Category: Ephesians

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Simple Obedience

Am I the only one who struggles with being obedient to simple instructions from time to time? If I am, you might not find this morning’s thoughts apply to you.

When we were little kids we had a myriad of instructions to follow: brush your teeth, clean your plate, bedtime at 8:30 pm, chew with your mouth closed, be home by supper, don’t hit your sister, feed the dog. I can still hear Mom giving these instructions countless times during my childhood; I don’t need her to tell me to brush my teeth or wash my hands and face any longer, I just know to do it. That’s obedience.

As we get older we have a tendency to make obedience relative. We don’t always obey the speed limit because everyone else is passing us like we are standing still. Or what could be wrong with taking a short cut across the lawn even though it’s posted “keep off the grass”? (I know no one would do this, right?) What about those signs that say absolutely no food or drink allowed, those don’t apply to the protein bar in your pocket or purse, do they?

Little disobediences like the ones above harden us to listening too and obeying the instructions we receive from God’s word. We can rationalize away our blessings by our disobedience.

“‘I, the Lord, am the one speaking to you. Come, let’s discuss this. Even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow. 19 If you listen to (obey) what I say, you will get the good things from this land.'” Isaiah 1:18-19 ERV

It all started with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Disobedience is a temptation as old as the earth itself. God says something but He has given us a free will. Obedience is up to us. If we truly are God’s children then we should obey what He says. We all know that the Bible tells us to obey our parents so, let’s take this to the next level and obey our heavenly father.

“Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do. 2 The command says, “You must respect your father and mother.” This is the first command that has a promise with it. 3 And this is the promise: “Then all will go well with you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” Ephesians 6:1-3 ERV

I didn’t get up this morning with the intention of writing a blog on obedience. However, while I was reading in John 2 I was caught up in the simple act of obedience of some servants at a wedding. I hadn’t seen this before and I have examined Jesus first miracle at the wedding in Cana many times. (I have actually written a couple other blogs on this miracle, September 2, 2018 and June 27, 2018. You might want to re-read them.)

“There were six large stone waterpots there that were used by the Jews in their washing ceremonies. Each one held about 20 or 30 gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ So they filled them to the top.

8 Then he said to them, ‘Now dip out some water and take it to the man in charge of the feast.’ So they did what he said.” John 2:6-8 ERV

Miracles come from simple acts of obedience. The servants obeyed Jesus instruction to fill some water pots to the brim and then they took the water to the wedding planner. It was water when it went in to the pots and it was water when it came out of the pot. The miracle happened while it was being carried, obediently, to the manager of the wedding.

The Father’s instructions to us are just as elementary as filling water pots. “Don’t worry. Pray always. Love the Lord. Love your neighbor. Be angry and sin not. Don’t complain. Do nothing for vain glory. Don’t be envious. Put God first. Forgive.” With each of these instructions I can hear the Father say “child, obey me”.

Simple obedience.

Here’s the prayer I found myself praying this morning: “Father, I want to be obedient to all you ask me to do. That really is my heart’s desire. But…many times I fail. Forgive me for my failure and remind me to be like the servants – fill the pots, dip out the water and carry it to the place where miracles happen. I chose to be obedient. I am willing. In Jesus name.”

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Out of Balance

Do you remember those days in seventh grade Science class when your teacher brought in a set of scales and weights? I do!

Mr. Fox put the scales on the front lab table. There were a set of graduated weights and there were various other objects too; an apple, a brick, a coin, salt, and feathers. We then embarked on a series of trials. One of the objects was the exact same weight as one, or a combination of, the weights. It was up to us to determine which one.

Nine times out of ten we were out-of-balance!

Have you ever felt that way? That things in your life are out-of-balance. This morning I’m going to tell you why that’s a good thing.

When it comes to our walk with the Lord we need to be top heavy. Jesus disciples came to him and asked Him to increase their faith.

“The apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith!”6 The Lord said, “If your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Dig yourself up and plant yourself in the ocean!’ And the tree will obey you.” Luke 17:5-6 ERV

Notice Jesus didn’t tell them that they needed BIG faith. No, He told them that if they had little faith, faith as little as a mustard seed, that they would be able to accomplish big things. The question was how to use the faith they had. Look at the example he gave them.

“Suppose one of you has a servant who has been working in the field, plowing or caring for the sheep. When he comes in from work, what would you say to him? Would you say, ‘Come in, sit down and eat’? 8 Of course not! You would say to your servant, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Then get ready and serve me. When I finish eating and drinking, then you can eat.’ 9 The servant should not get any special thanks for doing his job. He is only doing what his master told him to do. 10 It is the same with you. When you finish doing all that you are told to do, you should say, ‘We are not worthy of any special thanks. We have only done the work we should do.’” Luke 17:7-10 ERV

Here, Jesus is referring to faith as a servant. He told the disciples to put it to work. Faith is doing what the master has told you to do. Jesus had told them to go out and teach, preach, heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out devils. They did as he told them and they came back amazed at the results they had. But then there were other times when they let the circumstances stop them from doing what the Lord had said. He told them to get in the boat and go to the other side; they let the waves and the storm overwhelm them with fear and they almost capsized. Then there was the night that Jesus was arrested. He told them to pray with Him so they wouldn’t fall into temptation, instead they fell asleep and scattered in fear when the soldiers took Jesus away.

There are no great accolades for doing what you are told to do but there are great results. Faith is a tool that God wants us to use. Using our faith is as simple as obeying what God says. Just like a servant obeys his master.

If little faith can make great things happen then where’s the problem? It’s fear. Do you realize that fear is also a form of faith? Fear is a belief that the negative will happen. Instead of trusting God and putting faith in His word fear believes that circumstances will overwhelm and shatter God’s promises.

“In Christ we come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this because of our faith in Christ.” Ephesians 3:12 ERV

“The followers went to him and woke him. They said, “Lord, save us! We will drown!”26 Jesus answered, “Why are you afraid? You don’t have enough faith.” Then he stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm.27 The men were amazed. They said, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!” Matthew 8:25-27 ERV

If we have little faith and great fear we will be out-of-balance and the results will be disastrous. But if we have little faith and no fear or doubt we can move mountains.

“Jesus answered, “Have faith in God. 23 The truth is, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you. 24 So I tell you to ask for what you want in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours.” Mark 11:22-24 ERV

Let me ask you this. What types of things cause fear in your life? It’s important to identify them. Is it cancer, bankruptcy, divorce, rebellious children, loss of employment, auto accidents? Find what God says about each and every one of these things and as you do you will begin to remove them from the fear side of the scale. The more items you remove, the greater the weight of your faith becomes. Soon, faith in what God says and will do will tip the scales and you will be out-of-balance in faith.

“We thank God for you always. And that’s what we should do, because you give us good reason to be thankful: Your faith is growing more and more. And the love that every one of you has for each other is also growing.” II Thessalonians 1:3 ERV

It’s time to tip the scales in the right direction!


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Love Lasts

This morning I found myself thinking of love, true love! Yes, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.

Many people have hopes and expectations for the day and are disappointed if their “loved one” doesn’t make some grand gesture. After 46 years of celebrating Valentine’s Day with the love of my life, I can honestly say that I’m not wow-ed by flowers, jewelry, beautiful cards or a night out on the town. What sets my world spinning is being kissed each morning before my hair is combed and make up is on; having Dave fill my coffee cup because it’s empty; finding him doing the dishes or helping in some other way because he knows I’m tired and hearing him say he thinks I’m the most beautiful woman in the world for no reason at all.

Love is living everyday, looking for ways to make life brighter, more enjoyable, easing the pain and giving all! Love is seeing someone at their worst and thinking the best.

Isn’t that how God wants us to see His love?

Religion tells us we have to earn God’s love and be good enough to keep it. The Bible tells us something completely different. We can’t earn God’s love and we can’t lose it. God’s love never fails – it lasts forever.

“I pray that because of the riches of His shining-greatness, He will make you strong with power in your hearts through the Holy Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ may live in your hearts by faith. I pray that you will be filled with love. 18 I pray that you will be able to understand how wide and how long and how high and how deep His love is. 19 I pray that you will know the love of Christ. His love goes beyond anything we can understand. I pray that you will be filled with God Himself.” Ephesians 3:16-19 NLV

The above verses were written by the Apostle Paul. “I pray you will KNOW the love of Christ.” As a young man, Saul, he persecuted the Christians. He had them imprisoned and even killed. Then he met the Lord, his name was changed to Paul, and he became a great missionary for Christ – telling people of God’s grace, love and forgiveness. He came to know personally the love of Christ.

I was reading Psalm 136 this morning.

“Praise the Lord because he is good. His faithful love will last forever. 2 Praise the God of gods! His faithful love will last forever. 3 Praise the Lord of lords! His faithful love will last forever. 4 Praise him who alone does wonderful miracles! His faithful love will last forever.” Psalm 136:1-4 ERV

“He took Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love will last forever.12 He used his powerful arms and strong hands. His faithful love will last forever. 13 He split the Red Sea into two parts. His faithful love will last forever. 14 He led Israel through the sea. His faithful love will last forever. 15 He drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. His faithful love will last forever. 16 He led his people through the desert. His faithful love will last forever. 17 He defeated powerful kings. His faithful love will last forever…”

Now this is how I began to read it, it’s the Kristi unauthorized version:

He gave me safety while driving on the freeway; He kept me warm during the artic vortex; He protected me when I worked with people who hated me; He provided the food I need; He heard me say those ugly things and He knew my jealous thoughts but He forgave me and His faithful love will last forever!

I encourage you to read all twenty-six verses of Psalm 136. Each verse tells us that God’s love last forever. This is the final verse in that Psalm.

“Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.” Psalm 136:26 CEV

God, our Father, is the very essence of love. He will never fail to reach out to us! His love for us will last forever!!

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Ham It Up

We were having dinner with friends last night and talking about old wives tales that carry forward as fact. I was reminded of a story I heard about a young bride. It was her first Easter with her new husband. She had purchased a ham for their Easter dinner. She took the ham and cut off the ends before putting it in her roasting pan.

Her husband asked her why she cut off the ends. After much prodding, she replied “I’m not sure. My mom always did it that way.” At her husband’s encouragement she called her mother and asked “why did you always cut the ends off the ham before you put it in the pan?” Her mother was silent for a moment and then replied “because your grandmother always cut the ends off her ham”.

With this answer sitting hard in her thoughts, and at the prompting of her husband, she called Grandma. “Grandma, why do you always cut the ends off the ham before putting it in the roaster?” Grandma replied “Oh dearie, that’s simple. My pan was too short so I had to trim the ends to make it fit.”

The young bride and her husband laughed heartedly. For years three women had been cutting the ends off the ham because at one point the roasting pan was too short.

“So you are teaching that it is not important to do what God said. You think it is more important to follow those traditions you have, which you pass on to others. And you do many things like that.” Mark 7:13 ERV

How many things do we do religiously that have nothing to do with God’s truth but are fashioned by man’s tradition? We say that God can’t love us if we go to certain places or don’t give up certain habits. We are told that if we don’t spend so many days during the week in church or hours in prayer that God will be unhappy with us. He won’t love us.

Maybe you have been told that God won’t love you because of what you have done. You’ve been too bad or you’ve had too many failures or one too many divorces. All of these things are traditions. It is the traditions of men that make the Word of God of no effect.

As long as people are feeling condemned for not being good enough for God they will run from God instead of to Him. Jesus heard this criticism often. This was His response.

“When some teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with such bad people, they asked his followers, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.” Mark 2:16-17 ERV

We will never be good enough to be acceptable to God outside of our relationship with Jesus. We can’t do enough good works. Our own efforts can’t buy us salvation. There is only one way that we can be saved.

“I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 ERV

We don’t clean up to take a shower and we don’t try to keep enough rules to be accepted by God.

I don’t know what religious laws you are trying to keep. I do know the ones I thought were right but I never succeed in keeping them. We have to come to a point where we give up on religious tradition and accept God’s grace at face value.

“But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. ” Romans 5:8-9 CEV

God has so much more for us than we are experiencing. Religious traditions keep us from receiving all God has in store.

It’s time we quit cutting off the ends of the ham and enjoy the whole thing. God’s blessings are so much greater than we imagined.

“I pray that Christ Jesus and the church will forever bring praise to God. His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 CEV

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Words, Words, Words

The last several days I have been talking to you about the importance of God’s word. We have seen that the Bible is our firm foundation and that God keeps His promises. He doesn’t say anything that isn’t true!

Today I want to talk about our words. Each day we speak hundreds, if not thousands, of words so we need to evaluate what we are saying. Do we speak words that bring encouragement and life or can our words be damning and condemning?

“A man’s stomach will be filled with the fruit of his mouth. He will be filled with what his lips speak. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:20-21 NLV

Daily, we are bombarded with words. They come in the form of emails, text messages, postings on the internet, spoken words on radio and television and in the form of conversations. Our prayers are constructed of words. The question is, are they beneficial or detrimental? Are they words that heal or words that harm?

Periodically I am reminded to look at words the way the Lord does.

“Honest people can always feel secure, but lying cheaters will be caught. 10 If you fail to speak the truth, trouble will follow. If you speak openly, peace will come. 11 The words of good people are like a spring of fresh water, but the words of the wicked only hide their violent plans.” Proverbs 10:9-11 ERV

“By your teachings, Lord,  I am warned;  by obeying them, I am greatly rewarded. 12 None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it. 13 Don’t let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life. Then I will be innocent,  and not guilty of some terrible fault. 14 Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” Psalm 19:11-14 CEV

God, our Father, is a life-giver and One who is always looking for ways to bless His children. He hates it when actions go contrary to His nature. We are warned repeatedly not to lie, gossip or cause discord. Instead we should be like Christ in our love and encouragement of one another.

“Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. 2 Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God. 3 You are God’s people, so don’t let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. 4 Don’t use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. ” Ephesians 5:1-4 CEV

When I was a little girl we had a song we sang that said “Be careful little eyes what you see, Be careful little ears what you hear. Be careful little lips what you say.” Those words still ring true today. We could do so much to disarm hurtful situations if we made sure our words were loving, kind and true.

“All of us do many wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body…Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.” James 3:2, 16-18 CEV

The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to be maliciously lied about, ridiculed, and he was often at the center of mean-spirited conversation. In spite all of that, he gave us this instruction.

“Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9 CEV

Let’s be like Paul. Let’s keep focused on the things that are pure, right and true. When we do, we will be surrounded by God’s peace.

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Using Your Talents

Starting this new year, I am taking inventory of what the Lord has given me; health, a wonderful family, dear friends, a strong mind, creative thoughts, a friendly smile, the ability to communicate through the written word, my home, organizational skills and I’m a good cook. I would consider these things my “talents”.

Jesus tells the story of a master who had three servants and the master left each of the servants some “talents”. He went on a journey and when he returned, the master called each of the servants in to give an accounting of what they had done with their talents.

“Some time later the master of those servants returned. He called them in and asked what they had done with his money. 20 The servant who had been given five thousand coins brought them in with the five thousand that he had earned. He said, “Sir, you gave me five thousand coins, and I have earned five thousand more.”

21 “Wonderful!” his master replied. “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!”

22 Next, the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, “Sir, you gave me two thousand coins, and I have earned two thousand more.”

23 “Wonderful!” his master replied. “You are a good and faithful servant. I left you in charge of only a little, but now I will put you in charge of much more. Come and share in my happiness!” Matthew 25:19-23 CEV

The first two servants had used their talents wisely and had brought an increase. The third servant, however, had buried his talent and all he had to give the master was the original amount with no increase. Jesus said the master called this servant wicked and slothful because he hadn’t used what he had been given.

The first two servants were called “good and faithful” and they were given more responsibility and authority from the master. So many times this story is taught in regard to money but to me it’s more than that.

In the book of James, we are told that every good and perfect gift we have comes from the Father. And in Ephesians we are told that whatever we do, if it’s a spoken word or physical action, we should do all to the glory of God.

These words of Jesus about giving are recorded in the book of Luke.

“If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them! 33 If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that! 34 If you lend things to people, always expecting to get something back, should you get any special praise for that? No, even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount!
35 “I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful. 36 Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.
37 “Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. Don’t condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” Luke 6:32-38 ERV

So I encourage you today to take those things that you have, your talents, and share them with others – a smile, a helping hand, a meal, your love and friendship – watch them multiply.

It will be such a joy to hear “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matthew 25:21

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Responding to “If”

Have you ever gotten trapped in the maze of “what if”? At one point or another I think we all have. There are all sorts of “if” questions; some are personal, others are intellectual or career oriented and others are more philosophical.

What if: I were taller, smarter, my nose were smaller…What if: I had continued with college, become a doctor instead of a plumber…What if: there is life in outer space. And then there are the what if’s that are related to Scripture.

In yesterday’s blog, we saw how Satan used one of those what if’s in the garden with Adam and Eve. He introduced an element of doubt into Eve’s thinking. Did God really say? What if He doesn’t want you to be as smart as He is?

“4 But the snake said to the woman, “You will not die. 5 God knows that if you eat the fruit from that tree you will learn about good and evil, and then you will be like God!” Genesis 3:4-5 ERV

When we begin to study the Bible and see what God says to us Satan will try to use the same tactic on us.

What if: God isn’t real, He’s just a myth, His Word isn’t true, there is no heaven or hell, you don’t need faith. All of these are doubting thoughts that I have had at one point or another.

When these thoughts occur the first thing we should do is realize we aren’t the only ones having them. Christians who came before us and millions who come after us will all be plagued with thoughts of doubt.

How do we deal with doubt? I’m glad you asked. As always, Jesus is our perfect example.

“ Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to a desert. There He was tempted by the devil. 2 Jesus went without food for forty days and forty nights. After that He was hungry. 3 The devil came tempting Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to be made into bread.” 4 But Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man is not to live on bread only. Man is to live by every word that God speaks.’”

5 Then the devil took Jesus up to Jerusalem, the holy city. He had Jesus stand on the highest part of the house of God. 6 The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. It is written, ‘He has told His angels to look after You. In their hands they will hold You up. Then Your foot will not hit against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to the devil, “It is written also, ‘You must not tempt the Lord your God.’”

8 Again the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain. He had Jesus look at all the nations of the world to see how great they were. 9 He said to Jesus, “I will give You all these nations if You will get down at my feet and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to the devil, “Get away, Satan. It is written, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. You must obey Him only.’” 11 Then the devil went away from Jesus. Angels came and cared for Him.” Matthew 4:1-11 NLV

There are three important “if” issues in these verses. Satan questions the deity of Christ, “If you are the Son of God”. Satan is a crafty enemy, one we are incapable of defeating on our own. He came to Jesus when He was at one of his weakest moments. Jesus had been fasting for forty days and now He had begun to hunger.

The important thing to see is that Jesus didn’t react rashly in His weakness, instead He let God’s word answer for Him. The power to resist temptation came from God’s word. We will overcome our temptations the same way.

“So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. 13 The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:12-13 ERV

In the second temptation the devil quoted Scripture to give his argument validity. Jesus didn’t take the bait; he didn’t need to prove who He was. He left that up to God, the Father. And He countered with Scripture.

Satan had been cast from heaven because he wanted to be greater than God. He coveted a position of honor. He wanted God’s Son to bow down at his feet.

” 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will go up to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. And I will sit on the mount of meeting in the far north. 14 I will go much higher than the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 But you will be brought down to the place of the dead, to the bottom of the grave.” Isaiah 14:13-15 NLV

One more time Jesus used God’s word as a weapon and landed blows of defeat on His enemy. This time it was too much for the devil and he fled. This is what we need to do each and every time temptation comes.

” 4 We do not use those things to fight with that the world uses. We use the things God gives to fight with and they have power. Those things God gives to fight with destroy the strong-places of the devil. 5 We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ.” II Corinthians 10:4-5 NLV

And here is what God gives us to fight with.

” 11 Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks…13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

14 So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. 15 On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. 16 And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. 17 Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.” Ephesians 6:11-18 ERV

Our sword in this battle is the word of God. It is sharp enough to cut all the “what if’s” out of our lives. We will be able to stand strong and never give up when we are standing on God’s word!

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Rich in Mercy

I am grateful for God’s mercy. The Bible tells us that we are given new mercy every morning.

“The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. 24 Deep in my heart I say, ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!'” Lamentations 3:22-24 CEV

Have you ever felt like people judged you wrongly? They misunderstood or misconstrued a situtation or an action and immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion. You were branded, judged and even convicted.

Have you ever done that to someone? That’s the harder question to answer honestly. I have and it’s something I am ashamed to admit. When we judge and assess a situation our reasons are so self-righteous. We have so many excuses for our actions and why others are wrong.

” But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.)” Ephesians 2:4-5 ERV

If anyone has a right to judge it’s God. He is perfect in everyway and so His judgements are pure but He chooses to show mercy. Another term for mercy is “loving-kindness”. The Bible tells us that His loving-kindness, His mercy, goes on forever.

“Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever.” Psalm 106:1 NLV

Thank you Lord for always showing mercy. Since God is both just and merciful it’s necessary to see how both work in harmony. God cannot let His mercy override His justice. We have all sinned and sin needs to be judged. That’s where Jesus steps in.

“God has shown His love to us by sending His only Son into the world. God did this so we might have life through Christ. 10 This is love! It is not that we loved God but that He loved us. For God sent His Son to pay for our sins with His own blood. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us that much, then we should love each other. ” I John 4:9-11 NLV

Since God lavished His love on us we are expected to act accordingly and show love to others. There should be no place in our lives for condemning attitudes.

“Treat others just as you want to be treated. 32 If you love only someone who loves you, will God praise you for that? Even sinners love people who love them. 33 If you are kind only to someone who is kind to you, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners are kind to people who are kind to them. 34 If you lend money only to someone you think will pay you back, will God be pleased with you for that? Even sinners lend to sinners because they think they will get it all back.

35 But love your enemies and be good to them. Lend without expecting to be paid back. Then you will get a great reward, and you will be the true children of God in heaven. He is good even to people who are unthankful and cruel. 36 Have pity on others, just as your Father has pity on you.” Luke 6:31-36 CEV

These are the words of Jesus. There are no exceptions like it’s ok to judge people who cut you off in traffic, are rude to you in the grocery store, don’t share your same political view, or who are antagonistic. NO EXCEPTIONS!

I’m working on making this my daily goal in the upcoming year. If I say I want to be more like the Father then I need to be less judgmental. There’s no room in His life for it and so there should be none in mine!

Here’s to a Happy & Mercy-Rich 2019!

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Pondering Christmas

This morning I’m sitting alone and enjoying the thoughts of Christmases past. Remembering times when the kids and grandkids were little. It’s a blessing of life to remember.

Very soon the tree and all the decorations will come down but the memories will remain. In the last few days we have visited with the kids and grandkids on the phone, learned of presents that were opened, traded texts and emails with those we love and then saw on social media the pictures that so many have shared.

With a heart filled with love, I began to think of Mary. Everyone of you mothers can remember what it was like to wake up the day after one of your children were born. Going over and over in your heart the emotions of the day, those that came to visit and once again holding that tiny child in your arms – counting every finger and toe.

What do you imagine must have been going through Mary’s heart that morning after Christ’s birth? She’s in a stable, with a man who has shown her unconditional love and she has a child in her arms who is God’s gift to mankind. How blessed – how in awe!

“And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:16-19

All through the night hours my thoughts have been filled with what Christ has done for me! I was unworthy of God’s love. I have done nothing to deserve His mercy and His grace. That’s what makes it so amazing!

Mary must have had these same thoughts. What did I do to deserve God’s favor; why was I chosen to birth the Messiah? It was all by God’s grace – giving to us the goodness of His love that we can’t earn and don’t deserve.

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace.

8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. 10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:4-10 ERV

We are the recipients of a wonderful gift; the gift of God’s grace. That gift came to us in the form of a baby, Jesus Christ. God did this to show His kindness to all who are in the world. This gift is available to all.

My life, the blessings and all the good that is in it, is because of God’s love for me. It’s almost beyond words. I am overwhelmed by His goodness.

“When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ. 14 We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:11-14 NLV

These are the things that I dwell on each day. God’s goodness and love!

What will you “ponder” in your heart today? Is Christmas over and now it’s on with the daily routine or will you take time today to be thankful that Christmas has life-changing, glorious meaning for every day of the year?

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Naughty or Nice

We’re only a week away from the day that the world celebrates the birthday of Jesus!

I still have quiet a bit of baking to do and a few more presents to finish but I’m not feeling rushed or pressured. I am simply enjoying the reason for the season; the gift of life that God gave us all over 2000 years ago. 

“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler.
His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father  and Prince of Peace. 7 His power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David’s kingdom
and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The Lord All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.” Isaiah 9:6-7 CEV

There is such peace when we have a true relationship with Jesus. For years I didn’t have that. I thought that I was the one responsible for getting God to love me, I had to be good enough for Him to bless me. I guess I had the same impression of God that many do of Santa – was I going to be on the naughty list or the nice list. I had a real struggle. 

Maybe that’s why I so enjoy the celebration of Christmas now. The struggle is over. I have learned that God’s love for me is unconditional. I don’t have to work to earn it; I just need to accept what He has done for me and say “thank you”. 

“May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Let us honor and thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has already given us a taste of what heaven is like. 4 Even before the world was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love. He planned that we should be holy and without blame as He sees us. 5 God already planned to have us as His own children. This was done by Jesus Christ. In His plan God wanted this done.” Ephesians 1:2-5 NLV

God chose each and everyone of us to be His. He has showered His love on us and He when He looks at us He sees us as blameless because of what Christ has done for us. It’s not our efforts or actions that qualify us for the Nice List; it’s the actions of Christ. 

“By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. 2 Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 CEV

We’ve been made acceptable; we can live in peace; happiness is ours because of what Christ has done! 

Let’s celebrate!  It’s the Birthday of a King!

In the little village of Bethlehem
There lay a child one day
And the sky was bright
With a holy light
O’er the place where Jesus lay.

Alleluia
O how the angels sang!
Alleluia
How it rang!
And the sky was bright
With a holy light
‘Twas the birthday of a King.

Humble birthplace
But O
How much God gave to us that day!
From the manger bed what a path has led
What a perfect holy way.

Alleluia
O how the angels sang!
Alleluia
How it rang!
And the sky was bright
With a Holy light
‘Twas the birthday of a King

God gave us a gift of new life; He gave us the gift of His Son. Alleluia!

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