When our kids were young, my husband and I performed the ritual of teaching them how to ride a bike. This requires one to run along side, holding on to the seat while our child bravely steers the bike. We always started off on the grass so that if we fell, the landing would be softer than cement. After a while, our kids would build up the courage and yell, “let go.” Hesitantly, we did and as we watched them ride away, we also witnessed many falls. But each time, they got up and wanted to try again.
I’ve learned throughout the years, that letting go is often the first step in placing our trust in God, yet it's very difficult to do. Our nature is to hold on to everything we have, providing us a false sense of security. How many times have we held on to jobs, people, and things only to see them taken from our lives? And yet how often do the things we hold on to hinder our trust in God?
Many of us have read or at least heard about Moses, God’s appointed servant to lead His people out of Egypt and into the promise land. But what many may not know is it wasn’t Moses who actually led the people of Israel into the promise land. The man that completed this task was Joshua.
In the Old Testament, the first chapter of Joshua begins reminding the reader that Moses is dead.
“After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.”
(Joshua 1:1-2)
I always thought God’s words were somewhat abrupt to Joshua. Moses, the great leader was dead. Can you imagine the disappointment and fear the people must have felt knowing their leader was no longer with them? However, God’s advice isn’t always about painting a flowery picture. Moses was the past and God needed Joshua for the future. It’s not to say that Moses wouldn’t be remembered, but it was time to let Moses go and realize the One leading this venture was God. This was God’s doing, and His plan always prevails despite the downfalls of man that occur along the way.
How do we know what God’s plan is for our lives? I believe 99.9% of the time we are exactly where God needs us to be. The challenge we face is letting go of the things that hinder our trust and faith in Him. However, once we let go of the world, we find ourselves holding onto Him and it’s amazing to see His plan unfold for our lives.
Are you in a job that causes you to compromise your integrity, but fear the job market is so bad, you won’t find anything else?
Are their people in your life that discourage you from doing God’s work, but you don’t want to lose the friendship?
Are you holding on to a grudge against someone in your past and you can’t let it go?
If you want to know the plans God has for you, it begins by letting go of the things that come between you and faith. When Jesus walked on this earth, He didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword to cut out anything that comes between us and His love. Pray today for the Holy Spirit to provide discernment and the courage to let go of anything hindering our faith. Although we may have falls along the way, God will be at our side, holding our hand and steering us into a promising future.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Standing Firm
“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
Those words are from Isaiah 7:9. Isaiah was a prophet in the Old Testament and was speaking to King Ahaz who was facing his enemy in battle. Ahaz was so fearful of the enemy that the Bible tells us “the hearts of his people were shaken as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind” (Isaiah 7:2). But the Lord sent Isaiah to King Ahaz, assuring him the enemy would not win. This wasn’t part of God’s plan for Israel.
Standing firm in one’s faith is a battle every Christian faces because faith is constantly challenged by human intellect. The world says our security lies in the things that physically surround us such as homes, bank accounts, and even family and friends. Yet like Ahaz’s situation, we learn all of these things can easily become jeopardized and when they are, where do we turn for our security?
This year will hold many changes in our lives, some good and some bad. Most of what happens may be completely out of our control. From my own personal experience, I’ve discovered God often shakes the foundation of our lives so that we learn to stand firm on the foundation of our faith.
When we face adversity, how often do we turn to friends for comfort or human intuition for solutions? What if we looked at change as the workings of our Lord in our lives? We can’t expect others to understand our actions that stem from standing firm in our faith when others rely on human intellect to rationalize all that is happening. When I think back on my own life, how crazy it must have sounded to some people when I told them about leaving my job to write a Christian book. Yet, as we grow deeper in our relationship with Christ, we become foreigners to the world and at times, may even appear crazy.
Standing firm in one’s faith reminds me of the story about Noah found in Genesis. Only one man on the earth found favor in God’s eyes by standing firm in his faith. The world was filled with corruption and Scripture tells us God grieved over His creation. (Genesis 6:6) Can you imagine God grieving over his children for their actions? Do you think God grieves over us today when our ways don’t reflect His and we don’t stand firm in our faith?
Noah never lowered himself to the actions of slander, gossip and corruption of those around him. Back then, people had never seen rain, so because of human nature, we can presume neighbors were mocking and ridiculing Noah as he stood firm in his faith and built an ark to withstand a flood that was about to wipe out the earth. Despite what the world thought about Noah, Noah only cared about what God thought of him.
Whatever we face in the upcoming months, we must remember God faces it with us. He never goes on vacation and will get us through anything we encounter when we earnestly seek His counsel. That should be motivation enough for us to want to live favorably in His eyes, and most importantly, stand firm in our faith.
Stand firm in your faith no matter what happens. God has a history of shaking our world and taking us out the norm so that He can play a larger role in our hearts. Change doesn’t have to be an obstacle, but a divine moment to be seized. May this year and every remaining year be one of facing change with a divine perspective and embracing adversity with the power of our Holy Spirit.
“Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary”
(Isaiah 8:12-13)
Those words are from Isaiah 7:9. Isaiah was a prophet in the Old Testament and was speaking to King Ahaz who was facing his enemy in battle. Ahaz was so fearful of the enemy that the Bible tells us “the hearts of his people were shaken as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind” (Isaiah 7:2). But the Lord sent Isaiah to King Ahaz, assuring him the enemy would not win. This wasn’t part of God’s plan for Israel.
Standing firm in one’s faith is a battle every Christian faces because faith is constantly challenged by human intellect. The world says our security lies in the things that physically surround us such as homes, bank accounts, and even family and friends. Yet like Ahaz’s situation, we learn all of these things can easily become jeopardized and when they are, where do we turn for our security?
This year will hold many changes in our lives, some good and some bad. Most of what happens may be completely out of our control. From my own personal experience, I’ve discovered God often shakes the foundation of our lives so that we learn to stand firm on the foundation of our faith.
When we face adversity, how often do we turn to friends for comfort or human intuition for solutions? What if we looked at change as the workings of our Lord in our lives? We can’t expect others to understand our actions that stem from standing firm in our faith when others rely on human intellect to rationalize all that is happening. When I think back on my own life, how crazy it must have sounded to some people when I told them about leaving my job to write a Christian book. Yet, as we grow deeper in our relationship with Christ, we become foreigners to the world and at times, may even appear crazy.
Standing firm in one’s faith reminds me of the story about Noah found in Genesis. Only one man on the earth found favor in God’s eyes by standing firm in his faith. The world was filled with corruption and Scripture tells us God grieved over His creation. (Genesis 6:6) Can you imagine God grieving over his children for their actions? Do you think God grieves over us today when our ways don’t reflect His and we don’t stand firm in our faith?
Noah never lowered himself to the actions of slander, gossip and corruption of those around him. Back then, people had never seen rain, so because of human nature, we can presume neighbors were mocking and ridiculing Noah as he stood firm in his faith and built an ark to withstand a flood that was about to wipe out the earth. Despite what the world thought about Noah, Noah only cared about what God thought of him.
Whatever we face in the upcoming months, we must remember God faces it with us. He never goes on vacation and will get us through anything we encounter when we earnestly seek His counsel. That should be motivation enough for us to want to live favorably in His eyes, and most importantly, stand firm in our faith.
Stand firm in your faith no matter what happens. God has a history of shaking our world and taking us out the norm so that He can play a larger role in our hearts. Change doesn’t have to be an obstacle, but a divine moment to be seized. May this year and every remaining year be one of facing change with a divine perspective and embracing adversity with the power of our Holy Spirit.
“Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary”
(Isaiah 8:12-13)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The One Constant in our Lives
Christmas 2009 is now a memory. Many of us celebrated with friends and family gathered together again as in year’s past. We hold onto our traditions so that each Christmas celebration becomes a certain constant in our lives. But even traditions can’t hold back the constant of change for our lives.
Many families may have experienced a different kind of Christmas celebration this year. Perhaps someone at the dinner table was no longer there, or maybe there weren’t any gifts under the tree. I’m sure there were some who celebrated with an outwardly smile on their face, but inwardly devastated by the news of a diagnosis of a terminal disease. There are others whose lives have been torn apart and Christmas isn’t a celebration, but a whirlwind of painful memories embedded in one’s heart, living each day in a state of darkness.
If, for a moment, we can look back at Christmas solely for the reason behind its celebration, the birth of our Savior, perhaps we could face our circumstances with an enlightened perspective as we approach the New Year.
I’ve attended many Christmas Eve services over the years. It’s one of my traditions and sadly for many years, it was the only time I attended church. In my youth, I’m sure I sat in the seat of a loyal attendee, thus robbing them of one of their Christmas traditions.
However this year, the service provided an enlightened perspective. This is the first year I celebrated without my mom, so I didn’t know how it would be. Would I feel empty and sad, or would I experience God’s peace and love for my life? Towards the end of the service, every person in the congregation lights a candle. As the lights in the sanctuary are dimmed, the faces in the crowd become shadows as the flame of the candles illuminate the room. As I stared up into the balcony of the church, all I could see was the beauty of the flickering candlelight glowing in the midst of shadows. It was amazing to witness such a small flame cut through the darkness of a large room. Christmas Eve was a cold night, yet the church was warm and inviting as the warmth from the candles felt like a blanket wrapped around me. The candles were more than flickering flames, but symbolic of the light of Christ as His love and peace cuts through the darkness of our lives. Through Him, joy can be a constant in our lives despite the circumstances we face.
The New Year is a few days away and many will return to their familiar darkness. Perhaps your darkness stems from grief, stress and anxiety, battling a terminal disease, or bitter heart. During the holidays, we temporarily place our darkness on the back burner, but by January, its shadow has returned.
What if I told you that strengthening your faith by reading the Bible and daily prayer could eliminate your darkness forever; would you believe me? Darkness doesn’t have to be a constant in our life. It can be eliminated forever simply by choosing to grow deeper in one's faith. But the choice is ours to make. We can look at 2010 simply as a year to make more money, lose weight, or exercise more and feel we’ve accomplished something significant. Or, we can decide to be the children God intended for us to be and spend more time in prayer, studying the Bible, serving those in need, and building our trust and faith in God. The choice we make becomes one of living in darkness or living in the light.
Life is too short to live our remaining days in darkness, especially when Christ is the Ultimate Healer of all pain. Eliminating darkness doesn’t happen over night, but it can happen to those who choose to deepen their relationship with our Lord.
May 2010 be the year of getting rid of darkness by choosing to grow deeper in our faith so that every day, we can feel the warmth of His love and peace as the light of Christ illuminates from our hearts. God Bless all of you and Happy New Year!
“The Lord is my light and my salvation-
whom shall I fear?
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
Though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Psalm 27:1-3
Many families may have experienced a different kind of Christmas celebration this year. Perhaps someone at the dinner table was no longer there, or maybe there weren’t any gifts under the tree. I’m sure there were some who celebrated with an outwardly smile on their face, but inwardly devastated by the news of a diagnosis of a terminal disease. There are others whose lives have been torn apart and Christmas isn’t a celebration, but a whirlwind of painful memories embedded in one’s heart, living each day in a state of darkness.
If, for a moment, we can look back at Christmas solely for the reason behind its celebration, the birth of our Savior, perhaps we could face our circumstances with an enlightened perspective as we approach the New Year.
I’ve attended many Christmas Eve services over the years. It’s one of my traditions and sadly for many years, it was the only time I attended church. In my youth, I’m sure I sat in the seat of a loyal attendee, thus robbing them of one of their Christmas traditions.
However this year, the service provided an enlightened perspective. This is the first year I celebrated without my mom, so I didn’t know how it would be. Would I feel empty and sad, or would I experience God’s peace and love for my life? Towards the end of the service, every person in the congregation lights a candle. As the lights in the sanctuary are dimmed, the faces in the crowd become shadows as the flame of the candles illuminate the room. As I stared up into the balcony of the church, all I could see was the beauty of the flickering candlelight glowing in the midst of shadows. It was amazing to witness such a small flame cut through the darkness of a large room. Christmas Eve was a cold night, yet the church was warm and inviting as the warmth from the candles felt like a blanket wrapped around me. The candles were more than flickering flames, but symbolic of the light of Christ as His love and peace cuts through the darkness of our lives. Through Him, joy can be a constant in our lives despite the circumstances we face.
The New Year is a few days away and many will return to their familiar darkness. Perhaps your darkness stems from grief, stress and anxiety, battling a terminal disease, or bitter heart. During the holidays, we temporarily place our darkness on the back burner, but by January, its shadow has returned.
What if I told you that strengthening your faith by reading the Bible and daily prayer could eliminate your darkness forever; would you believe me? Darkness doesn’t have to be a constant in our life. It can be eliminated forever simply by choosing to grow deeper in one's faith. But the choice is ours to make. We can look at 2010 simply as a year to make more money, lose weight, or exercise more and feel we’ve accomplished something significant. Or, we can decide to be the children God intended for us to be and spend more time in prayer, studying the Bible, serving those in need, and building our trust and faith in God. The choice we make becomes one of living in darkness or living in the light.
Life is too short to live our remaining days in darkness, especially when Christ is the Ultimate Healer of all pain. Eliminating darkness doesn’t happen over night, but it can happen to those who choose to deepen their relationship with our Lord.
May 2010 be the year of getting rid of darkness by choosing to grow deeper in our faith so that every day, we can feel the warmth of His love and peace as the light of Christ illuminates from our hearts. God Bless all of you and Happy New Year!
“The Lord is my light and my salvation-
whom shall I fear?
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
Though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Psalm 27:1-3
Friday, December 4, 2009
Life's Simple Miracles
Life’s Simple Miracles
As I’m writing this Blog, God delivered a beautiful, yet simplistic miracle occurring outside my window. It’s Friday, December 4th, 2009 and snow is pouring from the sky. Growing up in the north, snow was a common occurrence this time of year but in Texas, this is simply a beautiful gift to treasure. Ironically God gives us simple miracles every day, yet we tend to only notice the elaborate, like the falling of snow in this part of the country. However, the simple pleasure of pouring a cup of coffee in the morning is a miracle. Getting out of bed is also a simple miracle. The list goes on and on. But as we live out our days, what God gives as miracles, we tend to perceive simply as a mere occurrence.
The birth of our Savior is just a few weeks away. Many will celebrate this day overlooking the miracle of a virgin being the mother of our King of King’s because Christmas for us has become just another holiday where we find ourselves overwhelmed by the list of preparations behind planning the perfect event.
For years, I fretted over Christmas cards, shopping and what to cook. When Christmas Eve finally arrived, I found myself too busy in the kitchen to enjoy the simple pleasures of conversations occurring in the other room. Never again will I allow this holiday to rob me of what it truly means for the Christian believer: Jesus is the reason for the season!
We must remember Christ wasn’t born under perfect conditions. In fact, He was born in a barn with animals and very little provisions. Yet, I believe the conditions and place of Jesus’ birth wasn’t what God deemed important. The significance lies not in the preparations of the event, but in the preparation of our hearts as we celebrate this miraculous event with the understanding of God’s mercy and grace for our lives. God didn’t have to lower Himself to our level and save us from our sinful nature. He didn’t have to walk on this earth as a man showing us how to live as an example of our faith. He didn’t have to perform the hundreds if not thousands of miracles that we read about in the Bible. Nor does He have to provide the miracles today, big or small as a reflection of His love for us. When we really think about it, the number of miracles God has given us are too numerous to count. The real question becomes,
“What are we going to do to honor Jesus this season and every
remaining day of our earthly lives?”
This holiday season, I pray that we spend time every day thanking God for all the things He didn’t have to do and also thanking Him for all that He continues to do in our lives.
Merry Christmas. Say it with pride, honor, love and respect. May this day be filled with the simple miracle of the gift of life given from our gracious Lord.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of the great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:8-12)
As I’m writing this Blog, God delivered a beautiful, yet simplistic miracle occurring outside my window. It’s Friday, December 4th, 2009 and snow is pouring from the sky. Growing up in the north, snow was a common occurrence this time of year but in Texas, this is simply a beautiful gift to treasure. Ironically God gives us simple miracles every day, yet we tend to only notice the elaborate, like the falling of snow in this part of the country. However, the simple pleasure of pouring a cup of coffee in the morning is a miracle. Getting out of bed is also a simple miracle. The list goes on and on. But as we live out our days, what God gives as miracles, we tend to perceive simply as a mere occurrence.
The birth of our Savior is just a few weeks away. Many will celebrate this day overlooking the miracle of a virgin being the mother of our King of King’s because Christmas for us has become just another holiday where we find ourselves overwhelmed by the list of preparations behind planning the perfect event.
For years, I fretted over Christmas cards, shopping and what to cook. When Christmas Eve finally arrived, I found myself too busy in the kitchen to enjoy the simple pleasures of conversations occurring in the other room. Never again will I allow this holiday to rob me of what it truly means for the Christian believer: Jesus is the reason for the season!
We must remember Christ wasn’t born under perfect conditions. In fact, He was born in a barn with animals and very little provisions. Yet, I believe the conditions and place of Jesus’ birth wasn’t what God deemed important. The significance lies not in the preparations of the event, but in the preparation of our hearts as we celebrate this miraculous event with the understanding of God’s mercy and grace for our lives. God didn’t have to lower Himself to our level and save us from our sinful nature. He didn’t have to walk on this earth as a man showing us how to live as an example of our faith. He didn’t have to perform the hundreds if not thousands of miracles that we read about in the Bible. Nor does He have to provide the miracles today, big or small as a reflection of His love for us. When we really think about it, the number of miracles God has given us are too numerous to count. The real question becomes,
“What are we going to do to honor Jesus this season and every
remaining day of our earthly lives?”
This holiday season, I pray that we spend time every day thanking God for all the things He didn’t have to do and also thanking Him for all that He continues to do in our lives.
Merry Christmas. Say it with pride, honor, love and respect. May this day be filled with the simple miracle of the gift of life given from our gracious Lord.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of the great joy that will be for all the people.
Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:8-12)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Getting Rid of the "What If's?"
Last week I was visiting my Dad back in Illinois. It’s been several months since my Mom passed away and going home brings back a lot of memories, both happy and sad. Last summer I actually braved visiting her grave because many had told me it would bring closure, but at that time, closure was the last feeling I experienced.
However on my latest visit, I decided to return to the cemetery. I had a lot of unanswered questions and maybe God would reveal the answers in some divine way. Perhaps the sky would be filled with singing angels, or butterflies would be circling my mother’s memorial. I went from feeling reluctant to somewhat anxious with wonder.
When I finally arrived, I looked around and saw nothing. It must have been wishful thinking that God would do something amazing. I decided to sit down in front of her memorial and drink my coffee. The grounds of the cemetery, surrounded by trees were carpeted with fallen leaves of every color. As I sat quietly, it would have been easy to go through all of my “what if's” with God. Perhaps part of the grieving process is wondering if the outcome could have been different. Human logic asks “why” because we base our level of intellect on knowing all the answers. But at what point does human intellect become ignorance? Perhaps it’s when we discover that many of the answers to life’s questions are beyond our comprehension. I have a friend whose mother died three years ago and she is still living in a state of “what if’s.” Eventually we must turn to our faith and trust God’s sovereignty over our lives. With a strong foundation of faith, we accept the fact that things happen as part of God’s purpose for our lives. His purpose is always for the good and a deeper faith ends our desire to know all of life’s answers, while teaching us to seek God in both good and bad times.
Up in the sky, a hawk was circling above me. Perhaps he thought I was road kill. He eventually flew away seemingly disappointed that my time had not yet come. God still had a purpose for me on this earth, and the questions I was asking were irrelevant in discovering His Will for my life.
As I got up to leave, a deep sense of peace and joy overcame me. The peace was from knowing it’s ok to have unanswered questions, and the joy I felt was from believing my mother is healed and celebrating eternal life that has been promised to the Christian believer.
This holiday season, I pray for those who have lost loved ones and continue to ask the “what if’s.” My hope is the hearts of those grieving will turn to God who holds the gift of peace freely offered to those who seek Him. Instead of longing to know the "what if's, let’s choose to seek a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father. Reading and studying His Word provides all of life's answers that we really need to know.
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)
However on my latest visit, I decided to return to the cemetery. I had a lot of unanswered questions and maybe God would reveal the answers in some divine way. Perhaps the sky would be filled with singing angels, or butterflies would be circling my mother’s memorial. I went from feeling reluctant to somewhat anxious with wonder.
When I finally arrived, I looked around and saw nothing. It must have been wishful thinking that God would do something amazing. I decided to sit down in front of her memorial and drink my coffee. The grounds of the cemetery, surrounded by trees were carpeted with fallen leaves of every color. As I sat quietly, it would have been easy to go through all of my “what if's” with God. Perhaps part of the grieving process is wondering if the outcome could have been different. Human logic asks “why” because we base our level of intellect on knowing all the answers. But at what point does human intellect become ignorance? Perhaps it’s when we discover that many of the answers to life’s questions are beyond our comprehension. I have a friend whose mother died three years ago and she is still living in a state of “what if’s.” Eventually we must turn to our faith and trust God’s sovereignty over our lives. With a strong foundation of faith, we accept the fact that things happen as part of God’s purpose for our lives. His purpose is always for the good and a deeper faith ends our desire to know all of life’s answers, while teaching us to seek God in both good and bad times.
Up in the sky, a hawk was circling above me. Perhaps he thought I was road kill. He eventually flew away seemingly disappointed that my time had not yet come. God still had a purpose for me on this earth, and the questions I was asking were irrelevant in discovering His Will for my life.
As I got up to leave, a deep sense of peace and joy overcame me. The peace was from knowing it’s ok to have unanswered questions, and the joy I felt was from believing my mother is healed and celebrating eternal life that has been promised to the Christian believer.
This holiday season, I pray for those who have lost loved ones and continue to ask the “what if’s.” My hope is the hearts of those grieving will turn to God who holds the gift of peace freely offered to those who seek Him. Instead of longing to know the "what if's, let’s choose to seek a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father. Reading and studying His Word provides all of life's answers that we really need to know.
"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
How Well Do We Know Christ?
“Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as Lord, but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.”
(Matthew 7: 21-23)
This passage certainly gets the attention of the Christian believer. Many of us know the name of Jesus Christ, yet we still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. When I first read this, my heart hurt over the truth that many of us who call ourselves Christians don't know Christ intimately. The Bible tells us God knows His children intimately, so what does it mean when Jesus says, “I never knew you?”
I attended church my whole life. It was a ritual for my family to get up every Sunday morning and go to church. Sadly to say, the only thing I remember from that experience is the free glazed donut I received before Sunday school. I knew who Jesus was and became familiar with the stories about Noah, Moses, and of course Mary and Joseph. But that was the extent of my Christian knowledge. I thought just believing Jesus was the Son of God was enough, but when we read this passage found in the Gospel of Matthew, my life reflected what it means to be religious, but certainly not godly. Although this experience planted the seed of faith, my beliefs came from my mouth and not my heart.
I think many of us approach our Christian beliefs the same way as believing in Santa Claus. We wanted to believe it because it meant toys in our stockings. And, because our parents said it was true, we assumed it was. As a child, why wouldn’t I want to believe Jesus is my Savior and through Him, I receive eternal life? It was certainly better than the alternative. But for many, we stop there. We never explore anything deeper. We attend a one-hour sermon on Sunday morning and that becomes the extent of our Christian walk. When Monday morning rolls around, our hearts have turned to the ways of the world, and whatever our preacher said twenty-four hours ago is long forgotten.
I only knew Jesus Christ by name until six years ago when I got involved in a thirty week Bible study, requiring me to read over eighty-percent of Scripture. Needless to say, I was reading God’s Word every day for forty minutes in keeping up with the homework. Many of us shy away from a study requiring this level of commitment, but what impact would this amount of time spent in God’s Word have on our lives? Although there are many wonderful pastors who provide exceptional sermons, this should never be our fall back for growing deeper in our faith and knowing Christ intimately. A deeper relationship with God can only come from reading and studying His Word so that He can reveal what it means to live godly in His eyes.
Starting today, let's become committed to knowing Christ beyond His name. Thirty minutes of daily prayer and reading Scripture will absolutely change your life by changing your heart. So when our time comes, instead of hearing our Savior say, “I never knew you,” His words will be, “Welcome home my godly faithful servant.”
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through a narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”
(Matthew 7:13)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Turning Off The Noise in Our Lives
Just this past week, so many people have commented to me how busy their lives have become. Sometimes our “to do” lists seem overwhelming and there’s nothing worse than facing the end of a day feeling like nothing was accomplished. Shutting work off after coming home became a daily challenge for me. My family wanted one-hundred percent of my attention, but often I was only able to give them about thirty-percent. My mind was filled with the noise from my day which left me lying awake for hours until finally I could fall asleep. Are we busier today than ever before? Does it feel like time is racing by? A girlfriend shared with me an acronym for busy; Being Under Satan’s Yoke.
The noise in my life equates to the “busy” of my life, encompassing the stuff that robs me of time with both family and faith. Think about this for a moment:
How much time do you spend in front of your computer?
How much time do you spend in front of your TV?
How much time do you spend reading the Bible?
If we truthfully counted the hours dedicated to each of these activities, it becomes quite clear where our true allegiance lies. So what are we willing to do? If I told you having a stronger faith would create a more balanced life, would you believe me?
I love the story in the Bible about Mary and Martha found in the Gospel of Luke. The lives of two sisters illustrate how many of us utilize our time today. Jesus and His disciples came to Martha’s home and while she focused on the details of preparing a meal, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, consumed by His presence. Martha is exasperated by Mary’s lack of assistance and demands Jesus to say something to her. Here is Jesus’ response.
“But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
(Luke 10:41-42)
This story is comprised of four sentences, asking us to distinguish the “busy” of our lives from the “good part”. Why do we spend endless hours being busy and few hours if any reading God’s Word? There’s a real battle going on for our time, a strategic attempt to divert our allegiance. The question becomes, who’s winning your time?
Are we the “Martha’s” of the world, preoccupied with the noise that fills our days? If we placed our lives at the feet of Jesus, what impact would this have on changing our circumstances? I think we Christians today suffer from what Jesus describes as having “so little faith”. Most of us believe, but our faith is indeed smaller than a mustard seed. However, the little time we give to God can have the biggest impact on our lives. When we pray, our problems may not go away immediately, but what God gives us is a new perspective on how we should deal with it. I empathize with Martha because my instincts would have mirrored hers. But the “good part” as Jesus says, doesn’t encompass the details of our lives, but the depth of our faith. Even today we all can enjoy the “good part” simply by sitting at the feet of our Savior and meditating on His Word. Find a quiet still place today to open your heart, pray for forgiveness and earnestly seek God on all matters occupying your day. When we turn our lives over to Him, watch how quickly the noise suddenly becomes silenced, and the battle for our time becomes a divine moment to be seized.
The noise in my life equates to the “busy” of my life, encompassing the stuff that robs me of time with both family and faith. Think about this for a moment:
How much time do you spend in front of your computer?
How much time do you spend in front of your TV?
How much time do you spend reading the Bible?
If we truthfully counted the hours dedicated to each of these activities, it becomes quite clear where our true allegiance lies. So what are we willing to do? If I told you having a stronger faith would create a more balanced life, would you believe me?
I love the story in the Bible about Mary and Martha found in the Gospel of Luke. The lives of two sisters illustrate how many of us utilize our time today. Jesus and His disciples came to Martha’s home and while she focused on the details of preparing a meal, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, consumed by His presence. Martha is exasperated by Mary’s lack of assistance and demands Jesus to say something to her. Here is Jesus’ response.
“But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
(Luke 10:41-42)
This story is comprised of four sentences, asking us to distinguish the “busy” of our lives from the “good part”. Why do we spend endless hours being busy and few hours if any reading God’s Word? There’s a real battle going on for our time, a strategic attempt to divert our allegiance. The question becomes, who’s winning your time?
Are we the “Martha’s” of the world, preoccupied with the noise that fills our days? If we placed our lives at the feet of Jesus, what impact would this have on changing our circumstances? I think we Christians today suffer from what Jesus describes as having “so little faith”. Most of us believe, but our faith is indeed smaller than a mustard seed. However, the little time we give to God can have the biggest impact on our lives. When we pray, our problems may not go away immediately, but what God gives us is a new perspective on how we should deal with it. I empathize with Martha because my instincts would have mirrored hers. But the “good part” as Jesus says, doesn’t encompass the details of our lives, but the depth of our faith. Even today we all can enjoy the “good part” simply by sitting at the feet of our Savior and meditating on His Word. Find a quiet still place today to open your heart, pray for forgiveness and earnestly seek God on all matters occupying your day. When we turn our lives over to Him, watch how quickly the noise suddenly becomes silenced, and the battle for our time becomes a divine moment to be seized.
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