W.W.J.D.

W.W.J.D

This was once the “it” phrase in church youth groups around the country. When I was younger I had bracelets in various colors that had these letters printed or sewn on them. Other children my age had t-shirts that proudly displayed the acronym. Unfortunately, many of us wore these items as Christian fashion statements instead of allowing the question to penetrate our hearts and lives.

As I grew a bit older I realized the importance behind the letters. You see, W.W.J.D. stands for “What would Jesus do?” During my senior year of high school, I selected this acronym to mark one side of my class ring. Why? I realized that I would be making life changing decisions after high school. It was, and is, my opinion, that the way to make those decisions was by asking the question, “What would Jesus do?”

Isn’t it sort of cheesy? Wasn’t it a bit overdone in the 90’s? Perhaps, but the power of the question is not diminished by its popularity. The question, “What would Jesus do?” is significant and powerful regardless of how many times it was printed on a coffee mug, sewn on a t-shirt, or tattooed on an arm.

How significant can it be? It’s not scripture. But, the concept can be derived from scripture. Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”

Did you grow up with a sibling? Do you remember copying them? You did and said exactly the same as your brother or sister. You imitated them.

The word, "imitate" is a verb and means: “Take or follow as a model. Copy.”

Scripture tells us to be imitators of God. We are to “take and follow” Him “as a model.” We should be copying Him, doing what He does. Therefore, each moment of our day should be filtered through the question, “What would Jesus do?”

Whether this acronym is a blast from the past or new to you, I challenge everyone to remember W.W.J.D.

When you’re on Facebook – What would Jesus do?

When you’re shopping in Walmart – What would Jesus do?

When your husband says something hurtful – What would Jesus do?

When your wife disrespects you – What would Jesus do?

When you’re at church – What would Jesus do?

When you’re all alone – What would Jesus do?

Perhaps you’re asking, “Why are you writing a blog so simple and basic?”

Well, in my life I struggle to look like Jesus each day. I have yet to receive a perfect score on my "Did you act like Jesus today?" exam. I need to ask myself, "What would Jesus do?" every day so that I can make the choice to imitate Him. To have compassion like Him. To pray, have faith, and love like Jesus. To be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). 

What would happen if we, the body of Christ, started imitating Him?

I can think of a few things...

Our families would change.
Our churches would change.
This world would change.

How do you know that? Take a look at the New Testament and observe the difference Jesus made in the world. Then notice the impact His followers had. We can have the same impact and it all starts by asking, “What would Jesus do?”

However, our transformation will not be complete if we only ask, “What would Jesus do?”

No, you and I must move on to the second step.

You and I, through the power of the Holy Spirit, must choose to do whatever it is Jesus would do. No matter what situation we find ourselves in we must be obedient. And, if we are obedient then:

We will speak as He speaks (to those we like and those we dislike).
We will move as He moves (when we do and do not want to).
We will go where He goes (no matter if the location is rich or poor).
We will do what He does (whether it is culturally acceptable or not).
We will love how He loves (unconditionally; with truth and grace).
We will serve as He serves (all of mankind). 

We will live as He lives (submitting to the Holy Spirit's work in us, so that we might be holy as Christ is holy).

We will be imitators of God.

And the world around us will change. Because of us? No, because of Christ within us. 

It all starts with one question, “What would Jesus do?”

You see, it is so much more than a bracelet... 

Craving Something Salty...

As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I love food. My three most favorite times of the day are breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’m not picky. Whatever makes its way onto my plate will inevitably find its way to my stomach. I really enjoy sharing a meal with people – my husband, family, or dear friends. When I share a meal with my family, my grandmother never fails to cover her food in salt and pepper. Most of the time she won’t taste the food before smothering it in seasoning. She adores the flavor of salt and pepper, especially salt. In her opinion, it makes everything better. Her meal is not nearly as satisfying without salt.

Salt has been important throughout history. You can go on Amazon right now and purchase a book on salt and the influence it has had on mankind for centuries. Salt often symbolized wealth since it was a frivolous extra. Then it became a necessity for preservation.  Meats were salted and vegetables stored in a brine so that their shelf life would extend through barren winter months. Now it has returned as a delicious extra on our tables; used to add pop and zing to certain items like corn on the cob in the summer time.

Have you noticed that after you ingest salt you crave liquid? This is true for me. After I enjoy a box full of hot Chick-Fil-A waffle fries that have been perfectly salted, I can’t help but take a long sip of my half-sweet/ half-unsweet iced tea. Salt makes us thirsty.

This is why Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…” in Matthew 5:13. You, as a follower of Jesus, have been placed here to make people thirsty.

Thirsty for what?

Thirsty for living water – a supply that never runs dry.

It is the water Jesus told the Samaritan woman about in John 4: 13-14. “Jesus said to her, ‘“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

Thirsty for Jesus.

We are called to be the salt that causes people to want a drink of everlasting life.

This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Jesus knew that. That is why He continues in Matthew 5:13 saying, “…but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.”

What do you do with salt that has gone stale while sitting in your seasoning cabinet? You know the kind, you finally need to use it but it has developed a salt rock inside the container that refuses to separate. You attempt to use it but upon tasting it you realize it is bland. 

Regretfully, because you hate to waste, you dispose of this salt. It cannot be used on the meat as a rub, or in the soup as part of the broth; it is purposeless. Why? It has lost its flavor. And what is salt without flavor?

That’s what Jesus is communicating in Matthew 5. Salt without flavor has no purpose. Salt without flavor is not going to lead anyone to drink the living water.

So let’s take away the example for a moment. As a Christian, your purpose is to lead other people to Jesus Christ. The problem is that our salt has lost its flavor.

How did that happen?

Well, are we any different than the rest of the world? What about you is unusual to someone who doesn’t claim Jesus as their Savior and Lord?

Are you just as negative?

Are you just as worried about the state of our world?

Are you angry? Do you lose control and fly off the handle at work?

Do you gossip with the girls during mani/pedis?

Do you accept sin because you don’t want to be alienated for believing in Scripture? Have you accepted sin in your own life by excusing it as a personality trait?

When we do these things, our salt becomes less flavorful. It becomes useless.

Why? Well, who would want more of what you have if it is exactly like what they have?

People look for something different – something salty.

I may sound like a broken record to those who read this blog often, but this is the truth. We must strive to look more like Jesus every day. We do not have time to be flavorless. We must become salty again so that men and women in this world will want to take a drink from the water that brings everlasting life – Jesus Christ!

So what can one do to become more flavorful?

First, you ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Ask Him to reveal what does not belong; what is causing your salt to be flavorless.

Second, through the power of the Holy Spirit, commit to removing those things that do not belong in your life. Disengage from sinful behavior and thinking. Allow Him to form you in a way that reflects the image of Christ daily. This will revive your salt and bring back its usefulness.

Third, you must share your relationship with Jesus with everyone you know. If salt is not being sprinkled, it does not transform what is around it. By sharing your story, the Gospel, with others around you, through word and deed, a thirst develops in this world for what you have – Jesus Christ.

So, remember my friends, “You are the salt of the earth…”

Be flavorful today.

Four Reasons to Praise God

I am often drawn to the book of Psalms when I am in need of encouragement or inspiration. It is a mine rich with gemstones. Beautiful nuggets of praise, worship, and truth come out of this book no matter where I am in life. 

This week, I would like to walk through chapter 111 of the book of Psalms with you.

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

The psalmist begins by declaring to those listening and reading that he is thankful – with his whole heart. 

Our praise to God cannot be a half-hearted action. It must be intentional. When you come to praise God, whether in your room or the sanctuary, give your all. Forget your to-do list, the cell phone, which song is playing on the radio, and praise Him with your whole heart. Hold nothing back for later. Give Him all praise and thanks.

Why?

Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.

The first reason is that God has done great works.

Look at the creation around you. When I sit in my “corner” I can look out a window and see gorgeous pine trees, beautiful green grass, adorable squirrels, birds of every shape and size, a sky as blue as cotton candy, a sun so bright it hurts my eyes to look at it, clouds so shapely that they look like cotton balls, and soon that sky will be midnight blue, the sun shining behind a full and pale moon while stars dance around. As I type this I breathe in a deep breath, exhaling carbon dioxide and inhaling the invisible substance of oxygen that my body would die without. All of this happens and exists on a sphere that is perfectly balanced in a solar system in constant motion.

Who is worthy of praise if not God who created all of this from nothing? And, not only has He created it, but has sustained it so that thousands of generations could enjoy this life surrounded by beauty.

The psalmist recognized this as a reason to praise.

He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

The second reason to praise God is this: He provides our essential needs on daily basis.

If you do not know me personally than you have yet to discover how much I enjoy food. I love it! Breakfast, lunch, dinner… I’m not picky. I love it all. Sweet, salty, good or bad for me – it doesn’t matter. I’ll gladly pick up a fork and dig in. Too often I take for granted that every morsel of food that tantalizes my tongue is a miracle from God. It is a reason to give Him praise. Do not be mistaken. You may have paid the grocer for those items but without God where would they come from and how would you even exist to work for the money in order to purchase those items? I’ll give you the answer: the food wouldn’t exist (because He created it) and neither would you (because He created you) therefore, there would be no breakfast, lunch, or dinner without God.

The fact that we have food to eat and water to drink is a miracle from God. It testifies that He is worthy of praise.

He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

The third reason is that God keeps His promises. He will never go back on His Word. The psalmist tells the people that God showed His power by making the way possible for them to enter and enjoy the land of Israel and keep it. He declares that the Words of the Lord are trustworthy. His words are true, they last forever, and He is faithful to keep them.

The fact that God keeps His promises to those He has created is amazing. This, quite honestly, blows my mind. It is definitely a reason to praise Him.

He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!

The fourth reason is my personal favorite. God is worthy of praise because HE HAS REDEEMED US. Jesus came and died on a cross so that we might live free from sin and death. He purchased our forgiveness with His blood. He offers us His righteousness in exchange for our filthy hearts. He makes us pure. He makes us new. He restores us. Jesus offers us a second chance at life. We are free because of Him!

My heart leaps within me and joins with the psalmist saying, “Holy and awesome is his name!”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!

The psalmist concludes saying “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” By fearing the Lord, we reverence Him. We recognize His greatness. We have a “fear” – a sense of awe – at His power. God is so powerful that He created all we know by simply uttering words. Everything is subject to Him. We are to tremble at such an omnipotent being. Doing so is the beginning of wisdom. Why? Who would stand in defiance of such a God other than one who… shall we say, “lacks wisdom.”

I felt it was important to share this Psalm because I have witnessed too many Christians indifferent about the way they praise and worship God. I am not talking about a physical response, but a heart response. Do not become indifferent. Do not let praise become routine. There are so many reasons to praise God. Did you drink a cup of coffee today? Eat? Drive to work? Arrive at work? Earn a pay check? Sleep under a roof? Talk to a friend? Read the Bible? Hug your spouse? Talk to your children? Play with your dog? See a tree? Watch the sunset? All of these experiences are because of God – they are reasons to praise.

If you cannot think of any other reason to praise Him – praise Him for saving your life. No matter how many times you have thanked God for forgiving you, it is never too often. If someone saved your life from death, would you ever stop thanking that person? I don’t think so. You would say it over and over until they got sick and tired of the praise. The good news is God will never become sick and tired of your praise. So praise Him with your whole heart because He deserves it.

What a fantastic Psalm! I hope reading Psalm 111 caused praise to bubble up inside of you and that this blog will help add fuel to your praise this week. All I can say is, "Praise to the God that has done great works, provided all of our needs, keeps His promises, and forgiven us of our sins! "Holy and awesome is His name!”

What is Wrong with the World?

Dear friends, this is the most difficult blog I have written thus far because I want it to be communicated in the proper way, but have no control as to how it will be received. Still, I must write it because I feel like we, as the body of Christ, must grasp hold of what I am about to say. So without further ado:

Over the past week our nation has been swept away in the shock and heartbreak following the terror attack in Orlando, Fl. We have been consumed by it. News anchors share their opinions as politicians make statements as to what they will or won’t do in order to prevent another attack. Radio hosts ask people to call in and share their anger or hurt with the listening audience. Bloggers, like myself, rush to their computers to spout their words of wisdom or disgust while social media users share every post they can about what happened or is happening regarding said tragedy. This is our response. It has been for decades. We rush to share our thoughts so we can process what we have experienced. 

Well, I too have thoughts regarding this terrible day, and I would like to share them with you. If you would be so kind to allow me, I would appreciate it. 

As I scroll through my social media newsfeed, I continually see people, including my brothers and sisters in Christ, posting this question: “What is wrong with the world!?”

Friends, I would like to answer this question in this blog.

The problem with the world is this: They do not have a relationship with Jesus. Simple. To the point. 

Yes, they might know of Jesus, that good guy who did some cool miracles a few thousand years ago. But Judas knew Him, yet he still betrayed Him. Simply knowing of Jesus is not the “end all be all.” In order to experience a transformation, one must encounter Jesus, experience salvation, and submit to Him. This is true for every human being – in the church and outside of it. The majority of people know of Jesus, like the children born in 2000 know of Elvis Presley, but they do not know Him personally. A relationship with Jesus is a foreign concept to many people. This is the problem with America – with the world.

We, as the church, have gotten fat and lazy in Zion trusting that the government would handle a job that we have been called to do. Christians have been spoiled by an America who was once dictated by morality. Now, we live in an America who knows not God. And those who do not know God serve themselves because that is all they know to do. (After all, without Jesus in your life, who would you serve?) 

Those without Christ have not been released from their chains of sin; instead, they revel in it. This is why we find people glorifying sin while trampling upon righteousness - which is contrary to the Word of God, as we can see in the following verses:

Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”

2 Peter 3:3: “…knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.”

Romans 1:28-31: “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

These are only a few Scriptures highlighting the problems that result from choosing sin over righteous.

But I ask you, what are we to expect if they do not know Christ?

Why don’t they know Him?

We, as the body of Christ, have not done our job. We have not taken the gospel of Jesus Christ to our country. And here we sit during a time of great tragedy wondering what is wrong with the world. 

The problem is: humanity is living for itself. The longer they serve their human nature the more they will become enslaved to it and the “crazier” this world will become because we are in a downward spiral of immorality. 

For this reason, the greatest tragedy is that people, including the Muslim man, entered into a very real eternity without knowing Jesus Christ. People of God, this means on that horrific Thursday people found themselves in Hell. Because no matter how we try to rationalize it away or claim it doesn’t exist, men and women without Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will spend eternity disconnected from God in a place of indescribable torment. Pain, horror, fire, brimstone, but most devastating of all, complete separation from God. God, who is all perfection and goodness. This means that those men and women who enter Hell will never experience anything good again. Nothing. Why? Because they will be divorced from the only being who produces perfection, love, and all that is good. If you think this world we live in is terrible, wait until God disappears from the equation. That is Hell. 

So you see, the real tragedy is that there were men and women who died in that attack who did not personally know Jesus. 

When a follower of Jesus dies we are comforted by the knowledge that they will be with Him and we will see them again. When a person dies without salvation through Jesus, there is no hope. It is over in that moment. 

Friends, hear my heart. It is time for us to quit playing sides. Quit trying to make it things comfortable for yourself and others. Speak the truth. If you know Jesus then you are commanded to share the Gospel with the world around you. 

This is very real. 

We’re talking about Hell. 

We’re talking about no hope. 

We are not guaranteed how long we have here. Make it count. I beg you. Tell the people around you about Jesus. Make sure that they know the truth. Earnestly invite them to come to Jesus by sharing your story. Share the Gospel. Pray for their heart. Do little things to show them Jesus. You can’t force them to love Jesus but you can give them every chance before they enter eternity – which could be today. 

The attack in Orlando was a great tragedy. My heart breaks for the loved ones who have been left broken and empty. I hope that someone in Orlando is able to show the love of Jesus to those who desperately need His comfort, love, and peace. I cannot begin to imagine the emotions they are experiencing. All I can do is ask God to be present and use His people to minister to the brokenhearted. I ask you to do the same.

Friends, if you glean one point from this blog, let it be this:

Share the truth of Christ, because that is what is wrong with the world – they do not know Him.

... and Peter... and you...

Mark 16:7 “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.”

Hopefully you have heard a point like this at some time in your life: “Jesus is personal. He cares about you individually. If you were the only person on earth Jesus would have died just for you.”

I believe that most of you have more faith and are less cynical than myself, but for a long time I could not comprehend the truth expressed in those sentiments. I believed myself to be too sinful to be noticed or cared for by an almighty Savior.

So how did I respond? I chose to attempt to earn God’s favor. I bought into this idea that my “good” behavior could convince God I was worthy of His good graces.

I am sure by now most of you are correcting me with what you know of God’s grace. Isn’t it interesting how we can convey the truth to other people but cannot convince our hearts of what we already know to be true?

I have met so many people that have fallen prey to the same mindset as my younger self. They know that Jesus came to save them, regardless of their short comings and sin, yet when it comes to accepting it they struggle to embrace this truth. So, they slave away attempting to earn the greatest gift ever given not realizing that they will never be able to complete enough work to deserve it.

Why do we end up captive to these thoughts? It is because we have believed a lie. This lie tells us that we are the exception to God’s offer of forgiveness and grace. It feeds our heart and mind with evidence by playing each and every sin constantly on repeat. When we think that we might walk in freedom, we see that episode of our most egregious sin which forces us to remain chained to the wall of our past.

There was a man who lived about two thousand years ago who “wrote the book” on being held captive by your past. His name was Peter.

If you are not familiar with Peter, please allow me to introduce you.

Peter was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. He was a fisherman who left everything he had to learn from Jesus. Peter was an eager young man who often opened his mouth merely to insert his foot. Still he loved Jesus deeply and yearned to know more about the Kingdom of God. No matter what Jesus asked of His disciples, Peter was willing to do it (you may know him as the one who walked on water with Jesus). Peter witnessed the miracles Jesus performed on earth. He was destined to build the New Testament church. Overall, Peter was passionate about God and His work.

How is it that a man such as this lived chained to his past?

What did He have to regret or be ashamed of?

Well, if you read the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, you’ll find Peter standing in a court yard 

during one of His trials. The people were angry and becoming more aggressive towards this man, Jesus, and his ministry. Three different times Peter was identified as one of Christ’s followers and at each occasion Peter denied even knowing Jesus.

Following the third denial Peter leaves the scene of Jesus’ trial. He was completely overcome with regret. We know from the story that Peter repented of his betrayal, but he was held captive by it. Peter would not allow himself to walk in the freedom offered by Jesus. How could he? Peter wasn’t there when Jesus took His last breath on the cross. He denied Jesus when he thought it might cost him his life. He didn’t deserve forgiveness.

Have you ever had these thoughts? Do you still have them?

Peter had them. Peter believed himself unworthy of God’s grace.

However, we know from the account that Peter would become the leader of the New Testament church and have the honor of leading thousands to salvation in Jesus.

So what happened to create such a change in Peter’s demeanor?

The Resurrection happened.

In Mark 16, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and a person named Salome went to anoint the body of Jesus. This was a part of Jewish burial customs. When they arrived they encountered a young man, wearing white, who told them that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, He had risen! Then he instructs them to do this: “Go, tell His disciples and Peter…”

Did you catch that?

“Go, tell His disciples and Peter…”

Peter. The one who denied Him, was the one mentioned by name.

You see, Jesus is personal. He is relational.

He knew that Peter was being tormented by his past decisions and Jesus longed to free Him. Jesus specifically wanted Peter to know that He had risen and freedom had been purchased on the cross and forgiveness won!

For those of us who, like Peter, do not believe we are worthy of forgiveness and grace, allow me to take the weight off your shoulders by informing you that you are not worthy of God’s grace.

No one is.

That is why it is a gift – tremendously precious. We cannot earn it. We do not deserve it. Yet, it was purchased for us.

Jesus did not die so that we could remain haunted by our past sins. He came to forgive the murderer, adulterer, liar, glutton, gossip, thief, sexually immoral, idolater, proud, self-indulgent, etc.

He came to free us.

Therefore, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your one and only Savior and Lord, believed that He is the Christ, God’s own Son, and confessed openly that you are a sinner in need of grace; then you are free. Because “He whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36).”

I urge you friends, do not be like me. Do not waste years attempting to earn salvation or God’s good graces. Simply open up your hands, your heart, and accept it.

Why?

Because God wants to write a new story in your life and your past is not included.

Our past motivates us but does not define us. The blood of Jesus does that.

Peter was not the same after denying Christ. His fervor to share the Gospel increased. He never wanted to deny Jesus again. So instead, he shared the message of Christ everywhere that he went until the day he was put to death.

Let your past do the same. Do not repeat that portion of your story again but allow it to be your motive for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that others may walk in freedom.

These two things I leave you with:

 1)      If you do not know Jesus, He wants you to know that He is risen and purchased your salvation at the cross. I am here to tell you that He is alive and offers the gift of freedom to you. Jesus does not want you to live in sin but freedom. And it’s easier than it sounds. Simply accept that he is Savior, believe Jesus is the Son of God, and confess that you are a sinner. With that, you are free.

      2)      If you know Jesus, but are chained to you past, today you must make the decision to believe in the power of the cross. Your freedom was purchased there. There is no need for you to attempt to earn it. He gives freely. Simply accept. Why? So that you can live the story He has written for you. 

Alone

“Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:18

Have you ever felt alone? I mean totally and completely alone. In a room filled with people, you felt like the only person. You lived on an island all by yourself. Due to your loneliness, your heart filled the empty space with worry and fear. Daily circumstances became impossible because you had to conquer them alone. All by yourself. No one to call. No one to help you. No one to talk to. Just you. Poor, pitiful, you.

There was a man in the Bible who went through a period in time where He felt just like you. He felt completely alone. If that was not difficult enough, his queen wanted him dead. So now, he was on the run all alone. He believed what his lonely heart told him. It would be better to give up and die.

This man’s name was Elijah. Just to brush up on the story, Elijah was one of the greatest prophets in Israel. God used him to do some pretty incredible miracles. At this point in the story he has just proven God’s superiority to the prophets of Baal, an idol. These false prophets experienced the full power of God before being slain for their idolatry. No big deal, right? Wrong. These prophets were employed by Queen Jezebel, who personally worshipped Baal. She was not pleased to hear that her men had been annihilated. Therefore, she sent a message to Elijah threatening his life. Due to the timing of this message, Elijah was not prepared to receive it. He felt alone. He felt abandoned. He felt vulnerable. He was scared. So like any normal person Elijah ran away. His plan was to curl up and die before Jezebel could find him. 

So what happened?

Well, after four attempts, God finally got Elijah’s attention. He sent wind, fire, and an earthquake outside of the cave Elijah was hiding in. Yet, God didn’t speak to Elijah through any of those phenomena. No, Elijah heard the voice of our Creator, soft and still. God told Elijah the plan He had for him. Elijah was to train the next great prophet of God, Elisha.

The last bit of news God tells Elijah is what leaped off the page for me. He says, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

What has Elijah’s problem been this entire time?

He’s felt alone. He felt as though he were the only one doing the work of the Lord and living righteously before Him. He was scared that Jezebel would find him and there would be no one to help.

But...

God informs Elijah that he is not alone. God will leave seven thousand people of God in Israel. Elijah had not been alone and would not be alone. There were seven thousand people that had not bowed down to Baal or cowered before Jezebel and her threats. They would help Elijah. They would take God’s message to those who had been deceived. Best of all, Elijah was not alone.

Too often we believe the lie of our heart that we are alone. We’re here on earth slugging through the muck and mire all by ourselves. No one understands. No one cares. No one...

My friend, you are not alone. God left seven thousand in Israel and He has left people with you. They fill the seats of your local church and are called the body of Christ.

No, they are not perfect.

Yes, they might let you down.

No, they cannot read your mind.

But...

They are God’s hands and feet extended to you. He has left them here to transform the world. That includes your life.

Do not walk through this life lonely. Not only is God with you each and every day, but also He has given you His church. Lean on them.

If you need help – ask.

If you need companionship – seek it out.

If you need support through grief or pain – allow them to love you.

No matter what you face, you are not alone. 

God has left millions here on earth that have not bowed their knees to Satan. They are with you.

If you don’t attend a church, please find one today. You need the church in order to survive. They are Christ’s body. With their hands they will hold you. With their hearts they will love you. With their feet they will support you. With their mouths they will train you. With their ears they will hear you.

If you attend a church but feel alone and without support, open your heart to the body around you. Do not be too proud to ask for what you need. Then receive it. You are not alone. Do not believe the lie.

Elijah almost lost everything because he believed the lie of his heart, but God rescued Him. He provided Elijah with support and hope.

God provides the same for you today through the church. There is support. There is hope.

You, my friend, are not alone.

On Coffee and Cream

2 Timothy 1:6 "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands."

What exactly is going on in this passage? I am so glad you asked! Let's look at it together. Take a minute and open your Bible, turn on your iPad, or click on biblegateway.com and find 2 Timothy 1.

You'll find that Paul is writing to encourage Timothy. How do we know this? Just take a look at verse seven - Paul reminded Timothy that God had not given him a spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind. Therefore, something had happened between Paul's first letter and this one that had shaken Timothy's courage. In this letter Paul takes a little time to encourage him. He did this by reminding Timothy of the heritage he had received through his mother and grandmother who were faithful followers of Jesus (see verse five). It is then that Paul says let God stir up the gifts that are inside of you, Timothy. We learn that there must have been a gift inside of Timothy that had settled down at the bottom and was no longer being used. Paul wanted to see Timothy allow God to stir it up.

That is what I want for you today.

Picture this: it's morning. You have woken up, walked down to the coffee pot, brewed your favorite coffee grinds, and poured that delicious first cup. You've added the perfect amount of cream, and perhaps a little sugar, while your taste buds salivate at the anticipation of that first sip. Then, in the middle of this process, the phone rings. Unfortunately, you must rush to the other room to handle the business before you. By the time you return to the coffee, the cream and sugar have settled to the bottom, and that perfect concoction has not come together to create that delicious sip you wanted to enjoy. So, you go to the utensil drawer, pick out a spoon, place it in the cup, and begin to stir. As you do this, the cream, sugar, and coffee become one beautiful, swirling unit that is now ready to satisfy your taste buds as you sip and indulge.

Our lives are similar to the coffee. God has made us. We are His favorite blend. He has a special purpose for us as He pours us into His cup for His use. The Holy Spirit adds the cream and sugar, or gifts, to that cup. It is ready for use. The problem is that we stay stagnant and do not participate in the plan God has designed for us. We prefer to stay on the counter instead of fulfilling our purpose. Most of the time believers want to be used for God's purpose but they, like Timothy, are fearful. Therefore, we sit, and as we sit on the counter, our gifts settle to the bottom of the cup to the point that we forget there were gifts placed within us.

Today is the day we can ask God to stir up the gifts within us.

Some of you are reading this blog and do just that. You share your gifts with the people around you and honor God by fulfilling your purpose. To you I say, "Way to go!" Do not be discouraged or grow weary. Allow the Holy Spirit to continue pouring into you so that you can pour out to others - just like a cup of coffee.

There are others reading this who may be like Timothy, a bit scared to use your gifts. May I encourage you today to go for it? God has not given you a spirit of fear but of love, courage, and a sound mind. You can do it! The Holy Spirit has placed that gift inside of you for such a time as this. If you are unsure of what that gift is, ask the Holy Spirit to tell you. He will. Go for it! Allow God to stir it up.

For those of us who have sat still so long that our gifts have settled to the bottom, I pray that God will stir those gifts up. God has a purpose and a plan for you. You have not been told that you are an encouraging person by chance. You are not hospitable on your own. You do not jump at every chance to serve others because you're a nice person. You do not have a skill or talent because you were slapped with a special skill at birth. Your gifts are not happenstance - they were specifically planned for you. Allow God to stir them up so that you can share them.

I challenge you to wake up tomorrow and drink a cup of coffee, not only because it is delicious, but also because it will remind you to share your gifts with the world around you.

Today you have the chance to be like Timothy and allow God to place His spoon in the cup that is your life, and stir!

Focus on Jesus - Part 1

Okay, confession time. I have been struggling with inspiration lately. I keep having ideas that end up in my writing journal but never in a word document. Yesterday, as I sat in my big comfy chair and stared out the window looking at the bright blue sky and cotton-shaped clouds, I settled on a thought. 

This week we should focus on Jesus. I'm sure you're thinking, “this is a Christian encouragement blog, of course we're going to focus on Jesus.” And you would be right to have that thought, but I mean this in a more specific way. This week we should focus on Jesus and the week leading up to His death. 

On the Christian calendar this week is known as “Holy Week.” It is the week when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the final time because He would spend this week being tried and killed. For all of us, this is the time that began the rest of our lives, because it was in this week that Jesus died and purchased our freedom from sin with His blood. But, I must stop because I am getting ahead of myself. 

Today I encourage all of us to think about Jesus’ grand entry into Jerusalem. After all, today is Palm Sunday (it received this name because that is what the people waved at Jesus as He rode into town on a donkey). Men, women, and children lined up along the streets and welcomed Jesus into town because they believed Him to be their Messiah. In their minds He would save them from Roman oppression. In reality, He was going to save them from eternal damnation and the greatest enemy this world has ever known – Satan. 

I'm not going to focus on the faults of the people but rather their initial response to Jesus. In John 12:13 we read “So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 

There is so much happening in this small portion of scripture and I look forward to reviewing it together as we enter this Holy Week. Here the people acknowledged Jesus as King. Again, they believed He would save them from their earthly woes. For a man that was simply going to free them from an oppressive government, they waved palm branches, and they laid down their own coats at the donkey’s feet to welcome this man into the city. They sang and shouted His praises; saying hosanna “which signifies salvation (Henry).” All of this for a king of flesh and blood.

We know today that Jesus was more than a mere king. He is the Savior of the world, Lord of all creation, author of perfection, bright and morning star, end and the beginning, and king of all kings! Jesus is almighty God. He defeated Satan and conquered sickness, death, and hell. He is all of this and more!
Yet, when we come to worship Him in corporate or private settings, what does it look like? Is it tainted by obligation? Is it over-shadowed by other responsibilities? Is it “old hat” because we've done it for so long? 

If the people of Jerusalem could “roll out the red carpet” for a man they thought to be a mere king, should we not do the same (if not more) for our Savior? The one who shed His own blood for us? 

My challenge to all of us this week is to focus on Jesus – the king of all kings. If you have trouble breaking out of your mundane worship rituals, try starting this way: “Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Work Cited 
Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on John 12." Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar, 1996. Web. 20 Mar, 2016. <http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jhn/Jhn_012.cfm>.

Job: An Example of Genuine Prayer

Hello Friends! 

A few weeks ago we looked at prayer and how we can use it in our daily routine. I hope that those few notes from Max Lucado were helpful and that you have found yourself spending more time (even if it was only a few extra minutes) talking with God.

This week I would like to continue with that thought and get a bit more personal.
Two of my dear friends and I have been working through the same one year Bible. Together, we completed the book of Job (the Bible we have chosen works through scripture chronologically). As I spoke with one of them recently, we shared our thoughts regarding Job. I was so encouraged by our conversation and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Many times we see one perspective of Job. He was a man who endured losing everything while staying faithful to God and in the end was rewarded with even greater blessings. To someone who has never read the book of Job, he comes across as bit of a spiritual “Superman.” This illustration of Job is not incorrect. He did lost everything. He did remain faithful to God. God did restore Him. But… there’s a lot more to Job than just this neat and clean “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15)” montage.

Job is one of the most honest characters in the Bible. He tells God exactly how he feels throughout his entire journey. There are moments when Job is handling his loss rather well and others where He feels completely abandoned and frustrated with God.  

Have you ever been in a place like that? A major event happens in your life (loss of a loved one, destroyed dreams, eviction from a home, devastating news from a doctor, etc.) and you are fine with God. You are saying all of the right things, believing and trusting what you know from the Bible and experience, and dealing with your emotions better than anyone expects. Then, out of the blue, you lose that resolve and begin to deal with the raw brokenness. Perhaps you stop talking to God. Maybe you keep talking to Him but it comes out more aggressively. If you’re like me you know the right answers but have immense difficulty applying them to your situation. Well, take heart my friends, you are not alone.

When we read the book of Job we see that he didn’t immediately dust himself off and “get over it.” No, he had genuine conversations with God, asking Him what the purpose was in all of his agony. In chapters 29 – 30 he even whines a bit as he tells God that men who used to praise him now mock him.

Here’s the real “kicker.” What do you think God does during Job’s lament? Does He smite Job down? No. Does He ignore the cries? No. Does He patronize him? No. God listens to Job’s every thought. Then, God responds. Yes, you read that correctly, God responds to Job’s hurt and complaint. God is not offended by Job’s raw emotion.
The same is true for us.

So often we believe that we can only talk to God when we have it all together. We can only tell God the “good” stuff because we’re not supposed to admit that we don’t understand why certain circumstances are taking place in our lives. This is not true. Friends, God is strong enough to handle the hurt of your heart. He already knows what you’re feeling and thinking so why not tell him?

When you come to this level of comfort with God you will notice a greater intimacy with Him developing. It’s just like what happens with you and your husband. After you’re married you can no longer perpetuate the illusion of perfection. The man sees you for all that you are as you do him. When we show God all that we are -- the good, bad, and broken -- we recognize that He is completely trustworthy. Our faith grows as He walks with us through that pain. We become more comfortable in our relationship with Him.

Job learned that God is faithful. God’s plan is perfect. God restored more than what Job lost. This God that Job encountered is the same one who longs to be in relationship with you. He wants to sit and have a forever long conservation with you. He’s ready to hear it all. He’s ready to respond.

The question is, are you? Are you ready to lower your mask of perfection, expose the raw underneath, and begin an authentic journey with God? If you are, now is the time. Just start talking. He’s waiting…

"There is No Other Name"

This past weekend was the largest sporting event of the year -- the Super Bowl! Not only that, but it was the fiftieth anniversary of the Super Bowl. For those of you who are football fans, like myself, you know that the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers creating the upset of the season. In celebration of this event on the sports calendar, my church invited everyone to wear the jersey of their favorite team (whether they were in the Super Bowl or not). On Sunday morning, my husband and I were decked out in our football gear ready to go to church. In this house we are fans of the Baltimore Ravens, but since the Broncos were in the Super Bowl, I wore our Tim Tebow jersey while my husband, sporting Joe Flacco's number, represented the Ravens. It was so much fun to see everyone representing the teams that they identify with and enjoy supporting. So, why am I mentioning all of this on a blog devoted to biblical encouragement? I'm so glad you asked!

My husband and I both serve on our church’s worship team and were on stage with them last Sunday. The last song in our set was “No Other Name” by Hillsong. These are the lyrics to the chorus and bridge:

Lift up our eyes, see the King has come, Light of the world reaching out for us, There is no other name, there is no other name, Jesus Christ our God.

Seated on high, the undefeated One, Mountains bow down as we lift Him up, there is no other name, there is no other name, Jesus Christ our God, Jesus.

The earth will shake and tremble before Him, Chains will break as heaven and earth sing, Holy is the name, Holy is the name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

The message in this song is incredible. It fills my mind with Philippians 2:7-11:

Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This awesome text plunged my heart into praise as I focused on who Jesus is and the power of His name.

As I looked out into the congregation, I once again noticed the many jerseys that filled our sanctuary. We were proud to wear the name of a team and maybe a specific player. It was fun for us to prove who the best player or greatest team was, and who had the best chance of winning that evening’s game. The names meant something to us. We believed in them -- believed that our quarterback could throw a winning pass, our runningback could take the yards needed, and our cornerback would stop the opposing team from completing their play. In a manner of speaking, we had faith in the names we wore.

Now I am not speaking out against football...at all! I enjoy the game, the food, and my team. In my opinion, football is the best sport out there. So please don’t take my words the wrong way. I look forward to jersey Sunday every year and am already hoping to see the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl 2017.

Here is my point: what if we had as much faith and pride in Jesus as we have in our sports teams? What if He was as much a part of our identity as they are?

For some of you this message does not apply at all. You don’t like football, or sports for that matter. That's okay. In order to apply this to your life, think about what you might have more faith or identity in than Jesus. With that in mind, the remainder of this blog will apply.

As believers in Jesus we must know who we claim to believe in. He is Jesus. The name that demons recognize and obey. They fear and tremble at the very mention of His name. Jesus, the one who raised the dead, healed the sick, fed the hungry, loved the broken, and saved the lost. Jesus, the one who died for our sin but came back to life, conquering death three days later. Jesus, the one who sealed the fate of Satan by completing His job here on earth. Jesus, the one who will return and annihilate evil forever. Jesus, the one who loves you with an everlasting love. Jesus, the one who gives you peace in the midst of chaos, hope when your world is devastated, joy that sustains through difficult times, and love that convicts but does not condemn. He is Jesus. All things are subject to Him – “in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.”

If we can put our faith in a man or a team, how much more should we put our faith in Jesus? The song lyrics above say, “…the undefeated one.” Jesus has never lost a match. How many of our teams can say that? If we can wear the name of a person we will most likely never meet, how can we be ashamed to identify ourselves as a follower of Jesus –- the one who died for us? If we can clap our hands, yell at the TV, and dance around when our team scores, how can we not burst with praise when we talk about Jesus, the one who conquered death and defeated sin?

You see, there is no other name quite like the name of Jesus. Think about the power His name holds when it slips from your lips. It is powerful and His name elicits a response. 

So two questions remain:

First, how do we respond when we hear the name of Jesus? Is it passé? If so, I encourage you to read Philippians 2. Get a picture of who you are referring to. Jesus -- His is more than just name. 

Second, how are we representing Jesus to the world? Are we proud to wear His name or are we hoping no one asks what team we root for? I know fans of terrible football teams that are fantastic fans. They’re proud to identify with that team -- so much so that anyone they meet would want to root for them. We serve the risen Christ Jesus who is undefeated, yet we often act ashamed of our Savior. Do not be ashamed of Jesus no matter how crazy our world becomes, because regardless of what side you fall on, every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. He is greater than anything we will ever face. So be proud to follow Jesus and share your excitement about Him with those around you!

It is exhilarating to be a football fan and see your team succeed. It is even more thrilling to be a Christian and know that the game has already been won. After all, there is no other name like Jesus.