Charles Spurgeon

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Unity Strengthens

March 31, 2021September 1, 2021 krisshetter

Be on your guard; stand firm in the 
faith; be courageous; be strong. 
1 Cor 16:13

Isn’t it just like us humans, when dealing with multiple leaders, to try and take sides? Whether it be a job, a volunteer position, in our families, a group of friends, or at our churches so many of us seek to align ourselves with the best and strongest. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Survivor, you’ll see how drawn we are to this concept. But alliances and divisions lead to others being on the “out” and others being “in.” And so often if our seeking of alliances has anything to do with our church it only serves to erode our faith.

We see behavior that is ungodly. We, ourselves, take to gossip or manipulation. We celebrate the uplifted position of who we follow and revel in the failures of the “other side.” All along its our own relationship with Christ that is suffering.

When Paul wrote this letter, he was working with the up and coming faith leader Apollos. Within the Corinth church people had created a division amongst the two men. Who was the better leader to follow? It doesn’t appear that Apollos had anything to do with the strife taking place. In fact, Apollos seemed to try and head off any favoritism issues by telling Paul he wasn’t ready to return to Corinth.

In Jesus’ world everyone has the opportunity to be “in.” And as Christians, we are to fight against our tendencies to divide and conquer. We are to be always “on our guard” when we see these types of rifts arise around us. It takes courage to stand up to gossipers and the pull of others to align ourselves with the “right people.” It is faith-strengthening whenever we turn our backs on how the world wants us to act and turn toward how Jesus expects us to act.

A church I was at for almost 20 years was ruined by this type of behavior. It was reduced to almost ashes by people gathering up others to “their side.” And it’s sad to say it started within the pastoral and elder level. What we needed were a few courageous and strong faithful Christians to speak the truth and say “enough is enough.” The destruction of many people’s faith was truly one of the most disturbing things I have witnessed in a church.

“And yet, what are some Churches but semi-religious clubs, mere conventions of people gathered together? They have not in them that holy soul which is the essence of unity.”
Charles Spurgeon

We can’t take a stand for our faith if we aren’t willing to step outside of our worldly, envious, fearful ways. When we go along and try to play the game of “who’s the best” and then try to align ourselves with them we fall prey to the devil’s divisiveness.

But when we stand firm in our faith and are courageous against those who wish to divide, God stands beside us cheering us on. And our faith is reignited when we walk with closely Him.

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, Christian women, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Fresh Fire

March 26, 2021September 1, 2021 krisshetter

That ye be not slothful, but followers 
of them who through faith and patience 
inherit the promises. 
Hebrews 6:12

I don’t typically pull Bible verses from the King James version. But in one of my devotionals this version of Hebrews 6:12 was the focus of that day’s study. It got me thinking about my own faith and where I stand with “slothfulness.”

When you hear that word “sloth” you probably think of the lazy animal, hanging out in a tree accomplishing next to nothing all day. Yet slothfulness is not the same as being lazy – which is how the word is translated in the New International Version. In fact, the word “slothful” in Greek is quite different. And in the context of the verse in Hebrews it means to not allow our faith to become monotonous or without a blazing flame.

Slothful: nōthrós – slow, sluggish; monotonous
Strong’s Greek

For many Christians we say we are religious because we attend church regularly. We get up Sunday morning, find our usual spot to park at church, listen to a sermon, sing a few familiar songs, and look forward to the donut or muffin on the way out. We might chat with a few friends then head to whatever else we have on our plate for the day. We can check off our “faith” for that week. We might even go to a Bible study during the week to put another tick mark on our “faithful” list.

And for you overachieving, super involved Christians, it’s interesting to note that the author of my devotional is an accomplished author, missionary and evangelist. He realized he was a good “worker” for God. But somewhere along the line it became just that – work.

But what God wants of us is deep, passionate faith. And if you already have that – awesome! I hope you will still enjoy what is to come in my Fresh Fire posts!

He wants us to be in love with Him. He wants us to be eager to speak with Him and to be sad if we don’t feel His presence. He wants us to stand for Him in the face of those who would speak against Him. He wants us to seek the opportunities to speak about His glorious promises. He wants us to remove all spiritual neutrality and instead burn red-hot for His message of love, forgiveness, redemption and salvation!

My son-in-law once shared with me Charles Spurgeon’s compilation of prayers called, “Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare.” I soon got my own copy and was amazed with the fervor level of his sermons. There’s nothing slothful about Mr. Spurgeon! I wanted to share this excerpt about praying with a blazing heart:

“I would that some of you prayed more vehemently! “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11:12) An old Puritan said, “Prayer is a cannon set at the gate of heaven to burst open its gates.” You must take the city by storm if you would have it. You will not ride to heaven on a feather-bed, you must go on pilgrimage; there is no going to the land of glory while you are sound asleep, dreamy sluggards will have to wake up in hell. If God has made you to feel in your soul the need of salvation, cry like one who is awake and alive; be in earnest; cry aloud; spare not.
Charles Spurgeon, The Raven’s Cry

Whew! I get exhausted each time I read that! And yet, during the “Great Covid Pandemic” I watched friends’ faith fall by the wayside. They were comfortable with sitting in their PJs watching a church video and nothing more. I also watched others be lifted to higher heights. Their Bible study life became daily and hour-long. Their prayers became constant and vibrant! Their work of sanctification grew by leaps and bounds! I have written before that I believe a great sifting has occurred. Those who choose to be “slothful” in their faith will continue to slide out of a relationship with Jesus. But we don’t want to be lost into the world.

For five weeks, I’ll share 25 verses about strong, energetic, and passionate faith. A few may feel familiar but my hope is that most will be something new. Because that’s what this series is about – stripping away the “usual” and monotonous and injecting a bit of new fire.

God’s promises are so much more beautiful and glorious than anything the world can ever offer. It’s up to us to grab hold of our faith with renewed vigor and fire. It’s up to us to burn in passion for our Lord.

Here’s the prayer from that day’s devotional about slothfulness. I hope you pray it as a stepping off point for the study!

“Lord, help me understand how totally unacceptable it is for me to lose my passion, momentum and desire. I ask you to forgive me for allowing any hint of slothfulness to operate in my life. Today I repent and deliberately turn from slothfulness. Holy Spirit, I turn to you now and ask you to stir and reignite the fire in my heart. Please help me regain the zeal, the thrust and the fire I once possessed. Help me to keep that fire burning this time, never to lose it again. I pray this is Jesus’ name!”

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, Christian women, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Our Brother’s Keeper

March 17, 2021March 10, 2021 krisshetter

Life Lesson #14: Your gift of salvation is not a private affair. We are to be our brother’s keeper.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save 
others by snatching them from the fire; 
to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating 
even the clothing stained by corrupted 
flesh. 
Jude 1:22-23

When I first started going to church, I had two other friends who were also exploring their faith. It was a great time when we gathered with our families and openly shared our questions and concerns about religion and our beliefs. One friend became a devout Catholic – the faith of her husband’s family. Another followed me into the Presbyterian church – which was my husband’s background. At one point my fellow traveler baptized her youngest and we were honored to be his God parents.

Shortly after joining the church the horrifying event of 9-11 happened. It drew many of us to church each week. But as the months went by, my fellow faith traveler began to drift away. As a new Christian I wasn’t skilled or knowledgeable enough to help draw her back in. I felt it was none of my business.

And there lies one of the great debates of the Bible. Are we our brother’s keeper or not? Before we got to the message in 1 Thessalonians of caring for our fellow Christian’s state of faith we heard from Cain.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is 
your brother Abel?” 
“I don’t know,” he replied. 
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” 
Genesis 4:9

Setting aside the audacity of Cain speaking so flippantly to God, we see the immediate need to shrink from our duty to care for our fellow man. Of course, in Cain’s situation, it was to cover for a great sin. This is the “I have my own problems so why should I be concerned about anyone else’s?” way of looking at the question of are we our brother’s keeper.

God does not ask or require of us to take on all the burdens of our fellow man. In fact, throughout the Bible it’s made clear that a heart change and therefore a behavior change is a very personal responsibility. Something that can only be accomplished between an individual and God.

No man can be his brother’s keeper in the sense of taking upon himself another man’s responsibilities.
Charles Spurgeon

A friend once told me that after a long, difficult day of being a school counselor, in a particularly troubled area of town, she would go home and eat an entire pint of ice cream. The stress of responsibility she felt was physically taking its toll. God does not require us to be this heavily burdened with a person’s faith conversion. But what if we took it at least as seriously as we do so many other things in our lives?

Our responsibility is heavy enough without our exaggerating it; we are not men’s sponsors, and if they reject our Saviour whom we faithfully preach their blood must be upon their own heads.
Charles Spurgeon

So what of our verse from Jude today? What is our responsibility to being our brother’s keeper? So often, I believe, when we hear this phrase, we imagine ourselves constantly correcting and judging someone. But a careful study of the Bible’s message about this topic leads to one conclusion – speaking the truth of the Gospel and nothing more.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you 
should wander from the truth and someone 
should bring that person back, remember 
this: Whoever turns a sinner from the 
error of their way will save them from 
death and cover over a multitude of sins. 
James 5:19-20

Wandering from the truth. Remember my fellow faith traveler? She is the person mentioned first in the verse today – “one who doubts.” She wasn’t sure she believed in all that Christians teach. She was being called back into the world daily. What she and all new Christians need from their fellow believers and churches is special care and compassion.

I love how my younger daughter’s church places new members (and even non-members) immediately into a small faith family. That’s where they can share their questions without judgment. They are welcomed weekly with open arms and open hearts. On the opposite end, I’ve been in churches where small groups are barely mentioned and seem to be a place only for mature, involved Christians.

“It is much easier to instruct new Christians and keep them away from the false teachers than it is to snatch them from the fire.”
Warren Wiersbe

Jude then goes on to admonish us to snatch others from the fire. According to Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe, these are people who have left our Christian fellowship and are now part of an apostate, or false teaching, group. What is our responsibility to them?

We might be led to think we have no responsibility at all. “Who am I to tell them what they think is wrong?” It’s a refrain I’ve heard from quite a few long-time Christians. But who are we? We are the recipients of the greatest sacrifice of all eternity. A gift that has always been meant to be shared.

I tell you a cold-hearted Christian makes worldlings think that Christianity is a lie.
Charles Spurgeon

I have friends who consider themselves “spiritual” but not “religious.” What I’ve come to understand is the word “religious” is actually a substitute for believing that Jesus is the one and only Savior. Usually in the same conversation I hear “who am I to say there’s only one path to God?”

If we are not secure enough in our own faith and the Word of God, we won’t have an answer. We may not be responsible for someone’s heart decision but it is clear that we are responsible for knowing that Jesus is the Way. And that knowledge is not to be held in a lockbox. Jesus isn’t for some people. He is for all people – every race, creed, and nationality.

With truth plus love we can stand for God in the face of our “spiritual” friends. When the opportunity arises in conversation, we must see it as God’s open door. And if we refuse to take the step through the door, we must then accept some responsibility for that person’s place in eternity.

If you want to destroy a man you need not teach him to drink or swear: keep back the gospel from him. Be in his company and never say a word for Christ. Be where you ought to speak and be sinfully silent, and who knows how much blood will be laid to your door.
Charles Spurgeon

Our burden is to do God’s bidding. Not for God to do ours. How many times have you had the opportunity to speak God’s truth yet shrunk back in fear of reprisal or embarrassment?

And so, we come to the last person described by Jude. The person or people to whom we should show mercy mixed with fear. Not many of us are equipped to deal with false teachers or with their ardent followers. These days people have turned from the religion of God to the religions of the environment, of self-love, of wokeness, of the state, and so on. And their followers are admirably zealous. To stick a Christian toe into the mind of one of these believers can be quite dangerous. But that doesn’t mean God wants us to forget about them.

The very fact that there is a Christ at all means that there was one who cared for others, and that our Lord became a man means that he loved his enemies and came here to rescue those who rebelled against his authority.
Charles Spurgeon

I was praying the other day for something I realized later was wrong thinking. I prayed that this blog would have a larger audience. That same day I watched a video by a pastor from Colorado titled, “What does the Bible say about homosexuality.” It was a great deep dive into related scripture. And then came the comments. I will summarize them by saying his responses to the vitriol were very Christ-like. Notice the title wasn’t, “What I think about homosexuality.” And yet the personal attacks were disturbing. In reading his responses I realized that in no way am I prepared to dive into that pool.

So, what is our responsibility in situations like these? Again, if God opens the door, He will also have your back. But if He doesn’t, He always asks us to pray for others. Knowing who and what we need to pray requires us to be mature in our faith. We need to pray fervently for the saving of souls.

And, you saved ones, you owe much to God, but do not think that you are saved for your own especial benefit alone.
Charles Spurgeon

The gathering of souls for God should be every, single Christian’s mission in life. Starting first in our homes, then amongst our friends, our neighbors and then the world. We may not always have a one-on-one conversation but we can always pray. We can give with open hands to mission programs. Most importantly, we should always be asking God, “who can I help you save today?” And then walk through that door.

The Charles Spurgeon quotes used in this blog come from the sermon titled, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper.” Check it out and be energized for our mission of sharing the gospel!

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, Christian women, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Be A Heart Changer & Soul Saver

March 5, 2021February 27, 2021 krisshetter

Life Lesson #9: Christians are in the job of changing hearts and saving souls.

Perhaps this is the reason he was 
separated from you for a while, 
so that you might have him back 
forever, no longer as a slave but 
more than a slave, a beloved 
brother—especially to me but how 
much more to you, both in the 
flesh and in the Lord. 
Philemon 1:15-16

When I was in college, I was approached by two missionaries on campus. I believed in God, to an extent, but didn’t know anything about Him or Jesus. I asked the typical questions – “Why does God allow bad things to happen to people” and “Why did He give us free will instead of just making us all good people?” I’m sorry to say they couldn’t give me even a best guess. I wonder if you were tasked with talking to a friend about Jesus would you be ready with passable answers to these questions?

I heard a talk by Joyce Meyer the other day where she took up the question of why evil things continuously happen in the world. She’s seen some pretty bad situations in all of her world-wide missionary work. She prayed this question one day. The answer she got back was, “I’m waiting on my people to obey me and take care of each other.”

The righteous know the rights of 
the poor; the wicked have no such 
understanding. 
Proverb 29:7

I’m currently doing a study that takes me through the entire Bible. It’s fascinating to see in Leviticus how sin offerings are adjusted for the poor. Even thousands of years ago God was making sure the downtrodden were taken care of. But notice you won’t find in the Bible that the Israelites or Christians are told to take up arms to eliminate poverty. Verse after verse we are tasked to do one thing with the poor – to help them.

In Joppa there was a disciple named 
Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); 
she was always doing good and 
helping the poor. 
Acts 9:36

As social justice issues go, the poor are always on the lips of “social justice warriors.” Their desire appears to be to eliminate poverty and all social injustice via legislation, protests or even through violence. But as Christians we are shown a different approach. Take the issue of slavery, as discussed in the letter from Paul to Philemon. The subject is the slave Onesimus. Notice in the introductory verse that Paul does not chastise or demand of Philemon the release of his slave. Paul, instead, appeals to faith principles. He reminds Philemon that as a faithful follower of Jesus our hearts and therefore, our minds are changed.

“To me, a follower of Jesus means a friend of man. A Christian is a philanthropist by profession, and generous by force of grace; wide as the reign of sorrow is the stretch of his love, and where he cannot help he pities still.”
Charles Spurgeon

By teaching slave owners about the power and love and salvation found in following Jesus, the disciples were slowly changing the hearts and then minds of people who, not only owned slaves, but behaved in any number of sinful ways. The new Christian is tasked with living in a new loving and giving nature.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 
the new creation has come: The old 
has gone, the new is here! 
2 Corinthians 5:17

Had the disciples come into new cities preaching about abolishing slavery (let’s remember too that slavery in that time was mostly more like indentured servitude) they certainly would’ve been met with resistance. Slaves were costly commodities – just as they were in the early years of the United States. To preach that people had to give up much of their wealth in order to follow Jesus would not have been as successful as first telling of the Good News.

Last year, I watched as protests and violence broke out in cities across the United States by self-professed social justice warriors. To be honest, at times I wasn’t even sure what some of it was about. In Portland, Oregon, the young people rioting just seemed to hate everyone. It was a perfect time for the church to rise up and do what we should do best – show love and help change hearts. I hoped and prayed that in communities hit by violence that God’s people would come together and form prayer chains around the cities – enveloping it in God’s love. Instead, I watched as pastors led more protests and took to microphones and megaphones yelling about injustice, pointing fingers at different races.

“It is easier to make laws than to make Christians, but the business of the church is to produce Christians and everything else is a by-product of that new creation.”
Vance Havner

The people of Jesus’ time expected a Messiah to come and bring justice. They wanted punishment of those who had wronged them. They wanted to see governments and whole groups of people destroyed. But Jesus was not that kind of social justice warrior. From town-to-town He cared about one thing – changing people’s hearts. He did out-of-the-box things like sit with sinners, touch the leper, heal on the Sabbath, talk with the outcasts. He brought the bread of life and the refreshing water of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks 
this water will be thirsty again, but 
whoever drinks the water I give them 
will never thirst. Indeed, the water 
I give them will become in them a 
spring of water welling up to eternal 
life.” 
John 4:13-14

How amazing would it have been if, when our churches closed down in March 2020, they instead remained open. Not just open but open 24 hours a day with a sign out on the street that said, “Need someone to talk to? We’re always open and ready to listen.” I know this idea is radical. And you’re probably thinking of all the reasons why your church can’t do this. But the work of Jesus and His apostles was radical. So is the work of every Christian you probably admire.

“Behave at them.”
Ken Blanchard

As Christians we are not tasked to be worldly “social justice warriors.” We are commissioned to be God’s soldiers. When we are tempted to join a protest march and carry a sign we should first think how we can directly help those for whom we are marching. God’s plan for the world will only be accomplished through our active showing of love, grace, charity, and forgiveness of others — while espousing His truth. The spreading of the message of Jesus brings the changes we so long for – maybe just not as fast as we like. He designed us this way.

I do get outraged by many things going on in the world. And then I remember to pray to God for peace in my heart so that I can listen for my marching orders. When I feel overwhelmed by the problems we face, I remember that God works out-of-the-box in radical ways. It’s up to me and it’s up to you to be in the heart changing business when God puts opportunities right in front of us. We will always find ourselves on the right side of “He who is most important” when we obey God.

The Apostle Paul worked on one rich, slave owner at a time. And over time, our Christian faith has led to a world-wide abolishment of sanctioned slavery. What small step can you do today to help change one heart?

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, Christian women, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Truth + Love

February 26, 2021February 19, 2021 krisshetter

Life Lesson # 6: Truth and love must go hand in hand in our lives

If anyone comes to you and does 
not bring this teaching, do not 
take them into your house or welcome 
them. Anyone who welcomes them 
shares in their wicked work. 
2 John 10-11

Throughout the text in these five smallest books in the Bible I keep hearing the lessons about facing sin and specifically facing false teachers. It’s a topic that makes many of us uncomfortable. We’ve come to be a Christian world that has accepted the idea of “get alongism.” If we hear a fellow Christian professing wrong doctrine or openly sinning, we feel so uncomfortable questioning them. Unless, of course, we take to social media and all kid gloves fall off. Our inner Pharisee then rears its ugly turban sheltered behind an anonymous computer screen.

So, what’s the solution when a false teacher comes knocking or a Christian friend encourages us to sin alongside them? John tells the lady of the house to not take them into our homes because doing so spreads their words and ways. That seems a bit unkind doesn’t? I mean, Jesus sat with sinners, didn’t he? Ah, if only we were so strong as Jesus to withstand the wily ways of the devil.

Bad company corrupts good character.  
1 Corinthians 15:33

Notice the use of the word, “welcome” in our verse in 2 John today. That implies a joyful and eager acceptance of someone. If I invited a person whom I knew to be a false teacher into my Bible study my group would surely think I endorsed what they were teaching. However, if I approached that same person separately, with God’s urging, and spoke the truth to them that’s a different story.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, 
we will grow to become in every 
respect the mature body of him who 
is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:15

Truth in love. Love with truth. They are like twins conjoined at all major organs. One without the other fails. There’s a great song by For King and Country that uses the teachings from 1 Corinthians 13.

If I give to a needy soul but don’t have love then who is poor? It seems all the poverty is found in me.
For King & Country, Proof of Your Love

In other words, if I expose a sin in a friend, fellow Christian, pastor, etc, but do it without Jesus-type love then I am no better than the Bible’s Pharisees. And if there was one group of people that Jesus admonished the most it was the Pharisees.

When I think of a group of self-professed, non-loving “Christians” who fall into this category I picture the faces of the Westboro Baptist church. For those unfamiliar with this group, their targets are primarily homosexuals. On the face of their mission, they want to tell people of the dangers of this sin. They have been known to attend and protest at the funerals of gay young men who have been brutally murdered. They harass their families and friends. I would hope that we can all agree this method of “preaching” will not convert one single soul to Jesus. There may be some Biblical truth in their message. But their hate-filled voices are completely void of love. These are the folks we should not “welcome” into our homes, rather meet them outside the gates and share the message of truth surrounded with love. They are the “almost rights” which are therefore always wrong.

And what of love without truth?

“Ships are safer in harbors. But ships are made for the stormy seas.”
Vance Havner

Meaning when we Christians fall into the false teaching of “Jesus wants us to just love everyone no matter what” or we slap the “coexist” sticker on our car, we water down our God-ordained separateness from the world. We become just another person on the street trying not to upset anyone. We join the club of “I’m ok you’re ok” and the sword of the spirit becomes as dull as a plastic knife. We allow, even welcome, the darkness to enter our homes because we are afraid to be seen as judgmental, rude or just plain weird.

“When we seek only to love but never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God’s plan. As believers in Christ, we need to be known for both truth and love.”
Matt Brown, Truth Plus Love — the Jesus Way to Influence

We are warned throughout the New Testament of false prophets and false teachers using all manner of evil to lead the faithful astray.

But there were also false prophets 
among the people, just as there will 
be false teachers among you. They 
will secretly introduce destructive 
heresies, even denying the sovereign 
Lord who bought them—bringing swift 
destruction on themselves. Many will 
follow their depraved conduct and 
will bring the way of truth into 
disrepute. In their greed these 
teachers will exploit you with 
fabricated stories.
2 Peter 1-3

When we fear “rocking the boat” and don’t rely on the Lord to help us speak truth to these situations we have separated those conjoined twins – truth and love.

“To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus.”
Charles Spurgeon

There are few lessons I have taken as much to heart as this concept of conjoined truth and love. It guides my fervor to be tempered with compassion. It helps me to stand up for God when I fear recrimination. It has led me to draw Jesus-centered lines in the sand. And it has released me from guilt for positions I take because I know I have done so in love. This lesson has brought me to a good place in my relationship with my parents – something I had failed to do on my own.

Our faith is not intended to be a private matter. Yes, we work out our sanctification one-on-one with God. But our obedience in faith is what sets us apart from this world. And when we step out our doors we need to be armed with truth plus love and love plus truth.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Faith, Jesus Follower, Uncategorized

Always With Us

December 23, 2020December 21, 2020 krisshetter

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you 
are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:1-3

Around the holidays we inevitably start seeing helpful news stories on how to deal with our families at social gatherings. How to handle the uncle who drinks too much. What topics not to bring up around your opposite political leaning parents. And yet we still attend these family events. Why? Because they are our family and we still love them. It’s amazing what we will put up with when it comes to family.

That idea of “blood being thicker than water” keeps us closely tethered to our loved ones. It reminds me of those pre-school ropes with little fabric rings the children hold on to so they don’t wander off and get lost. The teacher admonishes the children to grab hold of their ring tightly so the little family stays together. And if Jimmy gets distracted and starts to head in a different direction, the group pulls him back in.

Now imagine God as our head of household. He provided the roof over your head, the food for the feast and the gifts about to be received. He created that uncle, your parents, and even that really weird cousin. And He calls you His child. He calls us to grab hold of our place on His family rope so we don’t get lost.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, 
neither slave nor free, nor is there 
male and female, for you are all 
one in Christ Jesus. If you belong 
to Christ, then you are Abraham’s 
seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:28-29

We drink too much. We gossip. We steal. We withhold forgiveness and mercy. We look to the world for guidance. We work so hard to let go of God’s tether and yet He sticks with us. He still shows up. He never leaves us. We are his. He is Immanuel — God is with us.

I was reading a prayer by Charles Spurgeon called “The Presence of the Word.” He describes God’s Holy Word as always being with us. The divine teachings through the Bible are at our fingertips, on our mind and at the ready whenever we need Him.

“Oh, let it (Your Word) be in us a living seed that will produce in us a life acceptable before God…..Lord, we ask that your Word may chasten us whenever we go astray. May it enlighten us whenever for a moment we get into darkness.”
Charles Spurgeon

If we make the mistake that the Bible was written long ago and has little or no connection to our life, we have attempted to untethered ourselves from God. He is always with us through His living Word. The Bible is meant for us right now — to be His constant voice and sense of being part of His family.

My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s 
teaching.
Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch 
over you;
when you awake, they will speak 
to you.
For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life.
Proverbs 6:20-23

When we keep the Word of God tethered to our heart and mind, He is sure to be always with us. You might say, “I’m not good about memorizing scripture.” But here’s a little secret: So much of our lives are already seeped in God’s Words and commandments. We can all probably list a few of the 10 commandments right here and now. And if we were to stick with those the rest of our lives and truly follow them, we’d be closely tethered through eternity.

But His Word has so much more wisdom and comfort available to us. The first verse I truly memorized was:

Be still and know that I am God.
Proverbs 46:10

And it’s funny. As soon as I decided to try and remember that verse it started popping up everywhere! God was with me, guiding me, encouraging me to remember. Like a parent cheering on a baby taking her first steps.

He promises to never leave us. We were called to Him by name. We are His. And when we feel the pull of that blood to bring us back home, we need to show up — be the other half of the covenant. Our family is not complete without you.

Therefore go and make disciples 
of all nations,baptizing them 
in the name of the Father and 
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
and teaching them to obey everything 
I have commanded you. And surely I 
am with you always, to the very end 
of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Powerful Prayer

October 8, 2020October 7, 2020 krisshetter

Last Christmas, my new son-in-law sat reading a large paperback book. I asked him about it. He introduced me to “Spurgeon On Prayer & Spiritual Warfare,” a 575-page book filled with Charles Spurgeon’s sermons on prayer. There are prayers on why to pray, how to pray, what to pray, and even when to pray. After skimming over my son-in-law’s copy, I decided I needed my own copy. I’ve only scratched the surface of the 54 sermons, but I’ve come to realize two important things about prayer: 1) Do it and 2) Do it earnestly.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

How many of us truly believe in the power of prayer? Let’s back up a bit. How many of us Christians truly believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light? Unfortunately, I know quite a few people who say they are Christians but won’t stand up with assuredness that this statement is true. We are so wrapped up in the idea of being judgemental – telling people their way isn’t the right way – that we are willing to give up this foundation stone. We want to put the capstone on our faith by calling ourselves “Christians” without the foundation. In doing so, we shove aside all the teachings of Jesus and how to express our faith out of love, rather than judgement. We also tear down the place Jesus holds in the eternal world.

Let’s say we accept the statement that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. We are now miles ahead of the Pharisees. This was their stumbling block. So, if we accept this, we need to then look at prayer from that vantage point. When Jesus is our Way and our Truth then we also accept God as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And throughout scripture we are almost begged by God and Jesus to bring Him our trials, our joys, our sorrows, and our sins.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6

Notice scripture doesn’t say “well, only when you feel you need to pray.” It also doesn’t say to just pray when we are sick or worried. In EVERY situation we are to pray. Upon waking, eating breakfast, hopping in our car for work (or on our computer), when a friend or colleague starts gossiping, when a friend texts you with bad news, when you look out your window and see a blue sky, when you eat lunch, when you are working on a project, when you head home from work, arrive home safely (or after an accident), when you eat dinner, when you start worrying about things on the nightly news, when you lay your head down to sleep. EVERY situation.

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them.
James 5:13-14

I have to confess that God has revealed a painful truth to me about my prayer life. When I am most worried about a situation is when I have the most difficult time praying. I have a hard time slowing my mind down, focusing on Jesus, and asking Him to take control. Back when I was a softball coach, I couldn’t stand watching a game when I was off the field. I wanted to yell out directions to the players (I yell at the TV too). But when I took my seat in the head coach’s spot, I would become calm. It’s because I had some control over the situation. So, when I need to give up my worries it’s like standing outside that fence, letting someone else be in charge. And that is very difficult for me.

We have an agreement, a covenant that God enters into with those who pray to Him and are helped by Him.
Charles Spurgeon

In other words, we must acknowledge that God is trustworthy and has delivered us before and He will do it again. Our part is then to glorify Him through prayer and praise. Glorify – that sounds more than just a passing “thanks, God.” I’ve been guilty of that – if I even remembered to thank Him. Which brings me to being earnest.

If we believe that Jesus is the Way and God is the powerful King of Kings, we must honor this exalted position. Would you walk into the Queen of England’s throne room casually and just say, “hey, what’s up Queenie? If it were at all possible would you be able to help me find a new job? I get it if you can’t but maybe you can try.” Casual, and not very expecting. God is God. The One most High. We should come in reverence and expectation. He CAN do all. He has done it all. We need to plead with him, put our heart into it, and rap our knuckles as hard as possible against heaven’s door.

How many of us actually have such low expectations of our prayers? We say them with rote numbness. My family used to say the exact same prayer at dinner time. It comes to mean absolutely nothing and is usually expressed with that same nothingness. My husband and I started praying in earnest this year over our evening meal. We express thankfulness and joy for good things that happened. We ask earnestly for healing of friends and family members. And we ask Him to use us and place opportunities to be His light in this world in front of us. It not only has helped us be in communion with God but it has also strengthened our marriage.

An earnest pleader comes out of his prayer closet rejoicing like a strong man ready to run his race.
Charles Spurgeon

I love that visual. After praying all my prayer cards in my “war room” I frequently feel emboldened to take on the world as one of God’s blessed daughters. How many of us who have children (or co-workers) and we’ve needed them to complete a task? We mention it half-heartedly. They pretend not to hear us or just roll their eyes. As a parent and coach, I eventually perfected “The Look.” That’s the look that says “mom is serious about this so it’d better get done.” That’s the look we need to have in our prayer life. Expectation that God will answer our prayers. It may sound sacrilegious to “expect God” to do something in our life but He himself has said to us over and over to trust Him, to ask Him, to plead with Him.

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

and forgive us our debts, as

we have also forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but

deliver us from the evil one.”

Matthew 6:9-13

Do you see the glorification and exaltation of God in the first sentence? Then, the trust and reminder that God’s will is meant to rule the earth. We then ask him to provide for us. Really, using the word “give” is like demanding. Pleading with Him to forgive us. And giving us hope for the future. Man, was Jesus so great with words! How many times have we recited this and not thought about what we are saying? Next time we speak these words make it in earnest, bring some emotion to it! Beg Him to forgive you and help you.

We are ordinary people asking extraordinary things from an amazing, loving, faithful, and powerful God. Throughout the Bible, people just like us asked for victory over large armies, the rain to fall and the rain to stop, for loved ones to be healed and even raised from the dead, for our never-ending ailments to be taken away, for our life of sin to be cleansed. And God abided. He healed us. He saved us. He made it rain. He has showered us for centuries with answered prayers.

If Jesus could lift a man from the dead, imagine what He can do with our prayers?

We must pray in earnest. It is a supernatural, powerful tool that Jesus gave us. Some of us use prayer like we are brushing our teeth – rote and without remembering all the benefits. Something we have to do. It’s time to take it up daily like a torch against the darkness, a sword against evil, and a golden gift presented to our Lord Most Exalted.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Yes, No, Kinda

October 7, 2020October 6, 2020 krisshetter

As I sit here typing I am enjoying the sounds of my neighbor’s roof being ripped apart by workers. Yes, enjoying. You see my new neighbors moved in about two months ago. And then they moved out. I haven’t seen them much over the two months because they had their flooring all re-done. And then re-done. The person they originally hired to install their beautiful reclaimed wood floors did a horrible job – when he showed up. So, they had to fire him and hire a new installer. And now the roof. They’ve been told for weeks the new roof would be installed any day. Last week they were told it would be on Thursday. Then Friday. Then Monday. So today the roofers finally arrived. I like my new neighbors and I know how frustrating this has been for them. So yes, I’m enjoying the noise knowing the work has finally started. It seems that there are so few people and companies we can actually rely on today who make their “yes” mean “yes.” It may sound harsh, but when we don’t make our “yes” mean “yes” and our “no” mean “no” that’s called lying.

Above all, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “yes” or no.”
James 5:12

I watched an interesting video interaction once where a pastor went up to people and asked if they sinned and had broken the 10 commandments. They all said, “no.” Then he started asking them questions. “Have you ever taken a pen from your work?” That’s stealing. “Have you ever ‘swore to God’ you would do something for someone and you didn’t?” That’s taking God’s name in vain. And on and on. It was fascinating to watch the faces of the people change. They looked humbled.

The Bible is big on trustworthiness. God’s covenant with us is His way of setting this concept in the forefront. He is trustworthy. He is the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is the Rock we can trust will be with us in times of trouble. And He asks us to work on being trustworthy with our promises. When we are asked by a friend not to reveal something told in confidence, we aren’t to go into that decision lightly. With God’s wisdom by our side we give our “yes” or our “no.” And we stick by it. We don’t need to swear it. We just need to mean it.

“A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”
Proverb 11:13

I was a PTA president at my daughters’ elementary school for two years. I frequently asked people to help on projects or events. I appreciated those who would say “no” and not be squirmy about it. I, of course, really appreciated the people who gave me an eager “yes” and meant it. The people I had the most issue with were those that said “yes” and then wouldn’t show up, wouldn’t do the work, or gave a half-hearted effort. They would swear they wanted to help. It’s those people that I felt had they said no, I would’ve been better off.

If he is a true man and has plainly said, “I will,” you have him in your hand. He was free before giving it but not free after.
Charles Spurgeon

What if we all thought that way when we gave our decisions? Before we answer, we are fully free to pick whichever we wish. But once we say “I will” we are fully committed. Yes, circumstances arise that may be difficult to follow through – a late order from another company, the weather, an illness, something breaks down – but knowing we have made that commitment we will move heaven and earth to fulfill that obligation. We all have experienced situations where a person or company fails in their obligation. It is their reaction to that failure that we most respond to. Are they willing to make up for the failure? Are they contrite? Or do you get a “whatever” response? We will determine then if they are trustworthy or not.

When we enter into that covenant with another person by giving our “yes” we need to be sure we aren’t impetuous. Are we making that decision to impress others or even to impress God? I was involved with a woman through Girl Scouts and PTA for many years who volunteered for everything. People on the outside thought she was amazing! Her name was on all the volunteer lists. The only problem was she never actually followed through and completed the tasks.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
Luke 16:1-

That’s Jesus talking. And he’s not just talking about following through with commitments we make and being honest. He’s also talking about saying “no” to things we need to say “no” to. When we are tempted to do wrong, we need to just say a firm “no.” When we are asked to take on a task and have prayed about it and God tells us “no,” we need to say the same to the asker. Not “maybe.” Not, “possibly.” Not, “I’ll see.” We don’t need some long explanation. With His wisdom tucked firmly in our back pocket to be used at a moment’s notice, we can be firm on our “no.” Sometimes it’s difficult to decide which way to turn. If only we had the breastplate described in Exodus 28:15

Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
Exodus 28:15

Included on the tunic was a pocket with a black and a white stone. When a big decision needed to be made, the faith leader would reach in and pull out the stone. Black for no and white for yes. It reminds me of those Magic 8 Balls. Although those always seemed stuck on “Maybe.”

In my post on patience I listed the reasons you should have patience. One of those was for better decision-making. When we aren’t emotional and stressed, we can think through a decision much clearer. As a Christian we have the power of prayer. We have the Word of God. How many of us, when faced with a big decision turn to both of these? And wait for an answer? I used to volunteer for anything thrown my way. Part of it was out of pride – thinking how great it was to be asked. Another part was needing to always be “doing something.” After I volunteered THEN I would ask God to work it out. Yes, a bit backwards.

I learned a long time ago at my first professional, career job that, when making especially difficult or controversial decisions, I wanted to align those decisions with my boss. That way I knew if issues came up, I was supported. That thinking has served me well throughout my working career. And when I finally applied that same concept to the rest of my life it made giving my “yes” and my “no” much easier. God is my boss. When I align my decisions with His Word, I am strengthened by the promises He has made. I know He is working all things for my good.

But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
John 8:16

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

A Good Plan

October 1, 2020September 30, 2020 krisshetter

When my eldest was two years old (she’s now 27) I quit my career job. It was a big decision for me as I placed so much value in working. I had never planned on being married and having children so getting a good education and then a good career was my grand plan. And here I was, about 10 years after graduating college, quitting. One day, we were out for a walk. At a busy intersection, the crosswalk light turned for us and I pushed the stroller in front of a line of waiting cars. Halfway across a man yelled out of his car, “Hurry up and why don’t you get a damn job!” I was mortified. I wasn’t angry with the man for being out of line, I was ashamed. Ashamed I didn’t have a job to identify me as “worthy.” How he would know my job status could only be the work of the devil.

Sometimes we accept the word of satan much easier than the Word of God
Joyce Meyer

My value, my self-worth, was wrapped up in a career. Here I had a beautiful baby, a loving husband, a nice home and yet I was unable to see these gifts from God. I had a plan and I had quit that plan. I was a failure. Each day my husband would come home and out of habit ask me what I had done that day. Boy did that get my hackles up! I started inventing things I had done or making what little I had done sound so exhausting and important. I mean a trip to the dry cleaning can really take a lot out of you. Instead of enjoying those precious moments of playing hide and go seek with my daughter I fretted over my future.

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”
James 4:13-14

Life seems so complex and we want to control it. By making our plans we try to take the chaos out of our lives. We don’t want to be those “losers” who don’t have enough money to live on when we retire. We make grand plans for our bank accounts. We try to position ourselves so we are the ones that get that great promotion. We commit ourselves to long term goals with creating a family, losing weight, travelling, careers and so much more. And yet, we forget about today. The right here and now.

“Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring.”
Proverbs 27:1

That doesn’t mean we aren’t to be good stewards of our gifts. I did a Bible study once where the entire focus was on being a good manager of what God has placed in our hands. You see it’s never about having money or not having money with God. It’s never about having a good job or not. It’s not about saving money to buy a home or not. God’s has all good things in mind for us. It’s always about our relationship with Him. When we submit to the will of God, it all starts to make sense.

I used to pray for God to bring me joy one day. That day was, of course, when I was financially secure, my kids were in good jobs and married, and I finally had the perfect lakehouse. Sounds like the perfect plan, right? I kept putting off joy. Instead of investing in my eternal life by appreciating today, I was investing in my earthly life by ignoring today. I was reading a sermon by Charles Spurgeon today called, “Waiting Only Upon God.” He tells this story about the Scottish novelist and playwright Sir Walter Scott:

“Perhaps there never was a mind more gigantic than the mind of Sir Walter Scott: a man whose soul was as fertile as the newly broken soil of the land of gold. That man was a good man I believe, a Christian; but he made a mistake in the object of his life. His object was to be a lord, to found a family, to plant the root of an ancestral tree the fruit of which should be heard of in ages to come; magnificent in his hospitality, generous in his nature, laborious in his continual strife to win the object of his life, yet after all he died a disappointed and unsuccessful man. He reared his palace, he accumulated his wealth and one sad day saw it scattered to the wind, and he had lost that for which he had lived. Had he fixed his eye upon some better object than the pleasing of the public, or the accumulation of wealth, or the founding of a family, he might have got the others, and he would not have lost the first. Oh! had he said “Now I will serve my God; this potent pen of mine, dedicated to the Most High; shall weave into my marvellous stories things that shall enlighten, convince, and lead to Jesus,” he might have died penniless, but he would have died having achieved the object of his wishes—not a disappointed man.”

In other words, God gifts us in so many ways – with different talents, with finances, with family, etc – but when we make the plan to succeed at those, without seeking His Will, we will surely be disappointed at the end. We work and we toil. We stress and we plan. And we forget this one thing.

“You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
James 4:14

It’s true. We all will die. We don’t know the day or the hour. Without God as our light, without God as our object of desire, we waste our days clutching and worrying. Spurgeon goes on to say that so many of us make our plans and then turn to God asking what we should do and then go do what we originally planned. Sound familiar? In fact, after researching for this post I finally realized I hadn’t prayed yet what God wanted me to say. I kept bouncing back to my notes thinking about what I wanted to write. I finally just opened my computer, put my hands to the keys and said, “Tell me what you want me to say.” I had done my research, I had quotes and verses to pull from so I was prepared. But in the end, I was also willing to do what God told me to do.

I heard a sermon the other day called “Crazy Faith.” The pastor started out talking about Noah. Here’s this guy, most likely a farmer, who the Bible called a “righteous man.” Meaning he probably honored his debts, paid his workers and did a bang-up job with taking care of his family. He had it all planned out. Toil away in the fields year after year and be a successful farmer. And then God. The great part of this story is Noah didn’t say, “But I have my own plan for my life. I’m a farmer, not a ship builder. Oh, and by the way, I don’t live by an ocean. I’m going to go out and plant some more seeds and reap my harvest. Go away.” I’m sure being a “righteous man” he prayed to God for good things to happen in his life. So, when God said, “Ok, here’s a good thing I want you to do.” He did it. Are we so willing? Or are we married, fully committed to our plan? We are so committed that we miss the God given opportunities to help and love others. We miss the doors He opens for an amazing life rather than the toiling life we have planned.

A few posts ago I mentioned the 100 Lunches Project. Each week for about a year God led me to feeding the homeless. It wasn’t about feeding the homeless really. It was about ripping that need to work and justify my daily activities out of my heart and mind. It was about not planning every single detail out. It was about going first to Him to check in on what He wanted from me. At the time I was working at a school counseling office. I worked three days a week. It made me feel worthy. And then He told me that I needed to deliver food regularly on one of those three days. When I went into the office the next day I said, “I know you are familiar with my 100 Lunches Project. Well, God told me I need to start doing it on Wednesdays so that means I can’t work that day.” Yep, I said that. And the response was, “Ok, sounds good. We are happy to have you whichever days you can give us.” My mouth might have dropped open a bit. Each and every time I went to God for direction, on money, on what to buy, on where to go, on the help I needed, He answered. And I obeyed. It was glorious.

So, you see, it’s not about trying to build up that big retirement account. It’s about asking God what you should do with that paycheck. And doing it. Charles Stanley’s Life Principles #2 & #5 say to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him – even if it seems unreasonable. EVEN IF he asks us to build an ark in the middle of the desert. He has great plans for us – we may not ever be famous or wealthy. But that plan will be good. And if He doesn’t answer right away, as Christians that live close to God, we already know to be good stewards of His gifts. We will have prepared for the day He does speak. Until then, He calls us to enjoy what we have right now. For tomorrow may never come.

bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

Selfish Prayer

September 29, 2020September 28, 2020 krisshetter

I had finally decided to do it. I made a lunch date with my parents to tell them. I was scared. Conjuring up conversations laden with disdain, disgust and even some hatred I drove to the restaurant. As we dug into our sandwiches, I mustered up the courage to blurt it out. “I’ve started going to church.” And then I winced in anticipation. After some silence, I continued, “I was a bit afraid to tell you.” And my mother replied, “Why would you be afraid to tell us that and WHY on earth do you feel the need to go to church?” That, my friends, in one sentence, is the story of our relationship. After I explained a few reasons why I decided to attend church my father finally spoke. “Believing in God is a crutch. It’s something I don’t need.”

Nowadays when I hear people say things like that my response is, “A crutch? Give me two please!” Because there’s nothing I need more than for God to support me through this difficult life. There’s nothing better than Him. I have the promise of eternal life and His love under one arm and the power of prayer and petition under the other.

We live out our lives using so many other worldly things as crutches – our jobs, friendships, our bank accounts, our health, our status, the belief in the power of our own mind, etc. And when those become our source of support our prayer life (if we even have one) directly reflects those crutches.

“You do not have because you do not ask. When you ask, you do not receive. Because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
James 4:2-3

I call this a selfish prayer life. Either we don’t ask because, like a two-year old we think, “I can do it all by myself!” Or when we do pray, we aren’t asking as wisdom-filled followers of Jesus. How many of us have recited a prayer and at the end said, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”? Have we stopped to consider what exactly we are saying? Is what we are praying something Jesus would ask for of the Father?

“Man is a creature abounding in wants. He is ever restless. His heart is full of desires. Man is like a sea anemone with its multitude of tentacles, which are always hunting in the water for food.”
Charles Spurgeon, Ask and Have

I’ve heard a lot lately about our attitude and faith. The state of our attitude needs to be examined when praying. When we pray, are we complaining and want a “magic pill?” Are we asking for other people to be “fixed” when we really need for God to shine the light on what we need to fix in ourselves? Do we pray to get the promotion so we can make more money or do we pray for God to position us in our company right where He needs us most? When we don’t get the promotion do we then say, “but I prayed about it and obviously God isn’t listening?” We get angry with God when He doesn’t do what we tell Him to do. Go figure.

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolish….But we have the mind of Christ.”
1 Cor 2:14-16

When we don’t live as though we have the mind of Christ inside us, we pray as though we don’t know the spirit of God. Our heart and mind, with the wisdom of God, must be woven throughout our prayers. My friends and I recently watched the movie, “War Room.” In it, an older woman disciples a younger woman who is having a lot of marital problems. She wants her husband fixed – fixed, of course, how she wants him fixed. The takeaway from the movie for all of us was the intensity and sincerity the older woman had in her prayer life. What I had to realize was two things:

The devil is hard at work, even in our prayers.
We need to use our power and authority given by Jesus to plead with God

And so, I created my own prayer War Room. I pray with conviction that God will hear my prayer and His desires will be done. I pray knowing He wants the things I want – for families to be reunited, for mothers to find their voice, for husbands to step into their roles, for daughters to be filled with the Holy Spirit, for friends to surrender to Him, for our country to be healed. And I pray thankfully for prayers that have been answered and for his intervention into my life and my family’s.

I don’t pray for things anymore. I pray for wise decisions. I pray for doors to be open and doors to close. I pray for hurt feelings to be removed and for me to not hurt people’s feelings. I pray for forgiveness and to forgive. I pray asking for the strength to live a life He wants me to live – not the one my selfish desire wants to be. I pray for Him to take my burdens so I can rest in the peace Jesus left with us. And I pray boldy. I pray calling on all the strength I know God, the King of Kings, has to do all things. It’s time to stop messing around with lazy, recitation praying and start meaning exactly what we say.

“If your desires are the longings of fallen nature, if your desires begin and end with your own self, and if the primary purpose for which you live is not to glorify God, but glorify yourself, then you may fight but you will not have.”
Charles Spurgeon, Ask and Have

As Christians we have the privilege of prayer. Think of all the people you know who don’t know Christ. They are left to their own devices – and we are terribly faulty people. We get our own lives so messed up yet somehow, we think we can control the world around us. We must pray. We must pray His will be done. Our first impulse in the morning should be prayer. Throughout the day we should be praying for others. And at the end of the day we are specific with our prayers of thankfulness. Let’s not be like the sea anemone grasping at whatever luck or speck of good comes our way. Instead, seize on the notion that God wants to give us a good life. All we need to do is ask.