Our Biggest Problem: Part 2

"The greatest peril facing every person (of every sexual persuasion, of every gender), in every ethnic group, in every place on earth, and at every time in history, is the righteous wrath of God against guilty sinners, leading to everlasting suffering — unless God himself rescues us from his own judgment. Poverty, hunger, disease, war, crime, climate change, addictions, homelessness, ignorance, sex trafficking: these bring great global suffering — and they pale in comparison to the peril of being under the wrath of God. They are all tragic, but they are all temporary. They may last a lifetime, but the wrath of God lasts forever." 

-John Piper, pastor, theologian, scholar

The wrath of God - the concept is laughable nonsense to some, debilitating terror to others. 

To prevent misunderstanding or confusion it's important to flesh out what "the wrath of God" means. This has been done well here: Five Truths About the Wrath of God

One last thing from Piper: “Now, let me make something really clear here, because this is so important. Don’t make the mistake of defending the love of God by denying the wrath of God. Because what you do when you try to defend the love of God by denying the wrath of God is destroy the love of God. Why? Because in the Bible, the highest point of the love of God is his rescue from the wrath of God. If there’s no wrath, the whole fabric of the Bible unravels. The greatest love that God ever showed you was rescuing you from wrath.” 

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:  sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:5-17 

ok, child?

There was song playing earlier this morning and this lyric stood out: "give me a childlike heart."

I feel like we're constantly told to mature, grow-up, handle it, be independent, be strong, if you aren't progressing or advancing or hitting it with maximum effort every second - you're failing God, failing the world, failing your family, failing your friends. 

In a class I was in recently the teacher said she wants God to look at her and be proud of what she did at the end of the day. That rubbed me wrong. As if our own efforts and actions are to be praised and found what, worthy of what we don't deserve in the first place? Found worthy by our efforts of what we mercifully have by God's grace through faith in Christ? Who am I to say that I did "good" today; what do I know of good but what I know through Jesus our savior. 

Life is hard and complex and messy. It's a wrestling match. Found best in the struggle, the weighing tensions of life. 

“Give me a childlike heart” with that I felt something inside saying:

I don’t need you to be Me. 

I’m the Father. 

That makes you the child. 

And with Me, that is ok, right, and safe.

Ok, child?

xo

Our Biggest Problem: Part 1

What do you think is the biggest issue facing our society?

There are no shortage of problems to pick from - racisim, gun violence, lack of political civility and cooperation,  intolerance, sexism, homophobia, inequality, inadequate evironmental stewardship, the opiod crisis, alcoholism, sex trafficing, pornogrophy, domestic violence, abortion, COVID are just from todays headlines alone. 

What do you think your biggest personal problem is?

Maybe a health diagnosis or a certain relation situation comes to mind. Maybe its your empolyment circumstances or perhaps a financial difficulty. 

Let me ask us both this question: does the wrath of God even make the list? 

Remember your first Love

“learn to do good; 

seek justice, correct oppression; 

bring justice to the fatherless, 

plead the widow's cause.”

Isaiah 1:17 

I remember one of things that first drew me to the God of the Bible was the fact that this is a God who cared about the poor, oppressed, hopeless, and those that society had forsaken. 

Think about it. Do you know another god so interested in the welfare of humans that they give up the glories of their heavenly thrones to became human?

  

And if by some chance their was another story of such a god, did this other god come in the humblest way possible - born to a poor virgin, with a homeland conquered and occupied by ruthless foreigners, and their birthing table a stable floor? Are their testments to a God with greater gentleness, holiness, humility and wrath?

 

What other immortal real or imagined cares about humanities selfmade plights and grueling misfortunes?

The Bible tells us this God does. 

And His desire/command/intent is that we be like Him in that way. We are commanded to love one another with the same kind of love He had for us. This love is not an ethereal loose thing but tangible, solid, and firm. It’s love with action. It’s built on blood and sweat, suffering and waiting, obedience and sacrifice.

It was my need that drew me to Him and it does still when I allow myself to remember it. Need is not something we should allow ourselves to push aside or forget, but I think vulnerability is something so hard to bear much less show to others, that we forget it’s ever-present reality. 

  

What made you first fall in love with Him? 

Remember your first love today and my we never forget Him again. xo

Because of God, be brave

My desk calendar had this encouragement today “…believers are brave for their confidence comes from God alone”

That really struck me today because sometimes it seems like fear is all that is around us. “Will my loved ones catch COVID? Will my work furlough me?” “What will happen if there is surge of new cases?” “When will it be “safe” again?” “What happens when we run out of masks?” Those are our newer fears.

But there are of course the “old fears” – “Will I be single forever?” “What will happen if my parents get sick?” “What if the test results come back positive?”

Whether they are new fears or long held ones, examining our fears is important because only when they are known, can we take that self-identified frailty and lay it the feet of our strong Savior, who never grows weary and is never caught off guard.  

Isaiah 41:8-10 “But you, my servant, whom I have chosen, the spiritual offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Come and have breakfast.

John 21:11-13
So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

I hope this Easter you find yourself having breakfast with the Lord. He is with us always and at every moment, but may we be conscious of that all the more today, as we celebrate His life, death, and Resurrection. How amazing it will be when we actually sit and eat with Him in Heaven! Even though distancing might be changing normal Easter plans, reflect on Him today. We thank You Jesus, honor You, and we love You. xo

Who do you say He is?

These last couple week have been filled with a lot of things many of never imagined would happen. Unprecedented events, great uncertainty, and inconsistent information has swirled since the Covid-19 Pandemic. Now the latest shelter in place orders from many state  governers have ramped up the anxiety meter at least for me. It's one thing to say stay-at-home it's another thing to order people to do so. 

Amid all the fear and anxiety the place where I have found comfort and courage during this time is in my faith in Jesus. I know some of you who read that might scoff and think to yourself oh no another Christian or shrug and say that's fine for you but I don't believe in religion

I totally get the scoffing. Likely you have encountered your share of "Christians" who judged without a speck of compassion, threw unloving unkind words at you or those you care about, left you to struggle in darkness as they placidly said they'd be praying for you. I get it. Believe me. If that's what Christians are like, no way you might think to yourself, would I want to be one. 

I get it. I really do. I've been the outcast. The misfit. And I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for any Christian that failed to represent who Christ is to you. I'm sorry for the times I have failed to show you with my words, my actions, and my thoughts who Jesus is and the unfathomable depths of His Father's love. 

Christians are people and people mess up. Don't misunderstand, I'm not making excuses, I'm not saying the wrongs committed by Christians is ok. By no means. It's not ok. I'm just putting the all too factual reality of human fallibllty and frailty out there. Christians don't always get it right 100% of the time. But that doesn't mean Christ doesn't.

Sometimes the kindest most helpful people I have ever known weren't Christians at all. And sometimes the stingiest, most materialistic, harshest people were found at church. 

But Here is the Heart of the Issue: Who do you say Jesus is? Because at the end of it all (and all of us have an end which is still as 100% true today as it was before Covid-19) it's not about who they said or showed Jesus to be, it's about who you say Jesus is. I implore you, I plead with tears as I write these words, open The Gospels and read through what Jesus said and did. He asks each of us - Who do you say He is? Will you put your faith in Him? xo

Mark 8 — And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 

Matthew 16 — When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

the individual path

“Your life is a series of steps that create a path as individual as you are – and that’s just the way God planned it.”

No one’s journey is without pain, loss, and tears, just as no one’s journey is without joy, happiness, and laughter – our journey’s contain much of the same ingredients but they’re not added the same way. Individually we are all the same and yet all different. The bookends are the same for sure. Birth. Death. The middle, in-between the bookends, is all you and all me.

Our paths are as individual as we are.

Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”

The LORD commands us in his word not to covet, not to yearn to possess or have something belong to someone else. Think today about your unique individual path and for God to use it for his glory. xo

Spoil Me

When you ponder how you want your life to look like now and in the future, it isn't wrong that you think to yourself, "I want to be able to spoil (or a.k.a. bless) my children and my grandchildren."

That's a good thing to want.

But be able to spoil and bless them how? With stuff? With trinkets and toys? With trips and adventures? With a sharing of hobbies? How do you want and what do you want to spoil them with? What would it look like? What is the end result?

I would say, humbly, that the biggest spoils in my life were never toys or trinkets. I was spoiled/blessed most when I was given shared time, shared trust, and shared truth. Those are what were valuable and long-lasting and meaningful and "spoiled" me - those things blessed me then in the moment and the memory of them continues to bless me now, though many years have gone by. Words of Gods truth and knowledge of Him and kindness bubbling forth like from a spring - are worth more than a 1000 video games and 100 trips to Disney. It was the connection that has lasted not the confections.

Spoil your children and grandchildren with the greatest thing you can spoil anyone with - by glorifying God in what you say, and do, and eat, and drink, and watch, and read - in all you do. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Let them see that your spoiling of them springs from your joy and zeal in God. Be so filled with the goodness of God you must share it with others. Remember: Happiness is only real when shared, be happy in God. xo

not a consolation prize

Sometimes I will get 5 ideas for a post within a couple days. Other times, I can go months without anything inspiring me to write even a post-it note not to mention a paragraph. The title of this post is "not a consolation prize" based on an idea I had several months ago. It's been in draft form long enough.

I think that for all of us, there exists two potential authors of our life story.

Author one is ourselves. In this story we call the shots. Everything is perceived through how it helps us achieve our own self oriented goals. We are at the center. We are the most important character and those who help us achieve our desires are given a secondary character role.

Author two is God. When God writes our story he dictates each moment. Everything is perceived in how it glorifies Him. The goal is God and at the center is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified on a cross, resurrected on the third day, ascended back to heaven, and now intercedes for us at the right hand of God.

There is a self authored portion of my story that has many chapters of me treating Jesus like a consolation prize. You see, and maybe you can even relate, I couldn't get what I really wanted with God so I consoled myself with thoughts of God. I wanted a dad in my life, a big functional family, a normal upbringing, freedom to live away from home, a healthy relationship, etc. If it's true "where your treasure is there your heart will be also" then my treasure was not Jesus only. Jesus was the consolation prize for not getting what I really wanted.

My internal dialogue went something like this, "No fiery hell for eternity - that's nice, that's really nice. That's amazing. But what about my list of my wants for this life, for the now? These aren't even bad wants; why won't He give them to me? If nothing is impossible for Him and He dictates each drop or rain and calls forth every star that's made - why are thing the way they are? Why was so much of my story sad? Maybe there is a shortcut to getting a better life. Other people seem to make it and they don't follow any of the things in the Bible. Over and over, I hear the pastor saying "following Him is the best way to live," but obviously they say that, they have everything already, family, friends, home, marriage, wealth, prestige, good easy jobs. Wallow in the muck here with me and say that."

So I walked away. God's authorship just wasn't appealing anymore. A consolation prize is nice but it's not essential.

But Jesus isn't a consolation prize and he isn't content to merely be that for anyone.

Honestly I was the author of my story most of the time. Gammy had taken me to church since I was a kid. I had heard the bible preached and I was baptized like Christians are supposed to be. I tried to go to church and get connected with other Christians. I wasn't looking for one night stands or hanging out in bars stumbling my way home every night. I wasn't escaping my life with drugs and sex. I went to a job I hated everyday like I was supposed to. I tried to "do the right things" but I was doing them for the wrong reasons. It was as if by doing the right things I felt I was owed a certain kind of result. I wasn't doing the hard work of finding out if the things I was doing were right because God said so or because I was told so by someone else thats what I should be doing. I was kept afraid and shelters, caged like a bird. Morals, convictions, and duties aren't essential if they're imposed and not owned. 

Question: When does one realize that Jesus is all they need?
Answer: When Jesus is all they have.

The road to rock bottom is different for everyone. The prodigals story is all our stories. Thank God he doesn't always give us what we want but he gives us what we need. Now I understand what Paul was saying in Philippians.

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." Romans 6:6

Is Jesus The Prize to you or merely a consolation? xo

exult before him

"Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home..." Psalm 68:4-6

Do you ever feel like your life is one big desert? You hoped for rain to fall but the dark storm clouds brought lightning and thunder but not a drop of water. You hoped for some warming sunshine but instead got scorching heat and burning rays. You thought the oasis was ahead but it was just a cruel mirage. You need to hear what Psalm 68 says - "Lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord." The Lord doesn't take a detour around the desert; he travels right through it.

Do you ever feel like your unclaimed, unloved, or forgotten? You hoped your relationship with your dad had turned a corner for good but instead things just got worse. You hoped you had found some stability and security only to have been betrayed and abandoned.  You thought that you had found someone to share love and life with but they rejected you and left you to once again to find your own way. You need to hear what Psalm 68 says - " Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home."

Have you ever heard of a God like the one of the Bible? What other God cares about fatherless bastards and vulnerable widows. There is no one like Him. He deserves, He is worthy of the most praise.

Romans 8:32 says, "He (God) who did not spare his own Son (Jesus) but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things!" He has never, not for one second, forgotten you. Don't forget Him. xo

the babe leapt in her womb

"Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." Luke 1:39:41

In utero John was capable of rejoicing in the Lord. Wow! How amazing, wonderful, and glorious that reality is! How sobering too.

"A person's a person, no matter how small." -Dr. Seuss

friend, father, and kinsman redeemer

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

John Piper wrote the following about the above passage of scripture:

Three times he invites us to pray — or, you could say, if you will hear it lovingly, three times he commands us to pray — to ask him for what we need. It’s the number of times that he invites us that gets our attention... The repetition is meant to say, “I mean this.” I want you to do this. Ask your Father for what you need. Seek your Father for the help you need. Knock on the door of your Father’s house so he will open and give you what you need. Ask, seek, knock. I invite you three times because I really want you to enjoy your Father’s help."

There is something about asking for what I need that I resist and struggle with. There are a couple reasons for this I think.

1. Being fatherless myself, the concept of asking a dad for something is lost on me. I have seen others close to me who have fathers in their lives but so many of those relationships are poor models of limitless trust and abounding love. Sadly it's too often the opposite. A dad's love is only theoretical to me; it has not been part of my earthly experience. The love Jesus describes as having with his Father blows my mind because Jesus says we through Him we can share in their love (John 17).
2. Beyond fathers, I think it's hard for me to ask for what I need because it would be admitting I need something. That might sound dumb at first reading, but upon some reflection, I think I have tried very hard to not be dependent on anyone which is impractical and isolating at best and prideful and haughty at it's worst. If I don't need anything from anyone else I can't be disappointed; I don't have to risk their rejection or feel the pain if they fail. Also, if I don't need anything from anyone, I have no obligation to "repay" their help because I never asked for it begin with. 

In its best light you could read that and say "She is very independent" but I myself know there is more fear and sorrow in what is written there than there is strength. No one is born independent. We all relied completely and needed someone else for everything from the most beginning moments of our lives. Independence, in all its forms, is learned.

Vulnerability. Dependence. Surrender. These words are not sweet to the flesh but they are to the Spirit.

Ask expecting to receive.
Seek knowing you will find.
Knock assured the door will be opened.

A few months ago I pleaded with tears one dark night and begged God to be my friend, my Father, and my kinsman redeemer. Each of these things is significant, and each of us needs these things, and God is all these things and more to those who ask, seek, and knock.

Friend - John 15:15 "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."
Father - 1 John 3:1 "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
Matthew 7:11 "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
Kinsman redeemer - Revelation 21:4-6 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."

Ask, seek, and knock on the door knowing your friend, Father, and kinsman redeemer will answer and has answered before you asked! xo

What is truth? Ask THE TRUTH.

"I wish you'd never told me. If I didn't know, I'd be happy right now."

- Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 4

 

Can you relate to that statement? Can you relate to the mentality behind it? "Don't tell me the truth; it will ruin my happiness." "Don't tell me the truth; it's too inconvenient! It will change things! It will force me to have to choose and I don't want that responsibility!"
 

The saying "Ignorance is bliss" exists for a reason. We can't be upset about what we don't know. We can't be held responsible or more importantly culpable for the things we do if we don't know they're wrong. But once we know the truth - things are never the same again. We might be able to ignore the truth, suppress our knowledge of it, but we can never really forget the truth once it's known. The truth changes everything.

A Francis Chan message I listened to recently demonstrated this very point. He talked about how since he was a kid he has liked eating salami. He has no idea how it is made and he said he didn't want to know for fear that knowing the truth would ruin his ability to enjoy eating it anymore. It's a simple example that is very relatable to many areas of life. How often we just don't want to know the truth!

Sometimes the truth just hurts. I am sure you can think of time in your own life where the truth brought devastation but here are few scenarios that are playing out right  now somewhere for someone in which the revelation of the truth isn't a blessing but a seeming curse:

• You think your teen son is at a safe supervised party but they are really in a dangerous situation with drugs, drinking, and difficult choices they're not yet strong enough to resist.
• You think your family member is looking out for you only to learn the truth that they have stolen your identity to perpetuate financial fraud.
• You think your partner is working overtime every week only to learn the truth that they are meeting someone else for an affair.

"So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38)

"What is truth?" This is a very philosophical existential looking question and without the context of Jesus the Son of God it can seem like an abyss in which to flounder and drown.

But Jesus didn't say he was bearing witness to a truth but to the truth. Long before this trial Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)

"So what?" you might ask. What does this talk of the truth mean for us now? It means the originator and definer of truth isn't science or history or man - it's always been Jesus. Today in whatever your doing and in all you do - seek the truth, listen to the truth, and let the truth live through you. Hold all your thoughts, words, and actions up to the truth and see if meets His standard. Through Him we know truth. 

Link: What is truth? 

a daughter of Abraham

"Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him." Luke 13:10-17

Observations regarding the passage:
1) The synagogue ruler didn't care that a fellow congregate was suffering. Not only did this woman suffer physically from a chronic condition but her condition most likely made her a social outcast as well  leading to another dimension to her suffering. That Jesus removed her suffering meant nothing to the supposed rule "law" followers because they were so desensitized to the suffering of others. "Let her be healed some other day" that's the speech of someone extremely calloused to the suffering of other people. If you were suffering would you want to wait for another day to be healed? Today is the day, that's Jesus' way.

2) When I first read this section of scripture I was greatly disturbed for it says "Satan had kept her bound for 18 years" but if we think through what we know of God's sovereignty and omniscience, it was God who allowed Satan to bind her all that time. God may not have caused her suffering but He allowed it and allowed it to go on for almost 20 years. I was deeply troubled for some time.
But then I read it again and the words "She glorified God" popped out at me. It might be that she wouldn't be a daughter of Abraham if she hadn't suffered this affliction. If it came to the choice of a straight spine during life on earth but with no thoughts of God or a crooked back for 20+ years leading to trust in God and an eternity in the bosom of Abraham, I hope we know what we'd rather have.

3) She went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. It doesn't say of this was her regular practice or if she was drawn to the synagogue just this once because she had heard Jesus was there. But she went. It's a great lesson about not putting off attendance at church or resisting the command to gather with fellow believers. We need others and they need us.

Prayer: God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - who is God our Father - I am a Daughter of Abraham because of the finished work of your Son Jesus. I share in the eternal inheritance you have promised all your children. If it comes to a choice between my will and my dreams with an eternity apart from you OR trust in your will, filled with temporary sufferings and personal costs, with an eternity as your daughter - I ask you to help me make the righteous and wise choice. Give us spiritual eyes that look beyond this temporary fading world. Let us gather together and relieve the suffering of those around us today. Amen.

We Can Do Nothing

This Sunday Stateline Church's services were dedicated to to preparing meals for Kids Around the World and One Meal. It was a really great experience and a chance to reflect on the great blessings we take for granted everyday - like having running water in our homes, food in our cupboards, and the ability to go to church and worship Christ so openly. As I was driving home I reflected on God's goodness and what our service to God should look like.

John Piper writes in his book Desiring God:

In John 15:5, Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” So we really are paralyzed. Without Christ, we are capable of no Christ-exalting good. As Paul says in Romans 7:18, “Nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” 

But John 15:5 also says that God does intend for us to do much Christ-exalting good, namely bear fruit: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” So as our strong and reliable friend — “I have called you friends” (John 15:15) — he promises to do for us, and through us, what we can’t do for ourselves.  

How then do we glorify him? Jesus gives the answer in John 15:7: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” We pray! We ask God to do for us through Christ what we can’t do for ourselves — bear fruit.  

John 15:8 gives the result: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” 

So how is God glorified by prayer? Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that he will provide the help we need.

Oh merciful, generous Father. We thank you for the blessing you have given us in just knowing who you are - your goodness, faithfulness, and love. It's the greatest blessing anyone can have - to know you and your son Jesus whom you have sent. Today our goal was to make 75,000 meals for those in the devastated and impoverished regions of the world. We offer up every grain of rice and packet of vitamins to you - and ask you to bless it and that those who receive it, not only get full stomachs but everlasting life in knowing You and Your Son whom you sent. Purify our minds to think the way you think. Purge our hearts of pride, materialism ,and apathy. We are your temple and we ask the Holy Spirit to come and move our hearts to love with your love. We can do nothing apart from you Jesus. Use today's work to glorify you and your name. Amen.

God's Promises: Can you name just one?

If the heart is the fountain of our true emotions, what does it mean when it ceases to flow or even have a trickle of joy/gladness/hope in God? If God is the greatest glory, wisdom, and might that exists in and outside of time, how can it at times stop feeling that way to us or cease seem to be marvelous to us?

Our hearts are fickle contrary things. Sometimes they are bursting with hope, love, and trust in God only to a few weeks, days, or moments later be a lifeless desert, filled with darkness, disinterest, and despondency.

These extremes in our hearts condition can be caused by different things. Sometimes the cause is identifiable - a change or uncertainty has approached and its quenched the life giving water because it has shaken our trust and faith. Other times a new flashy fake love (idol) has dethroned Him as King in our eyes. And yet there are times when nothing can be pinpointed as the source of the drought - all we know is something is off, missing, not right.

I think we go through these highs and lows because:

1. We are human - weak, fragile, fleeting creatures and these extremes we suffer from should not lead us away from Him but draw us closer to Him. He is merciful, kind, and abounding in love to those who seek Him. It's a call for us to not ever let a circumstance or feeling stop our communication with Him. Talk to Him about your highs and lows, seek His help and council, cry out to Him literally even, read His words, recall what He had done for you and for others.
2. It's a great chance to remember Jesus. Jesus our savior. Jesus our King. Jesus our Hope. Jesus our Lamb. Jesus our Victor. Jesus, who lives to intercede for us. Jesus. He was fully God and lived fully as a man just like us. He sympathizes with our sorrows and understands our needs. Whether you are on the mountaintop of great connection in which God feels so near or in the lions den with enemies spiritual and physical all around you - Jesus' life show a God who never forsakes or leaves those who trust Him despite the circumstances. The ups and downs of life are not only just happening to us alone for we all have them, they are not catching God by surprise, they are not evidence that God has lost control - they are opportunities to centralize Him as the One certainty of life and hope of the soul. Recalibrate your compass to what is true. If there is one good thing to obsess over in this world, it's Jesus the Son of God and that because of Him we are redeemed from our sins, daughters and sons of God, secure forever, seated with Him now, the list goes on and on.

When we are in a valley of darkness, may we remember it's just a shadow, The Light giver and maker has never left us and His character is a proven constant, we can trust He will never leave us. If we can remember just one promise of God may we remember Jesus who fulfilled so many of them and is where our hope can rest with confidence. He is risen! He is alive! He is our Amen Forever! I can't wait to be with Him forever - Can you? xo