Tag: faithfulness

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A Guiding Word

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:

  1. 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. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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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Glorious Victory

krisshetter 
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours."  1 Chronicles 29:11

One of King David’s first steps, after he was crowned King of Israel, was to coalesce the people of Israel and bring back the Ark to Jerusalem. As it was brought into Jerusalem, a massive celebration commenced. It was as though the victor had finally arrived back home. David wore his finest clothing, thousands went about rejoicing and hundreds of musicians celebrated in song and dance. A magnificent spectacle to be sure! 

David, in most of his years, looked upon the Lord with great reverence and fear. He prayed regularly for God’s favor to be upon him and the people. God, in turn, brought down enemy after enemy providing Israel with countless victories.

As King David made plans for the new temple to be built one would surmise that nothing could go wrong in this great kingdom. In fact, 1 Chronicles ends with the death of David and this statement:

"Then he died at a good age, full of days, riches, and honor." 1 Chronicles 29:28

A man with great faith which led him to great obedience (with a few exceptions). Isn’t that something to which we should all aspire? We may not all be kings or queens, battling other countries in the name of the Lord. But, we have been placed in very specific circumstances by God with our own gifts.  He wants us to experience that same sense of victory. 

Too often we look around and think we are “nobodies” in this grand plan. We probably aren’t pastors, or Bible teachers. We aren’t accomplished missionaries or evangelists. We find ourselves frequently uncomfortable speaking God’s truth to our friends and family lest we damage relationships. How could we ever participate with God in victory like King David?

But David was just a boy to whom God made a promise. To whom God asked for faithfulness. It wasn’t David who made himself victorious, it was God. It was David who stayed close to God, honored Him, and glorified Him.

Throughout this last 30 days, I’ve learned that if I give God glory upon waking, if I give Him glory throughout my day, and if I give Him glory as I lay my head down on my pillow at night, He has made me victorious in so many ways. He helps me win the battle of self-doubt. His flag is planted as He destroys the fields of my pridefulness, envy and discord. He tears down the walls of worry and fear. With my heart, mind and body turned to Him, He makes me victorious!

Friend, Jesus may have arrived as a humble baby but He came to be our victorious Lord and King. God may not strike with thunder and lightning but He is doing a mighty and glorious work in our unseen parts. He asks us only to be faithful and rely on Him. He is making an army that looks like no other.  One that, when this world is all said and done, will rule with Him in glory throughout the heavens and the earth.  May we begin and end each day this coming year with one of King David’s prayers upon dedicating the Temple to the Lord Our God.

"Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.  And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. " 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

AMEN.

Thank you for joining me on this journey of 30 Days of Glory to God Alone! If you missed a post, be sure to check out the Soli Deo Gloria page.

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Our Faithfulness to the Father

krisshetter

I met Jill* when I volunteered to be part of a new discipleship program at my church.  I was to guide her through a program which helps newer or younger believers understand their faith in God and Jesus.  At our first meeting she described her life situation as fairly dire.  After becoming pregnant as a teenager much of her family disowned her.  If not for her godparents she would have found herself destitute.  Fortunately, she and her mother eventually came to a place in their relationship where she and her son could temporarily live in her mother’s house.  

As I listened, I discovered a few things.  First, her professed Christian grandfather had a lot to learn about love.  At every turn he made her and her son feel outside the love of God because of her sin.  Second, I realized, having asked her what she believed, her faith was based on what others believed.  She could not answer what she honestly believed.  And lastly, I witnessed how easily it is for us to focus on the terrible things in our life and push God to the outskirts.  

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  James 1:5-6

I’ve referenced the book of James before because it is a no nonsense look at life’s reality – we will experience trials and temptations.  We shouldn’t be surprised by this statement.  Sure, we are maybe stunned by what the trial is or the level of its awfulness.  But we live in a broken world full of sin and sinful people.  The key to all of this is first seeking God’s wisdom in a trial.  Turning to Him before all else.  And secondly, to have faith without doubting that He will find a way.  That path He works you through might have a few more bumps and bruises in store but with our eyes fixed firmly on Him we will also see the blessings before us.  And when we feel we can’t or don’t know what to pray?  We ask the Holy Spirit for help.  “Help me stay faithful, help me to know what to pray!”

So why did I bring up Jill?  Over the next few months, I tried encouraging her to ask God in prayer for direction, both about a job and her housing.  I pointed out the blessings in the midst of her trial.  I urged her to see the work God was doing in her life.  What I got back from her was the opposite.  I’m sure we have all been in relationships like this (or maybe we’ve been the one like this).  At each turn a blessing she received was still not good enough.  There was always something else wrong.  She told me she was getting nothing from God.  And yet she had a place to live, food to eat, a school for her son, a church that was helping her, and someone to talk to – me.

How many of us when we are in the inevitable troughs of life, troughs that feel lacking in joy and love, create an equally deep trough of faith?  If asked that question just a couple years ago I would have raised my hand in agreement.  God’s not there.  God’s not listening.  God doesn’t care about me.  God doesn’t see me.  And sometimes leading to my cry, “I don’t believe in you anymore!”  

Friend, God never, ever leaves.  He never stops listening and responding.  He never stops loving.  But we do.  And it’s time to start a new practice.  I used to tell the girls I coached in softball, “If you keep practicing something the wrong way you will get very good at doing it…the wrong way.”  So, yes, it’s time to look in the mirror and tell yourself a new approach is needed.  A new way of practicing our faith.  The second life takes a twist we must drop to our knees in faith.  We become people with buckets overflowing with faithfulness rather than fruitlessness.  Because let’s be honest, the old way really wasn’t working that great in the first place, right?

"When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, 'Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.'" Matthew 8:10

Do you want to be recognized by Jesus like the Roman centurion who pled with Jesus to heal his servant?  He told Jesus he had faith that Jesus didn’t even need to come to his house in order to perform the miracle.  He told Jesus – “just say it and it will be done.”  Whew!  That’s some amazing faith for a man who shouldn’t have had anything to do with this Jew.

I love this quote by Charles Spurgeon about our relationship with the Almighty during difficult times:

When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head.

Charles Spurgeon

When it comes right down to it you have to ask yourself, “Do I trust God? Do I have real faith that He is faithful?”  Not just in the good but in the bad.  When you are facing homelessness, financial ruin, the death of a loved one, sickness, pain, betrayal, and more – are you finally ready to say to Him, “You give every good and beautiful thing. And I know you will work this out for my good.”?

It’s time for a perspective shift in our faith lives.  Seek the blessings.  Search them out more earnestly than we do trying to find the worst in any situation.  You’ll find it’s not that difficult after a while.  That’s the fruit of faithfulness.  That’s loving a God who loves you deeply.

I have read mystery and detective books my whole life, starting with Nancy Drew.  Recently I decided to use any free time to read various theological books.  I’m currently in the midst of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.  For those not in the know about this book, it’s letters from a “head” demon advising a lower demon on how to best ensure his assigned “patient” goes to hell.  I was writing this post on faithfulness and came across this passage:

“In a week or two you will be making him doubt whether or not the first days of his Christianity were not, perhaps, a little excessive.  Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things’.  If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point’, you can feel quite happy about his soul.  A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all – and more amusing.  Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.  

On the troughs of faith, The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis

Think on that spiritual battle in your next trough.  Will you allow it to pull you further down?  Or will you fight back in faithfulness?

Coming up: Faithfulness in action

*Jill is not her real name

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Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness

krisshetter

A few years ago, one of my daughters was going through some really tough stuff.  If you are a mother, you know how much it hurts to watch your child go through trials.  On top of her situation, I was struggling with my own demons, you might say.  I found myself standing in my bedroom crying.  Feeling so much hopelessness and despair.  And betrayal.  Not by any earthly being, but betrayal by God.  I looked up through my tears and yelled out, “That’s it.  I’m not going to believe in you anymore.  I’m done.”

And then I laughed.  Yes, I laughed.  Because God turned right around and said to me, “If you don’t believe in me then why are you talking to me?”  It’s impossible to feel betrayed by something you don’t believe exists!  He made it clear to me He wasn’t going anywhere.  I then needed to decide if I was going to stay as faithful to Him as He has always promised to be to me.

For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Psalm 117:2

God’s faithfulness to us lowly humans has never really been in question.  It started in Genesis 1 when He created the heavens and the earth and then mankind.  He made it clear that this beautiful, bountiful place we call home was designed for us.  To sustain us and to bring us joy.  And although scientists have yet to confidently determine the age of this planet, we can at least say it’s been here longer than we have.  He carefully prepared the table for us and continues to have it serve His beloved people.

“Sometimes His work goes on quickly, and sometimes it goes on slowly.  Man is frequently impatient and thinks that nothing is being done.  But humanity’s time is not God’s time.  A thousand years in His sight are but as a single day.  The great Builder makes no mistakes.  He knows what He is doing.  He sees the end from the beginning. 

 J.C. Ryle

This week as we look at the fruit of the spirit: faithfulness, I will venture into three areas.  First, today, the faithfulness of God to us.  Then the opposite path –our faithfulness to Him.  And last, how our fruit of faithfulness sees its work in the world. 

I think it’s almost a given now that in each era theologians, pastors, Christians, and even non-believers determine “this is it.”  The world is coming to an end.  Some have found “proof” that the goings on of man are evidence that we are in the end times found in Revelations.  But it’s the view of the “end” taken so often that is fascinating.  The idea that God is now so done with us that He is going to rain down fire and smote the wicked has reared up throughout the ages.

To be sure, God keeps His promises.  He has since the first covenant with man.  And this version of the world, as we know it will one day end.  Many would view that as a scary and unloving idea.  That is, if we didn’t see God as loving and ever-faithful.

If you wish to know God, you must know His Word. If you wish to perceive His power, you must see how He works by His Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.

Charles Spurgeon

When my Bible Study Girls decided to delve into the book of Revelations many of us did so with trepidation. We were told by pastors and others how difficult and, at times, worrisome, the book can be.  In the end, what we learned was God is a faithful and merciful God.  He is working right now to create a New Eden.  One that sees no pain or suffering.  One where love reigns supreme.  Evil exists no more.  A place where the complete fulfillment of His covenant with man is revealed.  The only thing we have to do is be faithful in return.

My friends, God has never left us.  He’s not planning to, ever.  He has shown up in your life every, single day. Yes, even when it felt too hard.  Has He solved all your problems?  No.  Has He provided a path toward all your problems being solved one day?  Yes.  He has never stopped loving you or me.  

Of all the fruits of the spirit, it is faithfulness that can teach us so much about God and how to blossom in the other fruit.  Faithfulness is not just about knowing God.  As James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God.  Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”  No, faithfulness is about stick-to-it-ness because you love and respect something so much.

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:1-2

God has never disappeared.  Even during the most horrific events in time.  Even during the worst of situations now.  When you seek Him, you will definitely see Him.  And He will say, “Keep talking to me.  I’m not going anywhere.”

Coming up: Our Faithfulness to the Father

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Everyday Glory

krisshetter 
“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11

Holy Spirit, whatever decisions and choices I make today help them to be in service and glorification of God. Amen

I read an Instagram post the other day that asked this question: “Are you doing what makes you happy or what glorifies God?”  I would venture to say on a day-to-day, hour-by-hour basis we probably lean toward what makes us happy.  Sure, when it comes to bigger more difficult decisions, we may seek God’s counsel.  But how often when we are choosing what to eat, what to do with our free time, when we go about our chores and errands, before we open the door to enter work or school do we think, what’s God say about this? What could I do in this very situation that would make God happy?  What could I say to my spouse/friend/adult child that would sound like a word from the Lord?

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

We can take this piece of scripture and use it as a sort of “out” when it comes to our everyday lives being aligned with God.  We can never know all that God is thinking so we just go about our lives as best we can, right?  That may be true if we never study scripture or pray for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom.  Because when we do those two things, God will constantly be on our minds and lips.  He may even want that mundane day you have planned turned into something that glorifies Him.

We will never be fully satisfied with making our own choices about our lives.  It may appear that some people who have fame and fortune without God “have it all.”  As Christ followers we know true satisfaction, however, comes from the only constant thing in the world – God.  He knows what’s best for us.  He knows what will work in our lives to glorify the kingdom.  

Friend, when we change our daily thinking to God’s plan, not ours, we will also enjoy the fruits of the spirit – peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. And that sounds a lot better than anything I might’ve planned for my day.

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His Abundance

krisshetter 
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  Colossians 1:27

Father God, your riches are boundless, your love endless, and your provisions unending!  While I go throughout my day today help me to take my thoughts off the world’s insufficiencies and turn my eyes to your plentiful ways.  Amen

It was only a short time ago that most of us worried about the scarcity of one product – toilet paper.  It was a man-made problem borne out fear and selfishness.  In fact, one day while at a home improvement store I witnessed a man and woman gleefully overloading their pickup truck with hundreds of rolls of toilet paper.  I’m sure their plan was to sell most of it and their excitement was over the thousands of dollars they would make.  A small part of me hopes they still have a garage full of toilet paper.  My husband’s solution to this dire 21stcentury problem was to install bidets in our bathrooms, therefore eliminating the need for toilet paper. Two points-of-view to the same problem. Scarcity vs. abundance.

We humans have a tendency to always worry about not having enough, whether it be food, water, fuel, trees, love, friends, money, work, or even toilet paper.  But God’s plan for us is so completely different.  He is always wanting us to model our lives, actions and thoughts to His kingdom—which He shows to be the opposite of scarcity thinking.

"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;
    you give them drink from your river of delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light."  Psalm 36:5-9

You might be thinking, “that all sounds good but what about droughts and food shortages and waning oil reserves?”  To that I say, trust God first for He is always about abundance.  Throughout scripture, especially in the letters to the churches, we are reminded about the basic lesson of childhood – sharing.  (Something the folks in the pickup truck forgot)  You see, God provides.  He may provide more to you than you need so that you can give to another.  He also provides others with knowledge and skills to discover new ways for God to meet our needs.  Abundant thinking is always solution-based rather than fear-based.

I learned a valuable “point of view” lesson once from Dr. Laura Schlessinger about marriage.  If you always have the perspective that divorce is not an option then you will always find new solutions to marital problems (barring issues with violence and other abuses).  It’s the same with God.  If we always have the perspective that God is a god of abundance – overflowing with unending love and grace and mercy for us – then we will seek ways to see Him at work.  We will see our own abundance as His tools to serve others. 

Friend, God’s kingdom is overflowing with milk and honey.  When we see the world in a panic over the latest scarcity-based fear we need to turn our eyes to God.  His kingdom of abundance is open to all who call Him Savior and for that we should give Him all glory and honor!

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The Heart of the Matter

krisshetter 
“And I am so angry I wish I were dead.”  Jonah 4:9

I’ve shared before about the miraculous year I had doing God’s will during our 100 Lunches project.  When Jesus first spoke to me, directing me to make 100 lunches and deliver them to the homeless in downtown San Diego I had no idea the lessons He had in store for me.  Initially, I thought it was just a need that He directed me to fill.  My spiritual gifts were perfect to complete this task – or so I thought.  What began as a one-time submission to God became a year-long lesson in trust, compassion, faithfulness and humility.  Definitely not traits I would’ve confidently listed amongst my gifts.

With each passing day that year, God placed new trials and new opportunities for me to finally grasp what He really wanted of me.  I could administer any program at my church, work or other organization.  I’m organized, comfortable with leadership, a successful multitasker, and can teach readily.  As long as I was in charge life was good, so it seemed.  Until someone was unhappy with me or disagreed with me.  Or I hurt someone’s feelings.  Or I felt overlooked and unappreciated.  Praying came after the fall, if at all.

But the Spirit of God came upon me that fateful day.  I like to think of God seeing my potential.  My new beginning.  And He knew with some pruning and care I could shake off many of my old ways and start working on new ones.  Starting with praying to Him to help me make the change.  And learning that God wants our heart first, above all, so that it’s our heart that pours out to the world.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. Jonah 1:2-3

The story of Jonah and the whale rank up there with Noah and his ark as being widely known by Christians and non-Christians alike.  Jonah tried to get away from God, jumped overboard, was swallowed by a giant fish, prayed to God and God spit him out onto the shore.  A nice story of turning back to God in faith, right?  But in these four little chapters there’s so much more!  There are lessons on being a “I’m fine, it’s fine” sleepy Christian.  Lessons like Moses experienced when he told God he wasn’t up for the job.  Lessons on how one person can help save so many.  

Jonah was actually a man of great faith.  He knew that if he went to Nineveh, a sworn enemy of the Jews and well-known for its evil ways, God would most likely use him to rescue the people there.  But Jonah’s patriotism got in the way of his faith.  So, he resigned as God’s prophet.  He didn’t want his new beginning to look like betrayal back home.  But God gets His way no matter how hard we try to thwart Him!  

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah 3:3

So yes, Jonah sees how amazing His God is while sitting in the mouth of a giant fish and prays, remembering how God saved him before and asking for him to do it again.  And Jonah finds himself once more pressed on toward Nineveh.

While there he spreads God’s message that in 40 days the city would be destroyed because of their wicked ways.  But there’s something missing.  Within this story you will not find a message from Jonah on how to stop this destruction.  You won’t find compassion and love for these 1,000s of people.  He states the fact, does it efficiently and without pause.  In three days this one man had reached the ears of every citizen, including the king.  Pretty impressive right?  And although God loved the fact that they believed and turned from their evil ways you can’t help but think the real target of this lesson was just one man – Jonah.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. Jonah 3:10-4:1

Jonah had the gifts of prophecy, faith, evangelism and apparently administration.  And he begrudgingly used them.  Where God saw an amazing new beginning as a man who could help bring so many to faith, Jonah saw embarrassment and shame.  He didn’t want to go home to face his people who hated the Nineveh citizens and be known as a traitor.  He stopped remembering that God loves everyone and God can work miracles in all our lives, even our enemies.

In chapter 4, Jonah is like the Prodigal Son’s elder brother – critical, selfish, sullen, angry and unhappy with what was going on.  It isn’t enough for God’s servants simply to do their Master’s will; they must do “the will of God from the heart.” Eph 6:6

Warren Wiersbe

So as Jonah sits on the hill outside town in the last chapter of this amazing story God takes another shot at softening Jonah’s heart.  He provides another lesson for him to experience and learn.  Because God is love He doesn’t give up on us.  He wants our new beginnings to be filled with love and compassion.  I love this quote from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on Jonah:

“The deeper your trouble, the greater are your possibilities of adoration.”

When I first went into our 100 Lunches project, I was certain I could complete this simple task with efficiency and ease like Jonah.  But God put me on the hill, overlooking all that I had done that first week and said, “You have much more to learn.”  

With each distribution of lunches He said, “do it again, this time like this.”  He showed me how to be ok with people turning me down when I asked for help.  And how to be grateful when people came out of nowhere to help. He taught me how to slow down and look the hurting in the eye and offer a kind word or even a gentle touch.  He reminded me to trust in Him, to love Him.  He answered prayers which encouraged me to pray even more.  He allowed me to be loved by society’s “unwashed”, giving me the opportunity to tell them of God’s glory and provision. 

Jonah’s story ends without a word from him letting us know he “got it.”  His last lines are the first in this look at Jonah – “I wish I were dead.”  God’s last words are about His love and care for all people – no matter their nationality, financial status, religion, or sins.  Think of the amazing new life Jonah could’ve had when he left Nineveh.  Not just knowing about God, not just having faith that God is in charge.  But loving God and loving the fact that He wants us to live like Him, in love.  

Jonah’s faith was a divided one.  He held onto his patriotism and pride with a vengeance.  It caused him to withhold his love and compassion.  When we think of the Bible’s greatest lessons about love, 1 Corinthians 13 probably comes to mind. In verses 4-13 Paul tells us what love is. So many think these passages are about romantic love but in the context of the entire letter it’s about how we serve out God’s will with our gifts. In a way, the more important lessons are in verses 1-3. The lesson God was trying to teach Jonah. The lesson which can help us all in our new beginnings as God’s servants.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Cor 13: 1-3

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

Fruits of His Spirit

krisshetter

Do you sometimes feel a bit untethered?  Wandering off into the wilderness and you’ve forgotten the way back to the trail?  Or maybe you are scrambling over the boulders of fear, anxiety and hopelessness.  It wouldn’t be surprising given what’s been thrown at us in 2020.  But God is the Prince of Peace.  That doesn’t mean He’s the “prince of no conflict and no tribulations.”  It means when we are in closer communion with Him, we experience the fruits of His spirit – kindness, joy, love, patience, goodness, faithfulness and yes, peace.  This is His promise.

Join me starting December 7 as we explore just 25 of the 1,000s of God’s promises found in His Holy Word. Promises to hold on to for hope and for peace.