Tag: joy

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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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Rise & Shine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Knitted by God

krisshetter 
"I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:6-7

I’ve been thinking alot about babies lately — not because I want another (I’m way past that time!). Yes, the talk of Jesus coming to earth as a baby has been in my mind’s forefront but also my two-year old grandson and six-week old granddaughter had been staying with us for Christmas. Having had two daughters of my own I still find myself fascinated with pregnancy, childbirth, and the ever-changing process of growing up. 

Even while I was pregnant years ago, I thought the concept of having a human being inside me was very odd and alien-like. The miracle of life seemed just that, a miracle. While too many people in our societies want to pretend that a life growing inside a woman is not … a life, I remain in awe of how a tiny swimming seed can push its way into a tiny egg and an explosion of life begins. What a wondrous miracle God came up with to continue His creation!

For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
    intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Psalm 139:13-15

While scientists pride themselves on the basic “how’s” of the creation of life they can never fully answer the “why’s.” Why does the tiny sperm swim up to the egg? Why does it find the egg and push its way through? Why do the cells begin to split? Why do the cells stop making new features of whatever creature they are creating? 

My pondering led me to a different question about this glorious, God-given miracle we call human life. When does the mystery of consciousness begin? Any small amount of research will unveil the biases of scientists working in this arena. The idea of God’s creation of consciousness is seen as “make believe” (as written over and over by Dr. Ralph Lewis in his 5 part series in Psychology Today). Yet, even after studying this topic for many years, evolutionary biologists and psychologist can only make conjectures based on theories of animals that lived thousands if not millions of years ago. They reject the one, most simple answer – God’s miraculous work in us.

I did find an article on when the journey to consciousness may begin in babies. Again, however, it is based on the idea of what scientists presume must be in place physically before a human is deemed able to have consciousness.

But when does the magical journey of consciousness begin? Consciousness requires a sophisticated network of highly interconnected components, nerve cells. Its physical substrate, the thalamo-cortical complex that provides consciousness with its highly elaborate content, begins to be in place between the 24th and 28th week of gestation. Roughly two months later synchrony of the electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythm across both cortical hemispheres signals the onset of global neuronal integration. Thus, many of the circuit elements necessary for consciousness are in place by the third trimester. 

Christof Koch, When Does Consciousness Arise in Human Babies? Scientific America

Friends, our glorious God, the creator of all things seen and UNSEEN has given humans the gift of consciousness. That, in turn, gifts us with creativity, planning, memory, higher emotions, and more. We can no more truly guess when this gift has been delivered to us than we can know when our souls have entered into our cells. Of course, many evolutionary biologists and atheists don’t believe we have souls either. 

If we look at life simply as a compilation of mechanical-like parts joined together (somehow for some reason) to create a two-legged creature that can speak, then we ignore all the beautiful intricacies of our human existence. The nuances of love, of sadness, of joy, of peace, of fear, and of reverence. 

Our Christian faith is not ignorant of the “how” we are knitted together. We can accept all the biological facts of our human bodies. We just have the key to why it all works. A God to whom we give all glory for being the greatest scientist and creator for all time.

All glory and honor and praise to God. Amen.

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Hope for All

krisshetter 
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:14

In my Bible Study groups we have talked occasionally of the need to be educated about major religions so that in speaking with folks about Christ we know their general beliefs and positions of faith. When obeying the commands to love our neighbors and make disciples of all nations we must be aware and sensitive to the distinctions between Judaism, Islam and Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. We’ve talked about missionary failures when believers enter into cultures too aggressively and trample on the very people we are tasked to love

Unfortunately, this history has caused many Christians to be overly cautious — thinking they shouldn’t ”push” their faith on people.  The lack of apologetics and addressing the differences in religions in churches only makes this situation worse. If we truly believe in Jesus, if we seek to obey Him and therefore are promised peace and joy, then we must accept as truth His directive.

"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," Matthew 28:19

It’s not about just trying to get Jesus’ conversion numbers up for the next quarter so God will be pleased. No, it’s about sharing the truth and glory of Jesus’ message to the world. It’s about wanting so desperately for our friends, neighbors, loved ones, and even strangers to experience the fullness of life for all eternity. It’s about how we view conflict and strife and fear – praying for, yes even our enemies, to come live in peace.

On this Christmas Day, when we celebrate the most significant day in the history of the earth since it was created, we should re-commit ourselves to this mission. Why? Because today the God of all monotheistic religions came down from the heavens and choose to live among us. Not as a prophet, as the Jews, Muslims and Hindus would believe. As God. That should be earthshaking news. It seems so un-god like which is why those religions have a hard time believing it. But God, over and over in the Old Testament and Torah (which both the Jews and Muslims accept as Holy Scripture) shows Himself to be atypical of gods. 

He choose the least of us to lead thousands. The sinner is the savior for an army. A woman outsmarts a king to avoid genocide. A farmer stands before a ruler issuing warnings. Musicians defeat a powerful army. A tiny nation is taken under His wings as loved. A baby is crowned a Savior for all people.

Today, a few thousand years ago, God came to tell us the best news we have ever needed. We don’t need to keep striving. We don’t need to give more money or kill a few doves or lambs. We don’t even need to be a “good person.” In fact, He came and pointed a finger at you and said, “Sinner, I love you.”  All three other major religions — Judaism, Islam and Hinduism — require you to just work harder. Sacrifice more. And hope that you’ve done enough on one column to make it into heaven (as we lie about what we put on the other column). Their own scriptures tell them it’s impossible on our own. What a terribly hopeless way to live!

"Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:16-17

If we believe in God, no matter the name we put on our faith, then how can we not believe He can do anything? Including coming to earth as both God and a human baby. A baby, not born of kings and queens but of an every day woman. Yet another worldly view that God shatters and turns upside down.

My friends, when we think of believers in other religions we should find common ground first. And then, we reveal the glory and hope of the Lord — through grace alone, through Jesus alone. No other religion offers true hope. Their messiah is really themselves, as in Buddhism. The truth of human history is that we cannot save ourselves. It’s something we are miserable at accomplishing. 

Jesus is the only spokesperson for the most beautiful message of God’s love. He holds out His hand to every single person and says, “You can’t, but I can.” So again, today commit or re-commit yourself to His commands. Pray for people who hate each other to turn to Jesus. Pray for people who hate you to accept His love. Pray for knowledge and wisdom. Pray for your neighbors who are devoted to a religion that requires them to run daily on a never ending wheel to earn their way into heaven. And thank God that He came, revealing His light as a child born in Bethlehem.

May all honor, glory and power be given to the One True King and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

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Fake, Dead or Alive?

krisshetter 
"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."  John 15:8

My pastor yesterday asked a very controversial question of our congregation and the results were surprising to me. ”Raise your hand if you have a fake tree. Now raise your hand if you have a real tree.” The majority of people have a fake tree. I, however, will always have a real tree gracing my living room! He went on to talk about how a real tree is really just a dead tree cut off from the earth.  He used this analogy to talk about dead faith and not abiding in God. 

However, I wondered, how many Christians out there are actually relying on a “fake faith?” A faith in which we go through the motions and do all the right volunteering and giving. We pray and do Bible Studies. And yet, we also despise our neighbor or that person who hurt us years ago. Forgiveness? Forget about it! We compare ourselves to others, especially during the Christmas season. We give to charities but ignore the person in need that’s right in front of us! We play victim that no one gives us the attention we need and deserve. We make excuses for our language, our thoughts. We look so much like the world but “at least we go to church.”

Today was the first day of my challenge to love and serve others. I wonder how you did? Did you stop and help a person struggling to get a cart loose from the cart corral? Did you let someone go ahead of you in line at the grocery store — without feeling like you deserved a badge? Did you help out that person at work who just is so annoying? But you did it with love? Send a comment about what you did in His name without any benefit to you! 

Yesterday, as my church continues through the book of John we focused on John 15:1-17. It’s the famous verses on Jesus declaring Himself to be the vine and His disciples being the branches.

When my husband and I left church I asked Him what new things he learned. He hadn’t realized that Jesus was the root stock and we are the branches that grow out of that stock along the strings which the “vine dresser” makes. As Jesus’ branches we can only exist as an outgrowth of Him. I shared that I learned that the verse John 15:2 isn’t what I originally thought:

"Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2

On face value this seems a bit scary. We think we need to work really hard at serving the Lord, serving others and bringing people to Christ. It may seem so difficult that we don’t even try. Or we make halfhearted attempts to love the Lord by serving others. And if the fruits of our labor aren’t successful then chop, chop! But the words “takes away” in Greek actually are “airo,” meaning to elevate. So the Father doesn’t cut off believers when they supposedly fail. No, in His loving and glorious way He picks us up off the ground and gently puts us back along His life giving strings. It is only those folks who consciously choose to hate God that get cut off. (John 15:6). 

True love for Jesus, true “abiding in Him” means thinking on Him every minute of the day. It means asking Him when we wake up to place people in front of us to serve. It means before we head out to work that we ask Him to help you be at peace in traffic and to guide you in being kind and loving to those challenging people you encounter. It means when you are tasked with something difficult you immediately turn to Him for strength and wisdom.

We glorify God when we tap into every ounce of power and wisdom He has available to us. Like an inert seed placed in the ground, it can’t do anything without the soil around it, the water to feed it, and the sun to give it life. WE are that seed. And when we stay close to the Lord we grow and produce fruit, not on our own, but because of the work He has done through us.

Jesus’ love and care for us produces fruit. Our love and abiding in Him gives Him the opportunity to serve the flock. And the results for us personally? 

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:10-11

And I don’t know about you but I want and need joy in my life. A joy that is so deep and everlasting that only our Glorious Savior can provide. Let us all, as we approach the celebration of our Lord’s birth this week remember to abide so closely in Him. Allow Him to shine out of you so brightly that the world wants to know more.

Soli Deo Gloria

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Not Yet Home

krisshetter

“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:13-14

I had just found out that my boyfriend of three years was seeing another young woman behind my back. I didn’t know her but she, apparently knew all about me. I discovered this betrayal on a surprise visit to my (soon-to-be ex) boyfriend’s house –finding the two of them together. Now, looking back, it seems almost funny that he ran away and she stayed to tell me about the affair. I drove off with emotions swirling — anger, sadness, betrayal and confusion.

As I made my way home those emotions turned to despair. At 18 my world evolved around him. I was crushed and felt broken. Just a few miles before my house while driving on the freeway I did the unthinkable. I looked up and said, “I’d rather die right now.” And let go of the wheel.

Thankfully, the usually busy freeway was almost devoid of traffic as my car veered out of its lane crossing into two others. And thankfully a whisper told me he wasn’t worth this pain. As I grabbed back hold of the wheel I realized it wasn’t time for me to go to my eternal home.

I’ll admit that a couple other times in my life I’ve wished it was my time. The last time I felt that way I finally sought help and realized my menopausal body was in complete disarray. With a caring, thoughtful doctor I went on a small dose of antidepressants to get me through this life transition. At the same time I turned and grabbed hold of the Lord. And I asked Him to heal me.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4

This week my church has taken a deep dive into the above scripture. This idea of “going home.” The promise Jesus makes to His disciples, and all other believers, is that He has made a beautiful, comforting place for us. We only need to seek Him and believe. But at rare times we yearn so much for that place we go ahead of God and try to take a shortcut. We want to be in control of that timeline because of pain and sadness.

Friend, I want to remind you, however, of two things. First, when Jesus took the glorious and awe inspiring step to leave His earthly home and join us in the flesh He declared the Kingdom has come. We look to the heavens and dream of that place. But Jesus brought the Kingdom to us. John the Baptist was the first to herald this truth.

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Matthew 3:2

He came so we would experience great joy, love and peace through Him in this earthly kingdom. He came to give us the great command to love one another as He loves us. We can, right now experience His peace and love. We just need to ask Him to show us the path. He reminds us over and over throughout scripture of His great love for not just a people but for us as individuals. He loves every single hair on our heads. He can wipe away our tears with a gentle reminder that He loves us so much He took on our pain and suffering.

Secondly, He came to prepare us for an eternal kingdom. He wants each of us to complete our god-given role while we are here for a relatively short time. We have a purpose and He has a plan. That purpose? To glorify Him each and every day through our works. 

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  John 14:12

Jesus never promises us a physically easy life. A life full of rainbows and unicorns. In fact, He makes it clear to the disciples that we may even be despised by following Him. But He does promise that we won’t be alone, that we can ask for help and He will provide. That we will experience the fruits of the spirit when we love others. And when the time comes we will be welcomed home to join in His glory.

He asks us to live an outward life. Serving others, washing feet, loving others, making peace with others. Not worrying about today or tomorrow but trusting in Him. Keeping a watchful eye for the smallest of blessings and sharing them with others. He asks us to live our best and brightest life in service to Him. When we obey and trust in the Lord we find our despair, our anger, our hurt shrinks as our hearts grows bigger. Sounds a bit like the Grinch story doesn’t it?

While we aren’t promised to never experience loss or pain we are promised our great Comforter. When He left the heavenly kingdom He opened Himself up to tears, physical pain, and even death. He knows how you feel. 

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. ... I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live." John 14:15-19

Jesus in the most glorious of ways lives in us so that we may live to glorify the Father. To look outward so that He may heal us inwardly. And when we have run our race, touched as many lives as He has planned for us, squeezed every last bit of love we can from our bodies in service to others, He will surely welcome us home.

May all Glory be given to Him alone. Amen

Friend, if you are experiencing overwhelming despair and sadness first look upward to the Lord for help. Then seek assistance through the many resources available in your community — possibly through your church, a Christian counseling group or a hotline. If you have a friend or family member you can go to knowing you will be received well, call them today and tell them you need help. You are precious my friend. And you are needed here for a specific piece of God’s plan.

If someone you love or know has talked about suicide here’s some ways to respond (from the Mayo Clinic)

  • Get help from a trained professional as quickly as possible. Your friend or loved one may need to stay in the hospital until the suicidal crisis passes.
  • Urge the person to contact a suicide hotline.
    • In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are free and confidential.
    • U.S. veterans or service members who are in crisis can call 988 and then press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line. Or text 838255. Or chat online.
    • The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).
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Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness & Kindness

krisshetter

When my eldest daughter was little, she loved and admired her grandfather greatly.  She loved him to such an extent that if she were caught doing something she shouldn’t, he could just look at her and she’d cry.  She wanted so much to please him that she would do anything to be in his good graces.  My question for you is, who do you love and admire so much that you would do just about anything in order to please them?  You take their advice.  You model your behavior and even thoughts after them.  You may not even realize you have a relationship like this with someone but you probably do.  

The danger is that, as infallible humans, we will invariably get something wrong.  It’s how our idols fall into disfavor.  Relationships get fractured when the one we’ve placed on the pedestal fails us.  There has only been one person that walked this planet who truly deserves that level of devotion – Jesus.  So, my other question is, have you placed God at the top of the list of ones you most love and desire to reflect?

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 3 John 11

What exactly is this “good” that is a reflection or imitation of God?  The word “good” is written 725 times in our Bible.  From Genesis 1:4 all the way to 3 John we read of good and goodness.  I’ll take a leap here and say that of all the fruits of the spirit, love, peace and goodness may be the most misunderstood by Christians and especially non-Christians.  

When we say something is “good” its use can be as widespread as “loving” something thing.  “I love good sourdough bread” is not the same as “loving our neighbors reflects the goodness of God.”  The first is a fleshly desire of something made well.  The second describes a self-less act imitating the character of God.

God is not merely good, but goodness; goodness is not merely divine, but God.

C.S. Lewis

Each one of the fruit of the spirit listed by Paul in Galatians deals with either the state of our soul and/or an action thereof.  All of the fruit are a result of the Holy Spirit’s work in us in creating us more like Jesus.  Therefore, the “goodness” in this list requires us first to investigate what is the goodness of God?

Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of the children of mankind! Psalm 31:19

When you look up the word “goodness” in Strong’s Concordance it has you refer to the index.  In the index it equates what goodness refers to in various parts of scripture.  All the references are attached to God’s character:

  • Abundant (Exodus 34:6)
  • Great   (Psalm 31:19)
  • Enduring (Psalm 52:1)
  • Satisfying (Psalm 65:4)

I would add to this list that God’s loving character also brings these other good things to our world: light, faithfulness, joy, mercy, and grace.  The words “it was good” are used over and over coming from God’s mouth to describe His glorious creation —  His great love in action.

When I said that the word “goodness” or “good” is listed among some of the most misunderstood I meant this – that apart from God no one’s soul imitates this goodness.  Yes, even that person that seems really, really good.  

If you ask a Humanist or atheist to define their morals or values, they’ll probably list things that actually are God-given commands.  The difference is, commands such as “do not steal” become wishy washy depending upon the non-believer’s circumstances.  You see, we ALL choose someone or something to imitate and hold up as the pinnacle of moral authority.  But non-Christians (and unfortunately some Christians) hold up humans as that authority.  And we are and do what we love, made worse when it is ourself.

Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It’s a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as “uprightness of heart and life.” 

Got Questions, A Christian Podcast

Righteousness, “uprightness,” can only come from one source: the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He not only cleansed us of the guilt and sin we carry but made it so we can be called to goodness.  To reflect the goodness of God.  

God wants to be united with us in full.  He loves us, brings us joy and peace.  He’s asking us to be so in love with Him, so admiring of Him that we too want to fill our souls and the world with light, abundance, mercy and grace.  To set aside all other idols and place Him front and center.  For when we do, our goodness will naturally lead us to action.  Those actions are called love, patience and kindness.

Coming up: Selfishness or Selflessness

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Joy In The Small

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The six of us sat around the table enjoying our meal of tacos as we somehow found ways to laugh and grab hold of normalcy.  Then one of us heard her voice call from the other room.  My daughter jumped up to see what was needed.  Upon returning she announced, “She wants a taco!”  And so, a small plate of our feast was made and delivered to the other room.  We gathered around the bed of my dying mother-in-law watching her savor a few bites of her favorite food.  She had proclaimed to a nurse just a few weeks prior that she couldn’t wait to be healed so she could enjoy a taco and a beer.  Although no beer was in sight this night, we all watched her take small bites of that tiny gift of a taco.  We cried in our laughter.  And I realized this was joy. 

For the Lord takes delight in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.
Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds. Psalm 149: 4-5

I mentioned at the beginning of this week’s look at joy that God brought me into one of the most difficult experiences of my life not too long ago.  When we finally submit ourselves to God’s will we can look back over our lives and see the pruning He has done in us for our good.  Those trials and tests were given at just the right time for the right purpose.  To see our lives this way we must recognize not only the love He has for us but His soverenity over us.  He knows our timeline backwards and forwards.  It’s why we must give up telling God what to do and instead ask Him to reveal His will to us.  And although I don’t know what else He has in store for me in the coming years I do know He prepared me for the death of the woman who started me on my joy journey.

“(Jonathan) Edwards teaches us, then, of the God-centeredness of all joy in this fallen world.  He reminds us that the formula to joy is not God and _____ so much as God in ___.”

Dane Ortlund, Edwards and the Christian Life

God was in the room with us that night as we watched Bev groan in delight with each tiny bite.  She wasn’t pain free, she wasn’t healed, but she was joyous.  In just a few days she would be gone.  In her wake she left a trail of glorious blooms.  Joy-filled moments with friends who came to say goodbye.  Quiet, joy moments at 2:00am while pain medicine was administered, holding hands and remembering together.  Laughing as we struggled ineptly to changed bedsheets under her ravaged body.  We could do this because she loved the Lord more than anything.  We could find joy because we knew the Lord was waiting for her.

As for me?  Had the Lord taken her say five or ten years ago I would have been angry.  I would have felt so lost without her.  As I write this, yes, I’m crying from missing her but I’m not angry.  I’m so happy for her that she is free from pain.  She sits in the loving arms of God waiting for the last chapter to commence.

"Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them." Psalm 126:5-6

The question for you is do you believe Him?  Do you abide in Him?  Do you believe that our tears will turn to joy one day?  I know a number of Christians who have a very difficult time believing this.  The have a difficult time with the apostles and Jesus reminding us to find joy, yes, even in the trials.  Yet we are surrounded every day with brothers and sisters who do fully believe this truth.  

It’s not they that are a mystery – the ones who seem joyous in adversity.  It’s those of us who aren’t joyous that are the mystery.  We have the promises of God at our fingertips.  We have been lovingly provided for by the Father.  He has been with us in our trials.  He is with you right now in whatever you are going through.  He is pruning.  He is watering you.  Seek Him.  Abide in Him.  Ask Him to show you His will.  Thank Him for what you do have today, for there is always something for which to be thankful for, like a taco.  

 "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:10-11

“What the sun does to a valley as night gives way to day is what joy does to the Christian as the heart is filled with joy.  The Father is the sun itself, the Son is the brightness of the sun, and the Spirit is the warmth of the sun,”

Jonathan Edwards
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Joy In Our Obedience

krisshetter

I told a friend recently that maybe I should apologize to the world for the COVID pandemic.  You see I had for years been praying to God for patience and joy to be cornerstones of my life.  I thought if I just tried really hard at not doing certain behaviors I would succeed at this task.  While I had found some success in listening to God and obeying when He asked me to take certain actions, I bucked and kicked at fully surrendering myself to Him.  And then the pandemic came upon us.

As most of us experienced, our lives were thrown into chaos.  Some people almost completely shut down.  Loved ones lost not only their jobs and communion with family and friends, but their very lives themselves.  We were placed in a state of intense fear and uncertainty.  Where I live the government restrictions became egregious, almost to the state of Marshall Law.  People were afraid to leave their homes.  In some areas you could be fined over $1,000 just for sitting in your parked car on the street next to the beach.  In another, the city “outlawed” people from driving up to senior care facilities and waving at them from their windows.  Despair, anger, fear, was thick in the air whenever you made the allowed trip to the grocery store.  And boy was I angry.  

I became angry with the media for putting out confusing messages.  At government officials who chastised us for wearing masks then not wearing masks.  At neighbors who jumped to the other side of the street as though we each were walking around with deadly leprosy.  I despaired over my church closing indefinitely and not seeming to care of the state of their members. I wanted to rage on social media, to my friends and my husband.  Discord, not joy, was my refuge.  While each day I spent hours doing my various Bible studies no less!  I told my Bible study ladies, “I’m a great Christian when I’m at my house, until I walk out the front door.”

Then one day my husband, the chief operations person for a group of Alzheimer’s care facilities, came home looking completely undone.  The exhaustion on his face confirmed his first words to me, “That’s it.  I can’t do this anymore.”  The long days and nights keeping his residents and staff safe while managing the ever-changing governmental rules had taken its toll.  I realized he needed joy not discord from me.  He didn’t need to hear me complaining at dinner about the latest news announcement.  He didn’t need to feel my anger over something that happened at  the grocery store.  No, he needed me to be a mirror of the Holy Spirit.

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”   James 3:5-6

So, my true journey of seeking joy began thanks to the pandemic.  It was a test for many of us Christians.   I knew my past failures meant a new approach was needed.  One that was Holy Spirit directed.  We can no better wish for, pressure ourselves, think into action, joy than a tree can try really hard to make cherries. But what does a cherry tree do in order to create that beautiful fruit?  It allows its very essence, it’s holy purpose to do its work inside the roots, trunk, branches, leaves and blossoms.  Effortlessly in full submission to its Creator. 

“A Christian new birth brings a change made in the views of his mind and relish of the heart so that the regenerate person seeks his interest and happiness in God.”

Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections

You see, when we seek real change from the ugliness this world grows in us it means we seek to become who God intended us to be.  People close to Him, loving Him and being immensely loved by Him.  It’s no wonder “love” is listed first as a fruit of the Spirit.  Without it, the rest would be impossible.   In researching Christian joy, I discovered these three characteristics of a joy-filled life in full bloom.

1. Submission:  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

This submission is not slave to master as some non-Christians like to portray.  No, it’s a loving mentor, teacher, parent who sincerely knows and wants the best for us.  But unlike those relationships we never grow out of needing the Lord to guide us.  He just guides us through more difficult and more beautiful experiences.  His loving omniscience is where we must put our trust.

2. Seek to Glorify God’s Will: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2

With each word we speak, each action we take, even every thought it should be with turning ourselves over to God in worship.  When we wake in the morning,  prayer sets us on the right path in seeking ways to glorify Him to our family, friends, co-workers and strangers.  In other words, the old saying, “What would Jesus do?” should be on our minds in conversations with the Spirit throughout our day.

3. Seek God’s Glorious Beauty: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13:15. 

 Jonathan Edwards’ theological focus through the entirety of his life was God is the foundation of beauty.  Nature doesn’t exist for itself but for the glorification of God.  I took up a challenge to think on God every 30 minutes earlier this year.  Whether in my car, cooking dinner, shopping, I stop for a minute, look around and thank God for the amazing creation around me.  The beautiful sky or quenching rain.  The child’s laughter nearby or even the opportunity to sit in traffic so I could listen to the rest of a podcast.  He is all around us in full color and glory, especially during our trials.  Praise Him!

Friend, our joy comes from the love God has shown us with the work His son has already done for us.  It comes from the work the Holy Spirit is doing in us.  The blossom?  The fruit?  That’s the work He is doing through us for all the world to see. 

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Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

krisshetter

The search for joy and happiness has been called one of the great universal mankind desires by pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards.  It’s this craving for joy that leads some to dangerous, adrenaline junky activities.  For others it sets a bar so high in relationships that they burn through marriages to find the “perfect one.”  Some seek this seemingly elusive state of being through drugs, alcohol, or the accumulation of stuff.  “If I only I had that car or house, I’d be happy,” the poor man speaks.  “If I had a husband or children then I’d be happy,” says the single woman.  As God so often does, however, He turns the world’s understanding of this simple three-letter word, joy, inside out.  

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

When I first read these verses a few years ago I had to laugh.  It reminded me of a scene from an old movie, National Lampoon’s Animal House.  In it, young men are pledging to be members of a college fraternity.  In one scene they are being given the paddle and are required to yell out, “Thank you, Sir!  May I have another?!”  In other words, they are to act like they are enjoying the painful beating.   

The disciple James admonishes the scattered Jewish Christians to rejoice in the persecution and difficulties they face.  And so many of us read that, scrunch up our face and say, “What?”  Prior to studying the Bible and taking my faith seriously I thought joy or happiness meant smooth sailing.  When I wasn’t in that state of joy, I surmised I just wasn’t trying hard enough.  When trials came, as they always do, I despaired over my lack of joy.

I spent an entire year announcing to anyone that I was seeking “sparkliness.”  Yes, that’s a word I made up.  But you probably know what I mean.  I wanted to exude joy whenever I walked into a  room.  To be shiny and happy and light in my demeanor.  To be free of sadness and negativity.   Sounds beautiful, right?  So, I put on a happy face wherever I went.  I worked hard at not saying anything negative.  I told myself to shake off being mad or sad.  Friends, I’ve got to tell you, I failed miserably.  Because if we are “faking it,” it will show up in our fruit.

“It is evident, both by Scripture and reason, that God is infinitely, eternally, unchangeably, and independently glorious and happy.”

Jonathan Edwards

So, why couldn’t I be gloriously happy as well?  Which brought me running headfirst in to the book of James. My worldly version of joy was completely upended.  I learned what makes God truly, gloriously happy – when we place our trust, our love, our worship in Him and Him alone.

You see, while I was striving so hard to find joy, I hadn’t realized what can truly give me a life of joy.  A life where I allowed the Holy Spirit to burn away my joy-killers – discord, gossip, neediness, conceit, and envy.  A life that worships and gives glory to the giver of all beautiful gifts, Jesus.  The difference between those young men trying to get into a fraternity and receiving their “dues” is as a Christian we can find joy in knowing any persecution or affliction we face can be experienced in Jesus’ name.  Can be turned over to our loving God for help and comfort.  

The Holy Spirit and I, we started off with little tests along the way.  Helping me to see the bits of goodness when things didn’t go as planned.   The process of rebirth led me to one of the most difficult experiences I’ve had to date.  Through terrible sadness and mountains of tears I found joy.  I found it by leaning heavily on the Lord.

John Calvin was right when he said, “We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God’s benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and the meditation upon them shall overcome all sorrow.”

This week our look at the Fruit of the Spirit, joy, may feel like one of the hardest to understand to some.  If, however, we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior,  we must also look to Him for the truth of what lies beyond this world.  An eternity with our gloriously happy God who loves us so much He longs to be with us in the New Eden.

Coming Up: Obedience vs. Joy or Obedience=Joy?