mercy

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

Loving Enough

October 30, 2026October 29, 2026 krisshetter

First published December 2025 as a Christmas message

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Hello Friends! I haven’t written for the blog in over a year and have missed hearing from you with your comments and insights! Many of you know that this year has been filled with both highs and lows. In April, I became a full-time caregiver for my father, who had been diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer the previous July. It was a blessing filled with trials, sadness, and laughter. In September, my eldest daughter and I sat by his bedside watching him take his last breath.

As many of you have experienced yourself, being a caregiver not only takes up your physical time but also your mental and emotional time. The thought of researching and writing was a dim, distant light this year. Recently, that light has burned brighter with each passing day. My prayers have included this burning desire. I just today began gathering materials for a possible study in Romans. I don’t know where it will lead but I know being in His Word is always fruitful.

As always happens when I start pondering writing with more fervor, the Holy Spirit nudges me and reveals truths to me. Today, in fact, just a few moments ago, was no different.

In my Truth for Life devotional (Alistair Begg), I was challenged like King David, to repent and humble myself. To stop covering lies and let God cover them for me. I wrote that I don’t love God as I should, nearly enough. It was a hard truth to write but one that has weighed on my mind for some time.

And because God often uses vivid illustrations to bring His point home, both my dogs approached me while I was sitting indisposed in the bathroom. I say “both” because my dad’s dog now lives with us. A dog whose fur is the exact color of my late mother’s hair. A dog who has lived most of his life in an unhappy home, full of strife and anger.

As both came to nuzzle against my knees, I begrudgingly petted Ben – my dad’s dog. Yet when my dog Tucker put his cold, wet nose on my skin I leaned in to snuggle with the big lump. Tucker wandered off and little Ben laid close to my feet. And I felt that Holy Spirit nudge on my heart.

You see, my allergies have gotten terrible with a second dog. And after just one day of my new carpet Ben peed on it in two places. He’s kind of neurotic and yelps at the slightest movement. He follows me around breathing heavily and anxiously wherever I go. He wanders off when we are at the beach as though he’s forgotten what I look and sound like. His bark is sharp and annoying. He’s underfoot and overly needy.

And I don’t love him like I should. Like he needs.

Ben is cute as a button. But I don’t want to love him. I don’t want to give myself fully over to him. He represents a terrible past that I just want left behind.

In that moment, I realized Ben wasn’t really the subject of God’s lesson. I was. My reluctance to love him revealed something deeper: I don’t love God the way I should. I stand at arms-length from Him. Because if I were to truly love Him, I would have to give all of myself to Him. I would have to accept both the blessings and the trials that come through His hands. I would have to give up my fears, my prejudices, my preferences. I would have to go “all in.”

While God may not sneak over to a corner and pee on my new carpet, He might bring people (or dogs) into my life that will. People who need mercy, forgiveness and love. I know this because He put me, a broken, sinful person, into other believers’ lives. And I pray for their mercy, love and forgiveness towards me.

Ben, sweet goofy Ben, needs a lot of love and patience. I need a lot more Zyrtec. More than that, I need a lot more Jesus. I need to love Jesus a lot more than I do. So, I prayed for forgiveness today that I don’t love enough the God who sacrificed His Son for me. Who has forgiven my yelping and my anxiety. For making a mess on beautiful things.

While I know the coming year will be full of unbelievers doing terrible things, I also know that God will be at work. He will be in the tears and the laughter. His glory will be available for anyone to see. And I want to see Him, trust Him, and love Him in every season, every place, and every circumstance.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ben and Tucker

Lord, I Cry Out for Mercy

October 18, 2026October 2, 2026 krisshetter

First published September 17, 2020 as part of the His Works Project series.

She was rarely “late.” With each passing day she began to worry more. She and her boyfriend knew better but they were young, just 15 and 16. They frequently met up for sex while his mother was at work. And they didn’t use protection. So, five days after she should’ve started her period, she found herself sitting on the toilet, with a small Tupperware bowl waiting to catch her urine. She had never been to a clinic before and had called to see if they could do a pregnancy test. As she sat there, she prayed.

She wasn’t a church-goer. In fact, her parents never spoke of God. Yet she regularly was moved to pray. She didn’t know what it meant to trust God or receive justification through faith in Jesus. She just knew she needed to pray. She had prayed for a lot of things over the years. For her mom to stop hitting her. For her dad to speak to her. For her brother to stop tormenting her. She didn’t know if God was listening but she kept praying.

As she sat there praying for mercy – because that’s what would have to happen – she swore she would change her ways. She made empty promises, begging to not be pregnant. And just as she began to capture a sample, her period started. God had not only granted her mercy but also mercy on her potential child. For had she been pregnant she most assuredly would have aborted it.

That girl was me. I didn’t deserve His mercy. I was regularly living in sin and creating my own rules, my own false sense of ‘righteousness.’ I deserved the punishment. I deserved to have to face a difficult choice and live with it for the rest of my life. But He showed mercy. For 39 years, I’ve remembered that day as if it were yesterday. But how many times have I failed to show others that same mercy?

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” James 2:12-13

I recently listened to a podcast about refusing to settle for mediocrity. It prompted me to examine how well I understood the words we Christians use so often. We sit in church, listen to podcasts, and read devotionals, but how often do we hear theological terms without fully understanding them? So I started a list.

Righteousness: living in a way that reflects God’s truth through our words and actions.
Sanctification: the process by which the Holy Spirit molds us into the image of Jesus.
Justification: being declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Grace: simply put, God’s favor and kindness toward us.
Mercy: not receiving the punishment we deserve.

Writing these definitions gave me a clearer understanding of the amazing work God does in us through His Holy Spirit. But most of all, I kept coming back to mercy. I understood that God forgives us each time we fall into the traps of sin. We all have been in the situation Paul lamented when he wrote the following:

“Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am!” Romans 7:21-24

Each and every day we find ourselves sinning – worried about money, hoarding our gifts, being judgmental and unkind to others, unforgiving of our loved ones or even strangers. Gossiping, stealing, or even hating or causing injury to others. There is only one being to have ever walked this earth that didn’t need God’s grace, forgiveness and mercy – Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon wrote in his prayer “Deliver Us From Evil” about mercy:

“We come for mercy, great God. It must always be our first request, for we have sinned against a just and holy law of which our consciences approve. We are evil, but Your law is holy and just and good. We have offended knowingly.”

I knew having sex outside of marriage was wrong. I knew having unprotected sex outside of marriage was stupid. And yet I did it time after time. God gifted me with mercy over and over. He also gifted me with mercy when He delivered the right man to me to become my husband. I didn’t deserve him. I was a mess. After 31 years of marriage I still thank God my husband has stuck with me as I unlearn old patterns from when I was outside of God’s justification. And I know now, it’s time for me to pick up my part of the bargain.

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

I’m grateful that God flipped this admonition. He has done it with so many of us. He has shown us the mercy we didn’t deserve. We need to pass that glorious gift along to others. There are those in our lives that we hope to fail, that we wish ill will, that we hope will “get their just due.” Aren’t we thankful that God doesn’t think the same about us?

For about two years I worked as a substitute in a high school office. There were two positions like mine. When the other position was filled with a young woman I was encouraged by her enthusiasm. She was full of ideas and brought a cheery face to the job. And then she started being late every day. At times she wouldn’t even show up. When she did show up, I would find her on Facebook or on personal phone calls. Her failings impacted my job. I became bitter because, hey, I was just a substitute. Why should I have to make up for her issues when she was an actual employee? I found myself driving to work dreading what was to come. I actually prayed she would get hit by a bus so I wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore. Yes, I did that.

The situation became so difficult that I considered quitting, but doing so would have left people I cared about in a bind. Three months in, I sat at an intersection on the way to work. It was a long red light. The Holy Spirit descended on me in the car. I had my Perspective Change Moment. What I should have been doing all along was praying for God to intervene positively in her life. I could have left her to do two people’s jobs and/or complain endlessly to the supervisor, but I needed to show mercy and love. So, I prayed every day for the next week that God would resolve the problem. For God to help her. For God to take control. The peace that came over me was amazing!

After that one week she resigned. And a good friend of mine who had been a finalist for the job previously was hired. God is good. God is forgiving. God, thankfully, is merciful.

To quote the explorer Christopher Columbus, “I am a most noteworthy sinner, but I have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy, and He has covered me completely. I have found the sweetest consolation since I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvelous presence.”

To whom do you need to show mercy? How has God been merciful to you?

City in mountain valley at sunset with river and sun rays

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

Resting In God’s Sovereignty

June 26, 2026June 26, 2026 krisshetter

“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

As I write this my 2026 primary election voting information guide sits nearby. It lists 61 candidates for governor of California. Yes, 61. By the time you read this, the top two candidates will have been decided.

There was a time that I would fret over and engross myself in the politics of elections. I don’t find myself doing that anymore. Partially because our voting process in my state has become corrupted. But mostly because I realize the limited power I have in the outcome. I vote and encourage others to vote. In the end, I rest on the truth of one of God’s most important characteristics – His sovereignty.

El Elyon

“And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Genesis 14:20

That “God Most High” translates to “El Elyon.” It means the God over all rulers and authorities. There is no one higher up. No other supervisor to move your request or complaint to. He is it.

It wasn’t until I completed Kay Arthur’s, “Lord, I Want To Know You” study on the names of God that I fully grasped what it means for God to be sovereign. Soon after, I was engrossed in a Precept study of Isaiah. In that book you come upon scripture that says things like, “Go tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

Which left me wondering why God would close the eyes and ears of certain people. He did the same with Pharaoh and I suspect with a few of Jesus’ friends, the Pharisees. He does the same still today.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

And there was my answer. If I bow down to the Sovereign Lord, I must accept that He sees the greater, better plan. He is moving pieces on the board I can’t even see. For reasons which may only be revealed after I am long gone from this life.

He Chooses Leaders

The other aspect of this was found in another Isaiah passage: “who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’Isaiah 44:28

Why was this important? Because Isaiah wrote God’s words about Cyrus around 160 years before Cyrus was even known to the Israelites. About 130 years before he was even born!

We read the same prophecies of future kings, military leaders and other rulers throughout the book of Daniel and the prophets. God firmly establishes His role as the Most High God who is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (Daniel 4:25)

So back to the election. Of course, I want to see a person in my state capitol who loves the Lord. Who obeys the will of the people. Who wants to make life for its citizens better, not repressive. I also know that God will place whomever He chooses in the governor’s seat.

His Will Be Done

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

He will use every means to bring about His purposes. Unfortunately, my state is ruled with an iron fist by unbelievers. So, I have come to the acceptance that the voters may get exactly who they want– someone who institutes God’s punishment, whether he or she realizes it or not.

As believers, our place in this increasingly foreign world is not to be paralyzed by our pagan governments. We are to pray for God’s mercy. We pray for repentance of our people. We continue to do God’s will by sharing the Gospel, in some cases under the threat of death or imprisonment.

Just last year after completing that Isaiah study, I started praying for my federal, state, and local leaders. I pray they will bend their will to God. That they would know the One True God. And I pray they would repent and ask for mercy.

We can be bold in our faith in a faithless community because we understand and fully accept that God’s Will, will in fact be done.

Yes, we acknowledge that even weak, ineffective, greedy, ruthless, leaders hold their place because God has allowed them to. It’s not hard to look around and answer the “why?” One need only read of the Israelites constant acceptance of sinful leaders during their own times of disobedience to God. The world’s countries are now filled to the brim with unbelievers seeking their own will.

The Final Word

But Friends, there is a caveat to Romans 13. Let’s not forget Acts 5:29 when the apostles declared: “We must obey God rather than human beings!” How is that the standard? By remembering who is the final authority over all rulers; where the buck actually stops. God.

So for those of you in the United States, as we enter yet another election season do not fear. If the outcome isn’t what you hoped, we can know who really is in charge. And those of you under repressive governments I pray for God to open the eyes and hearts of the people. For a groundswell of the faithful to spread God’s truth.

His rule and reign will one day become evident to all. And every single knee will bow to the Sovereign King.

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36

Did you miss a blog post in the 30 Days of Reverence series? Check out the series page by clicking here!

Hiker overlooking river valley with snow-capped mountains and sunrise

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

He Knows All Things

June 3, 2026April 14, 2026 krisshetter

“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

Of all the blog posts I’ve written so far in this series it’s this one that I’ve spent the most contemplating. It’s not for lack of material to work with; no, it’s the abundance that has caused me to ponder my focus.

God’s omniscience shows up in scripture in various ways, both in the obvious and not so obvious. It’s why I chose the two pieces of scripture to get us started. One exemplifies the idea of God knowing exactly what we think and feel. While the other represents God’s knowledge of everything in the natural world. He is not only everywhere and all-powerful; He sees and understands all.

“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” 1 John 3:20

The Apostle John apparently was paying attention during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. If you drill down into all that Jesus taught and can be found in Matthew 5-7, He’s talking about God knowing our thoughts and hearts. Even back in the book of Isaiah God told His people not to come with empty sacrifices; He wants our hearts. This was the downfall of Cain.

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3

There is no place to hide, as the post on God’s omnipresence reminds us. He is both physically everywhere and knowledgeable about all. To truly grasp God’s mercy we must understand this.

No one gets away with anything. God is a just God and cannot let sin go unpunished. We should be thankful for that. Conversely, we should be eternally grateful that the punishment for our sins has already been paid. As Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” We may not understand it all but we don’t need to.

“God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.” Life Principle #5, Charles Stanley, 30 Life Principles

When we completely accept as truth the “3 O’s of God,” as I once titled a blog post on His omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence, we let go of our wills and submit gladly to the power of Christ. When we accept that the Holy Spirit is not just the angel on our shoulder balancing the red devil on the other, we move into a Christian life free of bondage to sin.

His Eternal Wisdom and Knowledge

“Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” Isaiah 40:13-14

When James tells us in His book to seek God’s wisdom if we are lacking, he’s simply building on the truth of God’s omniscience told throughout the Old Testament. From the creation of the world to leading His people out of Egypt and the wisdom books to prophets foretelling both the first and second coming of Christ, we can see God knowing what came, what is happening and what is to come. All knowledge and wisdom finds its source in Him.

“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

Friends, when we realize this truth, we can laugh when scientists “discover” something “new.” In fact, I read there are at least 10 major scientific ideas found in the Old Testament. For example, long before explorers circled the earth pronouncing it round, Isaiah tells us, “He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22).

Rest In His Insight

Honestly, when we feel lost, unsure, unseen, unheard, unloved by those around us in this physical world it can be very discouraging. But God. He sees you, has wisdom and knowledge to impart to you, and loves you. He has a plan laid for you and for me. And it is good.

Countless Stars: At a time when people believed the stars could be easily numbered, Scripture declared the opposite: “As the host of heaven cannot be counted…” (Jeremiah 33:22). Modern astronomy reveals billions of galaxies each containing countless stars. The more we look, the more we discover that it’s truly an innumerable multitude sparkling in our night sky. Science and The Bible, Bible Hub

Wooden cross on rocky hill with sun setting and rays of light

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

The Consistent Mercy of God

May 22, 2026April 11, 2026 krisshetter

“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

A few years ago, I was asked to disciple a young woman who was new to our church. I realized early on that as a result of her not knowing the Bible she also didn’t really know or trust God. Wanting to give her what she needed, I asked which parts of the Bible interested her most. She answered, “I want to know more about the God of the Old Testament.” Her reasoning? She couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea that the merciful God she gravitated towards in the New Testament was the same as the wrathful one in the Old.

Now, some of you may think the same. That olde God who destroyed whole cities and their entire populations certainly isn’t the same as the new God of mercy and love, correct?

If you’re thinking that way, I encourage you to read the book of Isaiah. Yes, you’ll find God’s anger and wrath in those scriptures. You’ll also find his long suffering and mercy towards His people.

“Turn to the Lord and pray to him,
    now that he is near.
Let the wicked leave their way of life
    and change their way of thinking.
Let them turn to the Lord, our God;
    he is merciful and quick to forgive.
“My thoughts,” says the Lord, “are not like yours,
    and my ways are different from yours.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.” Isaiah 55: 6-9

After years of turning their backs to God, He still holds out his hand to His people imploring them to come. To receive His mercy and love and rest. In fact, the Old Testament is rife with God warning His people and then giving them another chance. Of being disrespected and still promising green pastures for those who believe and trust in Him. Throughout the Psalms we read of God’s unexplainable mercy to those who aren’t deserving of it.

“The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145:9

I mentioned in the last post about God’s love that the Old Testament is a love story. A story between a God and His people. He woos them, protects them, and shows endless amounts of mercy. And when He’s finally had enough, He allows their actions to have serious consequences, mostly by the hands of pagan nations. Yet in the Old Testament we also see God’s promise of the final mercy. Isaiah chapters 7, 9 and especially 53 all prophesy of this hope and mercy to come—the Messiah.

Mercy Fulfilled in Christ

But the God of the New Testament shows no wrath, correct? In this case might I suggest you watch the Passion of the Christ? To whom does God show no mercy and why? Jesus. Our sins need to be taken to account in order to stand in front of a perfect God come Judgment Day. In the Old Testament he required frequent deaths of animals to partially cleanse the people of their sins. In the New, He puts His Son through a terrible death so that we may obtain His ultimate mercy.

Understanding this truth became deeply personal when I was out walking one day. I began visualizing what Jesus went through before and during the Cross. I wanted to feel as though I was there in person watching and agonizing with the disciples. They didn’t know at the time why God required this to happen. They were constantly confused when Jesus spoke of His impending death. But we know why.

So I imagined the excruciating pain He experienced for me and broke down in tears. Not just in the fact He was in pain. No, more so that He was in pain FOR ME to receive less than I deserve from God.

Got Questions has an interesting take on the concept of God’s mercy:

“Mercy is such an exceptionally complex concept that several Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the dimensions of its meaning. Synonyms like compassion, lovingkindness, favor, and steadfast love often appear in Bible translations to illustrate the idea of mercy. A brief biblical definition of mercy is “the gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion.”

You find all these synonyms in Jesus’ sacrifice. They are spread throughout the Old Testament as well. The Israelites were rescued out of Egypt and immediately started complaining. And God gave them food and water. They complained they didn’t have a king like other nations and He gave them King David. They complained, we complain, they sinned, we sin. And God gave us Jesus. The most merciful act anyone could hardly imagine; To save us from eternal hell.

There’s a very poignant song performed by Steve McWirther called Come Jesus Come. The chorus goes like this:

Come Jesus Come we’ve been waiting so long
For the day You return to heal every hurt and right every wrong
We need you right now come and turn this around
Deep down I know this world isn’t home
Come Jesus come

It’s a beautiful plea to God. I recognized one day that although I was personally ready for the day of Jesus’ return a few of my loved ones are not. It made me think of God’s mercy. He is right now allowing His Word, in both the New and Old Testament to be shared; for the truth of His mercy to be received before He comes in judgment of all humanity. Our merciful God is gathering all His people before the final days. His mercy is not a past story or a future hope alone—it is an open invitation right now.

“Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Be sure to follow the blog to receive your 30 Days of Reverence in your e-mail in box! Click here for past posts.

Bible, Christian, christian encouragement, christian men, christian parenting, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, prayer, proverbs, religion, scripture, Uncategorized, wisdom

Loving Enough

December 20, 2025 krisshetter

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Hello Friends! I haven’t written for the blog in over a year and have missed hearing from you with your comments and insights! Many of you know that this year has been one of many highs and lows. In April, I commenced being a full time caregiver to my father, diagnosed the July previous with advanced bladder cancer. It was a blessing filled with trials, sadness and laughter. In September, my eldest daughter and I sat by his bedside watching him take his last breath.

Holy Spirit Nudges

As always happens when I start pondering writing with more fervor, the Holy Spirit nudges me and reveals truths to me. Today, in fact just a few moments ago, was no different.

And because God loves a great illustration to bring His point home, as I was sitting indisposed in my bathroom, both my dogs came up to check on my progress. I say “both” because my dad’s dog now lives with us. A dog whose fur is the exact color of my now deceased mother’s hair. A dog who has lived most of his life in an unhappy home, full of strife and anger.

And I don’t love him like I should. Like he needs.

Loving At Arms-Length

Ben is cute as a button. But I don’t want to love him. I don’t want to give myself fully over to him. He represents a terrible past that I just want left behind.

In that moment in the bathroom, I realized what it means that I don’t love God the way I should. I stand at arms-length from Him. Because if I were to truly love Him, I would have to give all of myself to Him. I would have to accept the good things and the bad things that come my way through His hands. I would have to give up my fears, my prejudices, my preferences. I would have to go “all in.”

More Jesus

Ben, sweet goofy Ben, needs a lot of love and patience. I need a lot more Zyrtec. More than that, I need a lot more Jesus. I need to love Jesus a lot more than I do. So, I prayed for forgiveness today that I don’t love enough the God who sacrificed His Son for me. Who has forgiven my yelping and my anxiety. For making a mess on beautiful things.

While I know the coming year will be full of unbelievers doing terrible things, I also know that God will be at work. He will be in the tears and the laughter. His glory will be available for anyone to see. And I want to be sure to see and love Him at all times, in all places and in all circumstances.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Ben and Tucker

Bible, bible study, Christian, Christian Church, christian encouragement, christian men, Christian women, Faith, god, Jesus, Jesus Follower, religion, scripture, Uncategorized, wisdom

It’s Not You, It’s Him

March 10, 2025March 4, 2025 krisshetter

Philippians 1:6  “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

In a survey done a few years ago about what Christians believe, more than half (55%) agree that “everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.” I have to assume that when people answer questions like this, they’re thinking specifically about themselves and people they love. Because friend, if you believe this you haven’t poked your head outside in a while, like a long, long while. You haven’t been to a kid’s sports event. Apparently, you were asleep during the great toilet paper crisis of 2019. That’s just the small stuff. If you really want to know how good we humans are, read up on your national and international news. War, rampant fraud, poverty, murders, rapes, greed – getting the true picture of all that goodness?

Christians who believe they are basically good then must erase the need for Jesus. I suppose this error still works for that 55% since the survey also found that almost half (44%) say that Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God. Thus, we don’t need anyone to come and save us from our sins, right? We don’t need anyone to clean us up, clothe us in majesty so we can stand righteously before the One True God.

That definitely wasn’t the prophet Isaiah when He was brought before God. Isaiah 6:5 shows us his situation — “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Isaiah, when brought before God, saw how unworthy he truly was when compared to our Holy and Majestic God. My friends, it’s not until we realize we are just as unclean can the clean-up truly begin.

When we do, so many of us start working really, really hard at getting “cleaned up.” We clean and we clean. And like Lady Macbeth we cry out, ““Here’s yet a spot,” she cries, desperately rubbing. “Here’s the small drop of blood still.”” Her sin caused such guilt and shame she sleepwalks constantly washing her hands.

Oh, we may fool ourselves into thinking how much better we are for having gone (or thought about going) to church a few times, or even regularly. In fact, our piousness may ooze out of our pores. We give to the right causes (just enough not to hurt) and are righteously offended by other’s not-so-godly behavior. We volunteer (or at least we want to) and we wear our symbols of our faith. But still that spot won’t come out.

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? .... But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

If you recall my first post, “The Coat of the Holy Spirit” I wrote about three phases of sanctification:

You were sanctified (Justification)
You are being sanctified (Sanctification or Made Holy)
You will be sanctified (Glorification)

Of these, which are you to keep scrubbing away to get those spots out? This is, of course, a trick question. It’s all Him, not you. All He asks is for you to listen, trust and obey His Word.

So how have we been sanctified? By the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. He chose you before time began. Only the blood of Christ satisfies the requirement God has to give the guilty mercy and grace. Remember, we are ALL sinners. We all deserve death and eternal separation from the Most Holy God. The gift of Christ was given freely because “God so loved the world…” John 3:16.

“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13

You are being sanctified right now, even by reading this post! You are gaining wisdom (I hope), which was given by Christ to the disciples — to generations since, to me, pastors, teachers, fellow believers — imparted to you! The Holy Spirit, imputed to you by Christ, is living inside you opening your heart, your mind, your eyes and ears to God’s Word and promises.

“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” 1 Peter 1:3

Lastly, you will be sanctified when we see Christ again and rise from the dead, fully healed, fully restored as God has planned since creation. How beautiful is that? A gift from our Creator to those who simply believe.

So, who is responsible for making us holy? The short answer is always Jesus. When we love Him, we desperately want to obey Him, to please Him with our love.

Thank you, LORD, for doing the work for us. For not having us make endless, pointless sacrifices to try and wash the spots off our souls. For being the only True God who loves us so much that He died for us. No other man-made gods have done the same. That is love. And for that we can be eternally grateful. Amen

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

This week’s question: Do you struggle with the word “obedience?” Why do you think God calls us to obedience to Him?

Day 29 Good Day

July 29, 2024July 24, 2024 krisshetter

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:1-5

“The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; ²⁶the Lordturn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ Numbers 6:24-26

I’ve heard a famous Christian teacher tell audiences this profound truth: “It’s one thing to see a miserable sinner but a miserable Christian is a tragic thing.” While we all, believers and non-believers, have heartbreaking or difficult events in our lives, we have to acknowledge that the majority of our lives run from fun and exciting to dull and average. Yet throughout it all Jesus followers should emulate the apostle Paul and be always searching and living gratefully for God’s ever presence in our lives.

This truth really hit home for me when I read Corrie Ten Boom’s famous book, “The Hiding Place.” Her sister Betsie could find joy in God’s provision even in the darkest moments of a Nazi concentration camp. Corrie, more of a like-mind with me, would roll her eyes when her sister would make joyous declarations such as, “Give thanks in all circumstances. It doesn’t say ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.”

As lights of the Lord reflecting out God’s love and goodness to the world, we need to be especially mindful of our outward attitude and appearance when events go awry in our lives. Showing the world who we trust and who is working for our good. And when events turn to joy we need to give it all up to God in His bountiful mercy and glory.

I first heard this song about having a good day when I was visiting and caring for my two-year old grandson. My daughter had shared with me Owen’s Spotify playlist so we could listen to his pre-school songs in the car. You know, fun stuff like “icky sticky bubble gum” and the “wheels on the bus” played on repeat. When this bright and joyous song came on in the car he exclaimed, “Mommy’s song!” We sang along with vigor.

I asked my daughter about it later that day. She explained they play this song every morning on their way to work and daycare to set the tone for the day. To remember that with God in our lives it can always be a good day. Because while the Lord has blessed us with breath and we acknowledge that the creator of the universe knows our very name, we can have a great day in every single way.

Friend, I once thought this view of life was blind to the realities of the world. Until the scales were taken off my eyes and the truth was revealed. Emmanuel, God with Us, shines His beautiful light on us in all circumstances. So play it loud and sing it like ya mean it. Because today can and will be a good day.

Click here to listen to today’s song: Good Day

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

Day 20 Nothing Left To Prove

July 20, 2024July 9, 2024 krisshetter

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21: 25

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
⁹The Lord is good to all,
    and his mercy is over all that he has made. Psalm 145: 8-9

If the New Testament verse sounds familiar today it’s because John 20 (yesterday) says something similar about the purpose of the Book of John – so people will believe. Today’s verse is slightly different. I love how the apostle John makes a point to say the number of miracles was so numerous the world couldn’t contain all the books written. Imagine how many books there are in the world!

Jesus kept proving over and over to the people He encountered and those that heard of Him that there was something different about this man. As modern day believers we need to grasp that the books in the Bible are just a glimpse of the God of the Universe. They are a taste to show us a few of the million reasons why we should believe and trust in Him.

The Bible is book about one being – God in three persons. Over centuries, He had prophets, kings, and disciples write the biography of Him. There is no other religion that follows a god who wants the people to know them like the God of Abraham, Moses and Isaac. No other god who refuses to let us go. Who sent, in effect, himself to be humbled and suffer and die for His people.

His mercy to all people is revealed as bountiful. He is giving us plenty of time to turn to Him and acknowledge all the miracles He has performed in the past and even today. So that we can live in love with Him for all eternity. How many more reasons do you still need to trust in Him?

Click here to listen to today’s song: Nothing Left To Prove

Day 6 All of My Days

July 6, 2024July 5, 2024 krisshetter

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10

According to a University of California Irvine study, it takes an average of 23 minutes after having been distracted to get back to the task at hand. Now imagine if that “task at hand” was to stay on the narrow path laid out by Jesus in His famous Sermon on the Mount – “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.” Keeping our mind and body focused on the goodness and mercy of God. On how much He loves us. And responding to Him throughout our day in obedience and gratefulness.

There’s never a moment, not ever, that the Lord of all creation has forgotten you. He knows every single thing about you. He has plans and blessings for you; not just for your earthly days but for all eternity.

How often do we, however, forget about God? We aren’t desperate for Him. We don’t think to ask Him to help us. Worse yet, we don’t think He will help us. We get distracted by all the flashing billboards along that narrow path luring us to take the off ramps and spend a little time (or a lot) seeking pleasure or life that fits in so nicely with the rest of the world. Every off ramp leading us further away from His loving arms.

Each time a friend, a pastor, a word here or there, or the Holy Spirit nudges us back to the path you have to wonder, how much time did we waste that could’ve been spent doing His will. Serving someone He wanted us to bless? Or even strengthening us for future trials?

23 minutes each time we are distracted. Add up all those times we chose not to go to church, not read our Bibles, not go to Bible study, not choose the narrow path. I know for me that adds up to a lot of days. Thank goodness for His free flowing mercy!

I spent a lot of years being distracted by the world. But I am forgiven. I’ve joined up with the narrow path. We need to keep our face lifted to the God who loves us all of the rest of our days. Won’t you join me?