Sheep Gone Astray

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

Sheep make a lot of poor choices. Hence the reason they need a shepherd. A shepherd can't turn the sheep loose and expect them to survive and return home. -- I'll give sheep a small break because they are occasionally obedient and make a good decision, but otherwise they stray and move with poor purpose.

We are sheep. I know, its a bummer to be like sheep. But, "The Lord is my shepherd..." (Psalm 23:1)

What a Shepherd Jesus is! He is the only blameless shepherd to lay down His life for the rebellious sheep and take their sins upon Himself. No other shepherd would do that! Jesus' love for us is so great that He sacrificed it all and gave us the opportunity to accept Him as our Lord and Savior and become righteous in the sight of God. 

Being a sheep is not so bad with Jesus leading the way.

Inaction

I was reading yesterday and I came across a quote of Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an English supporter of the American Revolution, and it really got my attention. Burke said, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." 

Isn't that the truth! Christians want to sit around and complain about all the evils of the world, but what are we doing about it? When we do nothing, we are essentially giving all forms of evil permission to operate.

Edmund Burke did not uncover some big secret with this observation. God already told us the very same thing. Look at James 4:17, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

We have instructions from God in the Bible for how we are supposed to live and act. Jesus spent his time on earth leaving us directions. The fact is that we know what we should be doing. So, why are so many Christians choosing not to?

No matter what's causing the inaction -- be it complacency, procrastination, indecision, whatever -- we need to realize those things are not of God, and its just the enemy's way of trying to immobilize God's army. Pray for God to give us an awareness of what He wants us to do; so we do not fall prey to inaction.

Spiritual Translator

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14

When we give our hearts and lives to Jesus we become filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit becomes our spiritual translator. Reading the Bible with the Holy Spirit to guide creates a deeper level of spiritual understanding.

This verse in 1 Corinthians explains how the "natural human" without Jesus as their Lord and Savior cannot discern or fully understand spiritual matters because they are not filled with the Holy Spirit. The natural man can read the Bible and understand the fundamentals of the Christian faith, but they will not be able to grow spiritually mature in Christ until they receive Jesus into their hearts.

Most Christians are aware of how this works because we have been there. We have been unsaved at one point in our lives, and then gave our hearts and lives to Jesus. Before we knew the Lord we read the Bible, but our spiritual growth did not begin until we were filled with the Holy Spirit. It is just a sequence of events that occurs in the life of a believer.

However, some Christians are not taking advantage of the discernment the Holy Spirit provides. Gifts from God should never be wasted or cast aside. Let's set our hearts and minds to fully use the spiritual gifts and resources God has given us.

What's So Special About the Morning?

Why should we start our day in prayer? What is so special about the morning that makes it the best time of the day to seek God? We can pray at any moment, so why not wait until later in the day? We should be praying all through the day, right?

Have you ever wondered these things? I have. Throughout the years I have heard many different people speak or write about the importance of seeking God in prayer first thing in the morning. Hearing it from another person is awakening, but it really becomes life changing when you read it in the Bible. 

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3 

Now, let's answer some of those questions, since we know God wants our time in the morning.

Our day should begin in prayer because God is the reason we even have the day to begin with. He is the reason we have the breath to live another day. Our lives are devoted to God and His will, so why shouldn't we seek Him first to get on His path early in the morning?

The morning signifies the beginning of a new day. Its a new start. Our bodies and minds are rested and we can give God our undivided attention before our busy lives get underway and steal all of our time, attention, and devotion we should give God every day.

Many of us have put off prayer until later in the day. But you know what happens? Something, anything, and everything happens and you end up sacrificing prayer time to take care of whatever it is! Then before you know it, you are so exhausted and ready to sleep that you end up not praying at all.

Praying in the morning does not mean that we have put in our prayer time for the day and we are through with the task of praying till the next morning. Wow, what an insult that would be to God! Can you imagine treating your spouse like that, much less God?!? Paul says in perfectly in I Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."  We need to start our day in prayer, and keep on praying the whole day through.

This blog is entitled First Thing to inspire people to start a morning routine that focuses on having some devotional time rooted in God's Word. But you know what, prayer is so much better and important, because as soon as your eyes open in the morning you can start praying --- you don't even have to turn on the computer for that!

Angels

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Psalm 34:6

Angels are God's mighty servants. The world has created a wimpy image for angels. Many forms of art depict angels as fat babies with wings flying around. The description the Bible gives is anything but that.

Look at this description in the book of Isaiah:

"I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6: 1-4

I don't know about you, but this passage paints the picture of a mighty and strong warrior.

The verse from Psalms that mentions angels protecting those that fear God is very comforting for Christians. When we serve and reverently fear God, He sends his angels to surround us. This does not mean that our lives become perfect because we have an angelic buffer. We live in a fallen world, but the angels will protect us as God instructs.

My Help

"My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:2

Holidays in general are stressful. They are an exciting time for people, but the world has added expectations that make the holidays a demanding time... especially Christmas. We spend too much, we eat too much, we go too much, we commit too much, and little by little we become overwhelmed.

This often creates a feeling of helplessness. We begin to feel like we are just trying so hard, but we can't seem to focus on the simplicity God has given us.

Christmas is fresh on our minds because it was yesterday, and so many people are still reeling from the overextension. God does not want us to operate in that state. It is unhealthy for our minds and bodies, and does not foster a strong relationship with Christ. God promises to help us. He made the heavens and the earth, and He can surely handle our seasonal stress!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Merry Christmas everyone! Today is Jesus' birthday and I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with your family and friends.

I had to share two little videos with you. The first video is Luke explaining the meaning of Christmas. The second one is a little song he learned in preschool that goes, "Happy Birthday Jesus. I'm so glad its Christmas..." (The rest of the words are a blur to me!).

Today is going to be a busy day, but take time to thank God for giving us his Son! 

 

The First Christmas Eve

On the eve of the first Christmas no one was wrapping gifts. A jolly man in a red suit was not flying around with eight reindeer. No carols were being sung around the fireplace decked out with boughs of evergreen.

The eve of the first Christmas was quite different. A virgin named Mary was extremely pregnant and would shortly give birth to God's only Son sent to be the Savior for the world. After traveling through desert terrain for quite some time, on a donkey, Joseph needed to find somewhere for Mary to deliver the child.

Talk about pressure. Joseph was probably feeling some pressure when Mary was in labor and there was no room in the inn. Joseph also knew they weren't having just any ordinary baby. Mary was going to give birth to the Son of God.

Today is Christmas Eve and I would like to encourage everyone to focus their families on Jesus. I know that Santa will be making his rounds to many homes, just like he will to ours tonight. However, Christmas Eve is not about getting pumped up about Santa Claus. We need to get our families pumped up about Jesus and the gift of everlasting life He offers to us.

The angels were excited and they shared that excitement with the shepherds saying, "behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy" Luke 2:10

Share the joy today, but more importantly share it everyday.

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve! - Janice

A Sign

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." Isaiah 7: 14-15

This scripture is part of the Old Testament prophecy that tells of Jesus' coming. So many people in the world are wanting God to give them a sign that He is real. They want God to show them something so they can put full faith in the Lord. The funny thing is that God has already done that. God gave these signs to watch for through the prophets. Then God delivered on what He had promised and the sign was made evident to all through the birth of Jesus Christ.

Here is the dilemma--- there were people who knew the prophecy of Jesus Christ before His birth, and when the prophecy of Christ's birth was fulfilled, they still didn't believe! God gave them a direct sign, and it wasn't enough for them to believe.

Shocking, I know. However, how are modern day doubters any different from Bible-time doubters? (They're not!) If God sent some miraculous sign of His existence and His Son today, wouldn't there still be people who would doubt the sign?

God made us. He knows us. He knows that our human nature needs proof to trust. God's already given us all the proof we need. If you have been doubting and resisting the writing God has put on the wall, today is the day to trust and believe. Don't take my word for it, take God's Word for it.

Linus Knew the True Meaning

"Charlie Brown Christmas" is one of the classics. Thank goodness!

It seems like everyone has some interpretation of what Christmas means nowadays. But Christmas is so simple. Its not complex or hard to understand. It does not require multiple definitions.

Linus really breaks it down with Charlie Brown and gives him the true meaning of Christmas. But you want to know what I find so important about what Linus tells Charlie Brown? Linus recites the scriptural account from Luke 2 in the Bible to give the meaning of Christmas. Linus did not summarize the story of Jesus' birth in his own words. He spoke the Word of God to get the message across.

There are so many times when all we need is God's Word to provide clarity... not our own condensed version. God's Word is power. Linus isn't just standing on a stage giving his thoughts. He spoke what the Word said and change was immediate.

Watch the clip and you'll love it! Here's the passage Linus recites:

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2: 8-14

Good Steward?

Everything that we have in this life is because God has given it to us or allowed us to have it. Money, possessions, time, whatever... It is not really ours, its God's. Here's the proof:

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24:1

Now, since God has entrusted us with these possessions, it makes us stewards. We have all heard about being a good steward because its such an important aspect of serving God. The dictionary defines stewardship as, "the conducting, managing, or supervising of something." Good stewardship is our responsibility. God does not force us to be a good steward. We have to choose to be a good steward.

God will bless the good steward. And trust me, God keeps up with our stewardship. Here's the proof on that one (straight from Jesus in a parable):

"give an account of thy stewardship" Luke 16:2

Its never to late to become a good steward. Our stewardship account records from the past may be embarrassing, but God will forgive us and let us start anew! How great is that?!?

The Innkeeper

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7

The Bible tells us that there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn before Jesus was born. Bethlehem was a very busy place when Joseph and Mary arrived because of the decree from Caesar Augustus that every citizen be taxed. Many other people like Joseph were returning to their home town to abide by the decree. This left the inn with no vacancies.

The innkeeper's actions are similar to the way many other people have responded to Jesus. The innkeeper in Bethlehem probably did not realize it, but he turned away God's only Son from being born in his inn! Shocking isn't it! But, you want to know what's worse? --- What's worse is when people turn Jesus away from living in their hearts.

The innkeeper may have refused a physical room, but too many people are refusing Jesus the spiritual room of their lives.

Christians need to have a heart that is burdened for the world we live in. But remember, the burden needs to be proactive or it will not experience change.

He Grew

Do you know what the Bible says about the period of time from Jesus' infancy to the time he was twelve years old? It is summed up in one verse. Take a look:

"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." Luke 2:40

There have been times that I have wondered what Jesus' childhood was like. We know facts about Joseph's work, and facts about the typical Jewish family of that time, but we do not know any of the specifics of Jesus' childhood until he was twelve years old in the temple.

The Bible does not give every detail. The Bible gives the important details. Jesus came to earth as God in human form. The only important aspect of his childhood years is the relationship He had with God the Father in heaven. Mary and Joseph obviously took very good care of him. All of those earthly details are not important to the grand scheme of Jesus' spiritual development that would grow Him to be the Savior for the world. 

Let's thank God that His Word is only filled with what we need to know. The questions that don't have answers can just be saved for when we meet Jesus face to face.

3 Gifts

"When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 2: 9-11

The wise men brought three gifts to Jesus. We can all name the three gifts, but do we really understand each gift's significance? I would imagine that Mary and Joseph were a little baffled by the gifts they received.

The Bible tells us that the first gift was gold. Ok, gold makes sense because Joseph was a carpenter - meaning he wasn't a wealthy guy. I am sure that Joseph and Mary were not that baffled by the gold. But the significance of the gold was not simply because Joseph and Mary needed the money. The gold represented Jesus being King, not just a king, but the King.

The real confusion begins with the frankincense and myrrh. --- Let's take a look at these two:

Frankincense is a resin from a tree that has been made into a powder. The powder is then burned as incense. Some of God's instructions to Moses were to burn incense containing frankincense as an offering to the Lord on the altar. Jesus came to be our High Priest, and He was the ultimate sacrifice that was most pleasing to God.

Myrrh is another resin produced by a tree. However, its purpose is much different from that of frankincense. Myrrh is used for embalming purposes. Can you imagine what Mary was thinking when the wise man handed her that one? It may be pricey stuff, but embalming ointment for a child? Well, Jesus was born with the purpose of dying. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins and be our Lord and Savior. Myrrh symbolized the most important event during Jesus' life on earth.

We give gifts on Christmas because of the three gifts the wise men gave Jesus. I am sure that Joseph and Mary loved the gifts they received for Jesus. Just like I am sure we have all enjoyed the gifts we have received over the years. But let's remember that Jesus Himself is the greatest gift of all. And, Jesus is the best gift to share!

A Time for Family

Many people say that Christmas is a wonderful time to focus on the family. Which makes a lot of sense... Christmas is Jesus' birthday and we celebrate His birth and the family that He was sent to live with on earth.

But what if your family is not the picture-perfect example you think it should be? What if your family is struggling? What if getting together for Christmas is not as easy as it used to be?

(Some of you may be aghast that we are even talking about this, but this is real life. God wants to be involved in our real, everyday lives. When we have troubles, He wants to help us! Why not take advantage of the help God wants to give us?)

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Psalm 133:1

Dwelling together in unity is a good feeling. Everyone is happy and enjoying one anothers' company. Sounds fun doesn't it? Well, the Bible mentions an important step to achieving this state of happiness: forgiveness.

(I know its not what we want to hear, but we have to forgive if we are ever going to fully restore relationships.) The conversation that Peter had with Jesus tells us just how important it is to forgive:

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Matthew 18: 21-22

Jesus wants us to forgive over and over just like we want God to forgive us over and over. So, why is it so hard to forgive a family member that has hurt you? Well, family members are among our most trusted and loved people we come in contact with. When someone that close to us hurts us, it cuts even deeper.
Let's challenge each other to forgive --- (no matter how much we don't feel like it). Give forgiveness a shot because it is amazing how freeing it actually is!

Different Kind of Christmas

Losing a family member or friend is so hard. It is tough when it happens, and then it is tough for a while afterwards. I have found that many people start to heal, and then the holiday season comes around. Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to magnify and intensify the pain that had subsided. The family dreads getting together because no one wants to look at the empty chair at the table. Avoidance becomes an attractive option just to bury the pain.

Your Christmas may be a different kind of Christmas, just like many other families that have lost someone this year. This will be mine and Bart's first Christmas as adults to experience the pain of missing a loved one during Christmas. We have lost family members as children, but it is different when you're an adult. The pain is more keen and lasting. My Pa-Paw and Bart's Great Grandma "Choo" both passed away within days of each other in May.

There are two verses that are especially helpful,

"Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4

"weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5

If you have lost someone this year like we have, and your Christmas is not going to be the same, remember that the Lord will comfort us. Let's make sure that we are seeking the Lord in prayer to help our families through a time that is uniquely hard. The enemy would love to make us miserable and wallow, but the Lord wants us to look for the joy and praise Him for all of life's moments.

The Great "I Am"

In the song "Mary Did You Know" my favorite verse says, "The sleeping child you're holding is the great I Am." The name I Am is the name above all names. Over and over in the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus says, "I Am." Jesus said this of Himself because He is It...He is the only way...Take a look at the scripture because the word of God speaks for itself.

"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." John 8:24

"When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." John 8:28

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abrahan was, I am." John 8:58

"Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he." John 13:19

When Jesus says, "I Am," He is stating that He is God. But Jesus did not merely tell everyone that He is God, He showed everyone that He is God. The world was in need of a Savior. Jesus came to be the living sacrifice --- for all people! 

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh unto me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." John 6:35

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:9

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." John 10:11

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11:25

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5

Mary Did You Know?

"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19

"but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart." Luke 2:51 

When the angel first appeared to Mary he told her many miraculous things that were to come. Mary would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.

There are two different places in Luke 2 that speak of Mary storing information in her heart. Mary was a Jew, so she knew the prophecies that told of the coming Messiah. However, there were probably many unknowns that Mary would face as she raised Jesus here on earth.

I think it is interesting that the Bible records Mary's attention to detail. It is almost like she was trying to piece together a puzzle that would ultimately result in Jesus being the Savior for the world. Mary is an excellent example of a person not understanding every circumstance, but knowing that God is in control and He will work all things out for good.

Who Was Ceasar Augustus?

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed... And all went to be taxed, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child." Luke 2: 1, 3-5

Yesterday we talked about how there are certain verses in the Bible we have read so many times that we blow over them and miss all of the powerful details. --- It is kind of like a road that you drive down every day. You know the road very well. But one day you start paying close attention to everything around you, and all of a sudden you start seeing houses you never knew were there!!!

The passage above mentions Caesar Augustus. Let's take a brief look at who this guy was. Julius Caesar was Augustus' great uncle. Julius Caesar had no children of his own so he adopted Augustus and made him his financial and political heir. Well, we all know what happened to Julius Caesar... (He was brutally murdered in a political conspiracy). Thus led to Augustus' rise to Roman power. Caesar Augustus ruled for years and he was actually pretty old when he issued the taxation decree before Jesus' birth.

Here's the interesting part: Caesar Augustus was a pagan. He worshiped multiple cult gods and goddesses. He did tolerate the Jews and the Jewish religion being practiced in provinces under his control, but he was not keeping up with Jewish prophecy and the details of the coming Messiah. So, God used a complete pagan emperor to fulfill the word of His prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus' decree was the only reason Joseph and Mary needed to go to Bethlehem. Otherwise, they would have stayed in Nazareth -- and that would not have lined up with the prophecy received from God.

Don't you just love how God uses people who are against him to do His will? I think that it reveals God's sense of humor. I love how God shows us His power and ultimate control by guiding the course of events and decisions among believers and pagans. After all, He is the God of the universe!

They Wondered

Remember what the shepherds did after they saw Jesus?

"They made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." Luke 2:17

Ok, lets back up a bit and look at "the saying" this verse is talking about. (You will recognize it instantly...)

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2: 13-14

The Bible tells us that the shepherds saw Jesus and then immediately started telling everyone about Jesus and what the angels said about Him. And then the Bible tells us about people's response to the shepherds' news:

"And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds." Luke 2:18

The people's reaction the Bible describes really gets my attention. It says that the people wondered. The word "wonder" is much deeper, and much more powerful than we give it credit for. Wonder is defined as, "a cause of astonishment or admiration; miracle; rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience"

The reaction of wonder is a miracle in itself. Hearing of something so miraculous and powerful from God could be overwhelming for the audience. However, the Bible shows us that people were simply awestruck at God's Gift and power. It was like the news entered their hearts and minds to prepare a place for Jesus to touch.

I honestly cannot tell you how many times I have blown past that verse while reading and not fully comprehended how radical of a change the shepherds' message about Jesus created in people's hearts and minds. This verse seems like a perfect example of the power of God's Word. We may underestimate a verse like this one until we take the time to look at it for what it really means.

Want More Stuff?

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Luke 12:15

What is it about Christmas and wanting more stuff? We hear a lot of people saying, "Christmas is the season for giving." But I am not really convinced that our motives are so pure and focused on others...

Ok, reality check... Is it wrong to want something? No. Does God want us to have things? Yes. But our society has taken materialism to a whole new level.

There are healthy boundaries for everything that is good in our lives. When we operate in excess (which would translate into covetousness for material possessions) we are not operating the way that God wants us to.

The Bible records the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus. Jesus didn't have His list made out for what he wanted to receive. The gifts were given out of honor and love.

Let's take a look at our own lists and our own materialistic expectations and trim off any excess in our lives.

 

Here Am I

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I ; send me." Isaiah 6:8

Do you have a "send me" attitude? The send me attitude does not come naturally. Our flesh is not designed with a desire to get up and go for God. "Send me" people have decided to be that way. They had to make that decision with the Holy Spirit's support. God loves it when we say, "Here am I, send me" because we are really saying, "Lord I am going to stop focusing on what I want, and give myself fully to what You want."

This verse has become synonymous with missions. Missionaries all around the world experienced a time in their life when they told God to send them. We need to realize that when we become a Christian we automatically become a missionary. God may send us around the world or He may send us across the street. Nonbelievers are everywhere. It's a shame, but we really don't have to look hard for a missions opportunity. Most people can go to work and they are automatically on the missions field! 

The "send me" attitude takes a lot of faith. It often requires hard work, time, and perseverance but just imagine what God will say one day!




The video is a collection of famous quotes from well-known Christian missionaries. (I'll go ahead and prepare you that it packs a punch.)

They Went

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." Luke 2: 15-17

What if the shepherds would have witnessed the heavenly host of angels telling them of Christ's birth and decided not to go? (Its unthinkable, I know!) But how many times do we get direction from God and do absolutely nothing about it?

God sent the angels to the shepherds with a purpose. The shepherds knew what the Lord was asking them to do, but they still had to make a decision to do it. Its a good thing the shepherds were obedient. I would even guess that they didn't talk about whether they would go or not for very long. The Bible says they went with "haste"! That means they moved fast to find Jesus.

And you know what's even greater? Their journey did not end when they found Jesus. Finding Jesus was the reward for the obedience! The journey really only began once they found Jesus because then they went and began telling everyone else about Him!

To All People

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2: 8-11

Nativity scenes are popular decorations during Christmastime. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the people are always the same:  Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and the Wise Men. Its an odd collection of people when you think about it.

Social classes have existed for centuries. The shepherds were among the lower class. The wise men were of a higher class. But when they met Jesus it didn't matter who they were or what they were. All that mattered was that they were standing before God's only Son.

The angels had given the shepherds and the wise men instructions. That was a miraculous occurrence in itself. However, the real miracle was looking upon God in the flesh.

Next time you look at a nativity scene think about the people portrayed there. Its a perfect way to remember that Jesus came to be the Savior for everyone no matter who you are, what you are, or what you've done.

Sneaky Christian

Did you know that the devil wants us to be embarrassed to be a Christian? He wants Christians to feel like religious fanatics that everyone is snickering at. It takes courage to stand up for Christ in this world. God knows this; which is exactly why He addresses this issue in His Word.

"Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" Psalm 31:19

The sons of men that are mentioned in this verse refer to any human person. Its not always easy to take a stand for Christ when we have an audience. But God promises a great reward for those who do!

Want to know something interesting that I have discovered? When one Christian starts being bold in his or her faith before other people, that boldness becomes contagious among the body of believers. I guess my theory is that once one person steps out in faith it will give the others courage to do so also.

Let's start an epidemic!

**Interesting Observation**
You want to know something that really caught my eye when I was typing this verse? I noticed that it ends in an exclamation point! You may have noticed that I love to use exclamation points in my writing. I probably use too many of them. The Bible doesn't throw around exclamation points haphazardly. When there is an exclamation point in God's Word it is some serious emphasis! Punctuation adds emotion, emphasis, and tone to writing that gives it life. Punctuation may be seriously underestimated, but let's make a point to be aware of punctuation in the Bible so that our understanding is even greater.

***Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet niece Evelyn!***

Mary Meets Gabriel

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus." Luke 1: 26-31

I am sure Mary was feeling a little overwhelmed after her conversation with Gabriel. Can you imagine God giving you the responsibility to raise His Son on earth?

Our childrens' pediatrician likes to use Mary as the ultimate example of a worry-free mom. When Luke was an infant I was concerned about baby food, allergies, and which foods I should introduce first. My pediatrician looked at me and said, "Mama, was Mary worried about what she was going to feed Jesus? No! And He turned out alright!"

I know without a doubt that God chose the right woman when He selected Mary. She was highly favored with God at a very young age, and God knew that she would be able to follow His will throughout her life. However, Mary was still an imperfect person just like everyone else. Jesus is the only one to walk the earth and be sinless.

It is encouraging to see how God gave such great responsibility to Mary despite her imperfection. I am sure she had her moments of doubt and worry just like any mother.

Gabriel may have scared her half to death, but God had a big job for her to do, and she did it well.

Know-It-All?

Know-it-alls are annoying! Kids are often know-it-alls and their school teachers and friends can hardly stand it. But you want to know what's worse: an adult know-it-all!

"He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding." Proverbs 15:32

This verse is often used by parents teaching their children the Biblical importance of following instruction from God, and from the parents God has given them. However, we often stop applying this principle after childhood. We grow up and become our own boss because we don't have Mama and Daddy calling the shots anymore.

We open the door for the enemy when we accept the lie that we have learned all we need to know and we can venture out without God.

The second part of this verse shows us that when we heed God's instruction and guidance we will continuously grow in our knowledge of Him. God will give wisdom and discernment to those who ask for it.

Yep, its that easy.

Brazil for Christ

Brazil for Christ needs our help!

In September Bart and I met Jonathan and Erin Matthews who are missionaries in Brazil. We were able to spend a few days with them during our church's missions conference.

Jonathan sent an email out yesterday about a wonderful opportunity to fund the building of the church in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Take a look at what he wrote:

On November 30, 2010, I had the privilege of having a meeting with a known Christian business-owner in Chattanooga, TN. This man, who supports many mission projects around the world, was interested in hearing about the project. He called me back the very next day on December 1, 2010 to tell me that he would match, dollar for dollar, every donation that I receive for this project by December 31, 2010.

His only condition what that I would have to receive the funds by December 31, 2010 in order for him to match the donation. Future pledges for the project would not count. This is a huge opportunity to double your giving impact. All of my friends out there: GIVE. If you are part of our church support base: Give a designated gift through your church. One way or another please give because if everyone gives a little your impact will be multiplied. Visit www.brazilforchrist.com for more project information.

WE MUST RECEIVE ALL CHECKS BY DECEMBER 31, 2010 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MATCHING FUNDS FOR THOSE DONATIONS. PLEASE DESIGNATE YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE OFFERING TO: 

JONATHAN MATTHEWS - BRAZIL PROJECT

Make Checks Payable to:
BWMOM, Inc.
P.O. Box 3303
Chattanooga, TN 37404

OR GIVE THIS DESIGNATED GIFT THROUGH YOUR LOCAL CHURCH!

If you have any questions please call me 615.351.4964

PRAY, GIVE AND HELP US NETWORK THIS TO MAXIMIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY!

SEE PICTURES OF THIS PROJECT ON OUR WEBSITE WWW.BRAZILFORCHRIST.COM

Some of you may read this and think, "I don't have any extra to give this time of year!" Trust me, I have thought the same thing!!!

God often takes the most impossible situations and uses them to show how powerful He is! This is one of those situations where we look at the old checkbook and we say, "Lord, if You want me to do this You are going to have to make it possible." I have recently heard a wonderful person teach that, "God will give through you what He would never give to you!" 

"Give, and it shall be given unto you" Luke 6:38

"Where's the Line to See Jesus?"

Take a look at what the angel Gabriel told Mary about Jesus:

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1: 32-33

People line up every year to see Santa Claus. Becky Kelley's song "Where's the Line to See Jesus" helped give me some perspective on our Christmas priorities.

Santa Claus can't forgive us of our sins. Santa can't offer us eternal life. Santa's a nice guy, but the gifts he brings lose their luster after a couple of months.

These words the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary illustrate the power that Jesus would have forever. Jesus' gift to us can be rivaled by no other gift. And Jesus' gift won't get old because it is eternal.

You may be thinking, "I already know all of this!" You probably do know all of this already, but do your kids? What about the people you work with? What about your family?

The Cross

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23

Our three-year-old son has a corner in his room where he plays with cars and blocks. It is his little space to go play and have some quiet time. A few weeks ago he came running up to me and he kept telling me to come see his cross. After he told me over and over a few times to "Come see my cross!" I finally walked in his room, and I was speechless. My son had made a cross completely out of Legos on his own.

There was something very special and powerful about the joy and pride Luke had in the cross he made. We see crosses used for decoration all the time. I have a few in our home. But the cross Luke made wasn't for decoration. He made it because the cross is special to him because of Jesus!

Luke's cross made me think about taking up our cross daily. Its not easy! We don't do it because its fun. We take up our cross daily because we love Jesus and are thankful for the sacrifice He made for us.

The next time you see a cross, thank Jesus and make sure you are carrying your own.

(Oh, you know I took pictures!!!!)

The Purpose

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

If we had to summarize Christmas in one verse, I think this would be the one!

These were the words spoken to Joseph by the angel of the Lord. The angel starts out telling Joseph some basic and simple information like the baby will be a boy, and you need to name him Jesus... And then all of a sudden, the angel reveals God's ultimate purpose in one swoop saying, "for he shall save his people from their sins."

The simplistic-to-powerful pattern of this verse reflects the way Jesus came to the earth, operated on the earth, and how He left the earth. Jesus came to the earth very simply born in a manger. There were no parties and His only visitors were strangers. Jesus operated on the earth as a servant teaching others to serve. He didn't live lavishly, but rather humbly. However, Jesus went out with all power and glory. He defeated death and became the living sacrifice for our sins.

Now that the Christmas season is up and running full force, let's make it an even greater priority to focus on Christ and all He has given us.

Simplify Your Life

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." 

Simplicity has been on my mind lately. Would you classify yourself as simple or complex? I did some research on what the Bible has to say about simplicity and it astounded me. God loves the simple! Complex lives do not foster peace and joy.

 I would classify my life as busy. My husband and I have three children that are ages three and almost two! Our daily life can be crazy at times and there are often not enough hours in the day. I have discovered that its often the little details in life that accumulate and make things messy! The big commitments like marriage, children, and church are not littering our lives with complexity. It is all the little details that fall everywhere in between that start suffocating our time and purpose.

Satan wants us to be stretched thin and overwhelmed because we are not effective Christians that way. God wants us to seek simplicity and commit ourselves to the things He has called us to do. God's plan is perfect for our lives.

Many of us need to take inventory of our lives and sift out any clutter that is preventing our simplicity. Eliminating the clutter may not be easy, but the reward will be so great!

***Want to know an interesting statistic?!? "Getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40 percent of the housework in the average home." (National Soap and Detergent Association)

Nicodemus...A Literal Guy

Let's talk about Nicodemus today.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee during the time Jesus lived on the earth. A Pharisee was a Jewish leader that enforced Jewish law. When Jesus was teaching and performing miracles Nicodemus became very curious about Him. One night Nicodemus snuck over to where Jesus was and asked some questions.

(Nicodemus brought his literal mind along with him and was baffled by the revelations Jesus spoke of.)

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe me not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" John 3:12

Nicodemus was wanting all the answers concerning the heavenly realm without any of the foundational faith. --- Was Nicodemus a smart guy? Sure he was, but he was wanting to take human, literal, finite knowledge and understand the mysteries of God.

We are all human and have finite knowledge. Our literal minds often prevent us from fully experiencing the revelation of God. However, when we are born again (like what Jesus was trying to explain to Nicodemus) we are filled with the Holy Spirit that can enable us to think past literal boundaries into the spiritual realm.

I just want us to thank God today for giving us the Holy Spirit so we can understand His Word and His revelations! We've all been Nicodemus at some point; which should serve to help us understand and witness to others experiencing the same literal hangups.

The Best Education

"Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day." Psalm 25: 4-5

Education is an integral part of our society. I have my Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. I spent years studying how to educate children so they would become "lifelong learners."

I have realized that we are all "lifelong learners" in some capacity. When we wake up and go out into the world our minds are processing new information that expands our intellectual knowledge. However, I think the important aspects to consider are: Are we learning anything worthwhile? Who is our teacher? What impact will this knowledge make on our lives?

The most important education we can ever receive is through the Word of God. The Bible is the Book of Life! The verses above cry out to God and say "No matter how long it takes I want You to teach me Lord!" And the great thing about having God as our Teacher is that He will never tell us anything that is false!

Black Friday Shopping

I went shopping yesterday morning with my sister for all the Black Friday deals. We were at Walmart at midnight and back up at 4 a.m. with my husband in tow for all the other stores! As my sister and I were standing in Walmart at 11:57 p.m. we had to practice some lowliness, meekness, and self control!

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:2, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love"

This verse demonstrates how a Christian needs to act to others at all times. Sometimes we are placed in stressful situations and we experience lapses in good judgement.

I think that one of the greatest things we can do to promote the kingdom of God is to actually practice these traits no matter what our fleshly nature is telling us to do. People notice when we check our Christianity at the door. Let's pray for the Lord to strengthen us in this area so that nonbelievers see the true fruit of the spirit and desire that for themselves.

Blessed for Persecution

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10

Yesterday I was thinking about the pilgrims and the reason they came to America. They were suffering religious persecution from their native country and wanted to live somewhere new where they could worship the Lord freely. Moving to America was a bold move for the pilgrims. It took a lot of courage to load up their families and set out on a ship for months.

Persecution is tough. It is not fun. Christians are persecuted today. I think we often feel like Christians are persecuted now more than ever. This may be true, but there has always been persecution from the enemy.

Jesus knew that people were struggling with being persecuted for righteousness' sake. Jesus understands better than anyone what it feels like to be persecuted. However, He gives us hope when we endure persecution.

When a Christian endures persecution in a Christlike way, blessings will be poured out on that person. The blessings may not be immediate. Look at the pilgrims; they had to suffer for a while before God's blessing started rolling in.

But don't lose heart! When the persecution rages strong, hang in there because Jesus made us a promise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." Psalm 100:4

Today is Thanksgiving; which has popularly become known as "Turkey Day." You will probably eat your fair share of turkey today, but this day is not about a bird!

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621. You know the story about the pilgrims and Indians. The year prior to the first Thanksgiving was devastating for the pilgrims. Only half of the people survived the winter. These people stepped out in faith when they sailed to America. They wanted to follow God's will and nothing else. Were they persecuted? Yes. Were they under attack by the enemy? Absolutely. Did they lose their faith? No.

Despite the tragic loss they suffered, the year of 1621 was much better for the pilgrims because they established their settlement and a relationship with the Wampanoag Indians. God provided blessings amidst the grief and distress. When harvest time rolled around the pilgrims knew their blessings were due to God's love and mercy. Thanksgiving was born from that spirit of thanks, and celebrated among friends and family to praise God for all He had done.

Take a look around you today and thank God for all He has given you.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Janice :) 

Paul's Blessing

The Apostle Paul wrote many letters that are recorded in the New Testament of the Bible. He wrote these letters to the new and growing churches in different locations shortly after Jesus' death and resurrection to teach them the way of Christ Jesus.

I have always noticed that Paul closes many of his letters with beautiful words of blessing for the people he wrote to. Paul prayed for the people he was teaching. He wanted them to be blessed by God because of their faith in Jesus. Look at what he wrote to the church in Corinth:

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." 1 Corinthians 16:23

We need to be offering prayer, petition, and words of encouragement for others on a more regular basis.

Today is a big traveling day for families and people all around our nation for Thanksgiving. My prayer is for everyone to have safe travels and to experience a truly thankful Thanksgiving!

Rest

Do you ever feel like you are deprived of rest? In 1 Kings we read about a prophet named Elijah who was having a breakdown because Jezebel had threatened his life. Elijah fled into the desert, and this is what happened:

"And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again." 1 Kings 19:5-6

God knew that Elijah was weak because of his lack of sleep and nourishment. We often expect God to operate in super-miraculous ways, but He is often very practical. God sent an angel to put Elijah to sleep and feed him. Basic human needs were lacking and God slowed Elijah down long enough to get him back on track.

We are no different from Elijah. Our lives are overwhelmed with responsibilities and commitments, all while we are fighting for the Kingdom of God here on earth. Let's not forget how God got Elijah back on track when he was having a meltdown! If it worked for Elijah we can be sure it will work for us!

Unconditional Love

Human minds cannot comprehend God's unconditional love.

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." Psalm 139:6

 I am thankful that God's love is not like the love that I offer others. Love from one human to another is tarnished in some form or fashion. The love we give is not perfect. God's love is perfect because He is love.

Our lack of comprehension should not deter us from accepting and experiencing the awesome love God offers us. Psalm 139:6 reflects our inability to understand. However, it is our inability to fully comprehend that requires the greatest amount of faith. Can you imagine how happy God is when we say, "Lord, I don't really understand, but I am going to trust you anyway and accept your love no matter what."?

Check out JJ Heller's song that compares our conditional love to God's unconditional love. (The guy in the video is JJ's husband.)

Thanksgiving

"Offer unto God thanksgiving" Psalms 50:14

We are going to celebrate Thanksgiving this week. We'll stuff ourselves with turkey and scan the sales ads for the Black Friday deals, but are we truly thankful? And if we are thankful, who are we thankful to? Our culture has focused our thankfulness towards general good luck. Well, let me tell you that is a bunch of garbage.

Luck has nothing to do with it. Why, you may ask? Look at this: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father" James 1:17

Any good thing that has happened in our lives or in the moments that preceded our existence is because of God. It is not some random good luck event that we thank our lucky stars for!

We need to get down on our knees and thank God for everything He has ever given us, especially His Son! And let's not wait for Thanksgiving to thank God. Let's start today and keep on thanking Him everyday, because we should celebrate Thanksgiving with our Lord daily!


**Please leave a post and tell everyone something you are thankful for and why! (If you have been unable to post a comment before, please try again because I have changed the settings for posting!)**

Operation Christmas Child

"for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

A few weeks ago I posted about Operation Christmas Child that is coordinated by Samaritan's Purse. This ministry distributes shoe boxes filled with goodies to children all around the world. The deadline is drawing near for turning in filled shoe boxes and I wanted to send a friendly reminder and encourage you to participate in this ministry.

Our family put together some boxes this year. Bart and I took the kids to Wal-Mart and let them shop for the toys and other items with us. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to talk with our children about the importance of giving to others. Our girls are still too young to grasp the concept, but Luke understood and was so excited to be buying toys for "the other little boy".

Luke's enthusiasm made me think about the verse in 2 Corinthians that mentions how God loves a cheerful giver. Luke was a cheerful giver last night. He is only three years old, but he was so excited to give another child he didn't know a box of Christmas goodies!

Let your cheerful giving spirit shine as well!

For info on Operation Christmas Child check out: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/occ

Deadline is Monday, November 22, 2010!

Are You a Respector of Persons?

"For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?" James 2: 2-4

When you meet a person for the first time do you judge them instantly? I have done this many times. I think it is an automatic human response to draw instant conclusions and judgements about a person when you first lay eyes on them. We call this a "first impression." Notice that this is a human response and not a godly response. God sees the heart and not just the exterior. We see the exterior before we ever get close to a person's heart.

These verses in James 2 are warning us about judging based on appearances. There is a wealthy person and a poor person. The greedy, materialistic, and money-hungry part of our human nature makes us automatically attracted to the wealthy person. We want to put them on a pedestal and treat them well to earn their favor. The poor person is of no use to our greedy nature, so we cast them aside. All of this is done based on appearances and with no knowledge of each person's heart.

Formulating judgements is something that society has trained us to do throughout our lives. Undoing that training is going to take effort; which begins with prayer. We need to ask God to help us avoid instantaneous judgements and acting on those preconceived notions.

When I think about Jesus and all the people He hung out with while He was living on the earth, I see exactly how we should be approaching and welcoming others around us. Jesus ruffled a lot of feathers for hanging out with former prostitutes, tax collectors, and people society deemed untouchable. I know that Jesus would have put the poor guy in the good seat! We should be doing the same!

Armor of Light

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." Romans 13:12

This verse grabs my attention. Paul wrote this verse to encourage Christians to start serving the Lord. Becoming a Christian is the easy part of the process. All you have to do is accept Christ and His forgiveness and salvation. Afterwards we must begin serving so that others can have that same relationship with Jesus.

The serving part is what usually stumps Christians. Some Christians don't want to serve because they are unsure about what they should do, so they do nothing. Some don't want others to view them as a religious fanatic, so they lay low. Some just want to hang on for a free ride, so they stand in the shadows.

Paul is shouting a wake up call here that says, "Shake loose the suffocating grip the world has on you and put on your spiritual armor so we can get to work!"

Serving is what keeps the Christian body alive and reaching others. If we have on the spiritual armor God gives us and devote our time and energy to serving the Lord, there's nothing we can't do.

Sword of the Spirit

"and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" Ephesians 6:17

Have you ever noticed the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God? All of the other pieces of spiritual armor are designed to be defensive and sustain attack. The defensive pieces provide protection and coverage to the person wearing them. Not the sword! The sword is meant to attack. Some of us are leaning on our spiritual sword like it is a walking stick. It is high time we pick the sword up and start wielding the offensive power it provides us spiritually.

How do we do that? Let's take a look:

The verse in Ephesians says that the sword of the Spirit is the word of God. That tells us directly that we have to use our Bibles. The sword of the Spirit only works when God's word is used to fight the enemy. Look at what Hebrews 4:12 says about the word of God:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing assunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 

The word of God is the most comprehensive and effective weapon that could ever be used spiritually. This spiritual piece of armor is not only going to pierce and divide, it is also going to discern. Wow!

How many Bibles do you have? Have you ever considered them for the spiritual weapon they are? God's word contains such unimaginable power. However, you have to read your Bible and place God's word in your mind and heart before that powerful weapon becomes available for you to use.

Helmet of Salvation

"And take the helmet of salvation" Ephesians 6:17

The helmet of salvation is the one piece of spiritual armor that I have thought about the most while I was studying for this series. At first I didn't realize what my hang up was with the helmet of salvation. Then I figured out what it was... the simplicity of the helmet of salvation. This piece of armor is so straightforward that it made me think, "There has to be something that I am overlooking!"

Satan wants salvation to be confusing so people will be discouraged by the concept. But the good news is that ITS NOT!

Salvation is a free gift. We can't earn it... We don't deserve it... We can't buy it... All we have to do is take it. That's what makes it truly free! Look at Romans 5:18:

"even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

When we accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ into our heart, life, and mind we must protect the knowledge of our salvation. The helmet is the perfect piece of armor for protecting what you know God has given to you freely. Satan will bombard our minds with thoughts of doubt, worry, and mistrust to make us question our salvation and weaken our faith. However, if we are wearing the helmet of salvation we can battle those thoughts with the promises we have through the Holy Spirit and God's Word.

The helmet of salvation is a filter designed to protect the truth of God and His Son Jesus Christ in our very own minds.



Just a thought --- Aren't you glad that God is not like the lady at the Clinique counter that makes you spend so much money before you can qualify for the so-called "free gift?"

Sheild of Faith

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Ephesians 6:16

Did you notice how this piece of armor is described with the words "Above all"? Those two words should get our attention immediately and make us think, "Ok, this part is really important!"

Psalm 18:35 mentions the shield, "Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great."

The shield is also mentioned in Psalm 18: 2 & 30, but it is referred to as a "buckler" in the KJV. A buckler is defined as "a round shield held by a grip and sometimes having straps through which the arm is passed."

"The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." Psalm 18:2

"As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him." Psalm 18:30

Verses 2 and 30 mention the trust we must have in the Lord to use His shield. God actually gives us Himself to use as a shield.

Sometimes the shield gets a little heavy, or Christians start feeling safe and comfortable and they lay their shields down because of a false sense of security. Laying the shield down is dangerous because we become vulnerable to the enemy. The devil knows he can't hurt us when our shield is up, so he waits for us to set it aside. That is why the sense of security we get is false. The only security is behind the shield of our faith in Christ.

Your shield may be heavy... you may be a new Christian who is not used to carrying the shield... you may have been feeling (falsely) safe and set your shield down somewhere, wherever it is pick it up because you need it above all else.

Peaceful Footwear

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" Ephesians 6:15

Now we are on to the spiritual footwear! Footwear is often underestimated as a piece of armor. Think about this for a second: How effective would you be in a battle running around with no shoes on? Injury in some form or fashion would come quickly to your feet and you would be of little use at that point.

Well, God wants his spiritual warriors to be useful so He is putting some good running and fighting shoes on them.

Our feet are the most ready vehicle that we have for "going." Spreading the gospel is very important for Christians because we want to defeat the devils grip on the world. When the Bible mentions spreading the gospel the word "go" is used. Look at Mark 16:15: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

I encourage you to fit your feet with spiritual shoes that will provide you with agility, speed, support, and strength in doing the Lord's work.

Breastplate of Righteousness

"and having on the breastplate of righteousness;" Ephesians 6:14

When the devil's arrows come flying at us, our righteousness in Christ Jesus protects us from the enemy. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no way we could fight the devil with our fleshly bodies. We need to start realizing that the power we wield is only because of the Holy Spirit within us. Spiritual powers are not of our own creation or doing. They are a gift from God that we can use.

The breastplate is designed to cover our heart. Jesus lives in our hearts when we have put our faith in Him. We have to guard our hearts from attacks to maintain our relationship with Jesus.

I think that many people today are wanting to use the breastplate of self-righteousness. We think we can do it ourselves without God's help. --Let's just stop here and say that wearing the breastplate of self-righteousness is like handing the devil a victory. As soon as we feel self-righteousness creeping in we need to flee from it. Righteousness only comes through Christ thanks to our salvation in Jesus.

Maybe your breastplate of righteousness is in a spiritual closet somewhere... Maybe you put it up to wear the breastplate of self-righteousness you made... No matter where you put it, its easy to find and God will help you put it on!

Belt of Truth

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" Ephesians 6:14

The KJV version of this verse uses the words "loins" and "girt." Just for clarity's sake, the loins are the part of the body between the hips and lower ribs. To girt something means to encircle it so it is bound with a belt or band. This is why we hear this verse referred to as "The Belt of Truth."

The spiritual belt serves to hold up our faith; which is the truth of Christ. Just like the belt you wear holds up your pants. The belt of truth is a foundational piece of armor. It has to be put on before anything else because it is underneath all the other armor. Without the belt of truth no other piece of armor would be functional because the faith in the truth of Christ would be missing.

There are two verses that explain the “truth” that is being preserved through this piece of armor:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8: 31-32

The belt grounds us in our faith and makes us stronger when we operate in the truth of Jesus. Don’t be caught without yours.

Undefeatable Armor

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6: 10-13

Studying the armor of God is important for Christians. Spiritual armor can be kind of intimidating because of its warlike nature. But we are at war! Paul lists our enemies for us in this passage: the devil, principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness. The lines of battle have been drawn and we have to choose a side. If you have chosen righteousness through Jesus Christ, you better put on your armor, or your going to war naked!

We will spend the next few days going over the different types of armor God gives us. It is interesting to notice that the Bible lists the pieces of armor in order as if the soldier were actually getting dressed. Some people may say, "What an interesting coincidence!" Let me tell you, that is no coincidence. God illustrates the spiritual armor's foundational needs and how the armor builds in levels of defensive to offensive methods.

Spiritual armor and physical earthly armor do have one thing in common: They won't do you any good if you don't put them on! Each Christian has a spiritual armor wardrobe! It is given to you automatically when you accept Christ. However, God does not dress us, that is our responsibility!

My prayer is that you will read through this series and feel the need to wear your armor. Don't just understand your armor, wear it!

Derailed Plans

Have you ever had a day that didn't go the way you planned? I had one of those days yesterday. It was like fruit basket turnover from beginning to end.

I have found that we are tested when our plans go awry. There is testing because frustration develops when plans are derailed. The frustration sometimes leads to behaviors that can be sinful.

Controlling frustration is a hard thing to do! Everything in our flesh is screaming when we are frustrated, but we have to reign it in and not give in to the flesh. Refusing to give in to the flesh gives the Holy Spirit within us a victory.

When my plans crumble before my eyes it helps to think about Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

God has everything all mapped out for us. Christians need to make their plans according to the will of God. However, when those plans suddenly change we can relax and enjoy the ride because God is still in control.

Uncertain Riches

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." 1 Timothy 6:17

People start getting tense when the Bible talks about money or riches. You know what I am talking about!

Don't worry, God doesn't want us to be broke! God wants to bless us monetarily. However, there are some conditions that come with monetary blessings. We cannot prioritize our money above God. You know the verse that records Jesus saying, "No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13

We have to choose our master. Choosing money as your master will lead to destruction. Choosing God as your master will lead to life. Seems like the choice would be easy, right?

I like that this verse refers to money as "uncertain riches." That is exactly what money is. We cannot rely on money. Money comes and goes, the financial market goes up and down, the economy falls into a recession and then it recovers. It is a constant roller coaster with riches and no one can predict what is going to happen! Look at all the economists making predictions and debating our economy... all they can do is guess!!!

There is no guessing with God. We know what He is going to do. God's already written it all down for us in his Word.

I like being certain. The certainty we have serving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior cannot be bought or compared with any other worldly riches.

Great & Mighty Things

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3

Every once in a while I like for us to focus on a promise that God has given us. The Bible is full of God's promises. (He hasn't broken one, and He never will.)

The promise we find here in Jeremiah is about prayer. When God tells us to call unto Him that means we seek the Lord in prayer.

I love how the Lord explains the workings of prayer so plainly in this verse!
Step 1: Call unto God
Step 2: God will answer you

Sounds pretty straightforward right? Well, it is straightforward! God doesn't try to confuse us and make things complicated. When prayer gets confusing, tough and complicated it is probably because the enemy is doing everything he can to keep you from seeking God. So, just keep praying when that happens!

And then this verse finishes off with a reward! If we seek the Lord, He is going to show us great and mighty things that are going to blow our socks off. When God refers to something as great and mighty, we better brace ourselves.

Raised in the Church

Did you grow up going to church? Maybe you did... maybe you didn't. Take a look at this:

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:15

Just because a person was raised going to church from a very young age does not mean that he or she has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us in this verse about someone who was raised learning the scriptures, but that was not the end of what Paul had to say. The point Paul made is that the knowledge of the scriptures made the person wise enough to realize that they needed salvation through Jesus.

Being raised in the church is great, but it is not salvation. No matter how old we are, when we receive Christ we become spiritual babies. So, if you didn't physically grow up in the church, its ok! The most important part is that we grow up spiritually in the church with Jesus in our heart!

Misplaced Confidence

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

Has anyone you trusted ever let you down? I am going to assume the answer to that question is YES. Putting your trust in other people is a risk. That doesn't mean that we should not trust other people, it means that we need to be careful who we choose to put our confidence in.

There are certain traits that trustworthy people possess. They are usually honest, reliable, and caring. However, no matter how many trustworthy characteristics they possess, they are still human and capable of disappointing us.

Don't despair... There is One who we can put our trust in over and over and never be disappointed. That is the Lord!

Christians need to stop trusting the Lord as their last resort. When we put our trust in other people first and then the Lord, we have seriously got our priorities out of place. Our trust must first go to the Lord and He will direct us to the other people we can trust.

Already Overcome!

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Considering all the evil in the world today can get us feeling discouraged pretty quickly. When we have these moments, we need to have an arsenal prepared to fight the discouragement. If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit as part of that arsenal to give you hope, love and encouragement. In addition to the Holy Spirit, we also have the Word of God -- The Bible!

When we read our Bibles and hear the Word preached and taught we start storing it in our hearts and minds. Then when we have a moment of discouragement we can recall those verses that speak the TRUTH!

John 16:33 is a wonderful example of how we can use our Biblical knowledge to recall the words of Jesus and tell ourselves, "You know what, the world is consumed in sin, but Jesus said that He has already overcome the world."

Jesus didn't say that He will overcome the world. He said that He already has overcome the world! That is a promise you can take to the bank no matter how you feel.

Remember, Jesus didn't promise everything would be perfect...He promised us the perfect outcome.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child (OCC) has become a very well known ministry for children and their families all over the world. Many of you may have participated in OCC before.

You wrapped a shoe box with Christmas paper and filled it with toys and miscellaneous items for a little boy or girl... You never met the child that you made that box for... You had no idea which country or continent it ended up on... The one thing you did know was that it made a child happy during Christmas and shared the love of Jesus with him or her.

Take a look at what Jesus said in Matthew 25:40:

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Wow! That says a lot. The love and generosity we show others not only helps the person in need, but we are also giving of ourselves to the Lord! The need around the world is so great. People need items necessary for life, they need joy, but most of all they need Jesus. OCC is a wonderful organization that attempts to fulfill all three of those needs with boxes full of necessities, joy, and the Word of God.

I would like to encourage you to become a part of OCC. Even if you make one box, that is one little life you are going to make so happy!!! Take a look at this video which is produced by Samaritan's Purse (OCC's parent organization). I will post more info on OCC in days to come. Check back for tips, ideas, and drop-off locations in your area!

The Old You

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

There is a song called "I'm Not Who I Was" that I can really relate with. How about you? Think about your old life? When you compare your old life without Jesus to your new life with Jesus you see just how much the old life stunk!

I have a few friends that will talk about their past every once in a while. When something shocking comes up, we just say, "Well that was B.C.!" (B.C. = Before Christ).

It is tough to explain to someone who does not know Christ just how much their joy will increase with Christ. When I try to put the joy and peace into words I don't know where to start.

Our words often get in the way when we try to share the joy of having Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Oftentimes the best way to show someone how great it is is to simply say, "Look at me, I am not who I was."

This video is the song I mentioned earlier. Brandon Heath is the artist. He is Christian singer and songwriter. I have loved this song for quite some time because it describes the reformation of being a Christian.

Remember Aesop?

Do you remember being in grade school and learning some of Aesop's fables? These were ancient fables that used animals in a story to illustrate a moral or teach a lesson. -- I read the following verses from Romans and it really made me think about one of Aesop's fables I learned as a child.

"Now I beseech thee brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16: 17-18

Ok, now you are thinking, "What is she talking about?!?" Let me explain:

Aesop wrote a fable about a fox and a crow. In the fable the crow picked up a piece of cheese and flew to a branch in a tree. The fox wanted the cheese and decided to compliment her singing voice deceitfully so she would start singing and the cheese would fall out of her mouth. Well, the crow fell for the trick and the fox gobbled up the cheese as soon as she dropped it. Then the fox laughed at the crow's gullibility.

In this passage from Romans Paul is warning Christians about false teachers like the fox. Paul tells us that we can spot a false teacher by his or her "fair speeches." Basically Paul is telling us that some people are all talk and are out to trip up Christians wherever they can. Christians often want to see the best in everyone because we are all created by God. However, there are people in the world that are teaching things contradictory to the Bible. Let's all remember to be vigilant and compare the word of God to what we are hearing because if something goes against God's word we need to get far away from it.

P.S. Don't forget to vote today!!!

Where Is Your Trust?

"Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7

You may read this verse and think, "I don't have a chariot or a horse!" (But that is not the point.) When David was writing this Psalm he was referring to battle conditions. David is saying that the earthly tools we have to defend ourselves should not be where we put our trust. Our trust should be in the Lord no matter what circumstances we are facing.

The battle David is facing can be translated to any battle or struggle that you experience in your own life. The stuff that surrounds you is not going to help you and give you victory. The Lord is the only One who can save you and give you ultimate victory.

We all know how it feels to take comfort in our stuff. We've all done it before. --- Let's not fall into this trap of false security designed by the enemy. Call on the name of the Lord and trust in Him alone. All our stuff will pass away, but the Lord is forever.

Families

"Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table." Psalm 128: 1-3

Psalm 128 was written with a focus on the family. It describes the blessing a family can receive from God. We are all part of a family here on earth. We may have a good relationship with our families or we may struggle at times.

Family relationships take hard work and time to make them grow and prosper. But more than any effort we give, our families need the Lord more than anything else. These verses illustrate the blessings God will pour out when He is first in the home.

Christians have their earthly families, but they also have a family of faith as well. God is our Father and other Christians are our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible emphasizes the importance of family relationships within the body of believers as well as with our earthly families.

Let me encourage you to thank God for your families! Pray for the people in your family and encourage each other in Christ on a daily basis.


---Side Note: I just had to show you some of our trick-or-treating pictures from last night! Luke was a pirate. Julia and Olivia were kitty cats! The kids had fun. Olivia and Julia were fussy for some reason and Luke just wanted CANDY!