proverbs – Page 3

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Enjoy Being Set Apart Part Two

March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 krisshetter

Missed part one? Go to emboldened.net/2024/03/25/enjoying-being-set-apart/

I recently was listening to a teaching on the Good Samaritan. It’s such a popular and well-known parable that it’s become an axiom. In some cases, even the title of laws. In many states in the United States, “good samaritans” are protected from lawsuits if they’ve provided physical aid but an additional injury may have occurred as a result of that help (ie a person giving CPR fractures a person’s rib). For many believers and non-believers this story represents “being nice” or acting kindly to others. Jesus, however, throughout His time on earth spoke basically about only two things: God and His Kingdom. So, it’s important, however familiar we may be with the parable, to know why the story was told. It starts with this interaction:

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "Luke 10:25-27

Now let’s look at what was happening. This lawyer was testing Jesus. Maybe he wanted Jesus to say, “Follow me.” This would have been heretical for the Jew. Instead, Jesus points him back to God’s Word. Notice the man fully counts himself a wonderful, loving person in his own eyes. He believes he uniquely and fully loves God with all his heart, mind and soul. There’s apparently no chance he has failed at this overwhelming task. Instead, he wants to parse out the requirements by then asking Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

“‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly….“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19: 17 & 33-34

The Old Testament religious Jewish leaders had come to define (erroneously) their “neighbors” as those in their own circle. People exactly like them. That allowed them to hate anyone else — other Jews who they deemed unworthy such as tax collectors and then gentiles. They turned “love your neighbor as yourself” into “love your neighbor and hate your enemies.”

Some might say they were justified. I mean God did call on them to eliminate entire groups of people. But biblical scholars will clarify those particular groups actively hated God and sinned in abominable ways against Him. Murderous cultures, child sacrifices, rampant sexual immorality, pillaging and raping innocent people year after year after year. God also had warned them for hundreds of years. They all knew of the God of Abraham and Jacob — as witnessed by the likes of Rahab from Jericho. (Joshua 2:9-13) So, when Israel was directed to take action it was God’s justice, not personal justice. Each man was directed throughout Deuteronomy and Leviticus to treat the foreigner as themselves. Personal vendettas were against the Law. And still the religious leaders contorted God’s Word.

Jesus upends their well-worn, twisted morality by exposing the lack of compassion by the “righteous” versus the godly love by an “outsider” or even enemy. This parable wasn’t about acts of kindness, rather it highlights our sinful tendencies to divide and hate those on the other side of that divide. That hatred and the distortion of God’s Word leads us in the opposite direction the Jewish lawyer wanted to go. It’s not heaven he will find with a dark heart. Jesus allows the lesson to sink in; the lesson of reminding believers that He sets us apart from the world to do something unthinkable and difficult. To love others and show mercy as God loves us.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:36-37

Friend, in God’s world, the world of eternal life, envy, hatred, greed, and jealousy, have no place. It didn’t during King Solomon’s time seen in Ecclesiastes 4 and it doesn’t now. True justice for the oppressed and downtrodden is not equity or retroactive punishment or even self-flagellation. It’s love. It’s the kind of love that looks different than the world. It says, “Let me help you out of sin.” It gives all that it can and doesn’t hoard the blessings we’ve been given. It looks hatred in the eye and says, “God loves you too.” It stops and, without care for itself, gives compassion. It protects the weak and helpless. It overflows with mercy and forgiveness. It’s a love that hates only one thing — the hatred of God — yet still prays for that person. It helps us see we are all needy sinners who disobey the Lord regularly and we thank God He abounds in mercy.

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  But if you show favoritism,you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it....Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  James 2: 8-13

We are all, no matter our worldly status, guilty of not loving enough. Not forgiving enough. Not being people of grace. It’s not just to the faceless who we think have wrong us but to those in our church, in our home, in our neighborhood. It is our constant striving for the one and only thing that makes life meaningful that will bring us eternal life – our joyful obedience to the God who loves us.

When we seek personal justice or vengeance let’s remember the Apostle Paul. Remember the evil that lived in him and the terrible acts he oversaw. Then look to your Bible and see not only God’s mercy but the mercy and forgiveness he was granted by his fellow Christian Jews and gentiles. There is always hope in God’s plan for someone (like us) to turn their meaningless, oppressive life into something oh so meaningful.

When I was researching Ecclesiastes 4, I was led to reflect on my experience with Tom. You remember him? The one who hated women. The Holy Spirit convicted me. I have long, quietly harbored ill-will toward him. For making my life difficult during a stressful time. For hating an entire “type” of people. Suddenly I realized I was just as guilty. I was not loving my enemy, my oppressor. That realization brought me to tears of joy. Knowing our good God is constantly working in our hearts to prune us in ways we didn’t realize needed work. That act, alone, made that day so meaningful.

Ask Him today to reveal any hidden sins, especially of hatred, envy, oppression, vengeance, and jealousy. Then thank Him for the revelation and mercy. Enjoy the moment where you have been set free once again.

For more on Pastor John MacArthur’s sermon concerning the dangers and false teaching in our churches on social justice, go to https://www.gty.org/library/articles/45SJ

Enjoying Being Set Apart

March 25, 2024April 7, 2024 krisshetter

Part One

If you had accidentally walked in on the meeting, the unfolding scene you’d have seen featured a young woman, early 20s, sitting face-to-face with an older man, probably in late 40s. The thick tension had a life of its own. The woman, looking disconcerted and slightly mystified, rambled on about goals and objectives trying to keep the conversation moving forward. While the man, with the tapping of his pen, grew ever angrier. Tap, tap transitioned to tap-tap-tap as the man’s face tensed. Abruptly, the young woman ended the meeting with an excuse that her time was needed elsewhere. The man bolted from the room with a loud explosion of frustrated air, “Harrumph!”

That young woman was me some 30 years ago. The task before me at my new job was to create a new marketing and public relations department in a mid-sized company. At just 22 and fresh out of college, I felt overwhelmed and underprepared for the obstacles laid before me. Not one area manager had ever created, much less implemented, a sales and marketing plan. And here I was teaching and guiding people at least twice my age. I was the “fresh faced,” “wet-behind-the ears” college girl. To some I was the pushy “know it all.” While to others I was a welcomed opportunity to make a positive impact on their business. And then there was Tom*.

As a long-time manager for our retail printing and copy services, Tom had enjoyed a quiet existence doing things his way without anyone bothering him. Until I came along. After each interaction with Tom, I found myself questioning and revising my communication tactics. Nothing was working. He was angry from the beginning to the end of each meeting.

I finally went to my boss seeking help. After laying out the situation to my female boss, she laughed and simply said, “That’s Tom. He hates women. So don’t worry, it’s not your ideas or what you want to accomplish. It’s just you.” In a strange way that brought me relief. I couldn’t change the fact that I was a woman (and I still can’t btw) so I was able to keep moving forward with my bosses’ mandates with or without his enthusiasm.

Over the years I have experienced this same dislike or disrespect towards women. Not often, thankfully. And fortunately, I’m not one to let anyone stand in my way of doing a job. But the injustice has laid in my memory for years and years.

"I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter…And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecclesiastes 4:1 & 4

I never discovered the impetus behind Tom’s hatred of women. But I have heard many people of late justify their dislike of another sex, race, economic class, etc. out of envy or jealousy. The real or imagined slight of “they have what I don’t have and I want and it isn’t fair” has long been the sinful root of other sins.

I’ve heard it said by pastors and Bible teachers that the 10 Commandments can be drilled down to two commands: 1) Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, body and soul and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. If, as Christians, we were to work tirelessly each day at these two summaries, oh how much more joy and peace and love we would have in our lives! Instead, as King Solomon discovered 1,000s of years ago in his meaning of life research, we see people being oppressed in all manner of ways, foolish people striving for money and stuff, and others hoarding their earthly treasures.

"There was a man all alone;  he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!"  Ecclesiastes 4:8

The world looks arounds and screams, “Where is the justice?! Why do YOU have what I want and need?” They march and protest about the 1% and demand equity. They march and protest about certain races needing to “check themselves.” And in some churches, where we are to be set apart, what do we hear being taught?

The evangelicals who are saying the most and talking the loudest these days about what’s referred to as “social justice” seem to have a very different perspective (than the solution being in the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Their rhetoric certainly points a different direction, demanding repentance and reparations from one ethnic group for the sins of its ancestors against another. It’s the language of law, not gospel—and worse, it mirrors the jargon of worldly politics, not the message of Christ. It is a startling irony that believers from different ethnic groups, now one in Christ, have chosen to divide over ethnicity. They have a true spiritual unity in Christ, which they disdain in favor of fleshly factions.
John MacArthur, Pastor, Author and host of Grace to You

Social justice is not God’s justice. Social justice is defined using the word “equity.” And equity means to take away, even by force or law, from others. I have seen some pastors tell their mostly white parishioners they need to not just be “not racist” but actively repent to others (not God). Why? For being white and therefore at some point in their white history an injustice was done to another race. They tell them to be quiet and not have any opinion on community issues because it’s “time for the other side to have their say.” If you are rich, you must feel guilty, even if you worked your way up from nothing. If you are a man, your patriarchy is evil. Divide, divide, divide. That, my friends, is not God’s plan for His people.

So according to this view of “social justice,” a person’s skin color might automatically require a public expression of repentance—not merely for the evils of his ancestors’ culture, but also for specific crimes he cannot possibly have been guilty of. There’s nothing remotely “just” about that idea, nor does any part of it relate to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The answer to every evil in every heart is not repentance for what someone else may have done, but repentance for your own sins, including hatred, anger, bitterness, or any other sinful attitude or behavior.
John MacArthur

The people described in Solomon’s fourth chapter of Ecclesiastes, titled in most Bibles, Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness, are not the reason why a person today is oppressed any more than a person 200 years ago or 30 years ago is the reason. People who are hated today – no matter their skin color, creed, financial status, or even sexuality – are treated badly because of today’s sins by people actually committing them. And no church or Christian should teach that the way to resolution is more of the same.

"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Envy of the rich, hatred of the poor, disdain for a person’s skin color or social status, distrust and hatred of the sexes are all tools of the devil. All methods to divide and conquer. It’s been that way since before Solomon’s time — even by people who know the Word of God but don’t live it. If we take the route of retribution hatred grows and life becomes wrought with despair. Each sinful tool serves only to make life seem meaningless and hopeless.

But God as a different plan for us. One that will set you apart. Join me this Wednesday for Part Two of Enjoying Being Set Apart! Click here for part two.

*Tom is not his real name.

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Enjoying The Cycle Part Two

March 20, 2024March 16, 2024 krisshetter

Did you miss part one? Go to Enjoy Life: From Meaningless to Meaningful

When my own, beautiful and kind mother-in-law was on her final journey to death our family was blessed to not only weep but laugh, to mourn and to dance (vs 4). We experienced great love and healing. Immense sorrow and pain. On what, we discovered the next morning, was to be her final night, I was blessed to be the one to check in on her about 2:00am and give her the last dose of pain medication. I sat by her side yearning to beg her to not leave me. Yet, I knew that was unfair. It would soon be her appointed time to go to the Father, to have her earthly, cancer-ridden body die. So, I held her warm hand and laid my head against her slowly beating heart. A final gift for both of us. For me to remember her until my last day.

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you may talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit— immortal horrors or everlasting splendours.”
CS Lewis

We will all die. For some it may seem too soon or too tragic. It’s the opposing truth to Satan’s statement, “Surely you will not die.” The question is, for whom shall you live? There are no “ordinary” people walking around as Lewis points out. They are either children of God or of the devil. That is where our end lies. That is why, as children of God, we should feel a sense of urgency to share the saving message of Jesus Christ. To share His message of pilgrimage, not prison. It is not a game of “what if” we are playing but of when.

Solomon asks, “For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?” Our daily toil for things other than God is wiped away in the cycles of life. No one will care about the wealth or things you amass or how many rungs you fought for on the corporate ladder. Or even how good you were at keeping your house. They will remember your faithfulness to living in the fruit of the spirit – with love, kindness, gentleness. They will remember that you helped bring them out of darkness. But best of all God, Himself, will remember your love and obedience to Him and count you righteous.

According to the atheist, life comes spontaneously out of the cosmic slime. All life springs from inert or nonliving matter. Life comes from non-life through evolution. Our origin, in other words, is out of death. Since there is no life after death, our destiny is death. What then is the point or value of life? Life is merely an unnecessary chance interruption in the midst of cosmic death. For the believer, on the other hand, God is our creator. We are given the gift of life. Our destiny in Christ is eternal life. Death is merely a very temporary interruption in the midst of cosmic life. “
Arthur W. Lindsley

To think that “this is it” or to imagine heaven just being a cozy little village lends itself to leading the “meaningless life.” But God is a god of hope. He is the promise keeper. And His Word calls for us to live a life looking forward to being with Him in all eternity. Surrounded by love and light. We are not Gnostics. We don’t seek death and the release of our useless bodies. We are children of the God who gave us physical bodies to live in a physical world as a temporary station to hone us, to mold us, to prune us into the new Adams and Eves. And God wants every single one of us healed and to come home.

Death comes to us all. Let’s enjoy this earthly life we have, for however long, preparing us and others for our eternal home.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

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Enjoying the Cycle of Life & Death

March 18, 2024April 7, 2024 krisshetter

I had a dream the other day that I had died. I didn’t die in the dream; I was already dead. In the dream, I was aware of my death and now “living” in an idyllic New England-style bay village. The whole situation seemed a bit quirky and yet normal. There was the typical mom and pop breakfast and lunch café, an ice cream shop on the corner, and even a small inn with a welcoming lobby bar featuring wine nights. My death-fellows walked about in full acceptance that this was their final destination. They were friendly and colorful. It all was so normal yet I kept saying, “surely this can’t be it?”

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die,” Ecclesiates 3:1-2

Ecclesiastes 3 might be one of the most well-known chapters in the Bible simply because in 1959 singer-songwriter Pete Seeger wrote the song, “Turn Turn” or “To Everything There Is a Season.” Made famous by the 60s band, The Byrds, throughout its lyrics the song repeats eight verses found in chapter 3.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain that which is to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time of love, and a time of hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Seeger’s motivation was to emphasize the last line in King Solomon’s list of cyclical life – peace. But Solomon’s goal was to remind us again that the world keeps spinning round and round and at times may seem so meaningless. He reflected on wickedness and judgment – a judgment that would be sought out at each of our deaths.

Death, my friends, comes to us all. We may want to dance around that truth with familiar colloquialisms such as, “If I die….” But the truth of death stares us in the face each year when we reflect on the people we have “lost.” “Lost” as though we don’t know what happened to them or where they went. Maybe they’re wandering around in some idyllic New England town. Maybe they are in a fiery furnace. Or maybe they are “with the Lord.”

As a Christian, I know there’s two roads to take toward death: 1) the way of the world and sin which leads to terrible judgement and hell or 2) the way of Jesus, leading to the glorious New Eden in which love abounds. For the non-believer they may have chaos in their mind when they ponder death. If they’re atheists, like my father, they might believe that when we die we just disappear into nothingness. Others might hope for something better — like free ice cream for life, surrounded by Golden Retrievers. Many might imagine a walk up to the “pearly gates,” standing before an angel with a book of “infractions and do-goods” hoping the balance sheet is in their favor. For the atheist or confused, none of what they believe has as solid a foundational truth like the Bible.

For the Christian, we can look at Solomon’s list of “this and that” with comfort. By trusting in God and His promises, we can seek Him in every circumstance, both the seemingly good and bad. Because each of the times he lists have an element of both.

“Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:6-7

The disciples were facing the truth about life. We will die. Jesus was the only one to ever know the exact day and hour. In that death notice, however, Jesus gave them the preview of the blessing to come – the gift of the Holy Spirit. They still grieved mightily, but when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they remembered His words and were healed.

Join me this Wednesday for Part Two of Enjoying the Cycle of Life & Death where we discover there are no “ordinary people.” Click here for part two.

Enjoy the Surrender Part Two

March 13, 2024March 13, 2024 krisshetter

A continued look at Ecclesiastes Two

My pastor recently asked us if we are committing our lives to God or surrendering them. What’s the difference you might ask? “Committing” implies a bargain or an agreement from which we could divorce ourselves. Whereas, “surrender,” waving the white flag, admits we can’t do this thing called “life” on our own anymore. Our resources are depleted. We come in rags, desperate for a Savior. We succumb to the truth we can’t heal ourselves. Heck we can’t even keep from sinning each and every day.

So, we find our bodies fully prostrate to Jesus. Our Lord and King who provides us with the salve for our wounds. He gives us white, clean robes. He holds us up steady and strong in front of God. And God, in turn, showers us with love and blessings and meaning for all eternity.

Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose… only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away.”
C.S. Lewis

If we think we can heal our pain and suffering with a better job, spouse or car, a bigger bank account, or even seeing those that hurt us suffer the loss of all those things we fool ourselves. Because here’s the thing. God is also the source of our ability to enjoy all the things we have. Yes, as Solomon discovered, the LORD is the source for even enjoyment. We can try to muster up happiness in our circumstance but without God it’s a wooden stage prop. Look truthfully at the rich celebrities you see on tv, the news or social media. They put off an air of glamour and grandeur and happiness. Then you read of yet another acrimonious divorce, another entry into drug, alcohol or sex rehab. Or even angry rants about how the “little people” just won’t do what they tell them to do. A writer in The Wall Street Journal called money, “an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.”

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23

The LORD Adonai wants your complete and total surrender. Not a contractual agreement. He wants to strip you bare and give you all that you really need. He is the creator of the source. And He will send you the need – whether through yearning or trials.

As for my friend, who knows what God has next in store for her. She may or may not become a regular Sunday School teacher because that wasn’t the whole point. He wanted to heal her through her willing obedience. Imitating Jesus, allowing Him to set our direction, opens the world of possibilities. It may be passing along the Word to 10 little children or He could give her even more responsibility now that she has taken her obedient steps. The unknown path in the hands of God is more rewarding than any palace or banquet or man-made delight.

It’s time to enjoy the surrender. To wave the white flag. To enjoy the righteousness that God wants to bestow upon you.

It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness. “
Charles Spurgeon

Enjoying The Surrender

March 11, 2024April 7, 2024 krisshetter

Part One of our look at Ecclesiastes Two

A friend of mine recently surrendered a bitter, past hurt over to the Lord. She started with obedience, albeit reluctantly she admits. The pain caused by her last church has been difficult to overcome. She told me she’s been praying one of the best prayers you could ever pray: “Help me imitate Jesus.” As part of a study about revival we’ve been doing she’s also spent a lot more time just listening for God’s Word. Not asking, pleading, telling, or even praising. Just listening. And He has spoken.

You see my friend used to love teaching children the Word of God. At her old church she was deeply involved in children’s ministry. After a tumultuous pastor change and the subsequent wrangling for top dog positions within the church, a few staff members were laid off without warning. She was one of them. She had given her whole heart over to the ministry and felt betrayed. It caused her to pronounce she would never work in children’s ministry again, ever.

And then in January we opened Pastor Robby Gallaty’s study on revival titled, Revive Us. He encouraged us to spend time with God starting with just five minutes of quiet time. We soon worked our way up to 15, then 20 and finally 30 minutes. Over the course of the next two months, we shared what God showed us. A word here and there, a vision of being loved, a message of strength, a picture of His majesty.

For my friend? After praying yet again on how to imitate Jesus, she found herself in her quiet time with a vision of a beach scene. A man teaching little children at the edge of the sea. Love abounded from child to teacher and teacher to child. The teacher turned and looked at her and smiled. It was Jesus. She was overcome with tears; real tears streaming down her face in realization that to imitate Jesus would be to do the one thing she had refused. To do the one thing she knew God had gifted her. To teach the children.

So, although she had obeyed the week prior and told her new church she would dip a toe in to Sunday school the next week by “observing” she said it with trepidation. That vision, given to her the day before she was to serve, filled her with love and joy. When she walked into the children’s ministry department the administrator was so happy to see her – they were short leaders in Kindergarten. “Would she take on the class?” she was asked. Without any hesitation my friend agreed. You should have heard the joy in her voice when she told us how she was immediately loved by the children, how she danced and sang, how she was filled with the Holy Spirit. How she was healed!

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. " Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Juxtapose my friend’s experience at Sunday School with King Solomon in chapter 2. The richest man in the world at the time. He had everything at his fingertips. He built palace after palace. He made large parks and orchards. He had plenty of female slaves to do his every (and I mean every) bidding. He had singers, dancers, gold, silver, food, drink – all the delights of a man’s heart (Ecc 2:8). And he was miserable. He was seeking meaning and purpose. He tried buying it and building it and owning it.

The abundant life is to be found in “treasuring up for God” rather than for self.”
Kenneth Bailey, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes

What did my friend have? A humble servant heart, slightly broken and needing mending. She didn’t seek to enrich her life. She asked to serve the One True God, Jesus Christ. So, He gave her 10 little, beautiful faces that Sunday. Little children who were eager to be her new friend and to mend her heart.

I read once that we should look at ourselves as channels not reservoirs of joy. Meaning we don’t store up all the blessing for ourselves but rather send them on to others. Pastor Gallaty reminded us of this truth. Through intercessory prayer and acts of service we become those channels.

If revival coming to your family or community depended on your prayers, would it come?”
Pastor Robby Gallaty

When our prayer life and subsequent actions serve only to enrich ourselves, we find our situation mirroring Solomon’s. Striving and chasing wealth, status, knowledge and even wisdom – with God as a supplemental figure or not thought of at all, really. When our seeking pleasure or even “peace” is above all else we miss the beautiful work of God He wants to do in our life.

"A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil.  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. " Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

My pastor recently asked us if we are committing our lives to God or surrendering them. What’s the difference you might ask? I’m glad you asked! Join me for my next post Enjoying the Surrender Part Two! Click here.

Enjoy The Ever-Changing Sameness

March 4, 2024February 28, 2024 krisshetter

We took a chance that night. My husband wanted to go to the coast, about 20 minutes away, to capture the sunset with his newly revived photography interest. The weather app said cloudy without even a chance of sunlight. Being free of any other obligations, we decided to go anyway. We might not catch a glorious sunset but standing high on the cliffs above Torrey Pines State Beach is never without its own beauty. Just watching the waves take their turns kissing the beach, people and dog watching, silently encouraging each surfer as they paddle furiously to catch one more wave before the light is gone, peering with hope to see a dolphin or even a whale spout – it’s all the draw of standing at the edge of the sea.

We hopped on our Vespa scooters (realizing too late we weren’t dressed for the chilly air!) and wound our way to the coast. The “parking gods” were with us and we found a place to park with the beachside cliffs just over the short berm. At first the sky was just as the weather app had predicted – slightly gloomy. For some reason we kept watch.

Off on the distant horizon a glimmer of gold began to break through the greyness. Minute by minute a tear in the clouds began to emerge. The scene soon revealed a fiery, heavenly furnace with bright golds, oranges and red bursting through the clouds. As the sun continued its nightly, predictable path to the west, soft pink and blue cotton candy-like clouds joined the canvas. At one point the sun itself made an entrance in blinding suddenness. Its rays glowed across the surface of the sea. As it lowered further and further toward distant lands, the furnace became a gentle glow of a dying campfire. My eyes drawn into the soft light of God’s glory on full display.

Soon the torn sky began to heal with clouds marching together to close the scene. And those of us standing there wanting to squeeze every ounce of beauty out of what was before us looked around and finally breathed.

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.  The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.  The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course…All things are wearisome more than one can say.” Ecclesiastes 1:4-8

It seems easy to enjoy life when surrounded by such beauty set before us. An hour of admiring the ending of another day. Yet, how often do we get caught up in what King Solomon repeats throughout his study of life in Ecclesiastes, “the meaningless life?” We wake up each morning with our to-do list firmly planted at the front of our mind. We trudge through our morning routine and either go off to work or begin our work at home. We stop for lunch then pick it all up again. Dinner time, tv, reading, our evening routine, and then to bed. It’s the life Solomon laments in its “routineness.” He asks what is the point of our toil (Ecc 1:3)? The sun rises and sets and nothing ever changes. It’s meaningless.

Now I warn you. The book of Ecclesiastes has its pitfalls just as the Book of Job. There’s danger in opening either book and grabbing a piece of scripture to represent the whole message. It’s why I avoided quoting Job in any post for a long time. And the first few chapters of Ecclesiastes could be used in destructive ways. But I’m going to give you the spoiler – life is meaningless, unless you have God as your Lord. We will toil for selfish or pointless reasons. We will lose or not ever have any hope. We will feel like prisoners. We might even see God as evil or unloving. We lose sight of how beautifully made this cyclical world really is.

But God.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called  the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day." Genesis 1:1-3

King Solomon was gifted by God to be one of the wisest men ever to exist. But I find myself challenging him straight away when he says, “Is there anything of which one can say, ‘Look! This is something new’? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” (Ecc 1:10)

Why do I disagree to some degree with that statement? Because God is the god that bursts into our lives and upsets the world from time to time. There once was nothing and He created something magnificent! There was a time the sun didn’t rise or set. A time were there weren’t any seasons. God then gave us constants like knowing the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, every. single. day. of our human existence.

But then He goes and puts His finger to the artist’s canvas again for that unique sunset, the duplicate of which will never be seen again. The giant oak tree in front of my daughter’s house will bloom this spring again and produce giant leaves. In the fall the leaves will change color and fall to the ground. The cycle goes round and round. But each new leaf will never look exactly like another. The fall color change pattern will never be repeated exactly the same.

And you, when you were formed in your mother’s womb, may look like your parents, you may have some of their mannerisms, you may have similar beliefs about the world. You generally look like everyone else and your body performs pretty much like everyone else’s. But you, you will never be repeated. His artist’s finger has touched you and made you beautiful. Yes, you. You with the aches and pains. You with the slightly longer left leg than right. You with the hair you always wish were the opposite. You with that funny freckle right there.

In the infinite wisdom of the Lord of all the earth, each event falls with exact precision into its proper place in the unfolding of His divine plan. Nothing, however small, however strange, occurs without His ordering, or without its particular fitness for its place in the working out of His purpose; and the end of all shall be the manifestation of His glory, and the accumulation of His praise.
B.B. Warfield

In His omniscient wisdom He gave us constancy and variety all at once. We can thank Him for both. He gives us blessings and trials – all so we can give Him glory for His hand at work. It’s not meaningless monotony God created but a sturdy white canvas ready for something new each day.

Friend, like I said, it is easy to take an hour and enjoy a sunset. But let me finish the story of our trip to catch the sun on its nightly, guaranteed journey. You see, the city where we chose to park is very strict with their parking. We rolled up our little Vespas to the perfect spots and decided not to walk the half block to pay for parking passes (I think it’s their evil plan to spread the meter machines so far apart). After watching God’s performance, we hiked back to our rides. And yes, each had a $50 parking ticket. Did we let it ruin what we had just witnessed? No, we knew we had willfully disobeyed the set rules. Instead of getting angry I said, “Well, we stayed home for our date night this week so we can just look at this as our date night. A bottle of wine and a nice meal would’ve cost us just as much!” I shocked myself realizing the work God has done in me. How He has changed this typical, average woman into one that gives Him the glory. I enjoyed the lesson and message He set before me – follow the rules and don’t be lazy.

This year the Lord has put upon my heart to “ENJOY.” Not just seek joy, but as a friend noticed, to take action. Enjoy is a verb, not a feeling. When I researched “enjoy” in the Bible, I found it repeated throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. So, for the past few months I’ve been reading, researching, noodling and most of all praying. And here we are with the new series, “Enjoy Life — From meaningless to meaningful.” I’ll be posting a least once a week for the next few weeks. To be honest, the Holy Spirit and I haven’t worked out the full length of this series.

I want to leave you today, however with this piece of scripture and a quote by Warren Wiersbe to encourage you to enjoy today, enjoy this hour, enjoy the sameness and the fact that you will never have another day quite like today. Enjoy not only the good, but the bad and sometimes ugly. Because the Lord is always with you. He can always be found touching your life. When we believe that, we can see Him making all things work for those who love Him. Without Him, everything will seem so meaningless.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-30

“Since early dawn, that bird has done nothing but try to survive. He’s been wearing himself out hiding from enemies and looking for food for himself and his little ones. And yet, when he gets to the end of the day, he sings about it.”
Warren Wiersbe

Enjoy.

Enjoy Life: From Meaningless to Meaningful

February 28, 2024February 28, 2024 krisshetter

Ecclesiastes 1 begins in a tale of hopelessness: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” A strange beginning of my journey this year into taking to heart God’s word for me to “Enjoy” wouldn’t you say? After hearing this guidance from Him in January I took to my Bible to find passages which would be key in supporting my success this year. I found so many great scriptures such as:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians  3:23-24

One book, however, kept popping up – King Solomon’s study of the meaningless life – Ecclesiastes. It’s not a book to tackle lightly. In fact, when pastors and Bible teachers warn us about taking scripture out of context, I would venture to say two books might come to mind, both the book of Job and Ecclesiastes. Wisdom is not always easily understood. It uses metaphors, symbolism, parables, and logic. Jesus, Himself, was prone to sometimes confusing bouts of wisdom instruction. The disciples, in John 16, sounded relieved when they say to Jesus, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.” (Jn 16:29)

But Ecclesiastes mentions “enjoy” throughout its pages. In fact, you might say the entire book is figuring out how to enjoy this seemingly repetitive and mundane life. Is it through knowledge? Through wealth, food, drink, or other sensual pleasures? Or maybe through wisdom – something God gifted King Solomon. This book’s sometimes confusing yet, intriguing study of life, drew me in wanting the keys to one of life’s greatest questions. A question a new friend of mine said she googled just the other day, “What is the meaning of life?”

I hope you join me on this journey during the next 10 or 12 weeks as we let King Solomon’s in-depth look into the “meaningless” life work into our hearts and minds. I want to encourage you to read the entire book during the series. It’s 12 short chapters! His truth-telling is sometimes raw and a little painful. However, his honesty serves to strengthen our faith. As Jesus once so famously admonished His disciples:

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  Matthew 6:25-26

In other words, love God and enjoy your life.

Enjoy Life: from meaningless to meaningful begins Monday, March 4. Please encourage your friends and family to follow along by having them receive their weekly email post. Sign up at Emboldened.net.

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A Guiding Word

January 1, 2024 krisshetter

Let your eyes look directly forward,
    and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:25-26

Hello Friends and Happy New Year! This weekend my husband and I sat down and did a review of 2023. Boy did we have a lot of fun! In the midst of vacations, concerts, family visits, the birth of a new grand baby I know there were also difficulties. My husband’s business is still recovering from the COVID lockdowns, as is the restaurant we invested in back in 2018. My sinus issues and pain reared its ugly head over and over. But I made a point last year to seek the Lord in every circumstance.

When things were good I prayed for the blessings bestowed. When times were hard I prayed to see Him at work pruning me and sharpening me. My bad days were more like bad hours or minutes. All because I made the conscious choice to trust in the Lord and release the work of the Holy Spirit in me. I cried during those hard times and the Lord comforted me. I celebrated during the good times and the Lord danced with me.

This morning as I headed out for a walk, I pondered over the varied goal lists my husband and I created yesterday. I realized I needed an umbrella plan to guide me again this year. A word to focus on as each day comes at us with force. Some of you may already partake in this annual “word selection.” Two Christmases ago while attending a women’s brunch at my church the topic came up and our tables discussed which words they had chosen that year and how successful they were at focusing on them. Being a results oriented person myself I was surprised I had never taken this on as a challenge. While this last year didn’t include a single word, I did make it a point to seek Him everywhere.

This year, I have decided to pick a word to guide me. I’d like to issue you the same challenge. Think about it, ponder, pray, ruminate, chew on it and then write it down. Put it on your bathroom mirror, in your car, on your Bible, on your refrigerator, or even on your wrist. It should be a word that can focus you on God’s Word in every situation. Once you’ve found your word, find a corresponding scripture to anchor it.

I found this great, short article by Steve Kyle, in the Mount Paran Christian School newsletter encouraging students, staff and parents on why you should select a biblical word of the year:

Focus – Once you have prayed about and discerned your word for the year, you’ll begin to notice that you hear it everywhere. Not only that, but your word will flow through your thoughts at seemingly random moments, when God knows we need the reminder. These moments may occur when we see a book title and read it because it relates to our word. Other times a sermon or even a social media post will catch our attention with a correlation. In every case, we are drawn toward the Lord with a fresh perspective.
Motivation – Our word will pop up at the most uncomfortable times. It’s easy for us to lose sight of long-term goals, becoming bogged down in the daily stuff. But, small emergencies rob us of our greater purpose, the “tyranny of the urgent.” When we feel overwhelmed, it’s easy to shut down. Big or long-haul goals seem impossible to attain. But, our word of the year grabs our attention again.God never gives up on us. Neither does He fail to remind us when we’ve made a commitment. Whatever your circumstances, a single word as a theme can and will motivate you. You’ll gain a longer-range spiritual goal and a desire to implement concrete actions to solidify it.
Accountability – The natural progression from focus through motivation leads straight to accountability. Our chosen word hangs like a store sign over our life. Part of the attraction of prayerfully choosing a word for the year is sharing it with friends. As soon as it’s uttered, the deal is sealed. We should not change our word or make excuses. Even if we never share our word with another living soul, God knows, and who can hold us more accountable than God?

Each day before rising ask the Holy Spirit to guide you with your word. At lunch time do a mini check-in with your word. During your evening prayers, review how you did with your word and ask the Lord to bolster you again tomorrow.

I’ll reveal my word in the coming days. I’m still pondering. It may become a blog series! Once you have your word drop me a note so I can pray for you because sharing your word will only help lead you to success this year!

Your friend in Christ, Kris

There are so many words to choose from but if you’ve never done this before, here’s a short list to jumpstart you!

peace
kindness
service
love
patience
self-control
gentleness
joy
courage
silence
yes
surrender
strength
humility
decisive
balance
build
faithfulness
stillness
rest
trust
seek
grateful

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Rise & Shine

December 29, 2023 krisshetter

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:1-2

Rise and shine and give God the glory! Those are the words I heard when I first woke this morning. You see I had told my husband last night, just before we went to sleep, that I had no idea what I was going to write about today. Zip, zilch, nada. But I wasn’t worried. I didn’t lay awake all night concerned about the words that had yet to come. Why? Because over a month ago I made the commitment to the Lord that I wouldn’t run ahead of Him in this project. I turned any worries I might have over to Him. So, last night I fell into a blissful sleep with the knowledge that our glorious Lord always comes through for us.

You read that correctly. He always comes through on His promises. He is always present to comfort us, to teach us, to protect and heal. The way He accomplishes this may not (and it usually doesn’t) look like how we imagined but, when we have faith in His love for us and we seek Him in every circumstance we will see Him at work.

Yesterday at lunch my friend and I shared the topics of what can keep us up at night: family strife, fears of illness, the state of the world, and even our pets. As the Lord has worked on the part of my body that brings me so much grief — my mind — He has shown me how to turn each thought over to Him in trust and prayer. To release my prideful ideas of control and be still of mind.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

That thief? He is the one keeping you up at night. He is the one that whispers that you must be the one to fix other people. He reminds you that death may be just around the corner. He reveals to you all your weaknesses and screw ups. He places the doubt of God’s sovereignty and love in your mind. He’s convincing you to expect bad things to happen. He’s the one telling you to clean up your act before you can come bow down before our Mighty and Glorious King. Ugh! I hate that guy! The king of lies.

"Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
    when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be a light to me." Micah 7:8

Oh, yes we will rise! We will rise because when we pray, the glory of the Lord shines a light on the lies. Before we go to bed each night we turn every single thought over to Him and we don’t take it back. We put it in God’s holy lockbox. We pray for the hope of tomorrow. That the Lord will do a mighty work in our circumstances. Because Jesus came to slay that serpent and indwell in us the fruit of the spirit.

I heard in a podcast this morning that Israel’s enemies would try to defeat them by putting rocks in their fruitful wells. King David was said to have opened all the wells up in victory. That’s what we need to pray today. For the Lord not to fill us — as believers we already have the gift of the Spirit in us — but to remove all those rocks we have placed in our well. It may be bitterness, jealousy, fear, mistrust, anger or any number of negative thoughts and actions. We pray not to be filled but to break down those rocks and fully utilize the glorious gifts we’ve been given such as love, joy and especially peace.

Oh, that blissful peace. It’s what we yearn for each night we lay our heads to rest. My friends, it’s time to unblock our wells and give God the glory for all He has done and will do for you. The hope of today and tomorrow that He will be present in your life every single moment.

And when you rise, give God all glory and honor and power. Amen.