She remembered that night when she laid in her bed waiting and expecting. Waiting and expecting her father to enter the room and sexually assault her, again. But as she lay there she thought, “One day I will do something great.” And great she did. In 2005, Time magazine’s “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America” ranked her as 17th. She is known all over the world by her ministry and volunteer work. Joyce Meyer overcame constant sexual abuse as a child because of hope and faith in God.
This week we looked at just one chapter in the Book of James. Chapter one brought us front and center in how to deal with trials. He spoke of spiritual wisdom and the wise act of listening and controlling our anger. In just 26 sentences He stands in front of us in admonition to wake us Christians up. And show the world what trust in Jesus Christ, our savior really means.
Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS.
James 1:22
He goes on to say that when we leave church, after we pray each morning, or read our devotional each day we ought not to then turn out into the world and forget who we are. We are not like everyone else. Isn’t that what our parents told us when we wanted to go hang out with the “cool kids?” There are expectations and responsibilities to accepting Christ.
When I was a “baby Christian” I had a conversation about church with my mom. She is the daughter of a Baptist minister. She hasn’t regularly attended church since she was a child. She doesn’t pray. She says she believes in God but anyone that knows her couldn’t tell that to be true. She told me that when she was a child at church, she would watch all the ladies attend church dutifully. And then, they would gossip, hate each other, complain endlessly to her father, lie, cheat, and all other manner of sin. My mother had and still has a dim view of “Christians.”
When we leave the doors of church or our home we mustn’t forget who we are.
How many of us live our lives fully realizing that not only is God watching how we handle trials and temptations, but our non-Christian friends and neighbors? Do they see you getting angry and yelling and gossiping? Do they get a sense of peace from you during difficult times? Are you easy to talk to because they know you will listen without judgement? And are the words you speak back coming from a Godly place? Do you turn down offers of socializing with friends and tell them it’s because you have a Bible Study you are committed to? Have they heard you speak about your quiet time you spend with God, praying for others? Do you tell others you will pray for them and do it immediately, with them? What was the last book or movie or tv show you settled into? Was it something where you could gain wisdom of God’s ways?
While sitting and listening to God to speak through me before I sat down to write this, the song “My Father’s House” started playing over and over in my head.
The Jericho Walls are quaking
Strongholds are shaking
Love is breaking through
When the Father’s in the room
Cory Asbury, The FAther’s House
When we invite God into our lives during hardship, when we seek His wisdom, when we listen for His voice, and act as He wants us to, we experience His strength and love. The shackles of sin and anger, the ugliness of self-degradation and self-centeredness give way to freedom. Freedom to see His beauty in resolving problems. Freedom to experience joy in even the most difficult of times.
James pulls no punches. But he always reminds us, in the midst of admonishment, of the “why.”
We will develop maturity and perseverance
We receive the “crown of life” that the Lord has promised
We are given the Word of Truth so we can be “firstfruits” of all God has created
We live in the righteousness that God desires for us
When we rid ourselves of immorality and accept the Word planted in us, we are saved
We are given freedom
We will be blessed in all we do
James is not asking us to do anything more than what we ask of our employees, our children or our friends. If we make a commitment, promise, accept a job, want a friendship, then we must work on it and act in such a way as to say we are all “in.”
My challenge for this weekend it to be fully aware of our actions and words, especially while around non-Christians. Good luck, my prayers are with you.
One of my favorite types of tv shows are the ones where brave souls go in and clean out other people’s houses. In one show, just one room was to be completely re-done. The host would help the homeowner remove all the items from that room and put them out on their front lawn. There were three piles: Keep, Toss, Sell. I’m a confessed tv “back talker” so I yell at and talk to the tv all the time. What typically happens during these shows is I yell at the homeowner saying, “What on earth do you need that for?” or “That is the ugliest chair I have ever seen! Get rid of it!” I’m always mystified by the amount of junk people pile up in their homes and how difficult it is for them to get rid of it all – even under the threat of eviction or possibly social services removing their children.
Most of us look at a hoarder’s life and recognize how destructive it is. The filth, the squalor, the sheer quantity of stuff is appalling. We sit in judgement thinking, “I would never get to that point in my life.” The truth is a hoarder’s problem isn’t with the “stuff” it’s with their heart. Even on shows such as “Biggest Loser” we find most contestant’s real issues lie within their hearts, it’s just that they have turned to food to fix their pain.
“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you.”
James 1:21
Now doesn’t that sound easy? Just about as easy as a hoarder having to let go of the paper their 40 year old son wrote as a second grader. On day 1 James made it clear we would have trials and tribulations. Some of us have been physically or emotionally abused. Others have been neglected by loved ones. While others have experienced unbearable loss – of a child, a parent, a friend, a job, a home. And there are the multitudes whose dreams and hopes have yet to materialize. And yet none of those gives us license by God to sin, to bring “moral filth” into our lives.
Warren Wiersbe says this about filling our lives with immorality:
“For God to be able to use us as vessels we must be empty, clean, and available. He will take us and use us for His glory. But if we are filled with sin or defiled by disobedience, He will first have to purge us.”
Purge us. That is the death we read about frequently in the Bible. In Matthew 16: 16, Jesus states this, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” We purge the world from our hearts and minds and live a life worthy of being God’s vessel.
Some might think this means we take away freedoms, we remove fun and laughter, we become like monks or nuns. But think back to a hoarder’s house that is now cleaned out. Or even your own house after a good purging and cleaning. We breathe a sigh, put our hands on our hips and declare, this is good, this is real good. We even start imagining being able to invite our friends over for dinner, new uses for that now empty cupboard, or how easy it is to find what you need. We feel a sense of freedom, of joy, of completeness.
It may be hard work but a clean house sure feels good!
Now take that same feeling and apply it to our other actions or decisions. Do you have that same sense? When we are unforgiving, rude, vengeful, deceitful, unfaithful, untrustworthy, does that give you the same feelings of joy?
One of the reasons we might not take a stand against the filth infiltrating our lives is the fear of man. In fact, the disciple Peter was a great example of this. He talked a good talk about being faithful to Jesus and the other disciples. But when it came time to stand firm, he chose to protect himself. He was afraid of what servant girls would think or do to him if he confirmed he was a disciple. And yet, in John 18:15 the story clearly states “another disciple” also stood with Jesus in front of his accuser. That unnamed disciple wasn’t afraid of man. He wasn’t afraid to declare himself a follower of Jesus. What in your life do you know is wrong, is moral filth, and yet you are afraid of the people around you attacking you or judging you should you declare it would no longer be a part of your life?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said about constantly fighting the battle against the moral filth of the world, “When all is said and done the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every weapon against the flesh.” Meaning just like a severely overweight person who needs to battle their demons to help them lose weight, the road to cleaning our hearts and minds is constant and challenging.
Even Nelson Mandela said,
“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”
So how do we go about this cleansing? We definitely don’t want to be like the Pharisees that Matthew admonishes in 23:25, “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Remembering that James is written to people who profess to be Christians, we need a heart and mind change, not just a physical one.
Have a conversation with God: We already know some of the areas of our life that don’t measure up to God’s desires for us. But He may also reveal other areas that we have hidden away, possibly underlying causes for our behavior and actions. Ask Him to shine a light on your “moral filth.” Ask him to take it away. Ask him to strengthen you. Ask Him first thing in the morning to set up your day for success. Ask Him to help you as you encounter your trouble areas, thank Him for His protection.
“In the morning Lord you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
Psalm 5:3
Listen to God: He speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Bible so read it and study it like any other self-help book. Write down passages that speak to your particular issues and needs. He speaks to us through other people. There are probably people in your life already telling you what areas need to be cleansed. Stop being defensive and start being thankful! God whispers to us directly and guides us. If, as you’re walking into the bar you know you shouldn’t and that voice keeps telling you to go home, then go home. Stop ignoring Him.
“I will listen to what God the lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants.”
Psalm 85:8
Act on His Words: We all know people whose lives are a mess. They’ve heard the message over and over about how to fix their lives. The part that’s missing is just doing it. When we absolutely know we shouldn’t text that person and yet do it anyway we dismiss God’s will. The recognition that God is the most powerful, all seeing, all knowing being must be part of our lives. We can’t hide from God. We can think we are deceiving Him but we aren’t. He is our “over watch,” – He looks ahead and see the enemy’s position and provides us protection. But if we choose to take a different path we put ourselves in danger.
“Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.”
Psalm 37:27
What is distracting you or holding you back from fully following Christ? What rooms in your life need to be purged and left clean? Ask God for his loving spotlight to shine in every recessed area. Listen for His guidance. And walk with faith and strength knowing He is guiding you.
What is an area that you are struggling with the most when it comes to following Christ?
One of my favorite visuals from the Bible is James 1:23 – “Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” Strangely enough I find myself doing that at times. I get up, wash my face and go about my day. At some point I’ll go into a restaurant or store bathroom and look in the mirror as I wash my hands. I almost shock myself when I see what my hair looks like or how old I look.
I also do this with obeying the Word of God. I get up in the morning, read my devotionals and Bible studies then head out into the world. At times it may take all day before I forget the Word, other times it’s my first encounter with another human as I leave my street. I get angry, snarky, unforgiving, worried, maybe even a bit vengeful. I forget God’s admonition – that if I want to receive mercy then I need to be merciful. If I want to be treated kindly then I need to treat people with kindness. I tell people that the actual act of being a faithful follower of God takes work. It takes practice. Some days it takes every single ounce of strength to keep my mind fixed on Jesus. The world wants us to take the easy route. They want us to forget what we look like. The world says “it’s ok” to chip away at what we know to be right. Those “almost right” temptations are what give the devil his footholds.
There’s been great debates over time about grace vs. works. I’m not a world-renowned Bible scholar. I don’t have a degree in theology. But I can read James 2:14 which states,
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
James 2:14
Throughout the New Testament it’s made clear that faith without deeds is really no faith at all. The Book of James speaks to my Martha-like spirit. But it also is for Martha’s sister, Mary. Because deeds come in all forms. Martha showed love by cooking and cleaning. Mary showed love through adoration and giving.
James is only five short chapters. But they are packed with Jesus follower gems. The foreward in the Bible study book, James, Faith that Works, says “Unlike most books of the New Testament, the letter of James is best known for the people who don’t like it. It’s seen as a scalawag among the obviously Christ-centered letters of Paul, and the love-concerned writings of John.” I personally like being a scalawag.
scalawag
noun
a scamp; rascal.
We feel the sting of James. But without an occasional admonishment, we humans are extremely prone to skipping along dangerous paths. As a parent, I know the two most important roles I played while raising my girls was 1) setting and holding them to rules and 2) loving them even as they broke those rules. Isn’t that what God does for us each and every day – when we turn from the mirror and forget what we look like?
Join me, starting September 7, 2020, as I take a chapter in James each week to spur us on to action – to be doers of the Word, not just readers. Through James we can learn to take practical steps to living out our lives as Christ followers.
Be sure to follow to receive your James emails each week!
This letter was written May 2020 after a number of attempts to sit down with my pastor or even an assistant pastor about my concerns over closing up our churches. Instead I was met with silence. Absolute silence. You see, I believe Christians are being put to the test. God’s threshing room is operating at full throttle. The wheat and chaff are being separated.
In conversations with my Christian and non-Christian friends I have made this argument: When a corporation, charity, educational institution, government, mother/father, pilot, pastor, soldier, or whatever job you can think of forgets what their primary, intended purpose is they go astray. Christian churches’ primary purpose is to bring the Word of God to people who need to hear it. It is to have Christians and searching non-Christians be in communion with each other to praise God for our salvation. It is to serve God and God’s people. The primary purpose is NOT to keep people from catching a virus. Now, that doesn’t mean that safety and security are thrown out the window. Just like our schools, whose primary purpose is to teach our children — not keep them from catching a virus — our churches must stay focused on God’s plan. I laud those corporations and small businesses who have not forgotten their primary purpose — to bring goods to customers. Somehow they have figured out how to also keep their customers and employees safe. Christian churches should place themselves at least on the same plane as Costco or Walmart. I, for one, think our churches have a much greater role to play in God’s universe.
After I sent this letter to my church and church leaders I waited for the storm to come. And it did. I found it interesting that the people we all see as “plugged in” at our churches were the most offended. In fact, I was told by one that Satan was working in me. I also got the “who do you think you are?” But it was regular, church-going people who spoke to me with shouts of “hallelujah!” We “regular Christians” are begging for communion. We NEED each other. We need to see each other raising our hands to God in praise. If you are a pastor and reading this, we need you.
“I told my friend today that I’m about to commit a “Jerry Maguire.” For those of you who haven’t seen the movie here’s what I mean. Jerry, a sports agent at a large firm, has a “come to Jesus” moment one night about the nature of his business and how it has become de-personalized. He writes a manifesto and shares it with all his colleagues. And while they all think what he says is great, they turn against him, shunning him.
My manifesto is not about a job, it’s about Faith, or the lack of it from our churches. In these uncertain times we have allowed Satan to use all his dirty tricks against us. And we have willingly followed him like the Pied Piper. We have failed at God’s biggest test since Jesus’ crucifixion. And we’ve failed gloriously. We have been Judas in the garden willingly pointing out the rule breakers. We are Peter denying Christ out of fear of punishment.
Just as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:14, the devil has masqueraded as an angel of light. His deception has been as cunning as with Eve. Our churches have closed and our pastors have hidden away under the guise of “saving people.” We have allowed the realm of worldliness to define the role the church plays in our Christian lives. We have deemed ourselves “non-essential.” All the while our role of bringing people to the one true Savior has diminished. We are no longer in the business of saving souls.
In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul says he will keep on with his ministry in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about – saving people. He goes on to say, “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. Unlike today’s churches, Paul describes the Macedonian churches as giving everything they had during severe trial just for the joy and privilege of sharing in the service for the Lord’s people. We can count on one or two hands the churches in the news that have shown this same fervent love for the gospel.
But what have been Satan’s works? I’m sure if you’ve read to this point you have already spoken a few of them in rebuttal. Let’s start with the most prevalent. Romans 13 clearly convicts us to obey the government because they rule only under God’s authority. Rebelling against authority is considered rebelling against God. So therefore, when the State tells churches they must close, we must obey. Ah, but the devil loves to cherry pick scripture. What he has done here is take advantage of the Christian desire to do what is right, to follow laws, and to be good citizens. What he doesn’t want you to do is dig deeper. Is the law just in the first place, in the eyes of God? Backing up to Acts 5 we see the apostles being persecuted for performing signs and wonders among the people. The Pharisees were angry and claimed the law prohibited them from teaching. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in his name,” the Sanhedrin says in verse 28. And the apostles’ response? “We must obey God rather than human beings.” (v29). Where were our major denominations at the outset of our shut down standing firm that churches are essential? Where was their conviction that God calls us into service during times of trouble? And where have they been since? It’s one thing for a church to have said on the outset of the shut down, “Let’s close for a couple of weeks and see what this is all about. We will clean our facilities and come up with safe practices. And then open.” But allowing government to tell us that we are not even allowed to do that goes not just against one of the basic rights of this country but of God’s laws.
But what is wrong with keeping people healthy? You now entered into Satan’s second lie. To accept this premise, you have to believe that our churches are irresponsible, unnecessary and incapable of keeping people safe while attending church. Somehow, we have a greater respect for our grocery store management than for our church management. I laud those few pastors who have found creative ways to do church – beyond the impersonal video exchange. Drive through confessionals, drive up church, drive through prayer time, and more. The bold few have even ripped the veil off one of Satan’s other lies – that going to church is somehow not a choice. So, they open their churches to anyone who chooses to attend. Do they still adhere to safe practices, of course, because God doesn’t call Christians to be stupid. He calls us to trust and to obey Him. Why have we expected more from Walmart than from our church? Why have we put ourselves on equal footing with our gyms?
Even our most trusted faith leaders have failed us. While they preach on trusting God, they cower behind their computer screens. Where is the trust? Where is the bold faith? Where is the healing of lepers and of the sick? Where is the knowledge and belief that God is in our midst? Who do you think God is smiling on – the church that closes and locks their doors or the church that is open to the sick, the anxious, the scared, the homeless, the alcoholic, the abused, the weak and the poor? The other lie Satan tells us is that living in our impersonal, technology connected faith, God’s work is full, is enough. We say things like, isn’t great we can connect with missionaries across the world during this time? Isn’t’ amazing how we can still be together through a video screen? If that were true, then why didn’t the apostles just rely on letters to the churches? Why did they feel the need to enter into cities that were sure to persecute them, sure to throw them in jail? Where are the pastors who say as Peter and John, who after laying hands on a lame man cured him, said to the Sanhedrin, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man is healed.” Yes, technology is great for those who can’t be with us. But we’ve preached and preached over the last few years about the dangers of relying on technology and becoming less connected rather than more. And what about the supposed connections we’ve made? Besides videos, have our churches and our denominations reached out regularly to their parishioners via phone calls, letters, etc? Have they been regular guests on news shows teaching about ways to ease our anxieties? Have our pastors personally reached out to people who have reached out to them about their concerns? And what about the non-members that attend our churches? How have those people been personally connected? What about the non-believer who one night, feels called by the Holy Spirit to enter a church and hear the Word?
You see, the devil has used our goodness, our desires to do the right thing against us. It’s time to gird our loins with Truth. God does not want our churches locked. He does not want us hiding in fear. He wants those doors thrown open. He wants us to welcome all who are lost, who are lonely, who are fearful, and who are spiritually sick. We must stop allowing Satan to define God’s mission for us. As my friend once said to me, “This should be a pastor’s ‘jam’.” Meaning this time in the world is when the fight between dark and light should be most obvious. It’s what we have been training for. It’s the time to call for peace in His arms, for faith in His words, for trust in His love. “
Here’s the thing about what happens to Jerry Maguire. He wins in the end. He gathers up the believers. He tears down the old way of doing things. He renews faith. He remembers what his intended purpose is.
We are living in a time that the word “justice” seems to hold so many different meanings – at times almost opposite meanings. “Justice” to some means punishing people for something they didn’t participate in and happened about 200 years ago. To others it means being able to take what you want because you feel victimized. In some cities, “justice” means releasing hundreds of people who are in jail for murder, rape, burglary and the like. Some people judge in the blink of an eye based on a short video. Others judge simply because they already didn’t like a person. And yet others still believe in the idea of investigating a crime, bringing it to a court and evaluating all the facts before passing judgement. I have a degree in Journalism and English. I learned that passing judgement in the media was a no-no. Somehow that lesson has disappeared from journalism school
We can’t seem to escape “un-just judgement” these days. What you wear, what you drive, where you live, what your skin color is, if you have a college degree or if you are old or young, we are judged by our neighbors, our enemies and even our fellow Christians. I recently posted on Instagram a picture of a surgical mask. I stated, “This mask does not symbolize your: kindness, faith, politics, intelligence, wokeness or love. It’s just a mask.” The mask, as promoted by governmental officials, has become yet another way to be judged. Our “Cancel Culture” is swift in its judgement and mercy is nowhere to be found.
Thank the Lord that His judgement is merciful. I mean He has been trying for thousands and thousands of years to get the majority of humanity on board with His simple rule – Obey God. He has yet to pass His mighty judgement over us. It does feel as though that time is getting closer and closer, however.
So often we want to take justice into our own hands. But it’s important to understand the difference between daily justice that God calls us to and eternal justice. At times we think we must step in for God – with acts of anger, revenge or spite. God does not call us to scream a people in the streets. For one, I find most people screaming don’t actually know what “justice” they need or who should be held to account. Rest assured that if it’s justice God wants you to accomplish you will have His peace. Screaming in people’s faces and looting won’t be part of His plan for you. As Jesus’ people, we are called to step in for the weak and downtrodden. But we need not be the weak and downtrodden – because through Christ we are blessed and strengthened. A Christian who obeys God is destined to experience hardship and suffering, but His love and mercy sustains us for greater work. He asks us to judge others as we are judged by Him – with mercy and forgiveness.
Whether or not a person believes and accepts God and His Son, Jesus, he will still ultimately be judged in the eternal world. We must believe that Truth.
“I said to myself, ‘God will bring into judgement both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.’”
Ecclesiastes 3:17
Until then, God gives us opportunity after opportunity through His mercy to change course. I, for one, am thankful for the chance to continue my path of imperfect progress without the justice served I deserve each day.
How has God showed you His mercy? Share in praise of God today in the comments below!
During my years of attending church and going to bible studies I have heard many scripture verses surrounding love:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son.” John 3:16
“Love is patient, love is kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
“And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
There are scriptures about how God loves us, how we are to love God and love our friends, neighbors and enemies. We don’t, however, always equate this “love” with romantic love. And yet, by all descriptions, the love the Holy Spirit has for us and wants in return is just that. Intimacy, thoughtfulness, honesty – an embrace, a tight hug, and sweet kiss – isn’t that what we long for in our “romantic” relationships? And the Holy Spirit is all about that kind of love.
A pastor at one of my previous churches wrote, what some considered a controversial book about the Holy Spirit, called, I’m In ❤. Controversial because he is part of a corporate-style faith where we worship, but not too exuberantly. We pray but not too boldly. We love but out of reverence. In the first chapter of his book he writes:
“Spirit wants to woo you into her arms in order to embrace you and whisper intimate truths. Spirit offers to tutor you in vulnerability and joy. Spirit welcomes you to trust her. Spirit kisses you. But this kind of love takes time to grow. Will you let Her court you?”
Rev. Dr. Bruce Humphrey
So many of my conversations with my Christian friends focus on creating a personal relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Let’s face it, when you are intimate with someone you know exactly what they expect of you and if it’s a mutually respectful relationship you want to meet those expectations. The Holy Spirit is who whispers to us. Who winks so that we both are “in on the joke.” She holds my hand when I am afraid to take the steps Jesus laid out for me. This “controversial” pastor goes on to write:
“Here is the truth: romance requires slowing down, listening, and spending time. As mysterious as it is, there are some basic ingredients for love to flourish. Romance requires intentionality. Love is a choice. You can decide to accept the Spirit’s love, or you can reject her embrace. She will not force or compel you. In other words, love takes commitment.
Rev. Dr. Bruce Humphrey
God is fully committed to loving you. Through the words of His son Jesus and the great counselor, the Holy Spirit, love abounds from the heavens. Are you ready to embrace Him just as intimately? Share how God shows His love for you in the comments below!
What battles are you facing right now? For me it’s my fears about the direction the country is going. I am a patriot through and through. I’m not a fan of people who twist history to meet their needs for victimization. That may not sit well with people but I will not judge others for living imperfect lives while I, myself, live imperfectly every single day. That being said I can only live in God’s Truth which is the fact that the only battle I have some control over is the one that tries to pull me away from God. . When I don’t first get on my knees and pray; when I don’t continually look to the Lord for guidance; when I don’t trust that God is the ultimate warrior in the battles for Truth and Justice — this is when I need to remind myself to tighten my own warrior belt and take up my shield. . Our real battles are being fought in realms unseen. Our job is to surrender to the knowledge that God will fight for us when we ask. He will beat back the armies that wish to destroy us. And as King Jehoshaphat commanded the people of Judah to act before battle, we need to give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!” . It’s time to completely turn your battles over to God. Let’s face it, you haven’t had too many victories without Him. Wave your white flag. Get on your knees and pray. . Join me starting July 27 as I begin 30 Days of Praise for all the great things God has done. Follow me to enjoy this journey! http://www.emboldened.net. .
Where do you place the idea of “persistence” in your life? In God’s realm it is one of the most highly touted human characteristics. . Persistence gets us to grab hold of the life God wants for us. It molds us into better people. Persistence takes us over the finish line when we continually pray in worship, thanksgiving and petition. . Persistence is not about never changing course. It’s about never taking your eyes off the ultimate goal — even if that means our course zig zags a bit. When I was learning to sail the first thing we needed to understand was reading the wind. Sensing it’s direction and using it for the most power and energy. Frequently that meant having to “tack” or sail in a zig zag. As a sailor you need to be fully in tune with the unseen in order to persist toward that spot on the horizon you’ve picked out as your ultimate goal. . I have pleasing God as my ultimate goal. And through prayer, meditation, worship, and paying close attention to His unseen and seen ways I set my sail toward Him. It may mean I zig zag my way but through persistence I know I will reach my goal. . Please join me in this adventure as I begin 30 Days of Praise starting July 27. Go to my blog (link in bio) and follow me to receive a daily praise and to add your own daily praise ❤️. . I look forward to setting sail with you! .
What’s your reaction when encountering people who doubt — doubt your understanding of facts, science, faith, morals, values? . We’ve become this society where what we know to be true and good and right is what everyone else MUST agree with. At a time when you’d think we’d grown to be more interested in varied ideas it’s seems our desires to expand our minds and sphere of real friends keeps shrinking. An “echo chamber” is one in which we can only hear our voice. And unless we are God, our voice can frequently be wrong. . As a Christian, I see other Christians falling into a sea of doubt about the lessons and way of life we are called to. We don’t want to be the lone voice outside society’s echo chamber. On the flip side we are called to be our Christian brothers’ keepers — being merciful to followers who struggle against societal lies and snatching each other out of the fires. And even more merciful to non-followers who have yet to accept the Truth of God. . A Christian’s “doubt” should only lie in the struggle with God’s Word as lived out in the world— not the Truth of God’s Word. When we see our Christian loved ones sinking further into that struggle with the world is when we need to act with God’s authority and be His lifeline. . When you doubt the right way to live out your life what action do you hope those around you take? Mercy or with condemnation?
As I’ve gotten older my allergies have gotten worse. I’ve had sinus surgery and I’m currently going through the allergy shot regimen. And yet I still need to take allergy pills both in the morning and at night. In the early years of this battle I experimented with different allergy medications. Some made me incredibly sleepy and foggy. I saw a commercial for the brand Claritin. What caught my attention was the line “Claritin Clear.” The commercial shows a foggy view of the world. And after taking their product that foggy film is stripped away. That’s what I needed. What I didn’t realize at the time was not only were my allergies making my view of the world foggy but so was my lack of trust in God.
My friend and I were out for a walk and I was struck with the fact that she has taken God’s allergy medication. For one, three different devotionals she read that day pleaded the same action: Trust in the Lord with all you heart and all your mind and all your soul and lean not on your own understanding (Prov 3:5). I told her sometimes God whispers and sometimes He shouts and shakes us! Both are to get us to open our eyes and ears to the truth of our lives — to be God Clear. For another, she’s leaning into God’s grace of that medicine and surrendering.
But the work is not done. In fact the clearing of our eyes can be painful. Just like my twice weekly allergy shots (I hate shots), growth often starts with pain. If we stop because of the pain we can never fully achieve our greatest gifts from God. He wants so much for us — a life free of self doubt, self loathing, and turmoil. But we must first peel away the lies that Satan so readily whispers to us.
Where are you at in this process? Have you tried trusting God but it seems too scary, too painful? My friend a glorious, clear life awaits you. Trust in God’s holy medicine to bring you through the pain.
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