September 27, 2024

                                       Help Others

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

– 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Compassion. Kindness. Prayers.

We will go through hard times. It might be a hurricane that takes away our material possessions. It might be power outages and damage to our home. It could be a broken heart caused by the death of a loved one or a marriage that falls apart. It might be an illness or accident that sends your life down a path you never chose.

Why? That’s the question we all ask. We know that God turns all things to good if we give it to Him. (Romans 8:28) But what does “good” look like? 

Sometimes it’s strength to get through whatever we’re facing. Sometimes it’s peace in the middle of whatever happens. And sometimes good looks like walking beside people who are going through what we survived.

There’s a certain kind of compassion that comes when you’ve been there. It’s not about empty words – however well meaning – or platitudes. It comes from the heart of someone who has made the journey.

God uses people like you and me. Someone from church called me after I was diagnosed with cancer. She had no idea I had cancer. She called about something else. We had a beautiful conversation about God’s faithfulness. She’d walked the road I was on. She understood.

As Christians we are part of a fellowship, a family, that helps others. We have our church family, of course, but we also have others to help. We are called to serve. That’s what Jesus told us to do.

Sometimes that looks like taking a meal to someone who is sick. It might be mowing someone’s yard or changing a light bulb. It could be providing transportation to a doctor’s appointment or including someone who is alone in your holiday celebrations.

And sometimes it’s simply showing up and walking beside someone who is in the midst of hard. Compassion. Kindness. Prayers. We hurt so that one day we might be able to help someone else going through what we once faced.

September 8, 2022

 

Blindness

 

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:7b-9

 

What was Paul’s thorn? Many have debated it. Some have concluded Paul’s thorn was his vision. They determined this because Paul was struck blind on the road to Damascus. He was blind for three days. His sight was restored but did he have lingering issues? We don’t know. The Bible doesn’t tell us.

 

No matter what, Paul continued to boast in the goodness of God. He preached the gospel despite much hardship and condemnation. His faith never wavered.

 

As my own eyesight deteriorates, I wonder if I will be able to continue with such a deep, unwavering faith. It’s easy to cling to faith that remains unchallenged but it is in our darkest moments that we truly learn how deep our roots have grown.

 

I turn the pages of my worn, large-print Bible and I see marks again and again from a time some years ago. Loneliness and fear had gripped me and I cried out to the only One who truly understood my pain. His faithfulness sustained me and He blessed me in ways I never imagined. He is, and will always be, the God who stayed and brought light to the darkness. I cling to that now.

 

None of us can predict the future. We make plans but we have no way of knowing exactly what awaits us in the hours and days that lay before us. And, yet, Paul gives us an example of what it means to boast in the Lord even as we suffer in the flesh. Because He is so good and so faithful.

 

I don’t know what thorn you’re facing today. I don’t know whether it’s a physical ailment, an emotional heartbreak, financial stresses or any number of other things. Life is hard sometimes. But remember who you belong to. Remember that He is faithful. Remember that God will sustain you always and forever.

November 7, 2019

The Old Made New

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

The John Deere tractor fires up without a second’s hesitation. I shift it into gear and soon we are headed through an open gate toward a field that is overgrown with weeds. I drop the bush hog and it begins to slice the weeds with precision.

Up and down the hills and terraces we go. Each pass reveals more of the beauty that lies beneath the weeds. I love that about bush hogging. Results are immediate and distinctive. Each movement forward erases the darkness that once seemed overwhelming.

I spent most of my life being told I couldn’t drive a tractor and, surely, would never be able to bush hog a field. I’ve surprised everyone, perhaps even myself. But not God. Nothing ever surprises God. He knows exactly what we are capable of accomplishing if we will only believe.

Oh, it hasn’t always been smooth. I’m only now bush hogging some of the steeper areas of the property. I’ve learned to go slow and hold tight. It’s like going through a tough time in life. Holding tight to God, to His promises, will see you through the darkest days. It doesn’t mean those days won’t come. They will. But it means you are anchored in truth and held close by a loving Father who cherishes you.

When you give your life into His care, it’s amazing what becomes possible. Stepping out in faith allows you to do what you never thought possible. Holding tight to the One who loves you most allows Him to transform your life into something new.

The pasture looks beautiful today. The weeds and thorns of yesterday are gone and new growth has sprung up in its place. See, He’s doing a new thing. It is beautiful and it is good.

July 22, 2019

The Road Ahead

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

– 2 Corinthians 4:18

We cling tightly to the things of today, don’t we? We may want adventure and fun times but mostly we want our lives to stay the same or, at least, grow in a way we can see and embrace.

God doesn’t work that way. He understands that it is in the storms of life that we grow closer to Him and, thus, more like Jesus. If it weren’t for the storms, we would never truly realize how much we need God.

There’s a difference between knowing in your mind that we all need a Savior and knowing in the desperation of a dark night that He is the only One who can heal your shattered heart.

God meets us where we are. It’s such a simple statement. We don’t realize how profound it is until we’re the ones He meets. God is there is the silence of an ICU waiting room in the middle of the night. God is there when people spew lies at you and you don’t think your shattered heart can ever heal. God is there in the hopelessness of job loss, divorce, illness, and a million other things that can happen over the course of a life.

Yes. God is also there in the good times. He celebrates births and marriages and new homes and dream vacations. He applauds our successes and cheers us on. But do we really feel His Presence when everything is going good? Do we truly appreciate what He does for us when life is going exactly as we planned?

Life on this earth will always be filled with peaks and valleys and all those days in between. It’s tempting to lose sight of why we’re here. It’s tempting to believe that we’re in control and everything will always be like we planned. We aren’t in control and life won’t stay the same.

So fix your eyes on what lies ahead. Stay focused on eternity. It helps put today’s struggles and achievements in perspective.

January 1, 2019

A New Day

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

“But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

– Isaiah 52:12

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

What are your New Year’s resolutions? Did you giddily toast to your dreams? Are you determined to live differently this year? Did you make plans for good things?

Why do you think this year will be different than last year? Are you different? Are you more determined? Has life rocked you to the core and changed your direction?

We like to think of the first day of a new year as a new beginning. In many ways, it is. But it is only a new beginning if we are willing to make real changes in how we live our lives. Dreams are great but they don’t do anything unless we are willing to take action.

Sometimes we get so mired in the past that we lose our hope for today. We get so overwhelmed with where we are that we can’t seem to make ourselves take small steps toward who we want to be.

Our goals were so attainable in the giddiness of the New Year’s Eve celebration. We felt strong enough to conquer anything. And, maybe, for a day or two we bask in the glow of change.

The reality isn’t always so easy. There’s no way to lose weight without changing our eating habits and adding physical activity to our lives. No amount of dreaming or fad diet challenges will cause us to lose weight. We’ve got to actually step up and change.

The same is true with seeking a new job, changing relationships, living more determinedly for Christ. Jobs don’t happen without applications and networking. Relationships don’t change without time and effort. Living for Christ doesn’t happen without spending more time with Him and actually stepping up to serve.

Do you see the pattern? Are you willing to do the work necessary to live differently in 2019?

Don’t let the past overwhelm you. And don’t get caught up with how large that mountain looks. Every goal is reached by taking one step and then another. You don’t have to do it all at once. You simply must take one step toward it today.

Can you do that? Do you trust God enough to follow the dreams He’s planted deep inside of you? Can you move forward even when you quake in fear? Are you willing to follow the light?

God never leaves us alone. He never lets us to wander without reason. Seek His wisdom and move forward into the New Year. God has called you to great things but it’s up to you to take that first step.

November 29, 2018

Comparisons

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. – 2 Corinthians 10:12

Who do you most want to be like? Who do you admire? Who do you compare yourself to? Who do you think you’re better than? Who do you think is better than you?

We are so busy trying to be like or be better than others that we forget that we’re measuring ourselves by the wrong standard. As Christians, our standard is Jesus. He’s the One we’re supposed to try and emulate.

Yes. It’s an impossible standard. We are imperfect people trying to become like someone who is perfect in every way. We are going to fail, sometimes spectacularly, on the journey. But it’s still what we should do.

We don’t want to do that. We’d much rather compare ourselves to someone we can best. It makes us feel better about ourselves if we think we’re better than someone else. What does that say about us?

Of course, it’s not all bad. Whenever I’m about to delve into the realm of self-pity, I remind myself of how blessed I am. I can easily look around and see hurt and pain, devastation and loss. It helps me remember what’s important. It helps me see all the many ways I am blessed.

But comparison will steal our joy. It will cover us in illusions. It will cause us to build a façade that has no foundation is reality. It will remove us from the very real knowledge of what Jesus did for us. Because it’s only in seeing ourselves as we really are that we understand the sacrifice He made on the cross.

We like to think we’re better people than we really are. That sounds harsh but sometimes the truth is harsh. We are sinners who could never be reconciled to God on our own. We desperately need a Savior to bridge the gap between who and what we are and a perfect God. Jesus died so that we could live. How amazing is that?

He’s the standard, folks. When we don’t know whether to love someone or not, look to Him and He’ll show you how to love someone who seems unlovable. When we don’t feel like attending worship services or volunteering or being kind, look to Jesus and He’ll show you what to do. That’s who guides us. That’s who we should try to be like.

A sweet woman I know recently purchased a new vehicle. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. I chuckled to myself when I found out. I knew that she would. Why? Because someone she knows had purchased a new vehicle, and she always has to have what someone else gets. It’s sad.

Are we any different? We want what others have. We think we deserve it. We convince ourselves that we’ve just got to have it. We “know” it will make us happy. And, yet, it never does.

We’re so busy trying to be like everyone else, comparing ourselves to everyone else, that we miss being the unique people God has called us to be. We miss living like Jesus because we’re not even trying to be like Him.

Who are you? Look to the cross. Understand the cost. Reach for the standards of Jesus. You’ll fall short but, oh, how far you’ll go when you’re reaching toward Him.

August 27, 2018

We Can Help Others

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

God never wastes a hurt. I’ve heard that said so many times but I don’t think I ever truly understood until now. When we give our hurts to God, He uses them and us to comfort and guide others.

I always thought I understood what being a caregiver was all about. I didn’t have a clue. I slid into the role without fully realizing what was coming. It’s a good thing. I’m not sure I could have done it if I’d known the heartache that was to come.

I’ve learned medical terminology and how to operate the machine that dispenses IV fluids. I have learned about medical directives and hard waiting room chairs and the fatigue of day after day without leaving the hospital. In other words, I get it.

People turn to me even as I pull back from offering an opinion or advice. The hard truth is that experience has taught me what questions to ask. I know when to panic and when to just let it go. I know about surrendering a hopeless situation to God. I understand about letting go.

Compassion is hard won in the game of life. We learn to ache with others because we have felt their pain. Some people have a natural empathy. Most of us try and fail. Until we’ve walked the same road. Then we get it.

It’s true with family and friends. It’s also true with medical personnel. There is a real difference between a nurse who has known suffering and one who has only seen it. That doesn’t mean they aren’t both kind. In a perfect world, they are. It simply means that one will shed a tear with you because she truly understands.

Last year my cousin and I traveled more than two hours away to see her critically ill daughter. The hospital staff was among the best I’ve ever experienced. They asked my cousin hard questions. They were kind. They were compassionate.

And when my cousin couldn’t understand, when her heart couldn’t grasp the words, she looked to me. I shared my journey and the words settled her. There’s something about someone else walking your path and surviving that gives you hope that you, too, will survive.

Another friend monitors medications and keeps a daily record of blood pressure and insulin and weight. It’s a routine most don’t understand. You can’t skip a day. Ever. Here’s an example: If you gain four pounds overnight, you’ll probably get upset and vow to eat better. If a heart patient gains four pounds overnight, it could signal an impending cardiovascular crisis. Sudden weight gain is a major sign of trouble in someone with Congestive Heart Failure.

People who’ve never walked the path can’t grasp endless doctor appointments with  the primary care physician and assorted specialists. They can’t grasp the home health visits that can total seven or more separate visits each week by different people. Everything has to be coordinated by someone and that someone is you.

There are no words to describe the moment you realize the person you love most will never go home again. All you can do is cry and cling to someone who gets it, to someone who has been there, to someone who truly understands your heartbreak.

I am grateful when I can help someone else navigate this devastating journey. I wish I didn’t understand but I do. God uses that hurt to help others, turning something awful into something good.

August 18, 2018

Do You Make Mistakes

But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

– 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

When was the last time you made a mistake? When was the last time you admitted you made a mistake? We make mistakes all the time. We’re human, after all. But admitting we’re the one at fault isn’t so easy.

I was at a meeting with a sweet friend. Before the meeting ended, the group scheduled the time, date and place of the next meeting. Somehow, she missed it. When it came time for the next meeting, she was furious. The meeting was set for a time and day when she couldn’t attend. She was convinced it was intentional.

She refused to acknowledge that she’d been present when the new meeting was set. She refused to admit that maybe she’d messed up. She was too busy making excuses to see that maybe she’d made a mistake.

I couldn’t understand the big deal. We all do it. We zone out and miss something important. We make a mistake. We deal with the consequences. There was nothing life shattering about it. Just admit it and go on. She’s still pointing fingers.

What is it about us that makes us refuse to admit to our very real humanness? Why do we expect perfection from ourselves and then try to hide it when we fail? And we always fail. Always. Jesus was the only perfect One who ever walked this earth.

We also expect perfection from others. We have no sympathy for someone who fails to meet our standards. We don’t extend grace and mercy. Our words are harsh, unforgiving, mean.

We tell ourselves it’s about standards. It’s really about pride. Our pride. It’s all about us. And we can’t stand to be wrong, questioned, or embarrassed.

We also don’t want to admit when anything bad happens. We’re embarrassed. We don’t want anyone else to know we’re having financial trouble, going through a divorce, have a child involved with drugs. We’d much rather pretend that everything is all right, that we’re living that perfect, American-dream life, than to admit we’re struggling.

Pride is a dangerous thing that keeps us from the very ones who can hold us up when life tears us down. Pride wraps us in pretense, in illusion, in a glass bubble that is destined to shatter. And for what reason? So we can boast about being who we aren’t?

Our identity, our worth, comes from Christ. It’s not about us. Really. It’s not. We’re going to make mistakes. Bad things are going to happen. Hurtful things are going to shake us to our core. But we can put all that in proper perspective when we realize we are not our mistakes or our successes. Our value comes because we are children of God Almighty. When we finally, truly, realize that, it shifts things around and puts them in their proper place.

God knows we aren’t perfect. He knows we’re going to mess up. He knows we’re going to fail. He knows others are going to hurt and betray us. And He understands that we are like small children, hiding rather than admitting we’ve done something wrong.

Grace, mercy and forgiveness come when we fall at the foot of the cross. We don’t have to hang on to our mistakes or to hide them. We can confess and watch the blood of Christ turn us whiter than snow. We can let go of pride-fueled perfection and admit we need a Savior. We can be forgiven and move on.

August 13, 2018

What Are You Thinking?

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5

How good are you at controlling the thoughts that race through your mind? Are you good at replacing ugliness with God’s truth? Do you obsess over wrongs done to you? Do you give your troubles to God or do you insist on worrying without ceasing?

Honestly, I struggle with this issue. It’s a constant back and forth. The only thing that seems to work for me is to find an appropriate Scripture verse and repeat it over and over and over again. And, yes, I sometimes struggle with that too.

I have taken Joyce Meyer’s Battle Field of the Mind Bible study. It’s wonderful, by the way. There’s just so much truth in it. What we think about, what we obsess over, is the god that is controlling us. If we think ugly thoughts, we’ll become ugly people. If we transform our minds into thinking like Jesus, we’ll become more like Jesus.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? And, I suppose, it is. In theory, anyway. But day to day frustrations, insecurities and issues have a way of coming full force at us and causing us to lose our peace and, ultimately, our way.

I sometimes wonder how much time we spend worrying about things we can’t change anyway. Have you ever thought of it that way? We want to control our own lives but the reality is that the actions of others impact so much of what happens. Think of it like this: You can be an incredibly safe, observant driver but you can’t control the speeding driver who, high on drugs, runs a stop sign and smashes into your car.

What we can control is how we handle what happens. We don’t have to respond to ugliness. We don’t have to be filled with anger and rage. We don’t have to host a pity party because something bad happened to us. We can give all that to God and walk forward, healed by the blood of Christ.

We also don’t have to give in to the ugliness others throw at us. Jesus told us to love our enemies and to do good to those who seek to harm us. He was right. (I know. He’s always right.) Have you ever done something good to someone who has purposely tried to hurt you? They don’t know what to do with it.

The same is true when you respond in kindness when someone lashes out in anger. They’re trying to pick a fight and you aren’t showing up. You can’t change them but you can refuse to be baited and pulled into ugliness.

Beth Moore wrote a book titled Praying God’s Word. It’s a wonderful book that I recommend to anyone. It has a section on praying for your enemies. It even comes with a fill-in-the-blank section so you can insert the person’s name into the open space. It’s incredibly powerful. It’s really hard to hold on to anger and bitterness when you are literally praying God’s Word over the person who harmed you.

I will probably always struggle with controlling the thoughts that ricochet through my mind. But I won’t give up. I won’t give in to Satan. I will ask God for help and continue to work toward replacing ugliness and worry with His Word. That’s the path to peace and joy.

August 2, 2018

Comfort Those Who Grieve

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

We can’t fix death. We can’t restore a person to life. Only God can do that. It’s a free gift He offers to those who believe Jesus Christ is His Son and that He came and died a horrific death on a cross and rose three days later. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father.

We believe that and cling to it in times of death. We find some comfort in knowing that goodbye isn’t forever and we will see the person we mourn again. But believing doesn’t erase the tears of today or the loneliness of tomorrow.

We gather around those who mourn. There are no words that can erase the pain. So, at least in the Deep South, we take food. It’s the one, tangible thing we can do to let someone know that we care that they are hurting. We rearrange our lives to show up with casseroles and cakes, vegetables and sweet tea.

We understand deep in our hearts that it’s not about the food. It’s about the caring, the love, the companionship. We comfort others as we have been comforted.

As I write this, my cousin and her children are at the funeral home planning her husband’s funeral. Theirs was a long, happy marriage. They were blessed with years and children and grandchildren. The void will be great.

When my Dad died, she came bearing food and hugs. You never forget the people who show up when you are grief-stricken and numb all at the same time. So today I will prepare food and take it to her house. I will hug her tight and tell her I love her. It won’t be enough to erase her pain but we will all surround her with our presence on this journey.

That’s what God has asked us to do. We are to comfort others as we have been comforted. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

I am reminded of the story in Exodus 17 about when the Israelites defeated the Amalekites. Joshua led the army. Moses stood on top of the hill with his hands raised high with the staff of God. So long as his hands were held high, the Israelites were winning. When he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

Moses grew tired. Aaron and Hur placed a stone for Moses to sit on. Then one stood on each side of him and held Moses hands up. This went on for hours. And God gave the Israelites victory.

But here’s the point none of us should miss: When Moses was too tired to continue, others showed up to help him. They physically held him up. They didn’t just throw out “We’ll pray for you.” They didn’t tell someone else to do it. They showed up and did what needed to be done.

I can’t restore my cousin’s husband to life and health. God has already done that. But I can be part of the entourage that comforts her today and all the days to come. I can show up. I can do something.

Never brush aside how valuable your gift of time and presence can be to someone who is grieving. It matters more than you know.

July 16, 2018

How Have You Changed?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Most of us don’t like change, do we? Oh, we say we like to try new things but mostly we simply want to stay in our own little worlds, with our family, friends and toys. We want an easy life without static or drama.

Except we do change when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. We become a different person. Or we should. It’s one of the signs that we are truly saved.

God doesn’t want us to always be the same. He wants us to continually grow closer to Him. His goal is that we will become more like Christ and less like the world. He wants us to give up ourselves to become the people He created us to be.

And we resist. Again and again we resist. Because we want to control our own lives. We want to do what we want to do, when we want to do it. We want God when it comes to the hard stuff, the things we can’t control, things like cancer and wayward children and unexpected job loss. But the rest we want to control ourselves.

God doesn’t work that way. Sometimes He will break us in order to mold us into a new creation dedicated to serving Him. It doesn’t have to be like that, of course. God sends us signals, directions, guidelines. It’s when he’s trying to get our attention and we ignore Him that things can get bad quickly.

God doesn’t want us to be comfortable and content with where we are. We are all called to service. We are all called to spread His message of love and hope. We can’t do that when we’re sitting in our recliner letting television or games numb our minds.

What does God want from you? A willing spirit. A heart dedicated to Him. An open mind willing to step forward in faith. Even when the step is uncomfortable. Maybe, especially, when the step is uncomfortable.

How many blessings do we miss because we refused to trust the God who created us? How many people have suffered because we refused to open our minds and our hearts to share with them what God has placed on our hearts?

We all have to carry a load. It’s not about us. Simple words. Trite, even. Words we would rather ignore. We want it all to be about us. Or, at least, about our children, our job, our pleasure. We don’t want to serve people we’d rather ignore.

Ah, yes. We want to stay around people like us. We want to choose whom we serve. We want to give on our terms, not God’s terms. Because sometimes God calls us to step out of our comfort zone and actually get dirty, get our hearts broken, stir up something we’d rather leave alone.

We weren’t meant to come to Jesus, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and remain the same. We want all the benefits of salvation without expressing any of the gratitude. Because that’s what doing God’s will is: Expressing gratitude and love for all He has done for us.

Life isn’t about staying the same. It’s about walking in faith. It’s about doing the hard things because that’s the journey God called us to. It’s about loving the unlovable, giving without reserve, showing up when we’d rather not. It’s about sharing Him in all we say and do. Anything less is just an empty life.

June 25, 2018

We’re Destroying Ourselves

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

– 2 Corinthians 6:1

When was the last time you denied yourself for your faith? That was the question our pastor asked us yesterday. It certainly gave us all something to ponder.

You might think his sermon was on stuff. We all like our stuff. But it wasn’t about things. It was about pride. It was about assuming that anyone who doesn’t agree with your opinions must be from the devil. Ouch.

We Christians are destroying ourselves from within. He didn’t say that. I did. What he did say is that the church in Corinth eventually died because it couldn’t get over itself. Is that what will happen to us if we don’t learn to get along with one another?

It’s not about God. You can tell yourself that it is repeatedly but the arguments you have with other Christians have nothing to do with Him. Those arguments are about pride and power and the politics of religion. It’s why we have a society that believes only Republicans are Christians and that Democrats must be from the devil. It’s why we believe that citizenship on this earth is more important than citizenship in heaven.

We get caught up in our opinions and label them from Jesus. Our pride tells us we’ve got it right and everyone else must surely be wrong. We gather a group who agrees with us and suddenly we’re fighting for our own political agenda in the name of Jesus. Unfortunately, others are doing the same thing.

We are all the body of Christ. As our pastor noted, we should have great confidence in our ability to handle anything we face as the body of Christ. But we can’t get past ourselves to even invite Jesus into the discussion.

Society tells us that pride is a good thing. The Bible tells us something else entirely. Which do you believe? Pride is not the same thing as confidence. Pride isn’t the same thing as self-esteem. Don’t be fooled by the unchecked agendas of groups who claim to be from Jesus.

The Gospel isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s hard and it hurts and we suffer for its truth. We want to pick and choose the parts we’ll follow. We aren’t willing to surrender everything to the One who died for us. We aren’t willing to offer grace and mercy to those who disagree with us. And we aren’t willing to back away from our opinions so that we can be unified with fellow Christians.

Change happens all around us. Do we build walls or do we adapt? This isn’t an argument over basic theology. It’s instead an opportunity to see what matters. Jesus came to save us, died on a cross and rose three days later, defeating death and assuring eternal life for all who believe in Him. Do we even see that anymore?

Some of the biggest haters I know are people masquerading as devout Christians. They seem to forget that God is love. They’re so caught up in their own agendas that they’re missing the point. They don’t want reconciliation. They don’t want to get along with people with differing viewpoints.

We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. – 2 Corinthians 6:12

Love people. It doesn’t matter if they agree with you or you agree with them. Show kindness and mercy. Extend grace. Political agendas have no place in the body of Christ. Kick your pride out the door and open your ears to the voices of those around you. Extend the hand of Jesus out into the world. That’s what really matters.

June 22, 2018

What Gospel Do You Hear?

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

– 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

What happens when following Jesus collides with protecting what you hold dear? Do you make the hard choice or do you cling to what you know, what’s comfortable, what you have “earned”?

Many of us are willing to share our excess but we aren’t willing to sacrifice anything to give to others. Our own hands may be outstretched to borrow and receive but not necessarily to give and to share.

And we’re happy to pull out a Bible verse to back it up. Ah, yes. Let’s pick and choose what we want to believe. Let’s twist the meaning of God’s Word so that it aligns up with what we desire.

It’s how some truly well-meaning religious people justify their hatred and anger at others. It’s how places such as Facebook end up being the catalyst that fuels bigotry and lies. We aren’t particularly concerned about truth so long as it lines up with what we want to believe.

Somehow, we think we’ve “earned” the right to be greedy. Somehow, we believe we are better than others who were born to different circumstances. We tell them to work to better themselves without offering a shred of hope. We cling to what is “mine” without any real understanding that it all belongs to God.

When did we come to believe that only certain parts of the gospel are directed at us? When did we start watering down what we don’t like and building up what we do like? When did we decide that labels such as “Republican” or “Democrat” are more valuable that “Christian” and “Righteous”?

Our country is being torn apart by hatred among people who say they are Christians. We no longer believe in kindness unless it’s directed as someone we know and approve of. We act as though mercy and grace are only available to those of our choosing. We judge what we do not know based on lies generated to protect all that we hold dear.

And what do we know? We feel threatened by anything and anyone who might take what we think we deserve. We forget that so much of what we have began with the happenstance of our birth. Yes. We might work hard but there’s so much more to what we gain than hard work. Some of the hardest workers on this earth are people who barely get by. That’s not a truth we want to hear.

We are a greedy people. We “need” this and we “need” that. Most of us have no idea what true need is. We’ve never wondered where our next meal will come from. We’ve never desperately sought a job, any job, so that we could keep a roof over our heads. We’ve never done without medical care because all the small jobs we’ve managed to put together don’t offer insurance. But we judge others as though we truly understand.

The gospel isn’t about judging; it’s about loving. The gospel isn’t about storing up on this earth; it’s about sharing. The gospel isn’t about us; it’s about others. We don’t hear that because it interferes with what we hold dear. And that’s not Jesus, no matter how many Sundays we sit on a church pew.

June 15, 2018

Jesus Gives Us Hope

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

– 2 Corinthians 4:5

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

– 2 Corinthians 4:10

It’s all about the ministry. We need volunteers. Everyone needs to pitch in. There are never enough people to do the work. As a Christian, we must participate in Kingdom work.

What exactly does that look like? Does it mean you must serve on two or more committees? Does it mean you must volunteer to pass out bulletins, rock babies in the nursery, be a chaperone on a youth trip? Maybe all of those and maybe none of them.

We can get so caught up in the busyness of serving Christ that we forget it’s not really about us. It’s about Jesus. It’s not about how many hours we volunteer or how much time we spend in Bible study. It’s about how we live our lives as we go about our daily activities.

There are so many people around us living without hope. What do they see when they look at us? Are we part of the chorus condemning them or are we kneeling beside them, offering them a lifeline called Jesus?

Or maybe we’re struggling under the weight of our own burdens. We’re worried about health issues, finances, wayward kids, job insecurities or any number of other things. We forget that it’s not up to us. Surely, we’re to do our part. But it’s the power of Christ within us that makes the seemingly impossible, possible.

We say we believe that, but do we really? We worry and stress about things we can’t control. It’s as though we don’t really trust God to make a way. We’re so busy scrambling that we miss His voice, His outstretched hand, His guiding light.

And we lose hope. We know it isn’t possible to do life on our own. We need something, someone, who can be depended on to help. Jesus. We need Jesus. And we need to share Him with this hurting world.

The message of Jesus, of hope, of light when all around us seems dark, is far bigger than we could ever be. God loves us. Really. Truly. He loves us. So much that He sent His only Son to die for our sins and to be resurrected so that those who believe could live with Him forever. How awesome is that?!

Your life is your ministry. It’s not about committees or church attendance. Those things are great but what matters most is your heart. Do others – your family, co-workers, neighbors, friends – see the light inside of you reflecting outward? Are you sharing your hope?

And do you realize this earth isn’t your home? That’s a big one. Because we act sometimes like we’re going to live forever, like we believe all those things we possess are more important than anything else. Or anyone else. That’s just sad.

Jesus is coming back one day. Those of us who believe in Him will live forever with Him. That’s our hope on dark days. That’s our guarantee no matter what this world brings. Share it. Every day live a life that shows others the light of Jesus. That’s your ministry.

April 30, 2018

Embrace the New Day

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Blackie has a new calf this morning. A new life to celebrate even as we mourn the life that was lost last Saturday.

Nothing can change the past. We can cling to it. We can get so caught up in what-ifs that we miss this new beginning. Or we can move forward, with the lessons of yesterday tucked in our heart, cherishing this new opportunity.

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. You’ve probably heard that old cliché many times. It doesn’t lesson the truth that it holds. We can’t go back and rewrite history. We can only go forward from this day, living a different life with renewed hope and purpose.

It’s not an easy journey. Don’t let anyone tell you it is. The past can leave painful scars that keep us from trusting, from hoping, from believing that today and all the todays to come will be different. But we can take a deep breath and step into the new life God is calling us to embrace.

We walk by faith. We know that. There are no guarantees that today won’t bring heartbreak. There are no protections from evil except for the strength of Christ that lives within us. He promises to never leave us alone. He guarantees that victory is found in His arms. But sometimes the journey hurts.

Have you made mistakes? We all have. Have you been hurt by people you trusted? We all have. Have you felt the sting of lies and accusations that bore no truth? We all have. But we don’t have to live amidst the rubbish. We can rise above it and move into the plans God has called us to, the good plans He has promised.

It’s easy to get caught up in the what-ifs. It’s easy to want retribution, vindication, revenge on those who did us wrong. It’s easy to want to rewrite the past. But it isn’t what God wants. Revenge belongs to Him. God is clear on that. We are to forgive, to do good, and to move on. He’ll take care of the rest.

We can’t move forward, we can’t embrace this new beginning, while we are clinging to the past. We can’t become new while we are dirty from the last skirmish with the devil. We are in a Spiritual War and Satan is trying to control our minds, our thoughts, our hearts. We must resist and cause him to flee. The Bible tells us so.

The new calf is perfect in every way. He is shiny and new as he stumbles into his first steps of life. His mama is ever watchful, ready to assist but knowing she can’t do it for him. God is like that. He watches over us, never leaving us alone. But we have to take those first steps on our own. We have to reach out, grasp His hand, and walk in faith.

Don’t let the past keep you shrouded in darkness. Move forward into the light of a bright new future, a future God has called you to live.

April 27, 2018

Jesus Is Enough

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

– 2 Corinthians 12:9

Some days are just hard. I press forward, counting my blessings. Satan rears up in another ugly attack. I am just so tired. Where is God in all this mess?

Do you know what I’m saying? Have you been there? Do you understand about hard days?

Most of us do. I’m not talking about those devastating things like cancer and death and fatal car accidents. I’m not even talking about sudden job loss or a house fire or anything else that is catastrophic.

I’m talking about all those little things that seem to pile up to the point where you are overwhelmed with it all. It’s a stressful job combined with a sick child, added to yard work and grocery shopping and laundry a hundred other things that must be done. You just need a day off from it all. Instead you get something else piled onto your to do list.

I joke that I’ll never again lead a class on Spiritual Warfare. I don’t think I’m joking. I have been under such attack.

I recognize what is happening. I do. But it doesn’t make the journey any less frustrating or painful. I’m ready for some good news but the hard truth is that God didn’t promise good news. Or good times. Or even an easy life. Just the opposite. Jesus said we would have troubles but to take heart because He has overcome it all.

I am not alone. Neither are you. There is a Savior walking right beside us. The world will not defeat us so long as we hold on to the One who rose from the grave. I’m holding on tightly. How about you?

Even in the midst of it all, we see His hand at work. This morning a sweet woman and her two children were rear ended by an 18-wheeler. The impact spun the car around and off the road. They all walked away. A miracle.

We see miracles everyday if only we would open our eyes and our hearts to them. Sometimes it’s just so tough to get past the hard stuff, the aggravations and setbacks, so that we see the good, the blessings, the miracles.

A sweet friend mentioned that one night last week her family didn’t have anything to do. There were no obligations, no little league games or work commitments. They actually were able to stay home, eat dinner as a family and play a board game together. Laughter filled their hearts and she remembered what they miss in all the busyness of everyday life.

God never meant for us to suffer our days away. He didn’t intend for us to get so bogged down in working and striving that we miss the simple pleasures of our days. Life is short. It might not seem that way when we’re young, but age has a way of pointing it out.

Don’t look back and wonder what you missed. Take a moment today to push past all the aggravations and see, know, that Jesus is enough for you. No matter what the day brings, trust that His grace is sufficient to see you through. There is joy all around us. Grab it! Embrace it! Live it!

April 23, 2018

Faith’s Shield Essential

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

– Ephesians 6:16

For we live by faith, not by sight.

– 2 Corinthians 5:7

What is your weak spot? Where are your vulnerable places where Satan knows he can push your buttons, cause you to doubt God, send you into a panic?

We all have them. We do. For some people, it’s your children or grandchildren. For others, it’s the security of a large bank account or a steady job. Maybe it’s your health. Whatever it is, Satan has you in his radar and he’s coming after you. Guaranteed.

There’s only one way to combat Satan and that’s with the armor of God. Most of us try to put on one part of the armor and leave something else out. The thing is that with even the best armor, Satan’s attacks can sometimes pierce us where we are most vulnerable. That’s where the shield comes in to play.

Why do you think the Apostle Paul paired faith with a soldier’s shield? Because it’s necessary to block Satan’s attacks. Armor can be penetrated in its vulnerable places, like where the metal joins together. But the shield is steady and true, especially when it’s locked together with the shields of other soldiers.

Faith sounds easy. We all have it. We know that Jesus died for us so that we might live. We’re Christians after all. But as the Book of Job attests, faith doesn’t always make life easy. Sometimes it’s just the opposite. There’s nothing Satan wants more than to use God’s children to discredit God Almighty.

We are in a spiritual war, whether we acknowledge it or not. Satan may not literally be attacking us with flaming arrows but we are under attack. Where are you vulnerable? What are the things that temp you to cast aside God’s ways for the world? What lures you away from where you need to stay? Have you experienced persecution for your faith? Are you following false teaching, a particular pastor, or the fun of a concert/church worship that isn’t based on truth? Do you doubt God when something doesn’t go your way? Do you lash out in anger when God doesn’t immediately answer your prayer?

We are going to have hardship in this world. God is going to tell us no sometimes. Life on this earth isn’t easy. It can really hurt. And even when all is well, we’re still looking ahead, one step at a time, following a God who knows the way but isn’t telling us the plan. Instead, God tells us to trust Him. God is faithful and true. He wants good things for us. He knows what He’s doing. It really will be okay.

I can’t even imagine how hard it was for Abraham to leave all that he knew for an unknown destiny. He did it anyway. He trusted God. He walked by faith.

Today will have challenges we can’t predict. Lift up your shield of faith, wrap yourself in God’s promises, walk in His light. Whatever the day brings, He’s got you covered. When nothing else makes sense, trust in Almighty God and you will find rest and peace for the journey.

March 13, 2018

The Gift of Your Presence

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

– 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The gift of your presence. That’s how one sweet friend explained it. She found comfort in the friends who had traveled more than two hours to be with her and her family as they said goodbye to her 8-year-old grandson.

No words could restore Connor’s life on this earth. Nothing anyone could say or do would change the bitter reality. It was the silent support, the tight hugs, the being there that provided the strength to get through the days and all those to come.

As I write this, I am just back from a visitation at church. A dear older woman, a pillar in this church I love, died. She was 90. Age doesn’t lessen the grief of her family.

Sadness clouded the eyes of her daughter-in-law. “You understand,” she said, as she grabbed me in a hug. I nodded. It’s been almost a year since my own Mother died. It’s not something you get over. Grief is something to be endured until we are reunited again in heaven. That promise is something to cling to in the moments when the grief feels fresh and comfort far away.

I went because that dear family needed something I could give: The gift of my presence. Honestly, I didn’t want to go. I considered staying home. It’s still hard to be surrounded by mourners clothed in black and heavy-laden with sadness.

Why go? Because my understanding lets me reach out in a way others who haven’t walked this path can’t comprehend. It’s not that they don’t care. They do. It’s that they’ve never felt that depth of grief, that emptiness, that overwhelming sorrow.

So often people hang back because they don’t know what to say. You really don’t have to say anything. “I’m sorry,” carries more weight than a thousand words.  True compassion comes from the heart and carries a strength that lifts us up.

But first, before we can offer up mercy, we have to get beyond ourselves. We must truly consider others first. We must reach out in genuine love and not self-serving grandiose gestures. That type of comfort comes from God.

He is ever present with us and will meet our every need. Frequently, God uses people – you and I – to minister to those He loves. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. I’m sure you’ve heard that before. It’s true. It really is true.

In my own season of grief, I can’t remember all the details. Numbness has a way of dulling that which doesn’t matter. What I remember are the people who showed up. I am forever bound in gratitude to those who cared enough to bring food, place the call, give me a hug. I found comfort in the presence of those who cared enough to come and sit with me during this season of grief.

If you’re hesitant about stepping forward, do it anyway. When you don’t know what to say, just show up. And in the days and weeks that follow, remember that grief isn’t something that goes away when the last casserole dish is returned. Grief lingers and haunts our days. Be vigilant. Reach out. Give the gift of your presence.