I use those times to refine you, to build your spiritual muscles, to put legs under your faith. Relax and let me do my best work in you.

"Just wait and see what I have in store for you! You have no idea how amazing it's going to be!"

So, if you would like to know God more fully, I hope you will stop and listen to him. Have your own heart-to-heart conversations with him. Let my blog be an encouragement to you as I share mine. Stay with me and let's keep traveling further into the wonder of God. Take several minutes now to just be quiet and pray. Let God love you today and love him in return. Best wishes for a happy new year!

After you pray, would you just take a second and share this post with all your friends on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon (f) below? And I would love to hear how the blog has blessed you this year. Best wishes for a happy new year!

God's Word in My Life

Happy Tuesday to all of you! I, Michele, am going to take you back to a portion of 2 Timothy that was inadvertently skipped in Chapter 3. Please go back to verses 10-17 with me and see what you hear God saying to your heart.

This is what I hear you saying to me, Lord:

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (v. 16)

I need to commit to being in your Word every day so that my feet stay on your path and my mind stays full of truth. This world is full of lies and every kind of darkness. It would be easy to fall away from you, Lord, by neglecting your teaching. You use scripture to point out what is wrong in my life. Ouch! On occasion you use my quiet time with you to convict my heart of sin that needs to go, of things or attitudes that do not fit with your direction in my life. If I depend on people, reality TV, advice columns in magazines, or the evening news to cloud my perception of truth I will be in trouble quickly. When I struggle in life I need to turn to you, Lord, and seek absolute truth. Your Word is the only absolute truth. Please continue to show me what is wrong in my life. I realize my need to change when you show me what wrong attitudes, behaviors, or thoughts I'm entertaining. I know that you will work change in me when I understand my wrongs and repent.

You may choose to speak a truth to my heart through scripture at just the perfect time and I know for certain that you are speaking directly to me. I may feel lost and abandoned and you use a passage to comfort me and give me peace. You show me truth which helps me to ignore the lies. All scripture is inspired by you, God. I can hear your voice and know how you may be guiding me if I'm committed to being in your presence.  Truth is what I need if I profess to be your follower, Lord. Please place in my heart a desire to always seek your truth.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (v. 17)

I am also able to encourage others and know what they may need when I'm devoted to spending time in your Word. You have called me to be your witness and ambassador in this lost world but you did not call me to figure out how to do that all on my own. You provide tools for me to use and all the power, strength, courage and motivation I need. You, O Lord, are all I need to do everything you call me to do. When I feel like I'm not capable please remind me that I'm not. I can do nothing without you! I may need to step out and take the initiative but you will not leave me to conquer any task on my own. If you call me to do it you will provide everything I need to accomplish it. What an honor it is to be your daughter and get to be on mission with you! Equip me, Father. I'm ready! Amen.

I obviously have no idea how often each one of you spends in God's Word, but I bet we can all admit that it's not nearly enough. With the beginning of a new year I'm hoping we can all make an attempt or, even better, a commitment to spending time with God and in his Word on a more consistent basis. Only you know what you can commit to and what will be realistic for you. I know that I feel so much closer to God and full of joy and peace when I spend daily time reading my Bible and in prayer. And, God loves it when I put him first and spend daily quiet time in his presence.

I hope that you've been blessed and encouraged by this post. If so, please share this with your friends and/or family. What a great way to share a blessing!

Energizers and Energy-Suckers

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! It was a really nice one here at my house! We kept our focus on Jesus and that made everything that much sweeter. I'm eager to listen to what God wants to say today. I'm going to read the end of the letter of 2 Timothy, starting in 4:9. Read it with me.

Christmas is so much about family and friends. Maybe that's why I'm hearing God speak to me through this text about the different kinds of people there are in my life. St. Paul has a lot to say here about the impact of certain individuals on his own life. He starts out talking about several people who have really let him down.

"Demas has deserted me . . .
Crescens has gone . . .
Alexander did me a great deal of harm . . .
No one came to my support, but everyone deserted me." (v. 10, 14, 16)

I'm sad to say I've been there. Haven't you? Have there been people you thought were your friends who turned on you? It hurts. Others have just not been there when I needed them, or failed to show up when I was counting on them. Some of the people in my life are energy-sappers. They are emotional black holes, sucking the energy and joy right out of me. Others are more like baking soda. They don't hurt me; they just neutralize me. They don't take from me, but they don't give me anything either.

But then there are those special people who are the energizers in my life. They are the people I love to be around. I can't imagine life without them. Paul had people like that, too.

"Only Luke is with me. . . .
Get Mark and bring him with you, beause he is helpful to me in my ministry. . . .
Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. . . .
[Timothy,] bring the cloak I left . . . and do your best to get here before winter." (v. 11, 19, 21)

They are the tried and true. Real friends. They are there when no one else shows. They are the people I couldn't make it without. Who are the helpful people who you can always turn to when you need a hand? The hand on your shoulder when your grieving. The knock on the door when you're feeling isolated and alone. The friendly, encouraging voice on the other end of the phone. These people are absolutely priceless! They make me a better person.

God is reminding me to leave those who have hurt me or disappointed me to his judgment (v. 14, 16). Sorry, Zoe Saldana, but revenge is neither beautiful nor sweet. But I don't have to keep subjecting myself to their draining presence, either. I want to try to avoid these people as much as possible. God is also calling my mind to the people that I am so thankful for, filling my heart with gratitude and love. If you are one of those people in my life (and you know who you are), thank you so much! You make life beautiful.

God is also prodding me to consider where I would fit on other people's lists of their life impactors. Would I be one of the difficult people in their lives or one of the true and faithful ones that warm their hearts? I so want to be the latter. God help me to be just that. So, how about you?

Maybe you would share this post on Facebook and thank the true friends and special people in your own life. Please share your thoughts by commenting below. (Sign in first at the top right corner of the page or pick "Anonymous" from the "comment as" field menu.) God bless you, my friend!

My Calling

After a little traveling hiatus, I’m checking back in with all of our wonderful blog readers today. Ready for a conversation with God? It’s something to step into with awe of who God is and with an expectation that he wants to communicate with us. That’s why he gave us Scripture. So let’s open it up and read 2 Timothy 4:1-8. Read with an open invitation to the Holy Spirit to speak to you personally.

With some praise music playing in the background as I read, this text motivates me.

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season. . . .  (K)eep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all of the duties of your ministry. (v. 2, 5)

God’s word to me here is to be faithful to his calling. Timothy was gifted and called to lead the church under his care deeper into the way of Christ. Having been called by God many years ago to the same kind of work, I know that it can be a huge challenge at times. Sometimes you wonder if it’s worth it. The Spirit is telling him and me to follow God’s call. Be consistent. Serve persistently. From one season of life to another, keep living out the calling of God on your life.

You may not have been called to the same kind of service to Christ that I was as a church leader, but you have been called to serve him. If you have been born again, you have been gifted for ministry of some sort. Whatever that is, God is saying, “Carry out that service through the ups and downs of life. Don’t give up. Take a rest when you need to, but keep pursuing what I have called you to.”

It all hinges on the opening thoughts:

In the presence of God and of Christ . . . and in light of his appearing . . . (v. 1)

I hear God saying, “Live fully and in the moment, knowing that I am right here with you. I am present with you now. Don’t ever forget that! And remember that I am coming back for you. I know you long to see me, and while I am not visible now, the day is coming when I will show up in full glory and you will see me with your own eyes. Live in anticipation of that moment! Be ready to meet me. If you stand strong and serve me faithfully, you will feel such joy when you see my face!”

Lord, please guide me with a fresh sense of your calling. I am willing to be used in your Kingdom today and into the future. I'm so amazed by how your Kingdom broke into our world through the coming of your Son, the King of Kings, born in a manger. Please show me what you want me to do in your service. Open the door and I will step through it. Amen.

The Truth Always Comes Out

It's only 4 days before Christmas and I hope you're all getting ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior! I pray that all of you are preparing your hearts and letting others see the light of Christ as you encounter them this holiday season. This is Michele writing for you tonight as we study 2 Timothy 3:5-9. Read it more than once. I had to before I could really understand what God had to say to me.

This is what I think he wants me to hear:

But they won't get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres. (v. 9)

This is a great season to discuss this very important topic. The previous verses discuss the issue of individuals who oppose the truth and do not act in a godly fashion. Our society is full of depravity, self exaltation, and greed. Some people are very far from God.......but others are actually Christians who know the love of God. Every last person on this earth needs God. There is not a single one of us who can save themselves. Salvation only occurs through a relationship w/ the only on who can do the saving.

This verse reminds us that it's only a matter of time before this behavior is discovered. We certainly can't hide the true state of our hearts from God. He is omniscient. Do you remember ever trying to hide something from your parents when you were younger? If you were anything like me I got really nervous and would talk a lot when I had something to hide. Although they were nothing like God, my parents knew something was up when I acted this way and I usually got caught. It's only a matter of time before the truth comes out.

Please remember as we go about our holiday doings that there are many people who see us and pay attention to our behavior. We can only hide our true identity for a little while. At some point, our true selves will be seen by all. I want others to feel blessed to know me even years after I meet them and that will only be true if I adopt and live out the values and standards of my Lord and Savior.

Father in Heaven, I thank you for placing your Spirit inside my heart. Without it I would continue to live a lost and lifeless existence. Please help me and all who love you to live like we know you and point others to your saving power because they see in us what they want for themselves. We look forward to celebrating your birthday Jesus! We love you. Amen

A Year's-end Survey

Hello bloggers! With the wonderful Christmas season comes a variety of things: delight over holiday decorations, extra-delicious goodies to indulge in, a feeling of warmth and good-will toward family and friends. On the other hand, this season often brings out the worst in people because of: stressful family situations, stressful work situations, stressful shopping because of long lines and busy stores, frazzled nerves and snappy retorts to those unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. Drivers seem to be putting on their worst driving habits and customers in the stores appear selfish and rude. What in the world is happening? This is supposed to be the season of Joy, Peace and Love, right?

Today Chris is on the way to see his sweet Michele so I (Katrinka) am taking up the blog for today. I hope you will read 2 Timothy 3:1-4. This is a short little passage but full of the sort of things we see around us in this time of year, and actually, always. As time has moved on, it seems that sin and its fruits mushroom in our world. The beauty of Christianity (true Christians living lives to please God) shines in the darkness for sure, but it is also true that the darkness is thick and difficult to penetrate. This passage from the apostle Paul puts a spotlight on some of the awful characteristics that sin produces in our lives.

"This we know that in the last days perilous times shall come..."  (v. 1)
Immediately the writer, Paul, makes it plain that troublesome, dangerous times will surround true Christians, and that the times will grow increasingly worse! The fruits of sin have been around since the Garden of Eden, but they continue to multiply and increase strength in this old world. I saw a "funny" Christmas card the other day that actually spoke volumes. It was Santa looking over his list of who's naughty and nice. He was saying, "This is getting easier all the time because there is nothing 'naughty' anymore!!"  Isn't that true? Morals and the perception of right and wrong is increasingly becoming blurred into one big "everything goes" mentality. Being politically correct means never saying that anything anyone does is wrong, for the most part.

Paul goes ahead in the next few verses to list the character traits people will have in their lives which will cause times to be troublesome. When we read the list it speaks like something out of today. Usually we read this and think: "Wow! What awful people these are!" But, instead of pointing the finger at others, let's each one think about ourselves and see if the ugly shoe fits. Only when we recognize our own faults and sins can we even begin to ask God for help in changing ourselves to be more to His liking.

A Survey of My Attidues and Actions

Am I self-centered?

Am I jealous of things others have, wishing they were mine instead?

Do I brag about my own things and accomplishments, proud that I am so much better than someone else?

What about the way I talk? Do I use God's name regularly in vulgar ways that are not praise or prayer to Him?

Hey kids, do you just ignore what your parents say and do your own thing without respect for their instructions and advice? Adults, do we still show respect and care for our parents?

Am I one who just takes it for granted when I receive my necessities of life, special gifts, help and encouragement from God and others people? Do I think that getting is just normal?

Am I unholy? Do I "live like the Devil" and still think I am a "Christian?" What do I listen to, think about, watch on t.v., enjoy doing?

Am I one who is insensitive -- numbed to caring about others and their needs? Is my heart hard as a rock?

Am I hard to get along with? Do I push my opinions so hard that I break up a peaceful atmosphere by causing controversy when I get the chance?

Am I overbearing, quick to judge and accuse others, fiercely lashing out at others in the case of disagreement?

Do I look down my nose and laugh behind their backs at people who are "goodie-goodies"? (That is my own assessment, of course, not necessarily true at all...)

Am I quick to turn against someone, or a cause I have upheld, because it is not popular? Do I become a traitor?

Am I out of touch with my own humanity and flaws? Do I esteem my own opinion above all? Am I stuck up?

Do I put making myself happy, comfortable, rich and well thought of above doing what I know God wants me to do and be?

Do I claim to be a believer in God and a faithful Christian, but actually just go through the motions on Sundays and other formal worship occasions? Is my life empty of the fruits of the Spirit throughout the normal week?

Am I someone who influences others to do ungodly things, or watch immoral programs, or violate their conscience in other ways?

Do I attend worship services, read the Bible now and then, maybe even regularly, but never find true, powerful conviction in my heart that Judgment Day is coming and that my life must be truly guided by God's will?

Oh, dear Lord, help  me to look inward and honestly evaluate my life before You. Please be merciful to me, a sinner, and help me to be honest with myself. I pray that any of these terrible characteristics that I find there will be overcome by your Grace and mercy. Please forgive me and make me clean and pure in your sight. And please, dear Lord, help me to keep myself purer as the days go by. I thank you with all my heart! In Jesus' blessed name I ask it. Amen

Edgy Christmas

Christmas is such a sentimental season for me! I love the lights and other decorations. Our Christmas tree is always beautiful, even if it does have several hundred ornaments on it! Unfortunately, with preparing a house for sale and being jobless it hasn't had quite the magic in the air it usually does. I feel myself being a little on edge at times, having a hard time being present in the moment, letting loose and having fun.

I doubt I'm alone in that. With family visits and extra time with the kids, all the stress of trying to get things done can lead to some impatience and bickering. And that's no way to enjoy Christmas! So I find my conversation with God today taking me to a much-needed place. Care to come along? Read and mull over 2 Timothy 2:14-26 for a few minutes. What do you hear from God?

Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. . . .  Avoid Godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. . . . Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone . . . , not resentful. (v. 14, 16, 23-24)

While this text is focused on religious quarrels and arguments, I am hearing a word for how I carry myself with my family through this holiday season. The Holy Spirit is  reminding me that my time with him will help keep me centered in his will, receiving the "faith, love and peace" that come from a close relationship with Jesus (v. 22). I need to turn over every worry, every fear, every frustration to the God who sits on the throne of heaven. He alone is in control of my circumstances. I need to give extra love to my family, too.

God is saying, "I want your words to be patient and gentle to all of your family members and others around you. Be a bringer of good cheer. Be the cushion between others if they start to get on each other's nerves, not the catalyst for a quarrel."

And isn't this kitchen imagery appropriate for Christmas (v. 20-21)? Some things that come out of a kitchen you serve up to your guests in crystal bowls and silver trays. Other things you dump in the plastic trash can. Be sure what you're serving up out of your heart in the way of words and actions is fit for the best holiday dishes rather than the garbage disposal. As The Message puts it:

Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing. (v. 21)

Yes, I needed that, God. Thanks for the blessing of the reminder. Fill me with your peace and make me always a peacemaker. Make me less like lemon extract and more like a great big sugar cookie! Amen.

Please share your comments below and spread the peace on Facebook (click the "f" logo below).

Strength for the Journey

Happy Hump Day to you! The input of God's wisdom into my mind and heart is such a welcome thing. How about you? Pray with me, "God, I need to hear from you today. Please speak to me personally through your holy word as I read. Amen." Now, let's open our minds and venture into a God-encounter in 2 Timothy 2:1-13. It takes two or three times through it for it to really start sinking in, so go ahead and make that worthwhile effort.

If we died with him, we will also live with him;
If we endure, we will also reign with him. (v. 11-12)

Just prior to giving these promises, he used three word pictures to encourage us to give everything we've got in serving the Lord: Like a soldier, be focused and devoted to your mission. Like an athlete, honor the constraints and boundaries that we must live within to be effective. Like a farmer, be willing to work hard. Then he gives the promise above.

The past tense "died" catches my attention. He doesn't say, "If we die with him...," but rather, "If we died with him...." It reminds me of something he said in another letter of the New Testament: "I have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live" (Galatians 2:20). Jesus is saying to me, "Cut loose of your own expectations and demands of this life. Let your own will, your fallen self, die with me on the cross. Then you will receive a new quality of life in which I will live with you, even within you. You and I will become one in a way you can't fully understand. My resurrection life will be yours. And when you physically die, that spiritual life will carry on beyond the grave."

The word "endure" also stands out in my mind. Much happens in this life as a result of the brokenness in the world and in me that our Enemy uses to try to gradually break down my faith, or just anesthetize it. Sometimes things go very wrong that cause me to question whether serving Jesus is really worth it.

Endurance. Jesus says, "Stick with me. Be strong in my grace. Yes, there are many tests and challenges to be faced before your journey is complete. Endure. Remain faithful. That is, continue to be full of faith. There is a huge payoff day coming! If you past the test, you will reign with me. I will give you a share in my glory and reward you with authority equivalent to your faithfulness. My blessings will flow to you in this life, but never lose sight of the real prize. It lies ahead of you there on the horizon."

Lord, thank you for this mind-stretching, encouraging promise! Me, reign with you? You, living in me? I'm such a weak and often confused human being. But in your grace I become stronger than I ever imagined. Thank you for going through these tests and challenges with me so that I know I'm never alone. I know you will see me through. And I can't wait to experience what you have in store for me! Amen.

Sharing this post with your Facebook friends would be a great way of testifying to Jesus (see the past two posts). Just click the "f" Facebook icon below. And thanks for your thought-provoking comments recently! It's great to know you're reading these posts and God is speaking to you through them.

Teachers of the Truth

Are you ready to study God's Word this morning? Me too! Today we are studying 2 Timothy 1:9-16. This is Michele with you today and I hope you are having a great week so far. Let's jump right in and see what God has to say to us this morning. What pops out at me is this:

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me - a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. (v. 13-14)

Paul was encouraging Timothy not to stray from the truth but to hold tightly to what he had been taught as he goes out to teach others. This is true for all of us. Whether we're pastors, maintenance workers, teachers, grocery store clerks, librarians, engineers, business owners or whatever our occupation may be we need to stand firm to the truth that we have been taught as followers of Christ. We constantly come in contact with those who don't know Christ and we need to be prepared to teach others about our Lord and Savior.

Chris blogged Saturday on the fear factor that we sometimes have when it comes to witnessing or telling others about Jesus. This was a great blog and certainly true for many, if not all, of us. We are fearful and often concerned about what others may think of us but we need to remember we're not selling a multi vitamin! We're teaching others about the way to eternal life that no amount of money can buy. And when we do this we may come up against people who want to debate. These verses are telling us to hold on to the truth. Don't let others sway your knowledge of the truth. Remember that nothing outside of Jesus' death can lead to eternal life, no other religion points to the truth of God's Word and no one can take from you what you know God has done for you personally. Your salvation is yours because you've accepted the only absolute truth there is. And, most importantly, you have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of you. You have it....use it!

As you go out into this world on mission for Christ, remember you're not alone. The Holy Spirit will guide you and give you the words when you don't have them. God wants nothing more than for you to lead others to him. He won't leave you to do it all on your own. It's a promise he has made to you. How can we keep such awesome news to ourselves? There are many out there who are literally dying to know the truth!

Thank you, Lord, for showing us truth and filling us with faith. Now, help us to teach others about your saving power and the love that you have for each and every one of your creation. Fill us with  power from the Holy Spirit when we get scared. Help us to remember that your perfect love casts out all fear. Amen.

Confident Witnessing

Welcome, friends! I want to remind you how much God loves you. He thinks of you constantly and waits for you to think of him. We're going to continue our conversation with him by moving into the second letter to Timothy (1:1-7). Taking in God's Word is like a Monster energy drink for your soul! Here's what I hear God impressing on my mind today:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord.... (v. 7-8)


I find it much easier to preach to hundreds than to talk to my next door neighbor about Jesus. Somehow, the stakes seem higher. There is an important relationship at stake. And people expect to hear about Jesus at church. They aren't necessarily anticipating their neighbor telling them about him out in the yard. I'm pretty sure most believers can relate to these feelings of wanting to point their friends and neighbors and other acquainances towards Jesus, yet somehow holding back more often than not.

God is saying, "I see the lack of confidence in you when it comes to speaking of me. You're thinking of all the things that could go wrong. You need to dwell on all that could go right! Don't you know that I have called you to be my representative to other people? I can and will use you to bring others to a restored relationship with me. Your focus is too much on yourself. Of course you aren't adequate for such a high calling! That's why I sent the Holy Spirit to live within you. Rely on him for help.

"Here is what the Holy Spirit will bring into the scenario: He'll give you spiritual power. Yes, power. You have it within you! It's something that people will sense in you as you interact with them. They will be either drawn to it or repelled by it. You can't control them. But you have the power to lead those who are seeking something more.

"He will also fill you with my love. The most important part of helping others find me is authentically loving them. People can tell whether you do or don't, and it makes all the difference. Let me fill you with love for that neighbor, that lady at work. Bringing someone to faith in my Son is three parts love and one part explanation.

"Testifying about how I've touched your life is only compelling when it rings true. No one expects perfection out of you, but they will notice whether you are actually different than the average Joe or Josephine. If you are surrendering daily to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he will bring self-discipline to your life in the best sort of way. You'll watch yourself and live compellingly, winning the admiration of those you want to influence.

"So receive my Spirit and embrace him! He will replace your timid approach to witnessing with a new sense of confidence. And you will discover a new level of joy and excitement about sharing your faith."

Father, I'm thinking right now about that person that I have been wanting to talk to about you. Please fill me now again with your Holy Spirit. I claim the power that you have put within me. By your grace, I will love that person and seize my next opportunity to put in a word for you. Fill me with the humble confidence of knowing you are working through me. Amen.

Got "Gold Fever" Yet?

What a beautiful day! Thursday is not quite so bad at the Mall as the weekend, but it is still bad enough during this particular season of the year -- the Christmas season. The lights glitter, the bejeweled things sparkle, the decorations beckon, and the craze gets into our heads before we know it. It often gets to be a lot more about getting than giving, about returning gifts to those who we know are giving a gift to us, about "stuff," than about anything to do with true giving from the heart of love at all.

Today this is Katrinka writing over thoughts taken from 1 Timothy 6:17-21. Please stop and read through this passage again. There is much to consider here.

"Charge them that are rich in this world, . .

The main subject of these verses is how to handle wealth. Now many of us think we do not even have to read further...after all, we are definitely NOT rich! But think again. Just being an American citizen usually means that we live in the upper 10% of the world's population in regards to wealth. That is somewhat staggering to think about! So perhaps we should stop and re-read the verses again more thoughtfully, applying them to ourselves this time?

...that they be not highminded, . . .

Do I look down on others who do not have as much stuff as I do? Do I feel superior if my car or my house or my clothes are more expensive than others? Do I feel that I should receive extra services or attention because of my job status or my corporate ownings? Do I consider myself successful just because I am able to afford the biggest and best electronics or belong to that special group of people who are in "my class"? Maybe it is only that I look with disgust and disapproval at the homeless addict standing by the side of the road with a sign? In any event, do I think higher of myself than I should think just because of education or financial security? Soul searching....

Command them not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

In a nutshell, here it is...riches are UNCERTAIN. You know it pretty well, as I do, since the last few years our lives have been shaken by a roller-coaster stock market, big problems with Social Security and more taxes with less tax breaks. Food costs more, a movie ticket costs a lot more, medical costs have mushroomed, and our savings vanish, our investments melt away like ice on a hot Texas summer day.

Just when people think they have the world by the tail, it turns into a scorpion tail and bites! Yes, that rope is not one that will carry you and me over the chasms of life that fall away into bottomless pits. Uncertain riches are never the answer at all.

Only God, our loving, caring, involved-in-all-we-say-do-and-think-Father remains CHANGELESS, dependable, and providing. It is our Father in Heaven who gives us freely the blessings of every day. All comes from Him! He makes His sun to rise on the just and the unjust, and that is good think because not one of us is perfect in any sense of the word. How thankful and humble we should be in the light of this knowledge! We never have a reason to lift up ourselves over others, when we are everyone dependent on God and His mercy, blessings and salvation. Living in a trusting relationship with Him is the one thing that brings safety and security in this uncertain world!

In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (v. 19)

Got a savings account? It is a good thing to have, important, but often we fail to replenish it after we have to dip into it, right? Well, God is telling us to get our heavenly savings account filled with the things that are really life-saving and vital so that when the end of our time comes, we will have resources that will be a gift to our Lord and that we can enjoy eternally. The "how" is in the verse above -- be rich in good works, ready to share what we have with others. Have I made any deposits to this account lately, or have I only been thinking of the lists of stuff that I want others to give to me? Am I going to be the GIVER or the GIFTEE?

It is really nice to know that we are both! "It is more blessed to give than to receive,"  according to Jesus. When I give to others, my heart is blessed and I receive such joy and peace from the very act! When we give, it has a way of coming back to us in the most unexpected ways, far more than we have given in the first place! And---no matter what---we can NEVER out-give our Father in Heaven! No matter how much we give, even to the point of sacrificial giving, He find ways to return it to us in ways that outstrip anything we could have ever done or given.

Thank you, beloved Father, for your greatest Gift of all, Jesus our Savior! What a great example you have given us on how to think about "stuff" in this world. Your Son had no place to lay His head while He was here, and yet, you have made Him sit on your right hand and reign over all the earth! Bless us Lord with a humble, giving and caring heart. Thank you for the riches we have in life and for our hope of Heaven in the end. In Jesus' name we ask it, Amen.

Chasing What Counts

Welcome! God is waiting to speak his truth into our hearts today. Let's listen carefully from 1 Timothy 6:11-16. This is what I hear him saying . . .

Chris (you put your name), you are not of the world. You belong specially to me. Remember that you live on a higher level. Don't chase what the world is chasing. It's a wild goose chase! I look down and see most people chasing their tails, never catching what they so eagerly pursue. And that's because they don't know how to get what they most want.

Here's what I want you to pursue instead. Start with a life anchored in your personal relationship with me. My grace alone can provide everything you need! Be fully present with me.

From there, chase the goal of becoming the man inside that I created you to be. As you stay close to me, you will become more like me. Chase nobility, integrity, compassion--they are worth catching!

And trust me more. Our whole relationship is based on you realizing that I'm fully trustworthy. I'm faithful. So have faith. Let the difficulties of life deepen your trust instead of weakening it.

And don't forget to love. Love is the essence of life. You can have everything money can buy and still be empty without love. And I'm not talking about what American culture has reduced "love" to. They scarcely have a glimpse of the real thing anymore. Pursue real love. True love. Fully-committed and self-giving love. The more you give, the more you will receive. It's so much better than anything else you could possess!

And don't give up. The world weighs on you. I can see it in your posture and in your eyes. You are burdened down. Let go of some things. Let go of everything and entrust it to me. I'm not saying quit. Quite the opposite. Don't ever quit living. Don't ever stop loving. Don't ever stop trusting me. Don't get down on yourself and buy into the lie that you can't. There is one who would like you to believe that. But it is not me. Learn to be mentally tough. Stand up and be strong. I have given you my power when yours fails. Persevere, Chris! Your journey is far from completed. I'm counting on you!

One last thing...don't let the frustrations roughen you. Keep your gentle spirit. Treat the ones you love most with the greatest sensitivity and kindness, not the least. Pursue that gentleness because if you don't, the bruises and disappointments of life will make you prickly. No one likes to cuddle up to a cactus! And they need to feel your gentleness for their sake, too. With but a word you can raise their spirits or dash them.

I am with you in all of this, Chris. Don't worry about chasing the stuff on the TV commercials. It's pricey and otherwise pretty cheap. You want a rich life, don't you? Pursue the things I've told you about with all you've got. Put your sweat there. It won't make me love you any more than I already do, but attaining these qualities will be the glory and joy of your life!

But you, man of God, flee from all this [greed], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. . . . Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . .  (v. 11-12)

[Your comments are welcome below! And I am praying a special blessing on anyone who shares this post on their Facebook page!]

Contentment

As I sit here, bible in hand, I am hearing the words that God is speaking to me about the blessings he gives. I am reading 1 Timothy 6:1-10. Will you read with me? This is Michele sharing with you on this Tuesday morning. Hope you all had a fabulous Monday! As you read this passage be sure to take in whatever God may be pressing upon your heart and share with us at the end what that is. This is what I'm hearing him say to me:

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth....So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. (v 6, 8)

I've been a single parent for a very long time. Therefore, I have had to live accordingly. This has sometimes meant going without things I think may make me happy. I have had to be very disciplined with my finances and be content with what I have. That's not always easy for a woman! But....I have never had to go without the essentials in my life, nor has my son. God has provided very well for us through the years.

 Simplicity and contentment is the key! If we spend our lives trying to be like everyone else or wanting more and more, we will end up in a big heap of discontent. Who wants that? True godliness focuses on our Lord and realizing that he will always provide for us. What he gives is just what we need.

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. (v. 10)

Do you ever wonder why people steal? Why individuals rack up all kinds of credit card debt just to have stuff? Why the economy is struggling so? Why are "get rich quick" schemes are so popular? GREED! Everyone wants what they want when they want it. This world makes it so easy to fall into that trap. Everywhere we look we see advertisements for credit cards with high limits and low initial interest rates, easy to get loans so we can purchase the things we've "never been able to have before", or we spend we spend thousands of dollars on lottery tickets because we all know someone who's won and we want the same opportunity. A perfect recipe for financial destruction!

Wanting more and more is the complete opposite of contentment. When we focus solely on money and what we have, we aren't trusting in the one who really is our provider. Instead we are keeping our eyes on ourselves and God's word clearly states that this will pierce us with many sorrows.

I don't know about you but I'm all about keeping my sorrows few!!

Lord, we need your help! It's so easy to fall into the cancer of greed. Our world is filled with lies about what will bring us happiness. Give us eyes and ears that only see and hear truth. Help us not to be deceived. We love you and want to live for you. Help us to find true contentment in your ways! We love you! Amen.

Now, it's your turn to share. Tell us what you took away from this passage. We love to hear your comments!

The Real You Bleeds Through

Happy Monday! Come on, it's possible! If you are letting God speak his good news into your heart, you'll have joy even on a Monday. I'm sitting down with God and my Bible for a conversation. Come and join us in 1 Timothy 5:17-25. Bear in mind that the whole passage is regarding the appointment of church leaders. It may be a little more challenging to make a personal application. Let's see what God might want to say to us.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the encouragement to pay good pastors well (v. 17-18)! Somebody please listen and pass it on to your church finance people! The second thing that really resonates with me is the caution about not appointing people to leadership hastily (v. 22). That one has come back to bite me before! Nothing messes up a good church like delegating leadership to the wrong kind of person. The difficult thing is that it can take time before a person's true colors begin to show. He or she may appear at first to be everything you would want in a leader. But only later do you begin to discover the character issues and self-promoting motives they have.

The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. (v. 24)

Maybe that's what is most applicable to us all here. The point is that the holes in some people's character may be veiled at first and not surface until later. But surface they will. That's a good reason to take your time in dating relationships. A person can only put their best foot forward for so long before their real self starts to take over. So be sure to give enough time for that natural relaxing to take place. Then you can see who this person really is.

The statement above is also a good warning for me if I have become comfortable with sin in my life. We may think that we can keep it undercover, that no one will know. But whether our sins are up front and hit people in the forehead before they even get a chance to know us, or whether our pet evils trail behind us hiding in the shadows, we can't keep them hidden forever. They just have a way of getting discovered. Herman Cain and Pastor Eddie Long are dealing with that reality in the most embarrassing and painful way right now.

It's not skeletons that I want people to stumble across when digging around in my closet. It's the good deeds that I didn't tell anyone about.

In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden forever. (v. 25)

Holy Father, show me anything in my life that needs to be cleaned out. I want the blessings that come with holiness and godliness. I want the joy and the peace that a clean conscience provides. Thank you that in Jesus I am forgiven and that I now have the Holy Spirit's power to defeat the power of temptation. Amen!

Don't be silent. What is God saying to you? He often speaks through other people, meaning he may speak to someone through you! Comment below (sign in first or choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu). And please give us some love on Facebook by clicking the "f" icon below.

Alone in This World

Happy Friday to all of you! There's nothing better than hearing from God to start our day. I, Michele, am focusing today on 1 Timothy 5:1-16. The topic of this reading is caring for widows and this is what I hear God saying to me:

Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God. (v. 3-4)

These two verses speak to my heart because my parents took in my grandmother, who was a widow, and cared for her when she could no longer care for herself. My mother spent most of her time, outside of her regular occupation, caring for my grandmother. She also eventually removed herself from the outside workforce to care for her full time. It was no easy job, physically or emotionally, but she did it anyway out of love for her mother. That pleased God!

I currently work in a hospital and see patients every day who may have no one to help care for them. Maybe they have never had children or they have no living family members. I can't fathom being alone in this world, but they live their lives this way. It breaks my heart to hear the stories of loneliness and isolation that some people experience. In some cases, God has given these individuals a handful of very good friends, neighbors, or a church who's members help as much as possible. There are others who resonate with the fact that they will live out the rest of their days in a nursing home in order to be cared for.

Praise God that there are facilities, church ministries, friends, neighbors, and/or family members who will step up and help to care for those who have no one else. God commands us in this reading to care for our parents and grandparents or any widow who has no one else to do so. I don't believe this excludes widowers but Paul chose to focus on widows because women generally did not have a means of supporting themselves.

I commend my mother and all of you who are reading this and have given of your time and/or resources to care for someone else who was/is otherwise alone in this world. That is an act of obedience and very pleasing to God!

God, give us obedient hearts when it comes to loving and caring for those who are alone and in need. Put in our hearts an overwhelming compassion for the isolated and alone, especially our family members. Move us to service for you, Lord. We want to please you! Amen

Please share your comments or experiences with us. We love to hear from you! You can even share this on your facebook page. Just click on the "f" icon and it will take you directly to your facebook page. You certainly don't want to keep this to yourself, it just may bless someone you know!

You Matter to Someone

God loves you, and so do I! Let's listen for a word from him to help guide us through today. Sit and soak in 1 Timothy 4:9-16 with me. Take a few minutes and let it resonate in your heart. Is there something that you most need to hear right now?

Do not neglect your gift. . . . Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (v. 14-15)

As I read this today, I know that, like Timothy, I have been given certain spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit. Every believer has been given at least one. My primary gifts are preaching and leadership. What are yours? If you don't know, there are some tools to help guide you in some self-assessment. But the best way to discover your gifts is to experiment with serving in different areas. Once you find something that feels meaningful and right for you, you can work on developing those gifts.

God is emphasizing to me that he doesn't want me (or you) to neglect the gifts he has given us. He gave them to us for a reason. And that reason is to use them to make a difference. I saw the movie Hugo recently. It was an amazing movie! It makes the point that the world, and particularly humanity, can be compared to a huge machine. In machines there are no spare parts. There are neither too many nor too few. There are just enough parts to enable the machine to function as it should. I have a purpose and so do you. Scripture teaches that. If I neglect my giftings, I am missing the purpose for which God created me.

The chapter ends with this statement:

Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (v. 16)

Using my gifts, fulfilling my purpose in this life, is a very important matter. Doing what God has called me to do may very well be the key to freeing someone else. Because I do what I'm supposed to do, someone else may be saved from a broken, empty life. We are all connected. Someone out there needs me to do what I do. And what's more, I need me to do what I do. By exercising my God-given gifts, I am saved from a meaningless, purposeless existence in which my only objective is to make money and have some fun.

God, please give me the opportunity to use my gifts. I don't want to neglect them. I have been diligent in using them in the past. I have persevered in using them even when I didn't feel I had it in me. Now I need you to open a door for me to use them again. For those who haven't discovered their gifts or have neglected them, please impress on them how important their gifts are to someone out there and to the legacy of their own lives. Amen.

Please comment below and share this post on Facebook! (To comment, sign in at the top right of the page or just choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu. To post to Facebook, click the "f" button below and sign in to your Facebook account.)

Enjoy It!

The beauty of today is hard to miss here in Pearland! God is with us and holding us in his powerful hand, whether it's sunny or rainy outside. There is nothing I long for more than to hear God's voice. I know that he has good plans for me, and they will be realized only if I am listening and moving to his rhythms. Today, I'm listening for what he wants to say through this text of Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-8. Come along and let's listen together!

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (v. 4-5)

God is good, indeed! What strikes me here is that in warning about "deceiving spirits and things taught by demons" (v. 1), he is not thinking of slipping past moral boundaries and going with the world's flow, as we might expect. (He warns about that elsewhere.) He's cautioning us here about ascetic, legalistic, joy-smothering religious positions that make God look like a Cosmic version of the head nun at a strict Catholic school.

I'm so glad that God has created so many things for us to enjoy! He didn't have to make the world so beautiful. He didn't have to build into human nature our love for good food (can anyone say Thanksgiving?), or for the amazing, passionate love experienced in the holy union of marriage. But he did, and he gave it to us to enjoy! One of the myths that unbelievers believe about Christianity is that it takes all the fun out of life. Not true, says God! He just helps us discern the difference between fun that is healthy and life-enhancing and fun that insidiously robs us of our deepest needs.

I'm going to enjoy God's blessings today! And I'm going to thank him for all the good things he has placed in my life to bring me joy. Thank you, God, for reminding me of how good you are to me!

Please share your reflections on what God is saying to you here. Sign in (top right corner) or choose "Anonymous" in the "Comment as" menu. And we would deeply appreciate it if you would share this post to your Facebook page so your friends can be blessed by it, too! Click the Facebook ("f") button below and sign into your Facebook account. Thanks!

Who I Want to Be

Is the world a little lighter this week, or am I a little heavier? Must be the former! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holidays and that you gave a lot of thanks! I have been out of town enjoying the company of my family that I haven't seen in a while. Having my mom and my three sisters all in one place at the same time hasn't happened since 2005!

Thank you, Michele, for your last post on the end of the second chapter of 1 Timothy. As I lean in to hear a word from God for my life today, I'm reading 1 Timothy chapter 3. Please give yourself the blessing of reading these 16 verses with me. For our purposes, the key is to ask God what he wants you to hear personally.

Whoever desires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach. . . . In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect. . . . In the same way women are to be worthy of respect. . . . (v. 1-2, 8, 11 TNIV)

As I read the descriptions here of the kind of men and women that the church needs to serve in leadership or special roles of service, what I see is an image of the quality of a person's core that makes the world better. Interestingly enough, what is missing from the lists are the specific gifts that are obviously needed to serve in these roles. Those gifts are assumed. Why would you even think of appointing someone as a leader who doesn't have the gift of leadership? Why would you appoint someone to lead a compassion ministry who doesn't have the gift of compassion? The emphasis instead is on their character.

Why is that? Because that is what we might be tempted to overlook. We might see someone functioning as a high capacity leader in a company or an institution and assume that this person would be a great church leader or ministry leader, too. We might appoint them based on their intelligence and talent and success level without really taking a close-up look at their character.

That would be a big mistake. Why? Because as important as our gifts are, what drives the way we use them is the person we are inside. I may be smart and resourceful, business savy, well-spoken and connected, but the engine driving me is my character. And it will either lead me to use my gifts to bless others or to selfishly manipulate them. My character will either make my gifts shine or it will overshadow them. Just ask Ndamukong Suh. Giftedness is important. Character is essential.

I want to be a man that fits this profile. Regardless of whether I'm a church leader or not, I want to be this kind of man. This is the quality of man that makes a positive impact on his world. This is the kind of woman that I would look up to and trust. This is the kind of person I would want speaking into my life and influencing others. How about you? Go back and read the qualities mentioned here again. That's who I want to be.

And how do I get there? Follow the One who came as God in flesh, who couldn't be silenced even by death, who was raised and taken up in glory, proclaimed as the hope of the world throughout every generation since. Through his grace, his example and the power of his Spirit, I can become the man God envisioned when he created me (v. 16).

"Pretty is as Pretty Does"

Happy day after Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a great holiday and are continuing to enjoy all that God has blessed you with. I have really been focusing on what blessings I have in my life and giving God praise and thanksgiving for them. Praising God helps to lift our spirits and gives us a positive focus for our thoughts. This is Michele writing tonight and I feel so privileged to be with you again. We are focusing on 1 Timothy 2:8-15 today. Here is what jumped out at me:

And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. (v. 9-10)

Why do you think it was important for Paul to point this out? Maybe because all scripture is inspired by God and he knows women pretty well. After all, he created us! Why is it that so many women are obsessed with the way they look or what they wear? Isn't it a sign of security when you always look your absolute best and never show a single flaw? Actually, it's quite the opposite! Insecure women dress immodestly and constantly focus on how they look. If I'm secure in who God has created me to be, I will be secure in all situations. Regardless of what my outward appearance is.

Our culture encourages a way of dressing and appearing that is far from what is appropriate and tasteful. Just take a look at various high school youth and you will see that modesty is something of the past for many of our teens. It seems as if they all want to express themselves and be their own person, but they yet to know who they really are. Don't get me wrong, this is not only a problem for our young generation. I've seen many middle aged women who dress very inappropriately as well.

We need to decide if we want to try to measure up to society's image of who we are or if we would rather listen to our Lord and Savior and be a person led by his spirit and let that shine from us. His light is far more beautiful than any designer outfit one could ever purchase. When we are guided by his light and live our lives for him, we radiate. Now, that's beauty! Our actions will be directed by love and our hearts will be filled with joy. No more emptiness inside. And we will be women of God. The way we act speaks louder than what we look like on the outside.

 As a mother of a very close friend used to say, "Pretty is as pretty does".

Lord, I want to be your daughter. I want to live my life in such a way that others can see you and think I'm beautiful because of that......not because of my outward appearance. Make my heart pure. Let your light radiate from me and lead others to you. You are my God and my King. Reign in my heart for the world to see! Amen

Don't Let it Slip Away

Are you ready to hear from God today? Me too! How refreshing to wake to God's voice! This is Michele posting this morning  and we are moving on to 1 Timothy 1:18-2:7. Take it in and see what God is saying to your heart as you read. This is what stands out most to me:

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. (v. 1:19)

I have always had an overactive conscience. This was particularly evident when I was a little girl. I confessed everything I did to my mom, everything! As you can imagine, I tried my hardest to be well behaved then. But, as I grew into my teenage years I began to ignore my conscience and not be so up front about my misbehavior. Guess what? I ended up not being so well behaved as a teenager. It's the same way with our faith. God speaks to us through our consciences and when we listen we stay on track.....but, if we ignore his voice our faith will become less and less important over time. This reminds me of a song by Casting Crowns called Slow Fade. This song basically states that our faith doesn't just dissipate over night, it's a slow fade and something we can lose over time as a result of each and every choice we make. So, listen to the voice of God and don't allow your faith to slowly fade away. I don't want mine to be shipwrecked!

Not only do we want to keep our own faith on track, we also want others to have a strong faith in our Lord and Savior. How can you and I help with that?

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.......This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand truth. (v. 2:1 and 3-4)

Our God is not just partial to those of us who have already chosen him, he loves all people and wants everyone to spend eternity with him. Does this mean that all will be saved? No. The Bible is very clear that all will not be saved. That doesn't mean that God doesn't give each one of us ample time to make a life changing decision. Who knows, he may use you and I to minister to a lost soul and see someone become a Christ follower as a result.

So, what God is telling me today is that I have two very important callings on my life. One is to keep my own faith in check and the second is to pray for others so they can do the same for themselves and others in their life.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of the importance of listening to my conscience. Take me back to when I was a little girl who worked so hard to do what was right.  Hold me accountable and give me a heart for all people. Help me to love others and care about where they will be spending eternity. I want to be like you! Amen

I'm the Worst

It's high time for a word from God today! Let's take in a sweet, refreshing drink from his holy Scriptures, 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Remember as you read, this is the Apostle Paul writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What strikes you about him? about his attitude? Does this sound like one of the all time greatest Christ-followers?

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. (v. 15)

Jesus said it himself. He didn't come for those who already have it all together and think they don't need God's mercy. He came for sinners--sinners like Paul. And me. He came to save us from the guilt, condemnation and power of the sin that had us trapped. It was a rescue mission from across time and space penetrating the veil between the spiritual and physical dimensions. Pretty cool, huh?

Let's see, if St. Paul was "the worst of sinners," where does that leave me? Sure, I never persecuted or executed Christians, but at least he did what he did out of the conviction that he was doing the right thing. He thought he was doing what God wanted him to do. I can't say that about the sins I've committed. I'm afraid my motives were something far less than defending God's truth against "heresy." How about you?

I'm thankful that Paul opens up this little window into his heart for us. He lets us see his self-image. There's no holier-than-thou condemning spirit about this amazing apostle. He is so convicted about his own sin, his own past, that he doesn't have any pretense of being better than his pagan peers. Yet he isn't consumed with guilt. He's thankful beyond belief for God's grace! And he's all about offering it to the rest of us.

Father, I know that I am, like Paul, someone that you pulled out of the grips of sin, setting me free by your grace. I am so thankful for that! To borrow a line from Titanic, you have saved me in every sense that a person can be saved. I celebrate your grace! May I never think myself above or better than others who have yet to break free. And may they see the power of your grace in my life and the way that I treat them so that they can experience its saving power, too. Amen!

Please share your thoughts! Comment below. And please give this blog a boost on your Facebook page by clicking the Facebook "f" icon below. I appreciate it! And have a happy Thanksgiving!

Know Your Goal

Happy Thanksgiving week! I hope you enjoyed our conversations with God through the Gospel of John as much as I did! I'm turning now to one of the more practical writings of the New Testament, the first letter Paul wrote to Timothy. I hope you'll take a few minutes and soak in God's Word, the first eleven verses of chapter one. As you read over it again, what is jumping out at you or making you think?

What resonates most with me is this:

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (v. 5)

Paul was concerned about some people in the church who were teaching things that sounded intriguing and scholarly, but there was just one problem. They were way off base. And what their teachings produced was controversies. There is plenty of that around in Christian circles and churches today. Some teachers have pulled all kinds of things out of context in the Bible to develop theories and prophecies about everything from the European Union to the date of Jesus' return. Others want to hash out their opinions on the validity of tongue-speaking or Calvinism. It all makes for stimulating theological debate. And a lot of disagreements.

The Apostle Paul, who wrote a lot of the material people debate over, states that there is one central goal to the commands of God and healthy spiritual teaching. Love. Surprised? Sound (healthy) doctrine is teaching that motivates and equips us to live lives of love for God and for people. How loving am I in my actions and words? That's a good indication of how much I understand and obey the teachings of Scripture.

And what kind of love are we talking about? Love that comes from a pure heart. No phoniness. No ulterior motives. No demands for something in return. Just the real deal.

It's also love that flows from a clean conscience. When I'm living with integrity and holiness I am free to love people without guilt getting in the way. I can open myself up instead of hiding emotionally.

And it's a love that finds its source in a sincere faith in God. I love because I trust in the love God has for me. I don't withhold love out of fear that I'll get stepped on or hurt. My love is powered by the ability to trust. And when that trust is in God instead of people, even when my love is not returned I am able to keep on loving.

So there you go. That's what "sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God" produces in me and in my listeners. It makes the world a better place to live.

You are invited to share what God spoke to your heart in this text by commenting below. Choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment as" menu if you choose not to sign in. Give us a little love on Facebook if you don't mind! (Click on the "f" button below.)

The Challenge of Following

A day without hearing from God is to my soul like a day without food and water to my body. Today's conversation is taking me back to the last chapter of John to focus a little more on Jesus' words to Peter. Let's re-read John 21:15-25 and drink it in.

The thing that is jumping out at me today is Jesus' twice-made challenge:

"You must follow me!" (v. 22, also 19)

It's not a suggestion or even an invitation at this point. It's more of a demand. Jesus is saying to me, "Do you want a real relationship with me? Here's how it works. I lead and you follow. Period. There's no negotiating. This isn't up for discussion. If you really love me (which he asks Peter three times), you will give me your whole heart and follow my lead. After all, we're not equals. You have to trust me."

That sometimes seems so simple, and I am all in. But then there is this whole deal with my expectations and the comparisons I make. I generally expect that since I'm following Jesus, he's going to lead me by the green pastures and still waters. Okay, I realize that he's not exempting me from hitting some rough terrain now and then. That's part of the challenge of growing stronger. But I don't expect the worst to happen. That just doesn't seem like what he would want for me.

But he says this to Peter:

"...when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." (v. 18)

And John explains:

Jesus said this to indiicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. (v. 19)

The fact is that some of us will be called to glorify God that way, too. My wife, Cathy, was. And it's not just in physical death. It might be that God calls us to bring him glory through another kind of major loss. When the worst happens, it doesn't necessarily mean that God has turned against me. It may be just the opposite. But when you're that person, it's not easy looking around at other disciples who seem to have all the favor of God resting on them.

And that's just what Peter did. He turns and looks at John. Everyone knew he was Jesus' favorite.

When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" (v. 21)

I can feel what Peter felt. Am I the only one that's going to have to suffer? You're telling me I'm going to have to follow you through heartache and loss. What about the other guy? What about the pastor at the big church down the road? What about the other women in my ladies Bible study? They're not going to get off easy while I get beaten like a rented mule, are they? For me, it's not that I want others to suffer loss. It's just that I don't understand why it's me that takes the hit. What did I do to deserve that? Do you love the other guy more than me, Jesus? If you haven't ever felt that way, you've probably not suffered very much in the course of serving God. Nothing will shred my joy like getting caught up making comparisons. I can't go there. I need to hear Jesus words to Peter like they were said to me:

"If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." (v. 22)

This thing called discipleship doesn't lend itself to my expectations and comparisons. It's about me letting go of my life and putting it in Jesus' hands knowing that it belongs to him anyway. It's about following him regardless, wherever, no reservations, no demands. Why would I do that? Because regardless of whether my path is easy or harder than a woodpecker's head, it's going to lead to Life. And I can't get there any other way.

Share your thoughts, will you? Comment and share this post with your Facebook friends. Click on the square button with the "f" on it. I look forward to hearing from you!

Divine Guidance

Spiritually hungry? Feeling confused? Frustrated? Today, while praying, Jesus spoke a word to my heart, reminding me of something he once said to another follower long ago: "You are worried and troubled about so many things. But only one thing is needed." I realized that the one thing is to sit at his feet and listen to him. When I don't do that, my mind gets so confused and distracted and my stress level goes up. Fears creep in. So I'm focusing on doing the one thing I need most.

Today, we're taking in his final conversation recorded in John's account (chapter 21). Do the one thing that you most need to do, too. Turn off the distractions and read along with me.

"I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them. (v. 3)

I can really relate to Peter in this moment. Although he knows that Jesus is risen, he still doesn't know what to do next. Jesus has briefly appeared a couple of times, but he seems to have basically made his exit from their everyday lives. The whole discipleship/ ministry thing seems to be over. For over two weeks, they've been sitting around in a locked room waiting for something, some direction. And it hasn't come.

So Peter makes a decision. He's not the kind of guy who sits around being passive. He's a man of action. He's received no direction from Jesus so he sets his own. He apparently aims to return to his previous profession, fishing. I imagine that he figures he's got to do something, and the only thing he knows to do is go back into the workforce. But it doesn't go so well.

So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. (v. 3)

John is so cool. He always sees the spritual symbolism in events. He points out that it was night. Peter is out there in the dark, drifting directionless and coming up empty-handed. And that's what happens when I try to make my own life plans without listening for God's guidance and calling. It's not a fun place to be and it is not what I want. But something happens.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore.... He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" (v. 4-5)

Oh, Jesus, you don't have to rub it in, do you? I guess we sometimes don't get it otherwise. Okay, you're right! I need your guidance. And then he gives them clear directions:

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. (v. 6)

So when Peter forges ahead with his own plans, he comes up empty. But once he has some clear guidance from Jesus and follows it, boom! He's fruitful and productive! That's what I need. Clear direction from Jesus. I'm desperate for it!

Then Jesus invites Peter and company to breakfast on the shore. After a weary, frustrating night in the dark, Jesus wants to bring him back from isolation in his own self-made plans to that place where he can spend focused time with Jesus and receive his true calling. And he gets it . . .

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." (v. 15)

Ah. Now Peter is getting somewhere. Now he knows what his life is really supposed to be about. Finally he has the clear direction that he previously lacked. His life of ministry wasn't over, after all. It was only just beginning. And with Jesus' help and guidance, his life would be more productive than he could imagine.

And there's the symbolic irony again. Did you notice that John points out that Jesus showed up at sunrise? With Jesus' appearing and guidance comes the dawning of a new day.  When I have confidence that I have received guidance from him and I act on it, I find myself stepping out of the darkness of confusion and frustration. The sun comes up. The way forward is clear.

But how long must I wait for it? And what should I do in the meantime? I guess I must go back to the word he already gave me:

"You are worried and troubled about so many things. But only one thing is needed. Sit at my feet and listen."

Your comments are welcome! Sign in and comment below or choose "Anonymous" in the "Comment As" field. And please consider blessing someone else you know by sharing this post on Facebook. Just click the "f" button below.

Doubt

Good morning to all of you! This is Michele with you this morning and today we are reading John 20:24-31. Read it more than once if you would like. It's a short but powerful section of scripture. The focus is on Thomas and his doubt about Jesus' resurrection.

Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." (v. 29)

Thomas wasn't alone. We all struggle with doubt. Being doubtful is very unsettling and sometimes very scary, depending on what we're doubting. I believe we are all like Thomas at one time or another and wonder if our Lord is really with us or if what we think we are hearing is really from him. It's much easier to actually visibly see, audibly hear, and physically touch our Lord than just have blind faith in his presence. But.......we, unlike the disciples, don't have those things. We have to simply believe that Jesus is real and trust in him completely.

I believe this concept goes much deeper than just believing that Jesus is real. After we come to the point in which we put our trust and faith in Jesus we need to continually believe in his guidance in our life. If we don't continue to seek God, if we put him on a shelf and don't give him our time and attention, we will have greater doubt. It only makes sense. If I'm struggling with a situation in my life and I'm in doubt but keep my distance from God how can I expect to fully receive his guidance and clear direction. I will begin to take it all on myself which is a recipe for disaster. But, when I focus on God and his Word and talk with him on a regular basis, it all seems much clearer. We have to nurture our relationship w/ Christ so that we can decipher where he's leading us. By stepping away from God we leave ample room for the deceiver to come in and try to steal away the blessings God has for us. I don't want to lose the blessing God intends for me.

God, help me to be in your Word and in your presence often so that I will fully believe you and put all my trust in you. I can't take all things on myself because if I do I will mess them all up. I need your direction. Help me to nurture my relationship with you so that there will be clarity and clear direction in life. When I step away from you there is more room for the enemy to step in and confuse me. I want to live my life believing you and believing in you. Yours is the only voice I want to hear! Amen

Please share your comments with us. We love to hear what God is doing in your life and what he's saying to you through the blog.

The Shining Island in the Storm

"Peace be with you!"  Hello everyone! Hope your day is going great! In our world, we are inundated by information and entertainment. Our minds are flooded constantly with "stuff." Can you, with me, just stop everything for a minute? No music, no talking, and simply close your eyes and listen to the silence. And now, in your head and heart, hear Jesus say, "Peace be with you!" Only with Jesus can  our souls be filled with that valuable comodity: "the peace that passes understanding." Read John 20: 19-23 and let it soak in. These words bring amazement to the followers of Jesus and John, the beloved apostle, remembers it clearly!

Peace? Is it possible to have peace in this world of worry, struggle, disappointment, loss and pain? Peace when all seems "down the drain" and hope is almost gone?  Peace when someone precious to me is no longer there?  Peace when I feel most people are against me and "out to get me?"  Peace when all I have worked for and hoped for seems to be lost forever? Really??? How is that possible? It seems like a pipe-dream, to say the least!


Tunnel of gloom. This passage in John that we are sharing today takes place after the darkest times in the lives of Jesus' disciples. They have lost everything! They followed Jesus with such high hopes for the future! They saw His power and believed Him to be invincible. And yet, the Jews and Romans together have taken Jesus and killed Him. Fear, despair, confusion and hopelessness fill the room where the disciples are gathered. Gloom and depression hang in the room like dark clouds. When Jesus was crucified, darkness fell over the land, and that darkness continuesto reign in their hearts -- permeating them to the core.

Our darkest path. This is Katrinka writing today and I have lived long enough to experience such times in life. I think everyone has shared in the bitterness of  "times that try men's souls." Sometimes we think we are singled out for trouble, but nothing could be further from the truth. The example of Job in the Old Testament brings things into focus. God singled him out as being an example of righteousness, and yet God allowed Satan to try him to the point that he was on the verge of death. He suffered the loss of everything he had! When his wife bitterly questioned why Job was holding onto hope and integrity in the face of such major calamity, he gave her a very wise answer: "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10).

It brings incredible peace into my soul to read The Bible. Try it. It is definitely the" Best Medicine" for any problem. Today this scripture from John brings blinding light into the room, and into our hearts. The Light chases the darkness away and lifts up our souls to praising our God! Jesus IS the Light of the World, and He suddenly appears in the dark, gloomy room! Jesus unexpectantly stands right there in front of  his distraught and pesimistic friends in all His Resurrected Glory!

Talk about "cleaning up the environment"? Jesus instantly cleared away all the rubbish of darkness and depression with His appearance and the words: "Peace be with you!" It seems logical that the followers were shocked. Who wouldn't be?  Luke 24:37 tells us more, stating that they thought they were seeing a ghost! Jesus showed them His wounds and reassured them that He really does live again! It is stunning to think that One who they saw dead and buried is now standing before them alive and well. More than that, Jesus is different in the most glorious ways, and the fact that He just appeared in the room shows that there were some big changes in His risen body.

Need a fill-up? Many times you and I need a spiritual refueling. If there was ever a need for refueling, this was the time for the followers of Jesus. They got an instant refill with His appearance, but He had even more for them. Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

The Godhead is composed of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Before His crucifixion, Jesus, the Son, was with them in human form. He told us that when we see Him we also see the Father. But now, after His resurrection, there is another Gift from above--the Holy Spirit. He is also called "the Comforter" in scripture. The name alone gives peace in the Christian heart. The Comfort of God is not something external, it is internal, nourishing and healing true followers of Jesus from within. The Spirit of God insures the Christian a comfort that is beyond any remedy the world can provide. He produces the "peace that passes understanding," no matter what the circumstances of life.

Jesus changes things! This particular occasion we read about today changed a lot of things in the life of the followers of Jesus. Jesus gave them, among other things,  the gifts of: (1) peace, (2) joy, (3) comfort and (4) direction: (1) In place of stress and worry, the disciples were given reassurance and peace of mind that Jesus was absolutely not overcome by opposition and physical death. (2) In place of depression and tears they received relief and an upbeat spirit! (3) In place of aching lonelinss and tears of loss, they received proof that He lives, the warmth of His reassurance, and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit within their hearts. (4) In place of the feeling, "Where do we go next?" they received clear instructions and focus for the future: Jesus said, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

Our Job Description. As Christians, you and I have been given these same gifts and the same direction and instruction. Jesus says to us, as well:  "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15-16). Now we are ready to face the day with Jesus, hearts up, positive thinking, peace in our hearts, and a mission to live by! Let's go do it, shall we?

No More Tears

God is interested in every detail of your life! He loves you, and he is wanting to speak into your life today. Quiet yourself for a moment and let him. Let's hear from his Word, John 20:11-18. It's Sunday morning early. The jeers and angry shouts have died away, along with the Man on the cross. An anxious day of silence and painful inactivity followed. Mary and some other women had gone to the tomb, found it open and empty, and returned with the news. Peter and John had raced there to check it out for themselves. Only Mary Magdalene returned behind them, at a slower pace. By the time she arrives, they've already left. Now she finds herself alone with the tomb. Or so she thinks. Give it a read.

Twice in this scene, Mary is asked the same question. Did you notice?

"Why are you crying?" (v. 13, 15)

It's kind of an interesting, if not ridiculous, question to ask a person visiting a grave. Don't you think? I've visited Cathy's grave many times, and I have never been asked by people who came close by why I was crying. Once, a lady gently approached me and asked me about the person I had lost. Others have paid no attention to me. After all, crying is normal in a cemetary.

So why does Mary get asked a question like that, twice? It seems almost insensitive. Perhaps those who questioned her expected her to have come to realize that she had nothing to cry about. She had heard Jesus predict his death and resurrection. She had already seen the empty tomb. Patch in the details from the other accounts, and you see that she and the other women had already been told by an angel that he was risen. Yet, somehow her heart just can't believe it. He has overcome death and the grave, but she is still mourning as if he's still dead.

So, she gets the question first from two angels inside the tomb, positioned like two Vanna White's highlighting the spot where he once lay: "Why are you crying?' Then comes the question again from Jesus himself as he walks up behind her: "Why are you crying?" It's his gentle way of saying, "Don't you realize that I've won? I have launched an offensive on the gates of death and Hell, and I've come away victorious! This isn't time for mourning. It's time for celebrating!"

It's important to know what time it is. And in my own times of loss and sorrow, or periods of discouragement and defeat, when I feel like all is lost and the weight of the world presses down on my shoulders, this question rings out of the text, out of this scene at the empty tomb, and speaks an important reminder to me. What, ultimately do I have to be down about? I need to turn and lift up my eyes and see the risen Savior there behind me, smiling, alive and victorious, stretching out his hand to me. The victory has already been won! Every battle I still have to fight, regardless of the outcome, will end in glory. And his power to overcome is in me, right now! Thank you, Jesus!

I love to read your comments and thoughts. Sign in at the top right of the page and then comment below. If you have had trouble signing in, read the link How to Sign In. You can also choose Anonymous from the Comment As menu.

It's Already Taken Care Of

Good evening and happy Tuesday! This is Michele with you tonight. We are moving into Chapter 20 of the book of John and we will begin with verses 1-10. There is much to be taken from this reading as it focuses on the resurrection of our Lord. Please read with me and listen for the voice of God to speak into your heart.

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. (v. 1)

Why was Mary going to the tomb? Was she going to pay her respects? Did she just want to be as close as possible to her Lord and Savior? She had just watched the life-changing death of Jesus two short days ago. Maybe she wanted to spend some time at the place where his body was buried.......a time of reflection on what he had done for her. Whatever reason she had for going to the tomb, Mary was probably blown away by what she saw when she arrived!

Chris and I read this together and he had some great insight into this section of the text. This is what we discussed as we studied together:

Have you ever wondered how a certain task would ever get accomplished? Have you ever spent needless time contemplating how to approach a situation? Have you ever wanted to dismiss a much needed action because you can't wrap your head around what steps need to be taken first? Me too! Mary may have wondered all the way there how she would be able to get into the tomb because of the huge stone that covered the entrance. A stone that she knew she wouldn't be able to move on her own. But, the amazing part is, Jesus had already moved the stone that had previously kept her from his body. She didn't need to be concerned with that at all. There have been numerous times in my life when I've found that my worries were unwarranted because Jesus had already taken care of my issue without my having to do a thing! He's moved many stones out of my way to fulfill his plan. He does the same for all of his children.

Did Jesus roll away the stone so he could get out? No, he moved the stone so others could go in! Our Lord doesn't need a doorway but he's in the art of making doorways for others. He wants us to seek him out. He wants to show us his magnificence and invites us to enter into his presence.

What did Mary, Peter and John find when they looked in the tomb? Jesus' body was no longer there! They saw just what he wanted them to see when they entered the doorway he had provided. And because of what they saw....they believed.

Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed- for until then they still hadn't understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. (8-9)

Lord, give me the wisdom to see the doors that you're opening in my life. Help me to see just what you want me to see as I enter them. Keep my mind focused on you and your reign in my life. You are my King and my guide. Amen

Please share your comments with us. Your thoughts are so important and insightful. Share on facebook also......it's a great way to bless your friends!