When I was young, our family was driving through the beautiful mountains of Colorado. It was my first time to see it. As I looked out the car window, amazed at what I saw, I asked my mom, “is this heaven?”
All in Discipleship
Untangling the Knots
How easily we can slip into outright sin and its entanglements. Tie on your godly truths securely; or like your dangling shoelaces, the ways of the world will trip you up. Sir Walter Scott's quote may possibly encompass all the devil desires from us: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." Deception could be the root of all evil. The serpent in the garden used that ploy, and look at the sin that entangled us all.
Taking Out the Trash
We cannot allow the embarrassment of discovering the garbage we have keep us from seeking cleanliness and purity. The work may take quite a while, but will render nothing but reward.
Living Worthy of the Lord . . . Put on Your Best Clothes
Yesterday Paul left me contemplating the vice grip of self and the need to put to death—to mortify—my earthly nature. And today, his solution—change my wardrobe? Hmm.
Living Worthy of the Lord . . . Work Wholeheartedly
All dressed up in your virtues? Looking for the perfect place to go to shower love on everyone? Look no further than your daily routines. Wherever you go, you live worthy of the Lord by working at whatever you do with all your heart. Now isn’t that just too simple?
Passing the Baton
In a race, passing of the baton is interesting to watch. When done well, it can look effortless and smooth.
In Scripture, this passing of the baton also happened… but from a father to a son.
A Bit Prickly
My mind holds vivid memories of being dragged to go shopping as a child, often and with various members of my family. Clothes and malls weren’t my thing back then, but I did enjoy plant nurseries—perusing through aisles of God’s creations, seeing the variety in shapes and colors, brushing my fingers along the—ouch! Cacti.
Kairos Moment
Friends, “churchy” talk is easy; but having the courage to live as a Disciple of Christ requires careful examination of one’s lifestyle.
Kingdom Living
In the understanding of many, we enter the Kingdom of God only when we enter Heaven.
However, the Bible teaches Christ followers that Jesus sent us out to proclaim the kingdom of God in the world NOW.
Called to Love
This is not the first time Jesus filled the nets of the fishermen. On the first occasion Simon Peter was so astounded he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). It had dawned on him who Jesus really was. Then he, Andrew, James, and John promptly left their nets to fish for men.
Run, Jonah. Run
Ah, January—I love Januarys. Januarys beckon me to step back and consider the old year. I transpose my Canadian memories of crisp snowfalls to cover the muddy paths I’ve been over. I cry to the Lord: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7). But then Januarys urge me on to chase the new with vigor: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).
The Mind of Christ
The human brain fascinates me. I observed its development as my babies learned to talk, walk and eventually drive away. Oswald Chambers' quote recently challenged me to consider the brain from a new perspective:
“God does not give us the mind of Christ. He gives us the Spirit of Christ, and we have to see that the Spirit of Christ in us works through our brains in contact with actual life and that we form His mind.” *
When the LORD Passes By
Yes, Elijah’s greatest fear may have been of being the only one of God’s prophets left, alone and without help. However, God had a much more penetrating question of His prophet. Not once but twice He asked: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (19:9,13). Incredible, isn’t it, that the LORD‘s charge to Elijah should occur on that very same mountain where He had spoken to Moses in the burning bush and given him the Law (Exodus 3:1-3;19:9,16)?
How Then Can We Live…imitate the faithful
Fixing our thoughts on Jesus (3:1), asking WWJD, seeing that HWLF (He would love first), we are moved forward in our thinking by the writer of Hebrews: keep on loving others as long as life lasts. Living a life of love till the end makes sense. It appears though that these Judean believers were losing hope because of all the false teaching and persecution of the time. We too could throw up our hands at the messy theology around us and lose hope of ever seeing our family and friends come to know Jesus.
How Then Can We Live…fix your thoughts on Jesus
Holy brothers—oh my goodness! Yet that is what we are. We, you and I and those Judean believers, are holy—sacred, pure, blameless by Christ’s atonement (2:17). We are set apart to live as holy, separated from sin, since we confess Jesus as our apostle and high priest. And we share in the heavenly calling: to confess Jesus as apostle and high priest to all who will listen, so they too may be holy.
How Then Can We Live…pay attention to truth
Paying careful attention to what we have heard is critical ladies—what we have heard being the Gospel truth, not the word on the street. Truth is: Jesus is the author (2:10), of such a great salvation (2:3) as these Judean believers had, and as we have.
The Sounds of Silence…in God’s Word
While snow may be a dirty word in Texas this year, it’s not really the snow per se. Think how beautiful your backyard looked blanketed in white as the snowflakes drifted down. If only the freezing rain and sleet and hail and temperatures that dove to minus six had not lingered for all those days.
Parenting Adult Children
Recently, I met with a young mother. As I listened to her share how she is parenting her children, I was struck by her wisdom. It became evident that she and her husband are leading their children according to godly principles.
An Empty Suitcase
My bags are packed. I’m ready to go! How fun it is to go on journeys to other cities, states, or countries. Before each journey, I carefully plan what to take and then strategically work to get it all in my suitcase. I am one of those who takes extra “just in case.”
The Shepherds: Go and See
God interrupted the commonplace. The glory of God shattered darkness. A message from an angel broke the silence. The Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born! As shepherds in the field beheld the angel, their initial response was fear. But with the announcement of the birth of the awaited One, fear turned to determination. The shepherds said, Let’s go…and see...(Luke 2:15). They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the heralded baby lying in a manger.