Tag: rejoice

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Enjoy The Right Side of Life Part Two

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Did you miss part one? Click here!

We need to put the best people on the horses and don’t apologize for it.”  

Warren Wiersbe

I have to ask you – who have you placed as your “experts” in life?  Your “ruler who sits on the horse,” (Ecc 10:6&7) who is ready to lead you into battle?  Are they leading you in the right hand life of Christ or in the left hand life of folly?  How can you know?  The Bible.  It is the preserved Word of God that does not change, no matter the era or point in history.

When faced with people who think following the truth and wisdom of the Bible say that’s “old fashioned” or irrelevant today, all you really need to do is read through the entire book of Ecclesiastes to see Solomon’s study of life in his age.  We are no different.  We want what we want and we want it now.  Preferably served with a slice of fun and merriment.

If you want to rejoice in the “right hand” life (by the way,  the word “sinister” comes from the Latin word meaning “on the left hand”… sorry again lefties), what do we need to do?  

Look to and at Jesus like we do our cell phones.  When we abide in Him, we experience abundance.”  

Pastor Ryan Paulson

When I heard this a few weeks ago at church it really hit home.  I carry my phone around in my back pocket throughout my small home.  I can hear the phone ring from any room in my house.  Yet I keep it close.  I look at it even when it hasn’t rung or chimed in a while just to make sure I haven’t missed a call or text.  

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

That’s how we need to place God – right in our back pocket.  Right in front of our face.  Not in a drawer we pull out in times of trouble or a couple times a year.  We dust off our Bibles, we sign up for Bible study (and actually do the work and attend), we find a church that is biblically based, not wishy washy.  We commune — not on-line in a faceless, non-participatory way — with other Christians to help bolster us and them.  We make God our expert, our Lord and our Holy King.

“If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.” Ecclesiastes 10:10

Do you need to sharpen up your edge so that you can cut through the lies of this life?  A knife so sharp we can spot the people we should and shouldn’t allow to guide us in the right handed life?  

It’s time to learn that the way we’ve always done “life” may not be working out so great for us.  We are weak and feel so much rejection from the left hand way of the world.  It’s time to step up and rejoice!  To enjoy a life of strength and wisdom and acceptance given to us freely by God.  The God we put squarely in the center of lives, riding us onward into victory.

"For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;he will lift me high upon a rock. 6And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord."  Psalm 27:5 & 6
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Enjoying Life With Gladness

krisshetter

At this point in your life, you’ve probably been asked one or both of these questions:

  1. If you were told you were to die tomorrow, what would you do?
  2. If the world were to end tomorrow, what would you do tonight?

They are two different scenarios.  The first sees life moving forward for the rest of the world without you in it.  The second is a complete destruction of all we know.  For me, however, the answers are both the same.  I would gather my family and others that I love.  We would spend time in prayer asking God to sustain us through the trial so that we would see His face at our end.  I would want us to gather in laughter, remembering all the wonderful times God has provided us throughout our time together.  We would eat a scrumptious meal, most likely prepared by my husband, enjoy good wine, and pray some more.

Here’s the thing, we should always assume these two questions are a distinct possibility.  That is, if we truly believe the message of the Bible.  First, we will all die, just as we have seen in earlier chapters of Ecclesiastes.  It’s not if but when.  For every single one of us.  Secondly, if it’s not the rapture coming upon us then we should be honest that the world is now filled with weapons that could easily kill us all.  Does this mean we live every day in fear of these two truths?  No, but truth can and should set us free to live in reality.

“All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.” Ecclesiastes 9:2

That “common destiny” is the evil we call death.  So, what do we do with this truth?  We live each day serving the one true God and live in gladness.

“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.8Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.” Ecclesiastes 9:7-8

Gladness is not hedonism.  Gladness is not escapism.  Gladness isn’t folly.  You could easily imagine, in fact movies and books have taken the “if the end were tomorrow what would we do” topic and shown us the possibilities the unrighteous might take.  Some might go on drug, alcohol or sexual benders.  Getting blotto to ease their fears or pain.  The age-old “eat and drink because tomorrow we might die” path toward annihilation.  It’s a twisting of the message found throughout Ecclesiastes.  Other might go on a theft and destruction rampage.  That thinking shines the light on people who live without wisdom or God.

Why shouldn’t we think this way?  I mean your life is about to end, right?  Let’s remember the times when Moses and Abraham negotiated with God to save their people.   

“Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”  Genesis 18:23-26
“ But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.” Exodus 32:11-12

So here you are, you’ve committed every sin possible against man and God the night before you are to die and suddenly a righteous person pleads for mercy on the world’s behalf.  The ungodly will surely find themselves on the wrong side of that historical moment.  Or maybe that person is praying for your healing because you have been personally given that death sentence.  Will God abide or will He see justice done?  

That’s what the “fear of God” is about.  Knowing there is a presence higher than us who will one day serve justice to all.  Do we love God and therefore want to live our lives in service to Him?  Or do we grieve the Holy Spirit daily, hourly even, and turn our backs on Him?

“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. 6Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 9:5-6

Until the day we actually die we still have time.  Time to submit ourselves over to the Lord Most High.  Time to reconcile with loved ones.  Time to give out mercy and forgiveness in abundance.  Time to enjoy our lives with gladness.  Because once your time is up, the dead have no such chances.

Joy is the serious business of heaven.”  

C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcom

Rejoicing our lives in gladness means we make the most of every moment.  We make as many everyday moments special.  Because they are special.  That moment right now, you will never have back.  The moments pass by so quickly in our short lives.  Do you want to live them in bitterness and anger?  In the fog of folly and hedonism?  Or in joyfulness and with endurance?  

I saw a great example of taking everyday moments and making them full of gladness.  Once a month a mom of four young children creates “Fancy Dinner Night.”  The children all dress in their finest clothing.  She makes picture menus of the meal she has planned.  There’s candles and cloth napkins and the fancy china.  She plays the role of waitress and hands out the menus as though she is serving clients at a 5 star Michelin restaurant.  Even the toddler has a picture menu from which to choose his meal.  She is training them not only to enjoy an everyday moment but how to act with character at mealtimes.  It was so sweet and beautiful!

Console yourself, dear Battos.  Things may be better tomorrow.  While there’s life, there’s hope.  Only the dead have none.”  

Greek Poet Theokritos

There is always hope for tomorrow; a tomorrow filled with gladness.  Why? Because we have the life and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He suffered the most gruesome of deaths to take on our sins.  He sacrificed not only His human body but His heavenly one when he came to earth to live among us.  He showed us what the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven will look like – ones who fully rely on God, they forgive and are forgiven, they put others ahead of themselves, they mourn over their sin.  And when He was resurrected, He proved that those Kingdom Citizens will also be raised from the dead and be given yet another new life.  What amazing hope we have for our eternal lives after this short time here on earth.

When we live in gladness and joy, we seek to serve others in His Holy Name.  We love others well in His name.  We take every moment, even in the trials and tribulations, and thank Him for providing for us, for healing us, and being our guiding light.  So why oh, why would we want to miss out on that hope?  Why would we not want to share that hope with those around us who choose daily leaning toward something less?

It’s not by searching for special things that we find joy, but by making the everyday things special.” 

Warren Wiersbe

Friends, our time here is truly short so consider well your answers to the first two questions I presented.  Because eternity is forever.  A forever spent in the presence of the glory of God or of the pain of hell.

"So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.” Ecclesiastes 9:1 

King Solomon eventually, in his study of the meaningless life, discovers that we do, in fact, know what awaits us.  If we take the narrow path set before us by Jesus we are greeted with unmeasurable love.  Our knowledge of that truth should give us the endurance to live each day in gladness.  And to spread that truth to so many others.

Are you the type that tells your family and friends that your best china is sitting locked away in some dusty cupboard?  “It’s for special times.”  And those times never seem to come?  Break out that china, the linen napkins, the candles, even if it’s just you enjoying it or grab a few neighbors you’ve always wanted to meet.  Make your everyday special in some way and rejoice with gladness!

You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

C.S. Lewis
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Savior King

krisshetter 
"Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!" Psalm 24:10

Yesterday, in the Advent study I’m working through we were tasked with listing the names and characteristics of Jesus from various Old and New Testament scriptures. The names included: child, son, Son of the Most High, Father, Counselor, God, Prince of Peace, Lord, King, Jesus and Messiah/Savior. Attached to these names were adjectives such as wonderful, mighty, great, everlasting, zealous, wise, and upholder of justice and righteousness.

We were then asked to highlight the name and characteristic that we believe to be the most significant. Which would you say? It may depend on your current state of mind or the situation you find yourself in. But let me back up a bit and take us to the year 2019. There were just a few small things going on in the world that year. A worldwide pandemic for one. And the U.S. election for a new president.

What was your state of mind at the time? Were you afraid for your health? Worried about who would lead the world’s most influential country? Concerned about the status of your job? Upset about the situation with your children’s schools? Angry about people wearing masks or not? Abandon by your church for shutting their doors? Distraught over a loved one’s death? The year 2019 certainly held a lot of opportunity for all those emotions. At the time, the bigger question was: being honest, who did you cling to? The TV newscasters? Health officials? Elected leaders? Family? Or God?

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:12-13

“When His glory is revealed.” What does that mean for us in the here and now? We suffer through leaders seeking their own glory through greed and immorality. We hear false teachers leading Christians astray with destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1). Neighbors and even family and friends follow their sensual desires and blaspheme the truth (2 Peter 2:2). And we shouldn’t be surprised. It is all written in God’s Holy Word. But what is also written is that there will be a day of judgment. 

"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. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed." 2 Peter 3:9-10

My friends, if we believe that Jesus is a real person who walked this earth as both God and man; if we see how the truth of the prophets in the Old Testament came to pass over and over; if we have experienced our glorious God working throughout our life, then we must place the banner of truth on the promise of times to come.  We must look different than the world. Our choices both physically and emotionally must cause others to ask us questions. ”Why aren’t you worried?”

I’ll tell you honestly the Lord was doing a might work in me in 2019. On one hand, I allowed myself to be carried away with all manner of worldly emotions. On the other, I began clinging to God. The battle of the heavens was revealed in little ‘ole me.  I know that God is winning and will be victorious. Just the other day a good friend shared her husband’s observation of me. He told her how much I’ve changed over the years. I almost cried when she shared that he called me “gentler.” And I raised my hand up giving God, the Victorious, all glory.

Jesus is all the names I listed during my study. He has all the characteristics found in those scriptures. Surely the name Savior should speak most to us especially during times of trouble and strife. He came to save us from a terrible judgement. He is the Savior King who will uphold all final justice and righteousness. Knowing that this glorious and powerful God cares about those two things should bring us everlasting peace. 

The world is a mess, just like it was hundreds of thousands of years ago. Just like it was when the Romans ruled throughout Israel, Judea, Samaria and the far reaches of Europe when the Jews sought an earthly king to save them. The Word of God promises us it won’t get better until Jesus returns. So, let’s put our hope and peace and love in His hands. He is the only one who will lead us into victory.

Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen

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High Fives

krisshetter

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6

The other night, just before we were about to go to bed, I looked over our Christmas shopping list to see who my husband still needed to check off. It caused me to ask him where a gift certificate was that had come in the mail the day before. It is an “old school” paper certificate for $100 to a local attraction. Thus began an all out search for this thin piece of paper.

At the same time, I know it sounds odd, I was also searching for a brand new bra that disappeared about a week ago. Since I don’t go around tossing my bra off outside my house I just knew it had to be inside somewhere! So, here we were at 9:00pm going through trash cans, drawers, paperwork, sheets, towels, etc searching for a piece of paper and a bra. 

At one point my husband was ready to give up. He was going to call the shop the next day and ask for a duplicate gift certificate. He told me to just buy a new bra. But I’m not a quitter so we kept searching. At last, I looked in one last place for the gift certificate — the office recycling bin. And there it was stuck to an empty Christmas card envelope! Moments later my husband was digging around in the clothes hamper and he pulled out my bra displaying it like the Lion King Mufasa holding up the baby lion Simba. How I didn’t see it the other 10 times I looked in there I have no idea.

As we fell into bed laughing about our search I said, “We are practically like a Bible story — you know, the ones about the lost coins and the lost sheep! We didn’t give up and we finally found our precious things.”

As so often happens when I’m in the midst of writing, my everyday experiences lead me to ponder on the glory of God. In this instance, how He also never gives up. He goes into our trash heap of sins and pulls us from the depths. He seeks us out under the dust and brushes us off. He cleans us up and makes us righteous before Him through our faith in Jesus.

"And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:9-10

Christ not only welcomes us home but He runs to meet us like the father to the prodigal son. Through His bountiful mercy (not dishing out the punishment we deserve) and grace (giving us the love and justification we don’t deserve) He celebrates our entrance to His Holy Kingdom. 

Think on the last time you lost something and finally found it. You may have performed a little, silly dance or shouted out in glee. Now imagine when you accepted Christ as your Savior how God must have danced in joy because He is a God of great celebration. While we can’t change someone’s mind about God, He can. He asks us to join with Him in the search effort. Imagine each time you share the message of your salvation with an unbeliever how God must be saying, “YES! LET’S DO THIS! Let’s bring another home!” 

Give all honor, praise, and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

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Rejoice in His Glory

krisshetter 
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
    tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 1 Chronicles 16: 8-10

From 1800 to 1899 there were more than 500 wars or conflicts that occurred across the globe. These events touched every continent and just about every nation. Lines were drawn and re-drawn. In some areas you would have been hard pressed to place any confidence in the steadiness of your governing authorities since they might be gone tomorrow.

Not to be outdone, the turn of the century began with a bang when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir the Austro-Hungarian throne was assassinated by a Bosnian. That one act set the stage for World War I which, from 1914 to 1918, led to an estimated 40 million military and civilian deaths. Following that war, the Russian Revolution in 1917 caused another dramatic upheaval throughout Europe. The Spanish Flu took another 17-50 million people to their grave. And the hits kept coming.

A world-wide economic collapse took hold in the 1920s-30s, which in the United States we labeled the “Great Depression.” We limped into the 1940s with WW II and the greatest loss of life ever seen with approximately 80 million people perishing. The Korean War, Vietnam War, devastating inflation in the 1970s, the Gulf War, terror attacks, the Iraq-Afghanistan Wars were just some of the major conflicts that rounded out the 20th Century. Sounds like there was a lot to be joyful for, wasn’t there?

And there was. You see since the beginning of human history, when so many turned their backs to God’s holy and beautiful plan, there has been war, hatred, vengeance, jealousy, and greed. With each tragedy we may think, “we are living in the most terrible age.” But history shows we humans have done so much worse. Above these sinful human ways, however, sits a glorious King who beckons us to him. Who says, “I have a better way. A beautiful and joyous plan for you. Seek me and you will find me.”

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."  1 Peter 4:12-13

We shouldn’t be surprised when terrible events happen in the world around us. The ungodly seek to satisfy their fleshly desires just as they always have. It’s interesting, however, that depression rates have skyrocketed just in the last 10-15 years in the United States. As faithful followers of Jesus we are called to be set apart and seek joy, seek peace, seek love, seek self-control. Something Christians have been tasked with since the death of Jesus and war upon war. We seek a joy that is, in fact, all around us. Yes, even in the face of terrible times. 

"Weeping may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

Joy and rejoicing beckon us each morning with another beautiful sunrise. It’s in the face of a newborn baby, after the pain of childbirth. It’s in each meal that God provides. Joy lives in a faithful friend, a loving spouse or parent — those God-given relationships He sends our way either through birth or by small miracles. The clothes that adorn us, be they rich, luxurious fabrics or simple cotton hewn, reflect God’s first loving sacrifice for us in the garden — an animal slain to cover Adam and Eve. The world is full of God’s joyful offerings of music, laughter, smiles, touches, provision, and natural wonder. We just need to seek them.

Back in the 1800s there was no TV, much less 24 hour TV news. No internet. The mail was spotty. Newspapers reported on events from weeks past. People, although effected by local conflict, went about their daily lives concerned with the here and now — the health and welfare of their family and their local community. They didn’t wake up and pull up the latest terrible news on their phone or computer. They didn’t sit at breakfast watching the news roll by on TV. Most didn’t even have a daily paper. No, if they were Christians they woke up and gave thanks for the day. Probably read a bit of their Bible and then began their long day of providing for their family. The children played and did their school lessons, unaware of any troubles their parents might have financially. As evening rolled in they sat at their dinner table together and gave thanks to God. And went to bed. No late night news or Twitter reading.

I long thought I had to be super informed of the world’s goings on. I deemed those not constantly tuned as living in a pollyanna-like state. But I have recently found that constant exposure to things of which, let’s be honest here, I have little to zero control over not only don’t bring me God’s gift of joy but actually steal it. You don’t have to watch the news each day. Or even each week. Shocking statement for some to hear, I realize. But try it.

Turn off the TV. Turn your radio dial to a Christian music station. Stop scrolling through the news. Occasionally detox yourself from the world while paying attention to what is important — your family, your friends, your neighbors and most of all your God. Train yourself for when you truly need to “check in” and when it’s time to “check out.” Look up and outward for joy. When you see it give thanks to God for pointing it out.

He is reaching out to you to pull you from the increasing anxiety and depression the world offers. Watch for His glorious ways revealing themselves to you throughout the rest of this week. And rejoice.

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—  to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!” Amen.

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His Promises Are A Covenant

krisshetter

The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.”

Isaiah 26:7

My BSGs (Bible Study girls) are currently doing an advent study.  In it we are reminded of the many promises of God through Jesus Christ.  These are the promises that so many Christians are most familiar – hope, peace, love and joy through trusting in the Lord.  And even though I’ve been a Christian for some time now, being reminded of the Peace of God through righteousness is so necessary in this broken world. 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give 
thanks in all circumstances; for this is 
God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 
Do not quench the Spirit.  
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

We humans need constant communication with God, constant reminders of His promises, constant reminders of the reason why He sent us His son, Christ Jesus.  Why? Because we are constantly bombarded with opposite messages.  The chaos of this world desires to bring us to our knees in fear and worry.  It never stops.  But God’s peace, love and joy are solid promises.  

I’ve been led to call this process of constant communication, “holding the line.”  We have a narrow path which God wants us to walk with Him.  For some of us it means constantly looking down at that line and grasping tightly to His promises.  For others the line is a gentle garden path in which they easily stay within the boundaries.  In discovering the many promises of God, we can grasp them tightly as we work our way through those bombshells thrown at us by this broken world.

"Suddenly a great company of the  
heavenly host appeared with the angel,  
praising God and saying, 
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, 
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  
Luke 2:13-14

Notice the very last line of this glorious verse?  “To whom His favor rests.”  When I read this recently, I realized that last part is frequently left off.  “Peace on Earth.”  Taking this out of context changes the meaning of this promise.  Yes, God has promised to never leave us, but so many of His promises are actually a covenant.  

Covenant:

“a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action”

“Between two or more parties.”  That means God promises and we promise back.  An agreement.  Throughout the Book of Isaiah we read of two worlds – the broken agreements and the renewed ones.  God’s promises can only come to completion when we do our part – when we grab hold of that line and follow Him. 

I’ve heard there are more than 5,400 of those promises in the Old and New Testament.  In this new series I want to remind us of just 25 of them and help to bring to the forefront our role in our heavenly handshake.

God is doing 10,000 things in your life and you may only be aware of 3 of them.

John Piper

Join me, along with my guest writer, Todd Shetter, in Isaiah, these next few weeks as we learn how to “Hold The Line” and prepare to celebrate the gift of God’s greatest covenant with us – the gift and promise of Jesus Christ.