Mulling It Over: Romans 8:31-32 - What Shall We Say?

We are looking once again at Romans 8. I have been going through different chapters of the book of Romans in the New Testament on my own in recent months. I have started the practice of writing out several verses at a time, word for word as they are written in my English Standard Version of the Bible. After I write the verses out, I ask the question what do these verses tell me about God. It has been a wonderful practice to not only hand write, and yes I am doing it in cursive, but also to dwell on who God is and what He has done for us that has given us the ability to come into His presence as one of His children.

Image by Amanda Truscott from Pixabay

I have not written out Romans 8 as of yet, but it has been eye opening to go through this chapter over the last year and a half with all of you who read this little blog. Today we take a closer look at a few very familiar verses that I am sure many of you can quote.

“31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ”

— Romans 8:31-32 (NASB 1995)

Let’s do our usual and look at these verses a phrase at a time.

What then shall we say to these things? This question is a referring back to the previous verses. Verses 1 - 25 remind us of our deliverance from bondage, and the awaiting transformation to glory. Verses 26 - 30 remind us of our position in Him. What can we possibly say to all of that? Can we condemn God, saying He is a malevolent being who does not care for us; that he has not provided a way for us to have peace with Him; that He cares not for our well being? How could we say such untruths when it is clear that He provided the way, and He gives us all we need, and even in our weakest moments His own Spirit is praying for us; interceding according to the Father’s will.

If God is for us, who is against us? I can hear the voices accusing, “If God is really for us then why are there all these problems? Why is our world is such a state of chaos? Why is there so much hate? Why is there so much pain?”

I do not want to throw out pat answers or give a couple of other verses to support this idea and send you on your way. This is tough. Once again, however, I must remind all of us of our Savior’s very own words.

“33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

— John 16:33 (ESV)

Once again, we have to refer back to Genesis 3 when the serpent, Satan, tempted Eve. He didn’t just tempt her flesh, he tempted her ability to trust in her Creator. Isn’t that true of the world ever since? Why did Adam and Eve sin? Because they did not believe that God really loved them and wanted the best for them. They believed, with the help of Satan’s manipulation of God’s words, that they would be better off making their own choices and decisions.

Image by Briam Cute from Pixabay

We still live in that shadow of mistrust. We begin to doubt God’s Word, we stop going to church, we start reading and listening to philosophies and voices that tear apart Christian thoughts and beliefs, and we start focusing on what is going to make us happy. We become rights based. No matter how much faith we put in our founding fathers, the reality is they were fallen men, and only God and His truth can be fully trusted. The only true rights we have are those given to us by the Creator of life. Without Him we are nothing.

Why do we have trouble, problems, struggles and trials; because sin entered a perfect world, but the beautiful thing is God provided a way. It doesn’t require my work, my money, my time, my identity it only requires my faith. It isn’t just faith in a verse here or there, but in the whole inspired Word of God. When we start throwing scripture out the window we tear down the foundation He laid for our redemption, justification and glorification. We open the door to racism, fascism, humanism and communism. We make up justifications for our behaviors saying like Madonna sang, “I was born this way.” We descend into mind numbing chaos revolving around a continuous search for peace, identity and value.

But God….

It is God who is for us. It is God who created this little blue and green gem we live on. It is God who gave us the law as a foreshadow of a more perfect way, and then gave us His son Jesus Christ who died on a cross for our sin so that we might be made right with the Father.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

“15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ”

— Romans 8:15 (NASB 1995)

It is God who imprinted His very own image on us and no matter how hard we try to run from that imprint we are distinctly God’s because of that image. God is not against us. He is the only one who is truly, purely for us, because He loves us and recognizes each one of us as His handiwork.

He who did not spare His own son, but delivered Him over for us all… This needs little explanation. God sent Jesus as a baby to Mary. He was born, and lived a human life for approximately 33 years. The last three of those years he ministered and taught His disciples doing miracles and teaching about His Father and the Kingdom of God. Most of the Jews in His time did not believe what he said, even accusing him of having a demon (see John 8:48). Eventually, it was His own people, the Jews, who condemned Him to death via Pilate. He died an agonizing death on a cross, but it was what He did after that made all the difference. If Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, we would still be slaves to sin. It was God’s power displayed in this act of resurrection that gives us the ability to leave the world of shadow and emerge into His light.

…how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? So what does this mean? We know the triune God isn’t Santa Clause. We don’t just ask Him for anything we want like He is our very own Genie in a Bottle. When you grow in your relationship with Christ you come to realize He provides everything you need: peace, love, joy, strength, rest, hope, thanksgiving…these are not physical things, but He is also providing our physical needs as well. Things like jobs to buy food and pay our bills; family and friends to provide a space of security and joy; a home to live in, blankets on our beds…the list is pretty much endless. He will always come through and give you exactly what you need when you need it. I have found, the more I rely on Him for every single thing, the more He provides when I haven’t even asked.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

““For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills.”

— Psalm 50:10 (NASB 1995)

I hope these verses were a pertinent reminder of how very secure you are in Christ, and I hope that helps you to walk with peace, joy and confidence in Him.

Have a great weekend!

Faith Inspiration: Psalm 139:1-3

This column is meant to inspire our faith; to move us to action or even to contemplation. Scripture has become more and more my source of inspiration. After all, these are the words of God; His thoughts given to men and written down. All of them were spoken, or God breathed by His Spirit to the men who wrote. I believe, though this is becoming a less popular opinion, that God’s word is without error. I believe that it is alive and transforms us as we read and meditate on it.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Today’s source of inspiration comes from one of my favorite Psalms. Psalm 139 is a psalm of David. I recently decided to reread this Psalm taking it three verses at a time. Often, if we want to learn more we need to take a deep dive into just a few verses at a time, thus my Mulling it Over series. I am finding more and more that a brief look at God’s word is never enough. He has so much more to say to us in between the lines, through the voice of His Spirit speaking to our spirit. This is the beauty of an intimate relationship with God.

“1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.”

— Psalm 139:1-3 (ESV)

I have long looked at this passage as a way to understand my standing before God. Indeed, it reminds us that we are worthy and needful of His love and compassion, and it has been so since the beginning of time. As I read through these verses again, I was suddenly struck by the fact that the psalm is not just telling us details about ourselves, but it it telling us great secrets about the Almighty God.

What do we learn about God from these three verses?

1 - He desires to know His creation. God didn’t just set the world into motion and walk away, though some like to believe that is the case. God interacted and wanted to have a relationship with his artistry. Let’s look back at Genesis. First of all we see God actively involved in the making process. He didn’t just make primordial ooze and let it evolve, he spoke, molded, shaped, and breathed everything into existence. The more telling statement is this, “And God saw that it was good.” God actually took time, not only to create, but to enjoy what He had created.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Further on we see God’s personal involvement to make sure His work was taken care of by creating Adam. (See Genesis 2:5.) After this He also attended to Adam’s need to not be alone by making a companion completely suited to him. (See Genesis 2:18-24.) In addition we are told that God walked in the Garden. He was part of their community, and though we don’t know exactly what this was like we can use our imaginations. (See Genesis 3:8.)

Maybe this seems scary or off putting to some, but to me it gives such comfort and reassurance that can only be described as complete trust. If a being as powerful and righteous as our God wants to know us He is doing it with complete, pure love.

2 - He has know His creation from the foundation of the world. This is obvious from the same verses I pointed out from above. In addition, the first line of the psalm says, “…you have searched me and known me.” Both these words are past tense.

Image by info254 from Pixabay

As a writer I do like words to make sense; to choose the correct word for the correct sentence, and have the appropriate grammar, tense and so on. However, when it comes to God, I do recognize He is outside the bounds of time. The Bible is written for our understanding, so that we might comprehend what is being said. Since God is eternal He not only knew us from when He set the world into orbit, but He knows us in the present and in the future.

3 - He desires intimacy with us. It isn’t enough for God to know His creation. He wants to be intimate with us. Intimacy basically means familiarity. We often use it with regards to a sexual relationship, but today many sexual encounters require no intimacy at all. True intimacy is a feeling of closeness, belonging and trust.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.”

— Psalm 25:14 (ESV)

Image by Dim Hou from Pixabay

The psalmist says, “You know when I sit down, and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” God must be up close and personal if He knows when I am sitting, and when I am getting up. He also knows my personality and what makes me tick. He can take one look at my face and know exactly what I am thinking. My husband is good at reading me, but not that good. He also knows where I am most of the time, but not every single minute of every day.

4 - God is aware at all times. For the same reasons stated above, God is fully aware of where we are, what we are doing, and what we are thinking. (See Psalm 139:7-8.) I know there are varying thoughts on the omnipresence of God. Some say that while He is everywhere present, He doesn’t necessarily know everything that is going on at every moment. Others say God can be everywhere present, but also chooses to not be at all times. My belief is that God is big enough to know all of us, at all times, in every place, and in all circumstances. This is what makes Him a personal God. It is not for us to understand this mystery, merely believe.

“9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

— Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

“4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.”

— Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”

— Psalm 46:1 (ESV)

5 - God is actively involved. Verse 3 states that God searches out our path, and our lying down. He is acquainted with all our ways. How can you be acquainted with all of someone’s ways without being a part of their life? God is our Good Shepherd. He knows the lamb who has the loud, obnoxious baaa; the one who hides in the corner of the fold; the one who bullies the others, and the one who tends to wander away. Make no mistake, God quietly observes, but He is actively orchestrating our lives to bring us into intimacy with Him.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.”

— Isaiah 40:11 (ESV)

This gives me great comfort. Life is hard, and having loved ones who don’t walk with Him makes it even harder, but these revelations about God, through His word inspires my faith to trust, be still and lean on His timing and compassion to bring them back to Him.

I hope this has inspired you to worship, praise and thank Him for the amazing God He is.

Until next time.

Faith Inspiration - Solar Eclipse

I just love when God uses His beautiful and amazing creation to teach us something He wants us to know about Him. Just a few days ago we got to witness an event that only happens once every so many years: a total solar eclipse. We got to witness a partial eclipse back in 2017, but that definitely dims in comparison to the total eclipse we just saw.

Image by sandid from Pixabay

It is a fantastic phenomenon, and those of us who follow Christ, know that it is all brought about by God’s mighty hand. He is the One that set all of these heavenly bodies into motion, and He is the one who keeps those bodies just exactly where they should be.

We see in the 1st chapter of Genesis the creation account. These heavenly bodies came into existence on the fourth day.

“14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;
15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.
17 God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.
19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.”

— Genesis 1:14-19 (NASB 1995)

We see here God made the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. It is interesting to mull over, now that we know more through telescopes and men going into space, that the moon does not generate its own light, but is a body that reflects the light of the sun. The sun, the greater light that rules over the day, does not just give us light, but it does so much to give our planet life. Along with the moon, the rotation of the earth on its axis, and the revolution of our solar system around it, the sun provides the basis for the water cycles, the ebbs and flows of the oceans, and the regenerative cycle of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Plants would not grow without the warming light of this immense celestial star; for that matter all life would cease to exist without it.

So why did God give us this greater light to rule the day, and this lesser light to rule the night? “…to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years…He placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness…” All of this He did for our benefit.

Image by Patou Ricard from Pixabay

Seeing the solar eclipse was an inspiration to how wonderful our God is, and how He established this place to be our home. It’s not a place of drab shadows and dim understanding, but a planet alive with His creative power and amazing, lavish love. He made all of this, even the moon passing in front of the sun so that we might remember what a beautiful, enchanted Being breathed life into this dust, and how very fortunate we are that even when darkness entered the world in the form of sin, He had a plan. He made a way. This leads to my second thought.

You know I have written about light and darkness on various occasions. See Light Beyond the Darkness, When Darkness Comes - Part 1: The Light, When Darkness Comes - Part 2: The Dark. There are several more parts to that series, which you can find on my Faith page under June and July of 2021. Darkness and light have always fascinated me. Though, I love winter, I need my sunshine. Being a Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferer, the shorter, gray days of winter are a detriment to my mental, emotional and physical well being.

When the eclipse moved into full totality, I couldn’t help but imaginine what the world would be like in permanent dusk; never to feel the heat of the sun, or to know the glory of it shining full bore in a pristine blue sky. It would be horrible. As we know from that first chapter in Genesis God gave us the sun for our benefit. We would not last long without its beautiful light.

However, there was something even more telling that began to illuminate my spiritual mind. At the point the moon fully covered the sun we were able to remove our eclipse glasses and look at it. It was awe inspiring to know all at once this would not happen again for a very long time, at least in our area, and to realize how apropos this celestial phenomenon was in reminding us that the light of Christ cannot be dimmed.

Image by bdabney from Pixabay

We can be in the throes of darkness, being beaten down on every side, but Christ in us shines like that sun as it glowed fiercely all around that orb until it began to pass and the light burst forth exploding onto the landscape below chasing the darkness back into the deep corners. This is who our Savior is in our lives, if we let Him be. He is the Son, the bright light of salvation, deliverer from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light.

“13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

— Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB 1995)

I hope that you are inspired by this post, but even more so I hope you are daily inspired by God’s amazing creation, and His steadfast love.

Have a great weekend!

Creative Christianity - The Widow's Quest: Part 1

The following piece begins a series based on the passage found in Luke 18:1-8. It presents a fictional account with allegorical aspects which coincide with the parable told by Jesus in those Scriptures. This is a fictional story with a world, and characters built by me. I hope you enjoy it.

Constance made her way through the narrow, muddy streets, thankful it was raining. A constant downpour washed away some of the surface filth making her feel there was a modicum of cleanliness here in the Rift. She kept her head down, the hood of her coat concealing her face. She didn’t want anyone to know where she was going. If they found out she was on her way to the Manor of Minward they would beat her until she was no longer recognizable. The Black Needles didn’t appreciate the people of their ward asking for help. They didn’t need help. They could make it on their own.

Image by Lucent_Designs_dinoson20 from Pixabay

Constance smirked beneath her hood. Neoplo “The Builder” De Caro wasn’t just known for building the run down, decaying ruins the people of the Rift had to live in, but for raising up the crime syndicate that preyed on the very people it was supposed to protect. She had seen enough; enough suffering; enough struggle; enough darkness. If the Lord of Minward was truly just, as she had often heard through her fourty-three years, why didn’t anything change? She was going to find out.

She was going to have to get past a few of De Caro’s check points. He wasn’t fond of people leaving his barony. He had an intricate web of knowledge woven together by his army of groveling lackeys. Constance learned from the time she was very young to blend in. She didn’t want to stand out. Being noticed by Neopolo, meant you became one of his, either that, or you conveniently disappeared. She felt bad for the younger people. De Caro’s appetite wasn’t just reserved for food and drink.

Constance felt bile rise in her throat, but she swallowed it, and clenched her fists. She wasn’t going to become just another of De Caro’s appetizers. She had to have hope; hope that the Lord of Minward would be able to make a change. Maybe he just wasn’t aware of how bad it was in the Rift. As the Lord of an entire city, he must be very busy, and maybe information wasn’t getting through due to De Caro’s influence.

The first check point loomed ahead. Her training in boiler maintenance should be able to get her through this one. She felt the tool bag by her side, then slid her hand into her coat pocket where the forged work papers printed on union stationary, and folded neatly, stayed dry from the down pour.

Image by Anna Veronika from Pixabay

Constance wasn’t alone in this quest. There were a few others who wanted a better life, and knew De Caro’s empire building wasn’t going to benefit them. She and Amos had formed a small group of other “believers”, which now was up to twenty members. They rarely all met together, but stayed in touch using messages sent via trusted couriers. Since the steam movement, and its subsequent advancements in communications, things like sending handwritten messages on foot had become obsolete. Now things were moved along through vast tubular networks both above and below ground pushed along by the compressed power of steam.

Amos had been like a little boy, completely enamored with the advent of the new Steam Era. He loved the machines, the gears, the noise and the power behind something so simple as heated water. She missed him terribly. It was coming up on five years since his death, but grief was relentless where darkness bred, and the Rift was a breeding ground for all that was dank, and miserable.

Image by Peter H from Pixabay

Constance took a deep breath and moved confidently to the first check point. Each check point held a small booth barely big enough for one person, but often occupied by several of Neoplo’s goons. There were three of them in this one. They were chatting and laughing. There were several other people in line.

When her turn came, Constance pulled the papers out of her pocket and quickly shoved them through the small opening in the window.

The man looked down on her, from where he sat in the dry, heated booth.

“You in a hurry there, lass?”

Constance wanted to quip back she was old enough to be his mother, but didn’t reply, just shrugged. She found the best thing to do was not engage. Once you started talking, they became interested. She waited, turning to look at the line that was forming behind her. That was a good thing. The more people waiting, the less time they would take to push you through.

The man stamped her papers and passed them back through the window. As she reached to take them, he wouldn’t let go. She looked up at his scruffy face.

Image by Sammy-Sander from Pixabay

“Smile, Sunshine. Life ain’t so bad. Doesn’t old De Caro take good care of his people?”

Constance swallowed the retort brewing in her gut, gave a shy smile and nodded her head.

“There we go! You have a good night now, lass!”

Constance placed the papers back in her coat pocket. As she walked away she let out a deep breath. One more check point to go.

Faith Inspiration: Light and Shadow

Winter can be hard on many of us. If it isn’t the cold or the snow, the gray gloom can be overwhelming. Speaking from the perspective of a Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferer, I know how day after day of gray sky can tap our our energy, and our joy. My thoughts often become shadowed and cloudy. Brain fog is a real thing, and I find trying to make decisions or be creative during these long, gloom filled days will likely not produce anything more than moans and groans.

Image by Peter H from Pixabay

God, however, is always at work. His creativity never lessens, and certainly His ability to transport us from those shadowed areas to His Kingdom of Light is always available.

For me, Faith Inspiration comes from numerous places. The Bible is certainly the main thing that bolsters my faith. It is God’s truth and it changes and transforms us. Music, movies, books, and listening to other Godly preachers, or teachers can inspire my faith to grow. Many times, for me, faith is inspired by something as simple as sun and blue sky, especially after many days of gray clouds.

Today as I was sitting by the window in our living room hemming a few thrifted items I got to send to my mom, I was basking in the knowledge that the sun was shining. As much as I wanted to be out in it, I was just thankful I could see it. I was a witness to the miracle of God’s amazing Creation. He put the sun in place and created the planets to revolve around it. The sun is the center of our universe, and only our little jewel of a planet is just the right distance from it to support life.

Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

It wasn’t until I was writing this that I realized the beautiful truth of the physical miracle God put into place. Everything in His creation has a purpose. The sun is not just a source of light and heat for us, but a burning analogy of God’s own Son our Lord Jesus. He is the center of our faith. He is the light of the world.

“12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ”

— John 8:12 (NASB 1995)

Without our physical sun our world would become dark, and cold. So dark and cold that all life would eventually cease. If you know anything at all about our water cycle, and the cycle of plants, you know that all of these things work together to sustain life, from the production of oxygen, to the use of our exhaled waste - CO2, to the production of potable water for all the plants, animals and people. Each of these miracles God set into motion for our benefit.

Without Jesus, life is dark and cold. Sure you can find all sorts of things, people and philosophies to fill up that dark, cold, but in the end only Jesus can completely fill and make whole. It is the fire of the gospel that takes our lives and makes them energized. It is the center of our faith, Jesus, who enables us to grow and move from darkness to light.

If, Jesus is the center of our faith, and He is the light of the world, what about all the darkness? What about the evil that persists on our planet? How can a good God allow the suffering and devastation going on all around the globe? The answer to that is sin. Sin marred the perfect relationship God was to have with His creation, and in a similar way our misuse and abuse of our planet has taken it from a literal paradise, to a planet feeling the pangs of childbirth and longing for it to be over.

“20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

— Romans 8:20-22 (NASB 1995)

We would never know the true beauty of the light, if we never faced times of darkness. I talk more about the necessity of darkness in a previous blog post - When Darkness Comes - Part 1: The Light. We do not have to live in a world without light or the heat of the sun. We also do not have to live in a world without the Son of God. We have His love, His forgiveness and His revelation.

While it is hard on those gray days to remember the sun is still out there, bringing light, if not actual sunshine for every day, I know it is because of God’s grace and mercy that I can enjoy daylight. Those gloomy days also remind me to be thankful for the light of Christ. His light and truth will always warm me from the inside out.

Wonderful Words of Life: Come!

Fatigue, it is like an old friend; you know the kind, the one who lingers in your house when you really wish they would head home and give you your space. I don’t know about you, but my husband coined the phrase “existential fatigue”, and it often seems appropriate. Existential fatigue is fatigue to the very cellular level. In other words, the fatigue of existence.

Before you start to worry, being existentially fatigued does not mean we are looking for a way to end our lives. My spouse and I struggle, but not to the point where we are ready to throw away what the God of the Universe has given us. We are just very tired. Tired of things being hard. Tired of always having to struggle. Tired of family issues, church issues, national issues, and issues on a global scale.

Existence is akin to a caterpillar firmly encased in its self bound cocoon coming in to the knowledge of its imminent change and beginning to feel the need to stretch, and reach, and grow, and fly. Perhaps the caterpillar turning into a butterfly at some point begins to panic, recognizing the tiny, dark, cave which lovingly embraces it is now holding it too tightly. It must move on. It must move to its glorified state. It must become exactly what it was meant to be.

Image by sparkielyle from Pixabay

When we become Christ followers we become attuned to the disconnect that the world has from its creator. This is due to sin. A once perfect world, became imperfect when Adam and Eve believed the lies of the serpent, and not the truths of the Creator. Immediately, the created began to place itself above the One who created. The result was not just evil in the world we live, but the ripple effect of that evil: hatred, lies, selfishness, perversion, murder, adultery, manipulation and toxic behavior. The list is long, and all of this lends to that existential fatigue that we feel.

Paul understood this dichotomy we feel; this pull to stay and live life here, and the pull to go and be with Jesus, to get out of our tiny cocoon and soar.

Image by Steve Crowhurst from Pixabay

“21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. ”

— Philippians 1:21-24 (NASB)

As a Christian is it wrong for us to feel existentially fatigued? I don’t think so. In fact, I think Jesus knew we would all get to those points where we just felt we couldn’t go on. That brings us to our Wonderful Words of Life.

“28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””

— Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB 1995)

I believe I have talked about this on my faith page before (see Our Need for Rest - Part 1), but Scripture is living and active. It never grows old or tiresome. A passage we have looked at for years may suddenly leap off the page, grab us around the neck and shake us furiously. When this happens we must ask ourselves, why this, why now? Let’s take a closer look.

Come to Me - Jesus isn’t telling us to go to a sleep therapist, a personal trainer, or a counselor, He is calling us to come to Him. Why is this important? Because, not only does Christ know us better than any other living soul on the planet, He is the One who has the power and ability to do something about what we are going through.

…all who are weary and heavy-laden - That pretty much sums up where most of the world is. We are existentially fatigued and overwhelmed by all the burdens living in this fleshly world places upon us.

,,,and I will give you rest. - Jesus tells us straight He will give us rest. He is the One who can make all the difference in our lives.

Image by 2211438 from Pixabay

Take my yoke upon you… - What does Christ mean here. We aren’t oxen are we, that we should have an actual physical yoke placed upon us? No, however, Christ is making an important point. It is easier for a pair of oxen to plow a field in tandem, than for one ox to plow alone. The yoke is a necessary connector between the pair of beasts. Without it, one or both oxen would simple walk away, or just stand still, stubbornly refusing to do the work.

…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, - When farmers train a new or younger ox to plow a field they will put in in a yoke with an older or more experienced team member. The young, inexperienced ox learns how to work with the older ox making their burden much easier, and their job much more efficient.

Jesus wants us to learn from Him. He is a gentle and kind master. He is not a know it all (though he does know it all). He never makes us feel less than by berating us and whipping us because we stupidly keep trying to go a different direction. He gently shows us the ropes. He speaks to us and reminds us of our value and worth.

…and you will find rest for your souls… - By working with Christ, leaning into His sufferings, learning to hear His voice and believing what He says, we will find rest for our souls. What wonderful words are these, that my existentially tired being will find rest, right down to the molecular and spiritual level,

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

For My yoke is easy and My burden light. I don’t know about you, but I get the feeling that Christ is actually bearing more of the load than we are. He brings us into sync with Him, not so we can go out into the world to walk alone, but so we can go out with Him at our side. This burden of being a Christ follower becomes much easier when we are yoked with our Savior.

If you are feeling existentially tired, realize you are not alone. All your fellow Christ followers get it, but even more important, our Savior knows exactly what we need. When Jesus says, “Come,” go!

Faith Inspiration: Creation in the Fall

There are so many things that can inspire our faith, from music and sermons, to podcasts and movies, but nothing inspires my faith and my relationship with God more than His beautiful creation. I love living in an area that has all four seasons because each one comes dressed in natural finery that no fashion diva could ever mimic. Whether it be the sun and surf of the summer time, the changing leaves of the fall, the pristine white of a first winter snowfall or the greening of spring, God’s creation boasts of a mighty, loving and artistic Creator.

Here in the midwest, the leaves are beginning their yearly change, turning from all manner of green to pale yellow, fiery red, blazing orange, soft peach, and even alluring burgundy. This year, the colors don’t seem quite as vibrant as they did last year in 2022, but the leaves still change and eventually fall; a truth that is as real and solid as the truths in God’s word.

“1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.”

— Psalm 19:1-6 (NIV)

Psalm 19 has always been one of my favorite passages and I find myself often quoting the first two verses when I am out in the woods, or watching a fabulous sunset. The psalmist knew God. He had a personal knowledge of Him and he could see that in God’s creation.

If we look closely at these verses we see that God gave His creation the ability to communicate, not only with their Creator, but with humanity. Even though they do not have voices like we do, the flowers of the field, the majestic mountains, the running rivers all have the ability to proclaim, speak, and reveal knowledge. In fact, their voice goes into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Think about that. My words reach a few people. Government leaders might reach a broader audience, and those who are known in many countries an even larger population, but when God’s creation speaks it can be heard by anyone, anywhere who will listen.

To help understand this idea let me give you an example from my own life. My husband and I have a place about an hour and fifteen minutes from where we live that we like to go to for a hike. It’s actually a wildlife area with hunting year round, and fishing during the summer months. There is a great trail that goes around the main lake and is about 2.5 miles long. Perfect for a leisurely stroll. Sometimes we take a picnic lunch along, and find a log to sit on by the lake as we eat. That is where the first picture above was taken.

We went for a hike about two weeks ago and the leaves were just beginning to change, but as usual, I took my phone and snapped a few pictures because I always enjoy capturing the beautiful colors.

As I began to think about the leaves in all their different stages and hues of color change, I began to think about humanity. We are all so very different, but we are all God’s creation. All of us are going through the process of change.

Some of us may change gracefully, easily allowing God to work and bring the change about. These remain soft and pliable to the will of God.

Others change in small spurts, often stubbornly bending to God’s desire in their lives. A little rough around the edges they learn to love Jesus without abandon.

Still others, go through great difficulty as God allows change to color them differently than others. Sometimes these leathery individuals have the deepest knowledge and understanding of who God is.

This is just one way creation can inspire an individual. Has your faith been inspired by God’s creation? I would love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments below. Please share, so others can hear how God has worked in your life.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Faith Inspiration - Be Thou My Vision

This hymn has been inspiring Christ followers for over one thousand years. Originally an Old Irish hymn, the song was translated into English by Mary E. Byrne in 1905, and put into verses by Eleanor H. Hull. (Information take from Hymnary.org).

“1 Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art;
be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.

2 Be Thou my Wisdom, be Thou my true Word;
be Thou ever with me and I with Thee, Lord;
be Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
be Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3 Be Thou my Breastplate, my Sword for the fight;
be Thou my whole Armor, be Thou my true Might;
be Thou my soul’s Shelter, be Thou my strong Tow’r,
O raise Thou me heav’nward, great Pow’r of my pow’r.

4 Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
be Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart,
O High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

5 High King of heaven, Thou heaven’s bright Sun,
O grant me its joys, after vict’ry is won;
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be Thou my Vision, O Ruler of all.”

— Be Thou My Vision - Psalms and Hymns to the Living God (From Hymnary.org)

I think this is a beautiful hymn, and one that is rarely sung. Some may say it sounds like a dirge, but I like the lilting, Celtic style music. Let’s take a look at it verse by verse.

Image by Joe from Pixabay

Verse 1 - The writer of the hymn pleads with God to be his vision. He wants God to consume him. He recognizes his own struggle with the flesh and realizes that God’s thoughts are his best thoughts in the day and the night. He desires God be his light.

As we saw last week, our struggle with the flesh is ongoing, but if God is our vision, we can and will have victory, and we will continually be in His light.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

— Matthew 6:33 (NASB 1995)

Image by Thomas Wolter from Pixabay

Verse 2 - The author not only wants God to be his Vision, but to be His true word and to dwell in him, and he in Him, always. He recognizes that God is his Father, and he is His son.

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

— John 14:3 (NASB 1995)

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”

— John 14:23 (NASB 1995)

“15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

— Romans 8:15-17 (NASB 1995)

God dwells with us if we love Him and keep His word. He is our heavenly Father, and we are His children. Being His children means we are heirs with Christ. We are children of the King!

Image by Donna Kirby from Pixabay

Verse 3 - He knows God is his breastplate, his sword, his FULL armor, his might, his shelter, his tower and his power. His desire is to be raised “heavenward”. This may have had two connotations. It may have referred to his mindset, his thoughts and desires, but it also may have been the longing for finally being home with his Savior.

“13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

— Ephesians 6:13-17 (NASB 1995)

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe.”

— Psalm 18:10 (NASB 1995)

“4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ”

— Ephesians 2:4-6 (NASB 1995)

Image by NikolayF.com from Pixabay

Verse 4 - In this verse the author recognizes God is all he needs. He doesn’t run after riches. He doesn't seek the praise of men. He knows the “High King of Heaven” is the only treasure he needs.

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;”

— Matthew 6:20 (NASB 1995)

Image by Tim Hill from Pixabay

Verse 5 - The last verse is a final stand on the foundation of all that is God:

High King of Heaven

Heaven’s bright Sun

Great Heart of my own heart

Ruler of all

God is all these things and more that we cannot comprehend with our finite minds. The author knows that all his joy and all his victory our found in Christ. He also desires that no matter what happens he would keep God as his Vision.

“O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.”

— Psalm 98:1 (NASB 1995)

“...but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

— I Corinthians 15:57 (NASB 1995)

On a personal note, I have always loved this hymn. When I gave my life to Jesus at the age of 12, I knew I wanted it to be for keeps. I wanted Him to be foremost and forever my vision. Unfortunately, ever since that age I have struggled in that desire. My vision is often clouded by doubts, fears, and failures. My eyes often wander to things that might satisfy my flesh such as food, clothes, or fictional worlds.

The counselor I am currently going to said it is absolutely normal to have set backs in life. The difference comes in how long I choose to stay in the setback mindset. The phrase “begin again”, is a mantra we all can put into play. As long as I have breathe I will begin again. I will place my eyes back on His face and know His amazing grace. I will say again, “Be Thou my Vision.”

Mulling it Over - Romans 8:9-11

In this series we are looking at the eighth chapter of Romans. It is commonly believed that Paul’s letter to the church at Rome was written from Corinth and was written to provide guidance and encouragement. The church in Rome was probably rather large and had been established early on after Pentecost. Today we are going to unpack Romans 8:9-11, only 3 verses, but a lot of information.

Image by Abstract Vibe from Pixabay

“9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

— Quote Source

Let’s take this a verse at a time.

Verse 9 - The emphasis here is that the individuals being written to are believers. They already have the Spirit of Christ. Paul reminds them they are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. From reading other writings of Paul and even in this letter, we know there were plenty of false teachers around, and in turn false believers.

How can someone be a false believer in Christ? For an answer to that we have to look at the Parable of the Sower and the Seeds.

“3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;
4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.
6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.
8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear.””

— Matthew 13:3-9 (NASB 1995)

Image by Florian Pircher from Pixabay

From this parable we learn that the seed, which represents the Word of God, can have four outcomes after it is sown:

1 - It can be eaten up by birds, meaning those who hear it have no interest at all.

2 - It can fall on rocky soil, where it takes root, but because it has no depth it withers away, meaning those who heard it, took it to heart, but in never took deep root, and as soon as the camp high is over they forget about it.

3 - It can fall among thorns, and the thorns take over and choke it out. I am unsure with this one whether the seed actually developed at all, or if it never has a chance, because the thorns, or the cares of life, difficulties and struggles overpower its development.

4 - It can fall on good soil where it takes root and grows and yields a crop one hundred fold. These seeds take root in a person’s heart who is truly searching for the truth and here they grow, and grow, and eventually they deliver the word to others, and so on.

Which of these would you say is the person in whom God’s Spirit dwells? Remember the word dwell means to abide or take up residence. Are you a person in whom God’s Spirit dwells?

Going back to verse 9 of our Roman’s passage. Pauls continues, “…if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” It is important to know whose spirit we have allowed to take up residence in us. If it isn’t God’s spirit, then it is Satan’s, there is no middle ground.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Verse 10 - In this verse the emphasis is on Christ’s part. “If Christ is in you…” Once again, Paul is reiterating the importance of knowing Christ and of inviting Him in to dwell with you. It is Jesus Christ who took us from death to life. It is only through Him that we are able to be righteous.

You can be a good person doling out kindness, love, generosity, and helps, but still be dead in your sins. Remember:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

— Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB 1995)

Image by D. from Pixabay

Verse 11 - The truth is driven home once again, if God’s Spirit is in us, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, then He will give life to our mortal bodies. This work is done in the afterlife, through His Spirit, but it is also done in this life. There is never one more alive, than the one who is in complete communion with his/her God.

Speaking from my own experience, I know the days that I give to Him, and the days I spend time with Him are the days I have focus, energy and joy. Unfortunately, so often I don’t do this. I roll out of bed feeling fatigued, and I think about doing some exercise, and spending time with God in His word, but it doesn’t happen. I get distracted by my phone, or my spouse, or the dishes that are still sitting in the sink, or my grocery list and on and on it goes.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

If there is only one thing in life I need to do better, it is this: living in His Spirit. I need to allow Him to consume me and give me the gift of His presence every single moment of every single day.

Relentless - Part 4: The Pursuer - The Prince

He paced the floor, as he often did when things weighed heavily on him. He could feel the cool night air filtering in from the open doors that led to the balcony. He could smell the fire as it flickered brightly, seemingly without a care in the world. There were moments he wished he could be that free, but he cared too deeply.

Image by Jazella from Pixabay

He could not get her off his mind. She was his sister. She had become thus when she gave her heart to his father in the oath; an oath that could not be undone. Why did she not want to return to them? Why did she run away in the first place? Why did she not see how much they cared for her and wanted her to come home? Didn’t she know how her actions tore at his father’s heart? Didn’t she know the shadowed ones were always looking for an opportunity to destroy her?

The more he meditated on it, the faster he paced.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.

“Come!”

His father entered. His face, always alight with passion and energy, was shadowed with care.

“Father! Do you have news? Has Laney returned?”

His father moved to the plush, oversized chair near the fireplace and fell into it with a sigh.

He quickly took the other chair next to his father and waited. It was never wise to push the King for information. He knew him like he knew himself. The King would speak when he was ready. The fire grew dim before the King finally spoke.

“These next few weeks are critical. While she cannot see it, she has crossed into their territory. They will take advantage of every single bad choice she makes. It will be dangerous for her. I need you to post a small company of the Guard around her. They are to watch and keep the darkness at bay, but not interfere.”

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

“Father! Why can’t we just pull her out? Why must we let this go on, leaving her to her own will; watching her dive deeper and deeper into destruction?”

“You know why, my son. Her will is strong. Almost as strong as yours.” The king smiled gently. “But you used your will to accomplish my purposes. She is not there yet. It must be her choice. To take her back by force will only cause her to rebel more earnestly. Believe me, I know her inside and out.”

The king rose from the chair and he followed suit.

His father grasped his shoulders. “I know how hard this is for you. You have been there living among them as one of their own. You are intimate with their limitations and struggles, but you know I am trustworthy. You placed yourself at my behest, even though it involved great sacrifice.”

Image by KTDesign_studio from Pixabay

He looked intently into his father’s golden eyes. He saw what he always did. Mercy, patience, forgiveness, and a love so deep it was unfathomable.

He nodded. “I know, father. You are right. I know that she is there by her own choice, but it pains me to see her suffer.”

“You are not alone in that, my son.” He turned to go. “When you are done gathering the Guard, go to Arabella. Together you can pray.”

Wonderful Words of Life - Information or Transformation: Part 2

Last week I shared a quote from D. L. Moody.

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”

— D. L. Moody

Image by Gerhard Bögner from Pixabay

The reason I started with this last week under my Faith Inspiration column was due to the fact that a single quote like this one can be so inspiring, and can cause us to look deeply into God’s word. I fleshed out the idea of our part in our own transformation, by choosing to read, study and meditate on God’s word. This week I wanted to discuss God’s part in the transformative process. To me those words about His power and work in our lives are wonderful words. Let’s dive in.

Image by Jimmy Lau from Pixabay

Last week I used the analogy of a butterfly to explain our part in the transformation process. We know God is the one who gave the butterfly the ability to transform, but the insect itself has to make the cocoon and push it’s way out once the transformation is complete.

This week I want to use the transformation of leaves in the fall as the analogy for God’s part in the transformative process. A deciduous tree goes through the process of leaf change every fall. As the weather cools, the tree gets less sunlight and in turn the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, leaving behind other pigments like yellow and orange. A few trees go through a chemical change where sugar gets trapped in the leaves producing new pigments called anthocyanin which are typically red. (Information from Smithsonian’s online article Why Do Leaves Change Colors in the Fall?)

This transformative process in trees is a process the Creator of the tree put in place. It is something that He instilled in the tree with the idea that as the season changes from summer to fall, the tree will begin that transformation. The tree doesn’t go to the mall and pick out a new gown to wear to the Autumn ball, the tree transforms as God makes it happen.

Image by 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day from Pixabay

While the transformation in our walk with Him happens in part by our choosing to study and know Him more deeply, our complete redemption, justification and sanctification is the work of God. Let’s review those two passages.

“20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

— Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB 1995)

When we die, or when Jesus comes again, we will receive new, transformed bodies. Our humble state of living in the flesh will be brought into conformity with His glory. Revelation 21 says there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and that there will be no more death, crying, mourning or pain. The old will be passed away.

Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay

“15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

— 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 (NASB 1995)

This next passage reconfirms this idea that the transformation comes from the Lord. The physical Israelites were unable to truly understand the prophecies in the Old Testament, because they were unable to accept that Jesus was the fulfillment of those prophecies, thus the veil that still lies over their hearts. However, whoever turns to and believes in the work that Jesus did through His death and resurrection, Jew or Gentile, he/she has the veil removed and they are filled with the Holy Spirit receiving liberty.

Having the veil removed we are able to see the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into that same image, the image of Christ, from glory to glory. It is from the Lord; a work that He set into motion and accomplishes by His Spirit.

Going back to our beautiful trees, we see that they are transformed from glory to glory. The beauty of their starkness in the winter is now being transformed into the newness as the greening of spring is taking place. However, their true beauty does not compare until their leaves begin to die in the fall. That is when the hidden mysteries of their Creator are fully known. We will not fully know, until we meet Him face to face.

“12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

— 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NASB 1995)

The fact that God is transforming us into the image of His beloved Son, so that one day we will be glorified, just as He is glorified gives me hope. I hope it does for you as well.

Have a great weekend!

Faith Inspiration - Information or Transformation: How We View the Bible

Today’s post is going to be divided into two parts with the next part falling next week under my Wonderful Words of Life post.

Dwight Lyman Moody was an American evangelist who founded Moody Church, Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishing company, all based in Chicago, IL. Moody gave up his shoe and boot business to invest himself in the revivalist movement. His dynamic and fiery speaking style drew large crowds in both the United State and the British Isles.

Rather than try to dissect an entire sermon, I want to talk about the inspiration we can draw from just one of Moody’s quotes.

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.”

— D. L. Moody

Image by simardfrancois from Pixabay

Most of us are familiar with the transformation butterflies and moths go through. Starting out as a caterpillar, the little beastie will eat him or herself plump, then build a cocoon around themselves. Over a period of time the caterpillar will slowly change or transform into an entirely different bug with legs, antennae, and wings.

When we allow the Bible to transform us, God is changing us from one being into another. Where once we lived in the flesh, we begin to live in the Spirit. Where once we were in darkness, we are now in the light. Where once we were enslaved, now we are free.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

— Romans 12:2 (NASB 1995)

“15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

— 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 (NASB 1995)

“20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

— Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB 1995)

Image by Kei Rothblack from Pixabay

From these three sets of verses we witness two types of transformation: the kind that we have control over and the kind that God has control over. This week we will look at transformation we control.

1 - Transformation we Control

Romans 12:2 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.How do we achieve this sort of transformation? We achieve it by allowing God’s word to permeate and change the way that we think. How can this be? I can read all sorts of books, magazines, and articles but they don’t necessarily change the way I think; or if they do it is a temporary fix until the next fad comes along. Biblical transformation has to do not only with the author and the reader, but with the vitality of the words themselves.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

— Hebrews 4:12 (NASB 1995)

The Bible states of itself that it is living and active. Obviously, this is not some magical spell, it is the natural outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the words of the Almighty God. We come into an understanding of this outpouring of living words when we give our hearts to Christ. That is why the Bible seems like stuff and nonsense to those who read it without the pulling and pouring of God’s Spirit.

However, this kind of transformation only takes place as we allow God’s word to change us. We can liken it to being a caterpillar in a cocoon. Just as the butterfly must push its way out of its flossy sleep we too must wrestle, and meditate, and study to wake ourselves from our sleep of mediocrity. If we approach God’s word with an open heart and an inquiring mind, really wanting to know what God is try to teach us, then we will see ourselves being transformed from the old beast into an enchanted creature meant to fly.

Next week we will continue our look at how we view the Bible and learn about the beauty of the ever transforming God. I hope you’ll join me.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Faith Inspiration - The Prayers of Paul

After the death of my father-in-law back in December, a good friend sent me a paper filled with handwritten paragraphs that a friend of hers, had given her when she was going through a difficult time. At the top of the page it says, Paul’s Prayers.

These are some of Paul’s prayers for the body of believers; those he had met on his journeys through out Syria, Asia, Macedonia and finally Italy, where he was imprisoned and later killed in Rome. All throughout his ministry, Paul was never concerned for himself. His concerns lay in lifting up of the name of Jesus, preaching the Gospel, and in the unity and building up of the Christ Ones.

I have read these prayers many times as I am typically reading and rereading the letters of Paul, but I don’t always focus on the prayers. More often I am focusing on the parts that show me what I should be doing. This is an unfortunate habit that most of us as Christians get into. We concentrate on the doing, rather than the Being - the person of the Lord Jesus Christ - and all that He has done and wants to do for us.

As you can see from the highlighting on the paper, I decided to really look and mull over these prayers of the Apostle Paul. We all know how important the words of Jesus are, and the high priestly prayer (John 17) that He prays for those who were following, and who would be following Him in the future. Paul’s prayers are important too, and are so adept at reminding us of who Christ is, and who we are in His sight.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

I want to share one of these prayers with you today as not only a source of encouragement, but a source of inspiration to remember whose we are.

“9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”

— Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB 1995)

What I have been doing with each of these prayers of Paul is to write them out, but write them as though praying for myself. We need to pray for ourselves. Why do we think that is something that is selfish, or unreasonable? Yes, God commands us to pray for others, but He also commands us to pray without ceasing. I am sure some of that time can and should be used to pray for ourselves. This is my prayer:

I pray this according to Colossians 1:9-12 - I pray that you would fill me with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I pray this in order that I may live a life that is worthy of You, and may please You in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of You; strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might so I might have GREAT endurance (all steadfastness) and patience; joyfully giving thanks to You who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in (the Kingdom of ) Light. (This last phrase was handwritten including the Kingdom of - we can assume from other knowledge of the scriptures the saints are not just in the Light, but in the Kingdom of God also known as the Kingdom of Light).

Image by Michael Kleinsasser from Pixabay

Using these four Scriptures to pray over myself had an incredible affect on me. It made something, that I might have otherwise glossed over, come alive. It reminded me of several key points:

1 - God gives us knowledge of His will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. One thing I often heard when I was a younger Christian was, how do I know God’s will for my life. Simply put, God reveals His will as we grow in our spiritual wisdom and understanding. We aren’t going to learn His will from reading novels or watching our favorite shows. We learn his will as we gain spiritual wisdom and understanding.

2 - In having this spiritual wisdom and understanding we A) Walk in a manner worthy of Him, B) Bear fruit in every good work, and C) Increase in our knowledge of God. This makes sense and hopefully doesn’t need to be explained.

3 - God strengthens us with all power according to His glorious might. He gives us strength with all power, not just a tiny bit of power, but all of it. God doesn’t do things half way! Not only does He strengthen us with all power, He does it according to His glorious might. This is the same might we see that raises Jesus from the dead. (Ephesians 1:18-23)

4 - God gives us this power so that we might be able to endure, and have patience. Wow! How cool is that? We have His power, all of His power, so we can keep going through the difficulties and do it with patience. This really speaks to me. With all the issues I have been having over the last two years, I can say it has only been His power that has given me the ability to patiently endure. Is it easy? No! Not at all, but it is truth, and His truth is all that matters.

5 - We can joyfully give thanks, because of what follows this phrase - He has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in (the Kingdom of) light. There is no denying this spiritual and scriptural truth: we are children of the King. Being a child of royalty means I have all the resources of the Kingdom at my fingertips. I partake of those resources as I clasp my hands together in humility and thank Him for them.

I hope you are inspired by Paul’s prayers as much as I am. Have a great week!

Faith Inspiration - There Was Jesus by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton

I grew up every Saturday night watching Hee Haw with my mom and dad. If you have never seen Hee Haw click on the link to see a trailer for a disc collection. It will give you a taste of the silly humor and country music vibe that the show put forth each week. In addition to Roy Clark and Buck Owens there were always country music stars including Dolly Parton who made regular appearances from 1970 to 1975.

Being a rock and roll girl, I wasn’t into country music all that much, and I think I watched Hee Haw with my mom and dad more as a way to have something to do on a Saturday night. I enjoyed the silly comedy skits and jokes even more than the music, but still it holds a place in my memories and therefore I do like certain country music songs.

Though this song came out in 2019 I didn’t come across it until the last year or so. Zach Williams has his own story of redemption, which you can read a snippet of on his official website. I have learned that many songs I was familiar with from listening to my Christian radio station were songs done by him. It wasn’t until recently that I took a closer look at the artist and his music.

I chose the lyric video rather than the official music video because I wanted you to see the words. Often, a song will spark our interest because of the music, but when it comes to Christian music I want to know what is being said. Some of the best theology in history came in the form of music known as hymns…The Old Rugged Cross, Up From the Grave He Arose, Silent Night, O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus and more.

Let’s look at a few phrases from There was Jesus.

“In the waiting, in the searching, in the healing and the hurting,
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces.

Every minute, every moment, of where I’ve been and where I’m going,
Even when I didn’t know it, or couldn’t see it.

There was Jesus.”

— There was Jesus - Zach Williams (& Dolly Parton)

These words ring true for all of us, and they are scripturally sound. Jesus said,

“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

— Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB 1995)

I love the connection here between the lyrics of the song and the Great Commission given by Christ to all who are called His disciples. We are called to make disciples. Disciples of ourselves? Disciples of whoever is in the political office? Disciples of the overpaid football player or the underpaid pastor? No! Disciples of Jesus. If we bear the name Christ One (Christian) we are commanded by our Lord and Savior to make disciples. We are to teach them to listen to and do what Jesus has commanded.

Many times I find myself thinking, but I am home alone all day, how can I make disciples? I can hardly talk right now due to sinus issues, how can I make disciples? Or maybe you are thinking, I am going through a divorce, how can I make disciples? I just lost my child, how can I make disciples? The answer is so simple:

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

“In the waiting, in the searching, in the healing and the hurting…”

We can make disciples because there was Jesus, going before us to prepare the way. There was Jesus present with us in the mess. There was Jesus coming along side in the difficulties. There was Jesus following after us as we moved forward thought grief and sadness. We make disciples by being real with the people around us and by being available to do whatever He asks us to do: sending a card to a grieving widow, inviting a friend you know is struggling out for coffee, or offering to babysit for a single mom.

Image by Marcin from Pixabay

“Every minute, every moment of where I’ve been and where I’m going, even when I didn’t know it or couldn’t see it…”

We don’t always know how our God is working, or why He leads us where He does, or allows the struggles that He does, but in those things He is. He is making us His disciples through His teaching, leading, loving, talking, and revelation of His truth, so that in turn we can make disciples who will follow Him.

“There was Jesus -

On the mountains, in the valleys,

Image by Sabine from Pixabay

There was Jesus -

In the shadows of the alleys,

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

There was Jesus -

In the fire, in the flood,

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

There was Jesus -

Always is and always was.”

Image by yueshuya from Pixabay

“And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Relentless - Part 1: The Pursued

The following piece and its subsequent installments are works of fiction created by myself as allegorical of the Christian life. As with any allegory it is a picture or type, more specifically in this case a picture of what our relationship with God might look like. The following parts will be posted monthly on the fourth Thursday as part of my Creative Christianity feature. I hope you will enjoy it.

He was coming for her. She didn’t know how she knew, but she knew. She tried to shake it off, telling herself she was being silly. Why would he still be pursuing her? She had left the smothering confines of his kingdom long ago. She was nothing to him, not any more. She had made sure of that.

Image by Christian_Birkholz from Pixabay

She smiled coyly at the bloke sitting at the end of the bar. He looked like a decent sort and maybe with a bit of change. She could tell by the sunglasses that sat on the top of his finely coiffed hair and the watch that shone loudly on his wrist.

“Buy me a drink?” She used her most innocent, yet seductive purr.

“Sure,” he responded with feigned enthusiasm. He sidled closer to where she sat.

She could tell he’d been here before. Not in this exact pub, but at this point in life. His wife or current lover had jilted him, leaving him for someone with fresher curb appeal. Just like her he was trying to find a small measure of comfort, even if just for a moment.

“I’d ask you what’s a nice girl like you doing in a dive like this, but I think we both know, neither of us is very nice.” His voice sounded tired.

She smiled. “My, my, a philosopher.”

He smirked, the corner of his mouth just barely rising before he lifted his glass in a mock toast towards hers. “How did you know? Was it my snarky response, or my academic attire that gave me away?”

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

She clinked her glass against his. “Definitely, the snark.”

They sank into a puddle of warm conversation, not really talking about anything, but also everything. He told her about his kids; she talked about her dogs. He shared the frustrations of the academic world, and she griped about the long hours she worked in the medical arena.

“So why are you here?” He asked. “You seem like a genuinely descent person? Don’t you have a family, friends, a significant other?”

The alcohol was beginning to make her feel odd. Her whole body was covered with goosebumps.

“Ooo, I feel weird. Hey you didn’t put something in my drink did you?” She looked at the professor, whose face looked concerned. “Hey, bartender! I need some help. I think this guy messed with my drink.”

The lights over the bar and around the pub began to flicker. She looked around the room and suddenly realized she and the bloke were the only ones in the room. She didn’t even see the bar tender, who was normally playing musical glasses as he cleaned and wiped down the counter.

“I feel it too,” the professor said quietly.

“Feel what?”

“A presence.” The man’s voice had become a subdued whisper.

Image by Robert Owen-Wahl from Pixabay

The lights went out, all except the blinking open sign in the window. The pub seemed to fill with moving shadows and sounds. She thought it sounded like many voices whispering, or were they hissing. She knew in her gut she needed to run, but she couldn’t.

“What have you done?” The man’s voice sounded befuddled.

Funny, it made her think of her mother asking her the same question when she had emptied a three pound bag of flour onto the living room floor.

The prof looked at her with wide eyes. “You are one of his. You have his seal.”

She jumped off the stool and away from him. “What? What are you talking about? I don’t belong to anyone! I’m my own person.”

The shadows in the room seemed to grow, almost taking on a three dimensional quality. Were they moving towards her?

“Then why are they here?” The bloke nodded towards the shadows.

“I assure you I don’t have any idea what they are, let alone why they are here.”

“Boy, you really are naive aren’t you. Everyone knows anyone who leaves his kingdom will be followed by the Shadowed Ones.”

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

She looked from the creeping shadows to the professor. “Well, I highly doubt that everyone has this information seeing as this is the first time I have heard of it.”

The bloke’s face became gentle and kind. “He wants you to come back. He never wanted you to leave. He loves you, Laney.”

Laney felt her jaw drop. “How do you know my name? I didn’t tell you my name.”

“Laney, he will never stop pursuing you. He cannot bear that you have left. He knows exactly who you are and what you need. Return to him.”

Laney shook her head. “NO! I can’t go back. It’s too late….this has to be a nightmare….maybe if I just close my eyes it will all disappear.”

The professor put a hand on her shoulder. Laney felt a different presence. Suddenly, an explosion of light forced her to close her eyes, but a force that could only be described as a tsunami of love swept passed her.

It was gone. She heard the tinkle of glasses, subdued voices and snippets of laughter surround her. Opening her eyes she found herself sitting at the bar. The bartender was busy wiping the counter. There were a few others at the bar, but the snarky professor had vanished.

The bartender approached. “Need another round, Laney?”

Laney looked at her empty glass. She took a deep shuddering breath. “Fill it up!”

Rebooting My Faith, and My Faith Page

Have you ever felt like you needed a reboot. For those of you who are Harry Potter fans, I have always thought it would be nice to have a magical pensieve like the one Professor Dumbledore had in his office. The pensieve was a magical basin of sorts where the Master of Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could siphon off some of his memories to be viewed at a later date. There are times my brain feels so cluttered up with day to day life, dealing with illness, and taking care of my family, that I don’t think about other things. As I have aged, I have also taken to making lists to remember all the things I need to do.

Image by indigoblues38 from Pixabay

The last two years have been difficult. I have had unexplained health issues since the spring of 2021. I am on my second antibiotic for the sinus infection I got in December. I had a CT scan on December 30th and when my ENT doctor contacted me, he said that there was still infection simmering. The amazing thing was for a whole month after finishing the first antibiotic I was feeling good. My taste and smell were back in full working order and I was not having anything more than my typical sinus drainage. When we got home after my father-in-law’s funeral I got a call from the doctor and he said, I want you on another antibiotic. I told him I was feeling good and would rather not do the antibiotic. He agreed since I have a follow up appointment with him this month. By the next day, my sinuses were all inflamed, my throat was scratchy and I was very fatigued; the exact symptoms of my first go round. I sent the office a message and I was on this new medicine by that afternoon.

Image by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pixabay

There are times we need to just process. With the death of my father-in-law, I could see that 2023 was not starting off any further ahead than the last two years. However, I feel as though I have a new purpose and drive. Over the last two years, I have felt the pull of God to dig into His word and to have fellowship with other women who are also desiring to move deeper into the layers that are God. He provided my Saturday morning Zoom Bible Study and I also meet once a week via Zoom with a young lady in California who teaches Bible in her spare time. These women have, and continue to inspire me to move closer to the Almighty. My desire is to do the same thing for you.

This year I would like to organize my blog a little better and have given a bit of an outline of what that will look like for Fashion on that page. I would like to do a similar thing on my Faith page. I want to bring you, not just my own thoughts on Faith, but the wisdom and insights of others as well. More than anything I want you to grow a drive to know and love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). A relationship with Christ, His Father and the Holy Spirit makes all the difference in maneuvering this mess we call life.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

To mimic my Fashion page, I want to have a plan for more organized content for my Faith posts. The following are tentative. The reason I say that, is because I still want to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit for what each week holds. There may be times where I need to spend a whole month on a certain passage of Scripture, or on a topic. However, this is what I was thinking:

1st. Thursday - Mulling It Over - a look at a portion of Scripture, a brief background and then ruminating on what it says to us.

2nd. Thursday - Faith Inspiration - drawing inspiration from other sources from teachers or preachers, to books and even music.

3rd. Thursday - Words of Life - looking specifically at passages or verses in the Bible that give encouragement. This would include many of the promises of God, His character, and who we are in His eyes.

4th. Thursday - Creative Christianity - this will be a place for my own creative writing, whether it be from journals, allegories, prose or poetry.

5th. Thursday (once every few months) - Topics - this will be a space for discussing some of the hard bits of walking the Christian life with a look at loving when it is hard, agreeing to disagree, religion or relationship and other things that come to mind. (Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see discussed under these topics.)

If you have been following me for a while, you know my faith in Jesus is real and important. Part of my sharing this blog with you is to let you know you are not alone. Just because I speak a good message, or have on a cute outfit doesn’t mean I don’t struggle. Just as the sufferings of Christ are ours to partake of, I want my struggles and difficulties to be out there for you to partake of as well. Suffering in unity is very important to growing and to living a life without bitterness.

I am excited about where this year is going to take this little blog, so I want your prayers more than ever. The enemy is real and he doesn’t want us to share life with each other. He thrives on isolation, manipulation and deceit. Please know, you are important to me, so if you ever have a prayer request shoot me an email and I will pray for you.

I hope you have a fantastic rest of your week and weekend. Be sure to check back next week for new content.