lord

Congregation singing and raising hands in church worship

30daysofpraise, Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, scripture, Uncategorized, wisdom

Worthy of It All

July 10, 2026July 8, 2026 krisshetter

“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” —Isaiah 25:1

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13

I can’t believe it! Here we are at the last of the 30 words of reverence to God; the last of the 30 days! I always have mixed emotions when I get to an end of a series. For one, I’ve poured time, research, and prayer into each post. On the other hand, when I write for this blog I feel so close to the Holy Spirit. He guides my words and directs my thoughts. Sometimes I revisit a post weeks or months later and wonder how it came together! Surely those words came from some other-worldly source.

Deep Reverence

I started working on the 30 Days of Reverence because I was missing just that – a deeper reverence for the God who loves and sustains us. And so, I set forth to remind myself of all His glory and magnificence. I hope along the way it has been a help to you as well.

Over these past days, each attribute has revealed a different facet of who God is. And now, they all lead us here, the last word on Jen Wilkin’s list, which if you remember was the framework for the 30 characteristics of God. From Attentive to Provider and Comforter to Righteous we’ve seen that God is settled deep inside our lives and the world around us. The last word almost seems unnecessary when reviewing the entire list – Worthy. Scripture beautifully captures this truth.

“For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” – Romans 11:36

Truer and more encompassing words have not been spoken about our God. All that is good and pure and lovely are from God the Creator. His love for us has abounded for centuries upon centuries.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”– Psalm 107:1

While our worship and honoring of God can never fully equal His gifts endowed to us we can certainly try.

Honoring The LORD

My BSGs recently completed Priscilla Shirer’s study on the Sabbath titled, Breathe. I’ve had the opportunity to also study the 4^th Commandment in other forms. While we as recipients of the new Covenant can be at rest in our hearts and minds as followers of Christ, that doesn’t fully fulfill the idea of the Sabbath.

During my studies, I’ve learned that we should yearn for a Sabbath day in which we spend the entire day resting from our work and honoring God. A time to show the love of the Lord by helping others less fortunate or in difficult seasons to rest. It is a time, set aside as holy, to remind myself that the world doesn’t spin on its axis by my power. That God is Sovereign over all. And that, my friends, is more than enough reason to declare Him worthy of all our praise.

If you’ve missed any of the 30 Days of Reverence, click here for the complete series — and share with a friend!

As a wrap up, I want to leave you with a quick look at each of our 30 Days and the two introductory scriptures from each. Feel free to print it out and post it somewhere to remind you that you aren’t alone. That you are loved and well-cared for each day and through your trials. And that the world doesn’t rest on your shoulders. God’s are quite big enough.

Attentive

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” – Isaiah 65:24

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer – 1 Peter 3:12

Compassionate

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9

And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! Luke 19:41-42

Creator

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20

Deliverer

“And Moses built an altar and named it ‘The LORD is my Banner.’” Exodus 17:15

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

Eternal

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” – Psalm 90:2

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” – Revelation 1:8

Faithful

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.” Psalm 145:13

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

Generous

“You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” – Psalm 145:16

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Glorious

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” – Psalm 19:1

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” – Revelation 4:11

Good

“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

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Holy

“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

“For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:16

Immutable

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

Incomprehensible

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares 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 55:8-9

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” – Romans 11:33

Infinite

“Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” Psalms 147:5

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17

Just

“Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.” – Proverbs 29:26

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19

Loving

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-2

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Merciful

“But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!” Nehemiah 9:31

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

Omnipotent

“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” Psalms 107:29

“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26

Omnipresent

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” 1 Kings 8:27

“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20

Omniscient

“Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:21

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

Patient

“The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression;” Numbers 14:18

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Provider

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:1-19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Refuge

“My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior.” 2 Samuel 22:3

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.” John 17:15

Righteous

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 23:5-6

^“God made him who had no sin to be sinfor us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Self-Existent

“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” ” Exodus 3:14

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”” John 8:58

Self-Sufficient

“When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram.” Genesis 15:17-18

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:26

Sovereign

“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;” Daniel 2:21

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1

Transcendent

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; “ — Acts 17:24

Truthful

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” – Proverbs 30:5

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20

Wise

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” – Proverbs 2:6

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”— Romans 11:33

Worthy

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13

Day 23 All My Praise

July 23, 2024July 21, 2024 krisshetter

Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:23-24

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

I recently read about the Free Grace movement which started around the late 1980s. Their basic belief is that you need only to say you believe in Jesus to receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God. No repentance necessary. No change in your ways. You don’t even need to say you “follow” Jesus.

While you can find places in the New Testament where people received salvation from Jesus for believing, one has to ask in the modern world the question of what does “believing” mean?

Your definition of “believing” is important because if you believe Jesus was just a guy who lived a long time ago or a prophet who did some miracles then you won’t believe He forgives our sins and with compassion blots out our transgressions. You might think Jesus had some good life advice that may or may not apply to you. It certainly doesn’t lead you to get on your knees in submission and praise.

If you believe He is God but don’t seek through the Holy Spirit a repentant, changed life then you might find yourself facing a Jesus who says to you: “You say Lord, Lord but I didn’t know you.”

Easy “believism” doesn’t lead to a life of divine-given fruit through our act of acknowledging our sin nature. People Jesus encountered throughout His time here and believed were always told to go and do something. Sin no more, tell someone, worship differently, give up something.

The Lord Jesus wants not just our words, He wants all of us. He expects believers to see Him as the God who reigns over every single aspect of our lives. He wants the repentant not the unrepentant in His Kingdom. And it’s only Him that can forgive and transform. It’s that Jesus that causes us to be thankful, grateful for removing the scales from our eyes so we can see Him clearly.

And for that we should give Him all praise because in the end that’s truly the only thing we can offer back to the God of the Universe.

Click here to listen to today’s song: All My Praise

Day 19 Stand In Faith

July 19, 2024July 9, 2024 krisshetter

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹But these are written that you may believethat Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  John 20 30-31

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:10-11

Yesterday, I shared about my illness and the brief but wonderous healing I experienced. I’ll be honest, when I started feeling all the same symptoms come back, I prayed like David so often did in the Psalms asking, “Why?” I didn’t and still don’t fully understand why He allowed me to feel so good for a time. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely appreciated it. But let’s be honest, we humans so easily can feel like God is punishing us when we go through trials.

Then I turned to the truth. The truth that God loves us and it pains Him to see us suffer the trials of this world. I also know it’s through those trials we can choose to hold on tighter to Him or turn away.

I look at this decision this way – to where would I turn? Worldly addictions that only make life worse? Or to a God who performs miracles? I prefer to stand in faith that my season of healing may be around the corner. If not soon, then I know it will be true one day.

My friend, the Lord has plans for you. Most likely you will have to cross a few alligator infested waters in faith. Those trials will be your testimony to give others hope. In fact, just the other day a friend of mine woke up with her shoulder mysteriously in so much pain she could barely bear it. After a trip to urgent care and pain medication, she was able to make it through the weekend. She said to me a few days later, “I thought of you. I don’t know how you have gotten through what you’ve been through for so long.” I smiled and said, “It’s all the Lord.” Nothing is impossible for Him.

Click here to listen to today’s song: Stand In Faith

Day 16 Come Jesus Come

July 16, 2024July 9, 2024 krisshetter

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.”  Hebrews 10:36-37

Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40: 30-31

I wonder how many times the apostles and the other disciples just fell to their knees in desperation and cried out for Jesus to return? I can only imagine over the last 2,000 years there’s been hundreds and hundreds of the faithful that have done the same.

It’s a sad truth that modern Christians come from a long line of faithful martyrs who were put to death by rulers afraid of losing power. Men who have felt threatened by people who proclaim, “I am Christian.”

In the United States, we have enjoyed a long run of a majority Christian society. Never facing the intense persecution so many who founded the country faced As we watch our societies across the world transform into a minority who would state in front of a mob, “I am Christian,” we too may be tempted to cry out for Jesus to come.

There’s so much in this song, “Come Jesus Come” that I love. The truth of the world when Jesus does return – no more war, no more pain — is something I too long for. On the other hand, my eldest daughter is yet to be saved. All my Christian friends have at least one child of whom their prayers for salvation are constant. I want one more day to pray that the Lord shake the scales from their eyes.

It’s a conundrum which Paul faced in his letters to the Philippians. He longed to see the face of Jesus yet he also knew he was commissioned to bring as many to Christ as possible while still breathing.

It’s a romantic thought to want Jesus to come today when we are facing terrible trials – sickness, death, financial loss, feelings of abandonment, being a victim of a crime. We want Him to come and provide the salve that erases it all. Until then, however, we are encouraged to persevere. To grow in faith through our adversity. To be an example to our unsaved loved ones who need to see the light of Jesus on our faces.

Deep down we long for Him, to take us home or to come and make this place home. Until then, we live in the hope of the glory to come.

Click here to listen to today’s song: Come Jesus Come

Day 11 The Goodness

July 11, 2024July 8, 2024 krisshetter

I am the bread of life.  John 6:48

Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.  Proverbs 14:26-27

I was talking with a young woman recently who was raised in the Christian faith and at 18 went off to Bible college for a few semesters. At 19, she dropped out, got married, and was soon pregnant. At 21, her husband abandoned their family. Soon after, she abandoned Jesus.

You see when calamity hit, her faith was revealed to be built on the sand Jesus warns us about in Matthew 7:24-27. Her house fell after the windy, stormy beating. How could that be? She was surrounded by the faithful for all her life up until then. Isn’t that enough?

Let’s look at our faith this way. If I hung around a bunch of people who loved baking and I enjoyed eating what they made, it wouldn’t make me a baker. It’d make me fat, however! I would have knowledge of baking, the process, the ingredients, the do’s and don’ts. Without the love of baking and actually getting my hands covered in flour I’d just be an observer.

It’s not the doing that makes us Christians it’s the surrendered belief that Jesus loves us so much He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again in the witnessed resurrection. He becomes our secure fortress, our daily provision, and fountain of life. He holds us tight through every tragedy and every windfall in our life. We soon find Him at work everywhere. He keeps showing up.

When Toby Mac wrote this song it was after the death of his adult son from an overdose. Of course, it was tragic. Of course, he was full of tears and heartache. But he had built his house on solid ground. He sought refuge in the Lord. The wind blew and the storm enveloped him. Eventually, the sun came out and he was able to walk out his door into the warm sunlight of God’s love.

As for that young woman? She is now happily married and I’m so glad to say she wants to know about Jesus and this Bread of Life. She wants to learn how to build her life so she too can withstand what this world throws at us. My prayer is that she will begin to see Jesus at work everywhere.

Click here to listen: The Goodness

Day 9 Another In The Fire

July 9, 2024July 9, 2024 krisshetter

for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:5-6

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.  Deuteronomy 31:8

According to studies, about 40 percent of Americans reported regularly feeling lonely in 2010. But loneliness isn’t just about how many friends you have or if you are around family. It’s also not about solitude, which many people enjoy and seek at times. More recent research tells us that loneliness is more about the quality of those relationships.

My friend Andrea and I recently embarked on a volunteer discipleship program where we connect with people who see posts about Jesus on-line through PeaceWithGod.net. People from all over the world can connect with Christians and ask all manner of questions about our faith. If they so desire, they can take a free discipleship course that goes deeper into our relationship with God. After just two days of volunteering, I realized a sad truth – people are desperate to be seen and feel connection.

God seems to have blessed us with this innate desire to be in communion, not only with other humans, but with the Creator, Himself. We feel alone when those connections are broken or maybe have never come to fruition. And for some reason we tend to pull away from the one source of never-ending, lavish love Jesus gave us a glimpse of while here in the flesh.

We turn to fleshly desires to quench this need. Food, sexual pleasures, escapism, alcohol, drugs, shopping, hobbies – all distractions from the fountain of life. They all stand between us and God.

Friend, if you are feeling lonely or abandoned by those who should love you come to Jesus. He is the other one in the fire of life protecting you. He wants to shower you with love and bring you into His glorious light. You need only believe that this God sent His son to die for us and re-unite us with Him. He’s waiting in the battle you face right now to give you His peace, give you His joy.

Click here to listen: Another In The Fire

Day 7 Thank God I Do

July 7, 2024June 25, 2024 krisshetter

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Philippians 3:20-21

Those the Lord has rescued will return.
    They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 51:11

The last five years or so have been a hard road for many of us. We have the ever-looming backdrop of the COVID years which still seems to find its way into many of our conversations. Businesses ruined, relationships lost, precious time with loved ones taken away, social and educational interruptions — the effects will be us for some time. But that was just a moment in time, really.

Sickness, depression, death, loneliness, financial struggles, relationship pains have been with us since the beginning of our time outside Eden. We so easily can live afraid. Some do. They don’t leave their homes or they pull back from others afraid of being hurt or damaged even more.

As a Christian we are not immune to these trials. According to Jesus we should expect more problems when we put our trust and faith in the Lord. We end up bucking the systems, cause rifts in our families and friends when we don’t just “go along.”

But as this song reminds us, thank God we have Him. Thank God He gave us the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to guide us, and to counsel us. He creates a “new self,” sloughing off our old self – transforming us one day completely into crown wearers. Giving us the hope that so many don’t have that on that day we will walk into heaven singing in gladness and joy because all our pain is gone, forever.

In the meantime, we can rest in God’s daily provisions for our life, our daily bread. He holds us close in His hands. He is our safe place, our hideaway, our anchor, our saving grace, our constant.

Day 5 Gratitude

July 5, 2024July 5, 2024 krisshetter

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  Ephesians 1:3-4

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens…. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8: 1 & 3-4

Have you ever had someone do something for you that was unexpected and thoughtful? A few months ago, I was so sick with the flu I could barely walk from my bed to the bathroom. A friend of mine heard how sick I was and that day left a care package of healing teas at my door. It was a loving, unsolicited gesture — wanting to help nurse me back to good health

When I hear this beautiful song by Brandon Lake I am overwhelmed by God’s unwarranted love and care for me. I’m a sinner from way back. I’m a backsliding sinner. I will probably manage to say or do something today that I shouldn’t. Yet, the God of the universe, the Almighty One, still loves me and sees me and provides for me. He loves you too, fellow sinner.

His love is freely given. His offer of salvation is crowned upon us without us having to lift a finger. We need only to believe. No trying harder. No paying a fee. No list of things to accomplish. No shame. Just a heart that says, “I believe you and I want to have you as my Lord.” After that He infuses Himself with us through the Holy Spirit. The free gift of an ever present counselor, comforter and guide who reveals God’s will for our life.

How can we not get emotional over something so staggering, so loving, and so unexpected? We throw up our hands and praise Him over and over for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ who died to cleanse us of the stain of sin. We shed tears knowing how much we don’t deserve this love yet are showered with it each day.

All I can say to that is Hallelujah and Amen!

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, Transformation Prayer, Uncategorized, wisdom

Enjoying The Gifted Life Part Two

April 3, 2024March 13, 2024 krisshetter

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

I heard a pastor recently talking about our wants and needs related to our prayer life. How we try to manipulate God into approving our behaviors. We mask our sinful desires by praying for prosperity yet have no plans to serve the kingdom with gifts, or we do so meagerly. We pray for the right house to purchase and won’t open our homes to our church needs. A better car, a good vacation, a husband or wife, a job, or even children. And all along we don’t ever plan to surrender all those over for God’s holy work. Or we make a deal with God to get what we want knowing full well we won’t uphold our side of the bargain.

"And he (Jesus) said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

False “needs” and empty prayers. They lead to greed and coveting. It all comes down to not trusting in God for our provisions. And not being good stewards of what we have been gifted. We tell God over and over what He needs to do for us. If He doesn’t perform that particular miracle then darn it, we are going to make it happen for our ourself. Or worse, reject God.

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.  Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. " Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

Let your words be few, King Solomon warns us. With few words yes, but with listening ears. The Bible tells us to come before the Lord with our requests. However, night after night, morning after morning we roll out our list of wants and needs. Do we ever ask God if those are what He wants for us? Imagine a relationship here on earth like that. Your friend is constantly complaining about what she or he doesn’t have and what they want. And they never, ever stop talking (sounds like a toddler!). Our prayer life and quiet times with the Lord are supposed to be a two-way street! Not a drive-through ordering system.

In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.
John Bunyan

A few weeks ago I read an account by Christian teacher Kay Arthur about the night, at 29 years of age, that she was truly saved. “I’d been at a party. The only thing I remember about that night was that a man named Jim looked at me and said, “Why don’t you quit telling God what you want and tell Him that Jesus Christ is all you need?” His words irritated me. “Jesus Christ is not all I need,” she replied. My reply was curt. “I need a husband, I need a…” and one by one I enumerated my needs. I turned my heel and went home.”

Her family was very religious but the Bible had not been a central part of her life. She went to church but no one had ever asked her if she had been saved. She hadn’t realized going to church and being a “good Christian” weren’t the keys to salvation. She knew her sins were obvious and she was in deep spiritual and emotional pain. The next day after that party, she couldn’t face going to work and called in sick. She found herself at the edge of her bed crying out to God for a healing of peace. She discovered the God who provides, the God who heals. She gave her wants and needs completely over to Him to purge and refine.

Are you constantly making a list of all the things you expect God to do for you? Yet don’t plan on obeying and serving Him? Are you usurping His authority over your life and building up all your stuff to fill yet another room or another storage unit rather than re-gifting your blessings to His Kingdom? King Solomon starkly tells us this is all so meaningless. In his study of this life, he ends chapter 5 reminding us everything we have is of God — gifts from heaven to be used and enjoyed accordingly.

^“Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."  Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

The apostle Paul carries this theme of God as our great provider throughout the epistles. Setting our sights not on stuff but on the Lord. More importantly, setting our hearts to the heavens.

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:12-13

Is it time to do your own room-by-room inventory? An inventory of your prayer life? An inventory of the room of your heart? Maybe it’s time to give, give, give. And to quietly listen for His Word so He can set you on the path to enjoyment. For when you do, our Lord and Savior has promised us, “for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, christian podcast, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, Uncategorized, wisdom

Enjoy The Ever-Changing Sameness

March 4, 2024February 28, 2024 krisshetter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy.