The book of Acts is filled with conversion stories. One such story that I'm sure you're familiar with is the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. In the story (true account, not fable), the eunuch is in a chariot reading from the book of Isaiah, except he doesn't understand what he's reading. He asks Philip if the prophet was talking about himself or about someone else. From that point, Philip starts "preaching Jesus" to the eunuch.
What makes this account so 'famous' is that it is in this setting that eunuch offers what we often call the 'good confession'. He tells Philip, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37b). However, I think in all the years that we've studied this verse, we've overlooked a key phrase. Prior to this great moment, after hearing the gospel proclaimed, the eunuch says to Philip, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" and Philip answers him and says, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." (Acts 8:36-37a)
Recently, when re-reading this account, those four words stuck out to me in a way they never have before. You see, Philip doesn't simply say, in response to being asked if the eunuch can be baptized, "if you believe you may." Instead he says, if you believe with all your heart, you may.
So what does believing with all of your heart look like? Today, I submit to you that it looks like this:
Believing with all your heart means keeping Jesus' commandments. In John 14:15 Jesus says, "If you love me keep My commandments". He goes on to say in verse 21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me."
We know that baptism is the act that puts us into the church (Acts 2:47). Baptism is the point that we come in contact with the blood of Jesus and are thus saved by it (Rom. 6). But, baptism isn't an end-all event. From that point, it is imperative that the now-child of God live faithfully, for it is only then that he/she will receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Living faithfully means abiding by the commandments that our Savior (the one whose blood cleanses us) has established.
It is not enough to say, "I want to be saved, can I be baptized?" Instead, when deciding that we want to put on Christ in baptism, we are deciding to dedicate our lives to faithful, obedient service. Had the eunuch half-heartedly believed that Jesus was the Christ, and only wanted to be baptized as a one-time sign that he believed, I fully believe that Philip would have done some more teaching. Why? Because there is so much more to being a Christian, a disciple of the Lord, than the initial act of baptism. It is a commitment to faithfully serving the one you have chosen as Lord of your life.
James said in James 2:18-20, "But someone will say, 'you have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?"
It is not enough to simply believe in Jesus. Instead, we must believe with all our heart, which will produce a change in our lives. It will demand obedience to not some, but all of the commands that our Lord has given to us--even (and especially) the ones that are hard for us to adhere to.
Being a true disciple, a saved member of the Lord's body, is all about whole-hearted service. The eunuch couldn't have a half-hearted belief and be saved, and we cannot either. To the church at Laodicea, Jesus said, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." (Rev. 3:15-16). Philip knew that Jesus didn't want half-hearted, lukewarm disciples, and that is why he told the eunuch he could become a Christian if, and only if, he was prepared for whole-hearted service to the Son of God.
So why is this a Tough Stuff Tuesday post? Because mediocre Christianity is on the rise! Part-time, half-hearted Christianity is a growing epidemic, and yet we know there is no such thing as a part-time Christian. James said that you are either a friend of God or you are an enemy (James 4:4). Think about yourself today. Have you been following Jesus with your whole heart? Because that's what it takes. If not, decide to give your entire self over to Jesus, either through baptism (if you are not a Christian) or by rededicating your entire life to One whose body you were baptized into.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
An Anxiety-Ridden Society
Why are we anxious? Why do we spend our time obsessing over things that may come to be or have happened in the past that we can't change? Anxiety is a very real temptation to most people in every age group (see this list of temptations by generation courtesy of Chris Clevenger's blog). Today, let's examine why it matters, and why we really need to stop.
In my previous post on the subject, I listed a few ways that we can replace worry in our lives with something else. Today, I want to talk about why we need to stop worrying, even though it will be extremely difficult to do.
The apostle Paul wrote to the brethren at Philippi and said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6)." Why is it that when this same apostle says "abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thess. 4:3)", we take that as a command and implement it into our daily lives, and yet when he says, "don't be anxious", we say 'I can't quit!'.
Previously, we have talked about complaining, and why the Bible tells us that we shouldn't: "that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil.2:15)." Could this not be one of the same reasons that we shouldn't worry?
Think about it this way: the Bible calls us to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are told not to be conformed (Rom. 12:1-2), but instead to be transformed by renewing our minds--by changing the way we think. Anxiety and worry are mind sins. They are things that we can do, rather frequently, without anyone else knowing about them. And yet, these things manifest themselves in other areas, such as making us physically sick, making us rant about them on Facebook, or making us talk about them constantly with others. These latter characteristics are ones that, I don't know about you, but I constantly see from people of the world. They obsess over things that are out of their control, they make themselves sick worrying over what might happen in the future (never considering God may not give them that time).
As Christians, if we stop putting our faith and trust in God Almighty and start worrying and obsessing over things in our lives, we are looking exactly like the world. And what was it that Paul said to the Philippians? That Christians are to shine as lights in the world. They are to remain blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
It makes us crooked and perverse to behave like the world. From what Scripture tells us, the crooked and perverse will not be in heaven. If you read my blog regularly, then I know you want to be in heaven. I know that you know I want to be in heaven. That is why I have to stop worrying.
Jesus commanded it in Matthew 6, saying "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on." We all know that the way we show our love for God is by doing the things that He has commanded (1 John 2:3, 5:2-3). If Jesus has commanded that we not worry, and yet we worry all the time, are we showing that we love Him? Do we love Him?
Worry is one of those sins that is hard to overcome. Just a few days ago, I got in my head that something terrible would happen to Robert and me as we journey overseas in the coming months. But you know what I had to do? I had to stop, sit down, and pray to my Father about it. If I had a concern over my safety, who else could I go to but the One who watches over me, and everyone else, constantly? And since then? Well sure, there are times when those thoughts pop in my head, but I know that God will watch over me, and that if something were to happen to me, I would get to see my Father face to face.
Often times, we worry because we lack faith in God. So that thing you're worrying about comes to fruition! Are you still God's child? Then what is there to be bothered by? If you are worried about your safety and health, are you not confident in your salvation when you pass from this life? If you are worried about your bills being paid, are you not confident in Jesus' words that God will take care of our necessities? In whatever thing it is we worry about, we need to trust God more in that situation.
This week, let us all purpose in our hearts to beat worry. It is an ever-present temptation for me, and one that I must battle every single day. And yet, I know that all things are possible in Christ, and He will help me overcome all temptation so that I can get that crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
So, before you write that post on Facebook, think about how it makes you look. Does it look like a status the rest of the world would write, or does it seem different? Does it have confidence in the Creator and trust in His timing and plans? Before we tweet those 140 characters, let us make sure that we fully trust that all things are in God's hands. Before we do anything, let us pray that God will provide for our needs and take care of our insecurities, and that He will use us as a light to this crooked and perverse generation.
In my previous post on the subject, I listed a few ways that we can replace worry in our lives with something else. Today, I want to talk about why we need to stop worrying, even though it will be extremely difficult to do.
The apostle Paul wrote to the brethren at Philippi and said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6)." Why is it that when this same apostle says "abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thess. 4:3)", we take that as a command and implement it into our daily lives, and yet when he says, "don't be anxious", we say 'I can't quit!'.
Previously, we have talked about complaining, and why the Bible tells us that we shouldn't: "that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil.2:15)." Could this not be one of the same reasons that we shouldn't worry?
Think about it this way: the Bible calls us to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are told not to be conformed (Rom. 12:1-2), but instead to be transformed by renewing our minds--by changing the way we think. Anxiety and worry are mind sins. They are things that we can do, rather frequently, without anyone else knowing about them. And yet, these things manifest themselves in other areas, such as making us physically sick, making us rant about them on Facebook, or making us talk about them constantly with others. These latter characteristics are ones that, I don't know about you, but I constantly see from people of the world. They obsess over things that are out of their control, they make themselves sick worrying over what might happen in the future (never considering God may not give them that time).
As Christians, if we stop putting our faith and trust in God Almighty and start worrying and obsessing over things in our lives, we are looking exactly like the world. And what was it that Paul said to the Philippians? That Christians are to shine as lights in the world. They are to remain blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.
It makes us crooked and perverse to behave like the world. From what Scripture tells us, the crooked and perverse will not be in heaven. If you read my blog regularly, then I know you want to be in heaven. I know that you know I want to be in heaven. That is why I have to stop worrying.
Jesus commanded it in Matthew 6, saying "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on." We all know that the way we show our love for God is by doing the things that He has commanded (1 John 2:3, 5:2-3). If Jesus has commanded that we not worry, and yet we worry all the time, are we showing that we love Him? Do we love Him?
Worry is one of those sins that is hard to overcome. Just a few days ago, I got in my head that something terrible would happen to Robert and me as we journey overseas in the coming months. But you know what I had to do? I had to stop, sit down, and pray to my Father about it. If I had a concern over my safety, who else could I go to but the One who watches over me, and everyone else, constantly? And since then? Well sure, there are times when those thoughts pop in my head, but I know that God will watch over me, and that if something were to happen to me, I would get to see my Father face to face.
Often times, we worry because we lack faith in God. So that thing you're worrying about comes to fruition! Are you still God's child? Then what is there to be bothered by? If you are worried about your safety and health, are you not confident in your salvation when you pass from this life? If you are worried about your bills being paid, are you not confident in Jesus' words that God will take care of our necessities? In whatever thing it is we worry about, we need to trust God more in that situation.
This week, let us all purpose in our hearts to beat worry. It is an ever-present temptation for me, and one that I must battle every single day. And yet, I know that all things are possible in Christ, and He will help me overcome all temptation so that I can get that crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
So, before you write that post on Facebook, think about how it makes you look. Does it look like a status the rest of the world would write, or does it seem different? Does it have confidence in the Creator and trust in His timing and plans? Before we tweet those 140 characters, let us make sure that we fully trust that all things are in God's hands. Before we do anything, let us pray that God will provide for our needs and take care of our insecurities, and that He will use us as a light to this crooked and perverse generation.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Brag Post!
As previously mentioned, I want to dedicate at least one post per month to my amazing husband, and today is the day!! While I have done a couple of marriage-y posts this month, I want one to be full-fledged all about my one and only! So here goes!
Robert is super unique.
Growing up, I prayed multiple times that God would just allow me to wake up on my wedding day. The dating process as I knew it was horrible and exhausting and emotional draining and all kinds of challenging. I dated a few guys in high school, and after each relationship had ended, I found myself praying again that I could just somehow wake up and it be my wedding day, and God would have picked the perfect person to be standing at the end of the aisle.
I knew that my prayer wasn't really feasible; however, I knew God listened to me. And on July 8, 2011, I got my answer--as my perfect man really was waiting there at the end of the aisle. But, instead of allowing me to skip out on all of the fun pre-married times with Robert, God's plan was for us to start dating at Freed-Hardeman and then ultimately decide to spend the rest of our lives together, starting on that fateful Friday evening. I like God's plan much better =)
All of that being said, dating was rough until I met Robert, and then his uniqueness started to shine. From the moment I met him, I knew he was unlike any other guy I'd ever known (mostly because I thought he was a professor--after all, who gets to speak two consecutive days in chapel as a sophomore?!). Really, though, the reason Robert was so unique is that he wasn't really a boy; he already had so many MAN of God qualities. He was humble, sweet, caring, and generous. He was an amazing listener, a true confidant, and an encourager that would rival Barnabas himself.
What's wonderful about Robert now, though, is that nothing has changed. He is still an amazing, humble, sweet man (who won't take credit for the great things he's done so far with TLN!). He is still the greatest encourager I have, and still the best listener (and friend) anyone could ever want.
While I hated (loathed, really) the whole dating scene, I came away with the most precious gem of all. I would not trade Robert for anything or anyone; he is truly the one who makes me whole (and better in the process). And while my plan may have been for God to somehow wake me up on my wedding day, I'm so glad that His plan was for me to meet and subsequently fall in love with this amazing man I get to call my husband.
Robert is super unique.
Growing up, I prayed multiple times that God would just allow me to wake up on my wedding day. The dating process as I knew it was horrible and exhausting and emotional draining and all kinds of challenging. I dated a few guys in high school, and after each relationship had ended, I found myself praying again that I could just somehow wake up and it be my wedding day, and God would have picked the perfect person to be standing at the end of the aisle.
I knew that my prayer wasn't really feasible; however, I knew God listened to me. And on July 8, 2011, I got my answer--as my perfect man really was waiting there at the end of the aisle. But, instead of allowing me to skip out on all of the fun pre-married times with Robert, God's plan was for us to start dating at Freed-Hardeman and then ultimately decide to spend the rest of our lives together, starting on that fateful Friday evening. I like God's plan much better =)
All of that being said, dating was rough until I met Robert, and then his uniqueness started to shine. From the moment I met him, I knew he was unlike any other guy I'd ever known (mostly because I thought he was a professor--after all, who gets to speak two consecutive days in chapel as a sophomore?!). Really, though, the reason Robert was so unique is that he wasn't really a boy; he already had so many MAN of God qualities. He was humble, sweet, caring, and generous. He was an amazing listener, a true confidant, and an encourager that would rival Barnabas himself.
What's wonderful about Robert now, though, is that nothing has changed. He is still an amazing, humble, sweet man (who won't take credit for the great things he's done so far with TLN!). He is still the greatest encourager I have, and still the best listener (and friend) anyone could ever want.
While I hated (loathed, really) the whole dating scene, I came away with the most precious gem of all. I would not trade Robert for anything or anyone; he is truly the one who makes me whole (and better in the process). And while my plan may have been for God to somehow wake me up on my wedding day, I'm so glad that His plan was for me to meet and subsequently fall in love with this amazing man I get to call my husband.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Leading Ladies: Priscilla
If you have been keeping up with my podcasts, you know that I am fascinated with 1st century life. I love thinking about what life would have been like for those people we read about so often in our New Testaments. I especially enjoy thinking about what it would have been like for the women of the Bible, and one such lady is the topic of our discussion today.
We don't know a lot about Priscilla. She is only mentioned in a few verses, and yet we can learn so much from these few words. In keeping with our Leading Ladies theme, let's explore a few of Priscilla's characteristics that we can imitate in our own lives.
1: She picked good friends. There are only 3 verses that mention Priscilla by that name (Acts 18:2, 18, 26), and yet there are three other places in inspired scripture where she is mentioned by the name Prisca (Romans 16:3, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19). If you're anything like me, names mean a lot to you. When someone gives you a nickname, it is special. For instance, I really don't like it when people casually call me Em. I just don't. Why? Probably because all of my life that is what my sisters have called me, and thus I reserve that nickname for people who I am close to. When my closest friends call me that, I don't mind. Total stranger, well it's a little weird! With this logic in mind, I truly believe that Priscilla and Paul had a wonderful friendship. Casual acquaintances don't generally refer to each other by nicknames, and yet Paul speaks of saluting 'Prisca' on three separate occasions.
Truly this is a characteristic we must implement. Friends make or break you, and that is just a fact of life. The times in my life that I have been the farthest from God are the times in my life when I have been the closest friends with people of the world. On the other hand, the times in my life when I have been the closest to God, those are the times when I have had great Christian influences and encouragers in my life. The Proverbial writer said, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (12:26). Truly we do well when we surround ourselves with faithful Christian friends, and Priscilla was an amazing example of that.
2: She was involved in the Lord's work. I often hear people making excuses as to why they are not involved in doing the Lord's work. Priscilla does not strike me as one who would be making excuses. Instead, in Acts 18 when we find her with her husband, Aquila, she is teaching Apollos. She is not standing idly by. She is not off busying herself with the tent making. Instead, she is out with her husband doing the work of the Lord.
Maybe you are a preacher's wife like I am, or maybe you are simply the wife of a faithful Christian man (and good for you!). Sometimes it might be easy to think we're doing good works simply because our husbands are. Don't be fooled by that, though! Each and every individual Christian is required to be a servant and to spread the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). It isn't enough for your husband to go visiting or for your husband to conduct a Bible study. Get involved! In the 1st century, Priscilla was only one of many women doing the work of the Lord---we can see that from passages like Acts 8:4 which tell us that the Christians who were scattered ALL went about teaching and preaching. Still, Priscilla is a great example to us in that we should be out doing as much as we possibly can for the Lord.
3: She put God first. Maybe you are unaware, but Robert and I moved a few months ago. One thing I learned from the experience is: moving is NOT fun. Packing and unpacking and wrapping in bubble wrap and wrapping with tissue paper and unwrapping and forgetting what's in each box....it isn't very fun. Living in a mostly packed up house for a month--not fun. Nor is it fun to get a new house full of boxes and live that way for a bit longer. It's inconvenient and difficult and....we even have all of the modern day comforts like uHauls and packaging tape and cars!!
You may be wondering if I've forgotten I'm talking about Priscilla, and I have not. I just think it's interesting that the first time we hear about Priscilla she's in Corinth making tents, then she's in Ephesus teaching Apollos, then she's in Rome risking her neck for the cause of Christ. This girl was on the move! And yet, in every instance that we hear about this 1st century family moving around, it has something to do with the gospel of Christ. Truly Aquila and Priscilla were wonderful, inspiring laborers in the Kingdom.
How often are we willing to behave like that? It is so hard for me sometimes to step out of my routine and do something I know I should do. It seems that my life gets wrapped up in an already-full schedule and I just don't make time for some of the things I need to do to spread the gospel of Christ to those around me. If I were more like Priscilla, willing to put my entire livelihood on the line and pack up and move simply because I could be a more effective servant elsewhere--I truly believe I'd conquer the sin of worldliness that way!
I need to be more like this faithful sister. I need to choose great friends to be around, involve myself in the Lord's work more, and put God ahead of my own convenience.
*For more on Priscilla, check out my podcast THIS Thursday entitled Ephesus.
We don't know a lot about Priscilla. She is only mentioned in a few verses, and yet we can learn so much from these few words. In keeping with our Leading Ladies theme, let's explore a few of Priscilla's characteristics that we can imitate in our own lives.
1: She picked good friends. There are only 3 verses that mention Priscilla by that name (Acts 18:2, 18, 26), and yet there are three other places in inspired scripture where she is mentioned by the name Prisca (Romans 16:3, 1 Cor. 16:19, 2 Tim. 4:19). If you're anything like me, names mean a lot to you. When someone gives you a nickname, it is special. For instance, I really don't like it when people casually call me Em. I just don't. Why? Probably because all of my life that is what my sisters have called me, and thus I reserve that nickname for people who I am close to. When my closest friends call me that, I don't mind. Total stranger, well it's a little weird! With this logic in mind, I truly believe that Priscilla and Paul had a wonderful friendship. Casual acquaintances don't generally refer to each other by nicknames, and yet Paul speaks of saluting 'Prisca' on three separate occasions.
Truly this is a characteristic we must implement. Friends make or break you, and that is just a fact of life. The times in my life that I have been the farthest from God are the times in my life when I have been the closest friends with people of the world. On the other hand, the times in my life when I have been the closest to God, those are the times when I have had great Christian influences and encouragers in my life. The Proverbial writer said, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray" (12:26). Truly we do well when we surround ourselves with faithful Christian friends, and Priscilla was an amazing example of that.
2: She was involved in the Lord's work. I often hear people making excuses as to why they are not involved in doing the Lord's work. Priscilla does not strike me as one who would be making excuses. Instead, in Acts 18 when we find her with her husband, Aquila, she is teaching Apollos. She is not standing idly by. She is not off busying herself with the tent making. Instead, she is out with her husband doing the work of the Lord.
Maybe you are a preacher's wife like I am, or maybe you are simply the wife of a faithful Christian man (and good for you!). Sometimes it might be easy to think we're doing good works simply because our husbands are. Don't be fooled by that, though! Each and every individual Christian is required to be a servant and to spread the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). It isn't enough for your husband to go visiting or for your husband to conduct a Bible study. Get involved! In the 1st century, Priscilla was only one of many women doing the work of the Lord---we can see that from passages like Acts 8:4 which tell us that the Christians who were scattered ALL went about teaching and preaching. Still, Priscilla is a great example to us in that we should be out doing as much as we possibly can for the Lord.
3: She put God first. Maybe you are unaware, but Robert and I moved a few months ago. One thing I learned from the experience is: moving is NOT fun. Packing and unpacking and wrapping in bubble wrap and wrapping with tissue paper and unwrapping and forgetting what's in each box....it isn't very fun. Living in a mostly packed up house for a month--not fun. Nor is it fun to get a new house full of boxes and live that way for a bit longer. It's inconvenient and difficult and....we even have all of the modern day comforts like uHauls and packaging tape and cars!!
You may be wondering if I've forgotten I'm talking about Priscilla, and I have not. I just think it's interesting that the first time we hear about Priscilla she's in Corinth making tents, then she's in Ephesus teaching Apollos, then she's in Rome risking her neck for the cause of Christ. This girl was on the move! And yet, in every instance that we hear about this 1st century family moving around, it has something to do with the gospel of Christ. Truly Aquila and Priscilla were wonderful, inspiring laborers in the Kingdom.
How often are we willing to behave like that? It is so hard for me sometimes to step out of my routine and do something I know I should do. It seems that my life gets wrapped up in an already-full schedule and I just don't make time for some of the things I need to do to spread the gospel of Christ to those around me. If I were more like Priscilla, willing to put my entire livelihood on the line and pack up and move simply because I could be a more effective servant elsewhere--I truly believe I'd conquer the sin of worldliness that way!
I need to be more like this faithful sister. I need to choose great friends to be around, involve myself in the Lord's work more, and put God ahead of my own convenience.
*For more on Priscilla, check out my podcast THIS Thursday entitled Ephesus.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Living a Blessed Life
One of my resolutions for this year is to do at least one post monthly where I list and subsequently thank God for the blessings that He has afforded me. Far too often it is easy for me to get caught up in the day to day affairs of life and not stop and realize that God is the One through whom all things were made possible. And so, today, I want to pause from the busy schedule that is life, and thank the Giver of all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17).
1: My amazing husband - Every single day I am reminded just how mindful my Heavenly Father is of me, because He has given me the most amazing husband in the entire world. Proverbs 31:10 speaks about how rare it is to find a virtuous wife, and I believe that the same could be true of a virtuous husband. Were Proverbs 31 written about a man, it would be describing my Robert. He is far too good for me, and has the heart of a true servant. If you read my Defining Moments post, you know how blessed I was that he entered my life when he did. Every moment since we got married could also be described as a defining moment, because with every day that passes he is helping to shape me into the person God wants me to be. He helps me so much, every single day, and I am so blessed by God to have him.
2: My beautiful home - This past month has been the first month where Robert and I have really been able to 'entertain' in our home (*I should add I am so thankful for this time of year, too, when things calm down!). Having people in our home is one of my favorite things, I'm pretty sure. It is so nice to be able to have a space for people to come and be a part of your life. Jesus exhorted those present when He delivered what has been dubbed the Sermon on the Mount not to worry about the externals of life, but to instead seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest would be added to them (Mat. 6:25-34). I fully believe that God's fingerprints were everywhere in the process of buying this home. The entire process was smooth, even when we went out of town for Polishing the Pulpit for a week during the closing process. It is so amazing to have a God who is active and present in your life, and hears your prayers and takes care of you. Recently, I was watching a documentary entitled "God of Wonders" on Netflix, and it amazed me all over again how huge our universe is and how great our God is, and how amazing it is that He is mindful of us. When little things, like houses and food and clothing, are taken care of by the Almighty Creator of the universe, it humbles you and leaves you in awe of His compassion and mercy. I am so thankful to my God for the blessing of this home I have been given.
3: Diet Coke. This may seem like the most trivial and ridiculous thing in the world to be thankful for, and yet it is so much more than Diet Coke. Like my last point suggested, does it not amaze you that God made things like taste buds and colors? God has given us life and breath and eternal life, and yet He has also given us the tiny pleasures of this sinful world. And so, while I am a huge fan of Diet Coke and Nutella, it all points back to my amazing God who has been mindful enough of His creation to create things that they enjoy. To give their temporary bodies ways of experiencing pleasure and taste and smell. God designed our bodies in such a beautiful way, and I am so thankful for the care He put into creating us. And so yes, I will be thankful for Diet Coke, because no thing is too small to not thank God for; and perhaps I thank God less for the little things, and so I need to be even more mindful of thanking Him for the little 'Diet Cokes' in my life.
Today, I urge you to join me in thinking about and thanking God for the blessings in your life, both big and small. The old adage rings true, "What if tomorrow you only had the things you thanked God for today". Let us do our best to thank God for every single one of the blessings He's given us, knowing that even if we listed a new one each day, we would never scratch the surface of thanking Him for all of them in a million lifetimes.
1: My amazing husband - Every single day I am reminded just how mindful my Heavenly Father is of me, because He has given me the most amazing husband in the entire world. Proverbs 31:10 speaks about how rare it is to find a virtuous wife, and I believe that the same could be true of a virtuous husband. Were Proverbs 31 written about a man, it would be describing my Robert. He is far too good for me, and has the heart of a true servant. If you read my Defining Moments post, you know how blessed I was that he entered my life when he did. Every moment since we got married could also be described as a defining moment, because with every day that passes he is helping to shape me into the person God wants me to be. He helps me so much, every single day, and I am so blessed by God to have him.
2: My beautiful home - This past month has been the first month where Robert and I have really been able to 'entertain' in our home (*I should add I am so thankful for this time of year, too, when things calm down!). Having people in our home is one of my favorite things, I'm pretty sure. It is so nice to be able to have a space for people to come and be a part of your life. Jesus exhorted those present when He delivered what has been dubbed the Sermon on the Mount not to worry about the externals of life, but to instead seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest would be added to them (Mat. 6:25-34). I fully believe that God's fingerprints were everywhere in the process of buying this home. The entire process was smooth, even when we went out of town for Polishing the Pulpit for a week during the closing process. It is so amazing to have a God who is active and present in your life, and hears your prayers and takes care of you. Recently, I was watching a documentary entitled "God of Wonders" on Netflix, and it amazed me all over again how huge our universe is and how great our God is, and how amazing it is that He is mindful of us. When little things, like houses and food and clothing, are taken care of by the Almighty Creator of the universe, it humbles you and leaves you in awe of His compassion and mercy. I am so thankful to my God for the blessing of this home I have been given.
3: Diet Coke. This may seem like the most trivial and ridiculous thing in the world to be thankful for, and yet it is so much more than Diet Coke. Like my last point suggested, does it not amaze you that God made things like taste buds and colors? God has given us life and breath and eternal life, and yet He has also given us the tiny pleasures of this sinful world. And so, while I am a huge fan of Diet Coke and Nutella, it all points back to my amazing God who has been mindful enough of His creation to create things that they enjoy. To give their temporary bodies ways of experiencing pleasure and taste and smell. God designed our bodies in such a beautiful way, and I am so thankful for the care He put into creating us. And so yes, I will be thankful for Diet Coke, because no thing is too small to not thank God for; and perhaps I thank God less for the little things, and so I need to be even more mindful of thanking Him for the little 'Diet Cokes' in my life.
Today, I urge you to join me in thinking about and thanking God for the blessings in your life, both big and small. The old adage rings true, "What if tomorrow you only had the things you thanked God for today". Let us do our best to thank God for every single one of the blessings He's given us, knowing that even if we listed a new one each day, we would never scratch the surface of thanking Him for all of them in a million lifetimes.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
How Will You Worship Tomorrow?
Mark's account of Jesus' crucifixion is a hard one for me to read. To me, one of the most powerful scenes in all of Jesus' 'trial' is when the soldiers place a crown of thorns on the Son of God's head and then proceed to beat Him over the head with a reed. The pain, the humiliation; it's all there. I can't ever read this passage without becoming overwhelmed by the thought of how much Jesus suffered for me.
Normally when I read this account (perhaps during communion on Sunday morning), I think about Jesus' suffering, and rightly so. But recently, something else caught me eye...something I've never really noticed before about this passage.
Worship has been a huge topic in my mind this year. The different acts of worship, what makes something worship, how exactly you worship, when you're not worshiping, etc. Something that I don't generally spend my time dwelling on, though, is vain worship.
These soliders were down on their knees, doing the physical signs of worship, but were they truly worshipping the Lord? Of course not! They were mocking Him. And while we aren't in the same situation today (to actually be crucifying Jesus), can we not do the same thing?
Worship involves a mindset. What makes my worship holy and meaningful and precious to God is the attitude I have when I go into that sweet communion with Him (an attitude that wants to worship Him in both spirit and in truth). Sitting in a church building from 9:30 to 11:30 is not worship. Bowing our heads (sometimes) and getting our Bibles out (usually) is not worship. I can say and do all of the physical things that dress my Lord up in purple and make Him my King, but if I'm not in the mindset of worship, it's vain. By making jokes or scribbling on my bulletin, I can be the one mocking my Lord. By continually living in sin, I can be the one beating Jesus with my own reed. By perpetually denying the invitation to return to my Savior, I can be the one spitting on my Lord and the blood He shed for me.
Worship is so precious to our Father, but, without the right mindset, we aren't pleasing Him at all. If we're just going through the motions, we're making a mockery of His name-- just like the Roman soldiers did to Jesus.
Joshua told the Israelites to "choose you this day whom you will serve" (Josh. 24:15). Each week before we go to worship our Maker, let us consider those words in a different context. Let us choose, on every first day of the week, how we will worship. And let us purpose to worship with a humble, thankful, and obedient heart.
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John 4:23
Normally when I read this account (perhaps during communion on Sunday morning), I think about Jesus' suffering, and rightly so. But recently, something else caught me eye...something I've never really noticed before about this passage.
"Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him." (Mark 15:19)They worshiped Him? That can't be right. Worship is sacred. Worship is something you do to someone you adore. Worship is holy. Worship is meaningful. Worship is commanded by God. These people, the ones killing and torturing Jesus, certainly they weren't participating in the same act I do every week.
Worship has been a huge topic in my mind this year. The different acts of worship, what makes something worship, how exactly you worship, when you're not worshiping, etc. Something that I don't generally spend my time dwelling on, though, is vain worship.
These soliders were down on their knees, doing the physical signs of worship, but were they truly worshipping the Lord? Of course not! They were mocking Him. And while we aren't in the same situation today (to actually be crucifying Jesus), can we not do the same thing?
Worship involves a mindset. What makes my worship holy and meaningful and precious to God is the attitude I have when I go into that sweet communion with Him (an attitude that wants to worship Him in both spirit and in truth). Sitting in a church building from 9:30 to 11:30 is not worship. Bowing our heads (sometimes) and getting our Bibles out (usually) is not worship. I can say and do all of the physical things that dress my Lord up in purple and make Him my King, but if I'm not in the mindset of worship, it's vain. By making jokes or scribbling on my bulletin, I can be the one mocking my Lord. By continually living in sin, I can be the one beating Jesus with my own reed. By perpetually denying the invitation to return to my Savior, I can be the one spitting on my Lord and the blood He shed for me.
Worship is so precious to our Father, but, without the right mindset, we aren't pleasing Him at all. If we're just going through the motions, we're making a mockery of His name-- just like the Roman soldiers did to Jesus.
Joshua told the Israelites to "choose you this day whom you will serve" (Josh. 24:15). Each week before we go to worship our Maker, let us consider those words in a different context. Let us choose, on every first day of the week, how we will worship. And let us purpose to worship with a humble, thankful, and obedient heart.
"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John 4:23
Friday, January 18, 2013
Go YE
Recently, I attended a Bible class centered around the book of Colossians. As we were studying through the first chapter, verse 23 really hit home to me. I would like to briefly look at a couple of verses that I hope will challenge you (like they did me) to be a better personal evangelist.
Mark 16:15 says, "and He said to them, 'go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature'."
Colossians 1:23 says, "if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister."
What do these two verses have in common? You probably picked up on the "every creature" phrase in each one, so let's think about that in depth a bit more.
Jesus's ministry would have likely concluded on this earth around 33AD, and it is post-resurrection that He issued the above command to go and preach to every creature. The book of Colossians was likely written between 64-66AD, so approximately 31 years later. Paul said in Colossians that the gospel had been preached to every creature in heaven already. So, in 31 years, the gospel reached everyone.
That's remarkable!!
Now sure, there were probably less people on earth during that time. And sure, people probably weren't spread out quite like they are today. But think about it: there was less transportation, no technology, and yet every creature under heaven heard the gospel and all it took was approximately 31 years.
We have been given the same command that Jesus gave to the disciples in the first century: to go into all the world and preach the gospel. We were not told exactly how to go, just to go. So, we can still go and do face to face evanglism: there really is no better way! But, we can also use technology much like The Light Network is doing, and spread the gospel via the internet. We can use television programs, radio programs, Bible correspondence courses through the mail, and various other ways. But, in whatever ways we choose, we MUST 'go' and 'preach'.
Acts 8:4 says, "Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word." It wasn't preachers and deacons and elders who went (though surely they were included in the number). Really, it was just Christians. As these Christians were scattered abroad, they taught--they were personal evangelists. In the same way, everywhere we go (overseas, cross-country, Wal-Mart) we must spread the gospel, and we must all do it. It wasn't a minority of first century Christians who spread the gospel, it was all of them! That's why they could accomplish such a great feat in 31 years.
If every Christian on earth right now would spread the gospel of Christ, imagine how quickly we could get to the entire world! Sadly, we cannot control every Christian. You know who we can control, though? Us. We can purpose to spend 2013 spreading the gospel of Christ to everyone around us. Will you please join me in this cause?
Jesus says it is those who love Him who keep His commandments (John 14:15). He has commanded we go. So I guess the only question left is, do we love Him?
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