"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!

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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

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