Devotionals – Page 16 – Oh Lord Help Us

faith, perception, prayer, suffering, trust, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Assurance: When Having Faith Doesn’t Change Our Circumstances

DevotionalsJanuary 31, 2019January 31, 2019

Having big faith doesn’t always mean our circumstances change. We can have assurance in the promises of the Lord, even we do not see His plans.

Just have faith…

Over time the phrase almost became offensive. Like the squealing of dull brakes. You knew it was coming, but the way each word came grinding upon your heart –every. single. time.– seemed as if you had been caught off guard.

It was a kind sentiment: faith changes things. Indeed, it does.

But, what happens when my faith is strong and my prayers are bold, but my painful circumstance remains unchanged? What happens when my belief is BIG, but it never comes to fruition?

Collision

I never really thought much about the topic, until it began colliding with my life. For me, this pertained to my baby. I had watched her suffer unimaginable pain, seizure after seizure. I had watched her endure testing, blood draws, and EEGS. I had watched the way in which her little body was wrecked each time a seizure took its course.

I had watched her countless times being rushed into an ambulance. I had watched as the life flight helicopter took off with my little person in tow. I had watched her stop breathing, the way in which the physicians grew panicked, though they tried their best not to. I had watched as a machine kept her alive. And, I had watched her little face for hours while seizures overtook her body. All the while I begged God to make it stop.

Just Have It…

When this all started, I would have uttered the same words… faith, just have faith.

And I did have faith, in fact, I still do.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1, NIV

After my child’s first seizure, I believed God would take this away from her. FAITH.

And after her doctors listed the horrendous potential diagnosis, I believed God would not allow it. FAITH.

And every moment of each seizure, I believed that at any time my God could make it stop. FAITH.

Yet, here we are.

True Faith

Some would say my faith isn’t great enough. In fact, some HAVE said this. –In case you’re wondering, that’s never helpful or appropriate for a grieving heart.– Anywaaaaaaayyys…

I tend to disagree. My concept of faith has changed. Through this journey, I have learned that true faith is having faith in the waiting. True faith is having faith when the circumstance remains unchanged. True faith is remaining sure that He can, even when He does not. And, somehow making peace with that.

Yes, true faith DOES change things, though perhaps the circumstance is not what’s changing.

True faith changes hearts.

True faith changes perspectives.

True faith changes my once shallow perception.

It’s somehow being OK with God when He doesn’t fix all my problems in this life. Though I may never understand why He doesn’t, I hold tight to His promise that one day it will ALL be better.

True faith does change things, though perhaps the circumstance is not what’s changing. True faith changes hearts, perspectives, and perceptions. It’s somehow being OK with God when He doesn’t fix all our problems in this life. Click To Tweet

Unchanging Assurance

Today, maybe your circumstance hasn’t changed, despite your desperate pleas. Perhaps your relationship hasn’t changed despite your faithful prayers. Or the healing hasn’t come despite your unwavering belief.

My friend, you are one with true faith. Cling to it all the more tightly, trusting that He has made a way, though we do not yet see it.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19, NIV

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I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20, ESV

Have you ever experienced a time when God did not change your circumstance? Although the circumstance was unchanged, what positive changes came from that?

Sarah Lango is a momma of 3, wife, writer, speaker, Jesus follower, and coffee lover from small-town Missouri. She is the founder of Gracefilled Growth, where she writes about her faith, marriage, motherhood journey, and her new experience of being a “sick kids” mom.

Her passion is to inspire others to live authentic lives, learning together, and embracing the grace that God so lovingly offers. You can read more of Sarah’s writing at www.gracefilledgrowth.com or follow her on Facebook and Pinterest.

acceptance, approved, grace, salvation, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Exposed: Finding Approval in Jesus Instead of Others

DevotionalsJanuary 30, 2019January 30, 2019

Sharing about our past can leave us feeling exposed in front of others. Our approval comes from God alone. We must proclaim the good things He has done in our lives!

The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

Proverbs 15:7, CSB

Have you ever had a dream where you are naked and exposed in front of a huge crowd of people with nothing to cover up with? We wake up and immediately say ‘Thank goodness that was only a dream!’ I can’t say that right now as I type. Oh, how I wish I could.

I feel extremely exposed sharing my past. Sometimes I think I’d rather just act like that part of my life didn’t exist. But I know I can’t do that. So, I am exposing my past to you all whether you want to see this or not. This is 100% necessary in order for you to understand HIStory in my life. Ready or not, here I go…

Wanting Attention

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been the girl who was comfortable standing in the spotlight. As a child, I loved demanding the attention of a room by singing loudly and expressing myself in the silliest, most embarrassing ways. I sought and craved the applause I would get after finishing one of my solo performances. I didn’t care if I received attention out of sympathy; you know, the kind grown-ups give children that look homely.

I remember watching adults look at me with their heads tilted and say ‘oh you poor dear’. I was the child who would have the tangled hair, mismatched striped and polka dotted clothes with folded over socks in sparkly ruby red slippers. You know, THAT kind of attention! Yea, it never seemed to bother me how I got the attention, as long as I got it.

I enjoyed holding the microphone, standing center stage, under a spotlight dressed just like THAT without a worry in the world. A hot mess of a child who was carefree just wanting to put on a show for anyone willing to watch.

I was the never-ending story of a drama queen. Still am at times, if I’m being completely honest. I was always known to over exaggerate and use my imagination to its fullest ability. As a child, this behavior is often viewed by the world as ACCEPTABLE and ADORABLE. As a teenager though, this behavior would be likely viewed as ANNOYING and AWKWARD.

Desiring Affection

I was, am, and always will be a person that craves attention by affection. Physical touch is one of my love languages for sure. The best medicine to calm down my waterworks was a genuine, heartfelt hug. Still is actually.

As a parent now, I see how hard this must have been for my parents to do. Especially with the waterworks taking place inside a grocery store checkout line over a candy bar I was told I could not have. In that kind of moment, hugging is usually the LAST thing on a parent’s mind.

But hugs always seem to calm my soul and bring me back to reality. I learned that if I didn’t get the affection I so desperately needed from my parents, then I would seek it elsewhere. This need for affection carried into my adolescent years as well as my constant desire to be the center of attention. As you’ll see, this was not a good combination for someone living outside of Christ. The transition from a carefree energetic child to a rising adolescent in search of approval was quite a bumpy ride, to say the least.

Seeking Approval

My Dad’s job changed often. So, as a result, I moved around from school to school during my adolescent years. This made me a pro at using my outgoing personality to gain friends and establish popularity. I learned how to do my own makeup and started shaving my legs early on. I took pride in looking good outwardly because I noticed, very quickly, how much attention the boys gave me. Having the approval of boys was the key to my identity.

I was seeking their approval for so many things. I can still hear the thoughts going through my teenage mind… Am I pretty enough for him to notice me? Will this outfit turn his head my way? Am I cool enough to be his girlfriend?

All these things played in my mind every day before I would go to school. If I didn’t get the approval of the boy I wanted it from, then I would come home feeling ugly, unwanted and worthless.

This way of thinking is what led to my downward spiral of promiscuity and lust. I was fully aware of how to turn some heads. I was willing to push it as far as I felt comfortable, in order to receive the approval I was longing for.

Little did I know that I was completely misusing something inside of me that God intended to be used for good. This wrong way of behaving and thinking, unfortunately, kept making me feel unloved, exposed, dirty and ASHAMED. Who am I? What am I doing?!? How did I get here?! Is there ANYONE ABLE to help me?!

Finding the Answer

I’ll never forget the night for as long as I live. I was out partying at a club with my friend. She thought it would be funny to enter me into a mechanical bull riding contest, behind my back. Top prize to this particular contest was $100 cash.

What’s worse is that it was a contest that would be done wearing a bikini top and jeans in front of a VERY large crowd of people. I was mortified that she entered my name into this contest! I was already inwardly wrestling with who I was, and now here I go again seeking the approval of man.

Prior to this embarrassing moment, I had been invited by one of my Christian co-workers to a church event that was taking place over the weekend. I told him I didn’t have the $100 it cost to go. I’m sure you’re seeing where this is going. Yep. You got it! I won the bikini bull riding contest and used the $100 top prize to go to the weekend church event.

Yea I know…quite an interesting way to be saved! But it wound up being the best mistake I’ve ever made because it led to my salvation in Christ. I had finally found the ANSWER to my need for attention, affection, and approval. JESUS. Jesus was the ONLY ONE ABLE to help me recognize my sin and need for a Savior.

God instilled in me the ability to attract people and feel comfortable gaining the attention of a room. This was a gift He gave me that was never intended to be used for self. It was a gift intended to broadcast His truths and make His name known, not mine.

Writing for Him

Writing is the platform He has chosen for me to spread the good news of the gospel. The motives of my heart and how I live changed from making it all about me to making it all about HIM.

I have been following Jesus for the past 14 years, establishing a more mature and solid relationship with Him. Living this way has provided some of the most rewarding blessings! I have an affectionate, faithful husband of 10 years and three dramatic, imaginative kids.

My love bucket is beyond overflowing. God has handed me the microphone, and I’m excited to use this opportunity to tell more about Him and less about me. Jesus is the reason I write. He is the reason I make a joyful noise singing in traffic for all to see and hear. He is the reason I dance uncontrollably in my living room with my kids. And He is the reason I feel no fear of being exposed for Him.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed–a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘the righteous will live by faith.’

Romans 1:16 & 17, CSB

Exposed for Him

When the world would see me as unworthy, unloved, dirty and ugly; Jesus sees me as a valuable, loved, pure and a beautiful gem. My identity is no longer defined by my own worldly way of thinking. My identity is now found in Christ Jesus and I no longer have to worry about feeling exposed! Exposing my testimony is now His good and for the good of others.

So there it is. This isn’t a dream, it’s my reality. And I humbly share it with you today. I’m ready to do the work God has called me to do! I’m unashamed because I know I have the approval of the only One that matters… His name is not Kristen, it’s Jesus.

Be diligent to present yourself to God as one APPROVED, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15, CSB

When the world sees us as unworthy, unloved, dirty; Jesus sees a valuable, pure gem. Our identity is not defined by the world but in Christ. Click To Tweet

Radek Vebr

goals, journey, rest, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Restful: Settling In to the Long Journey of the Unknown

DevotionalsJanuary 29, 2019January 29, 2019

The unknown can be restful, once we accept that our goal is not in arriving somewhere or accomplishing anything. Our goal occurs within the journey.

Five years ago we began the process to foster to adopt in South Carolina. Soon after we were licensed, we moved to North Carolina, having to begin the process all over. Here in North Carolina, they require prospective foster families to wait a year after a major life event. During our year of waiting, the Lord changed our hearts from fostering to adopt, to straight foster care. We began classes in February, went through the home study, revealed every part of our lives to the state, and were licensed in the fall. Then, a week before Christmas we opened our home to a four-year little boy.

While at a Christmas party, I was sharing that we had a little boy coming and a bit of what I knew about him. A friend there made the observation that when we began this process five years ago, he was not even born. His comment made me remember a piece of advice that was given to me back in South Carolina by a veteran foster mom.

This foster mom has served over 50 foster children throughout the years. She has definitely experienced all the ups and downs of fostering. Her encouragement to me was in the waiting. It was good encouragement, as I have been waiting for quite some time! The exact comment was, “The child God has for you may not even be born yet.” Perhaps that was a prophetic word?

Unknown…

Now, it is not in our plans for him to become ours through adoption, but for the time he is in our home, he is our child. God has entrusted him to our care for however long this season may be. This is where I am learning to love sacrificially. And it is scaring the crap out of me. It’s also pulling crap out of my heart. I am loving a child who may or may not love me in return; who may or may not remember me in six months; who may or may not ever say my name right.

He may be in our home for a month, or six months, or forever. Or it could be next week if they find a family member who is willing to take him into their home. I may need to register him for kindergarten. I may need to find new caretakers that are closer so I can provide transportation. Or I may need to pack up all his clothes and send them on in that big, black, plastic, garbage bag that is a notorious indicator of foster children.

My days are spent calming tantrums, breaking up arguments, teaching routine. It is intense and constant. But I am most fatigued by the mental drain of the unknown. How do I provide consistency and stability for this little boy, when those two things are not reality?

Lessons…

I knew the Lord would teach me so much through fostering, and I have been excited about that – in a masochistic sort of way. He is teaching me about His love for humanity, and how His sacrifice was given with no guarantee of love in return. I am learning how to show love and mercy to those who are hurting. The Lord is convicting me of the judgment I have held for other’s decisions. And He is revealing to me how I need to love the children I gave birth to with the same freedom and openness.

It is in seeing His love for His people that I find solace. That sacrificial love is constant. From the beginning of time, His love for His people has never wavered.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

In this love I can trust that provision is given in all things. The ultimate provision has already been given. We have salvation.

Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

Romans 8:32

His love doesn’t mean things won’t be hard. But we do not need to fear the hard because He walks through the hard with us.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.

Psalm 23:4

And through the turmoil, He provides comfort.

For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:5

Relax…

Someone asked me once how I could handle the mental challenge of running marathons – so many miles, for so many hours? My response was that I settle in. I relax in knowing that there are many miles to come, so I must focus on the step in front of me. Yet another life lesson from running marathons.

The unknown can be restful, once we accept that our goal is not in arriving somewhere or accomplishing anything. Our goal is to become like Christ, and that occurs within the journey.

There are many miles to go for me, and likely you feel the same. Shall we settle in?

The unknown can be restful, once we accept that our goal is not in arriving somewhere or accomplishing anything. Our goal is to become like Christ, and that occurs within the journey. Click To Tweet

All scripture from the NLT Bible.

Katarzyna Urbanek

Christmas, Jesus, miracle, worship, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Magic: Remembering the Miracle of Christmas All Year

DevotionalsJanuary 28, 2019January 29, 2019

Christmas does not end on December 26. The magic of Christmas, the miracle and mystery of Jesus can be celebrated every day, all year long.

I know it sounds a little funny reading a Christmas post at the end of January. Many people have put Christmas behind them. The tree and lights are stored away; the stockings are no longer hung. The Christmas cookies and leftovers have long disappeared and all the candy canes are on clearance.

It is 2019, and now our minds are set on the new year, new beginnings, improving our lives and trying new things. We set lofty goals and resolutions as we send our kids back to school for a new semester (some with new shoes). The grocery store aisles are packed with red and pink hearts and even St. Patrick’s Day decor. The radio stations are back to playing their “normal” songs. The Baby in the manger lays forgotten in a closet until next year.

Lasting Magic

Yet we don’t have to forget. What if Christmas kept going all year round? I’m not talking about the stress of Christmas – the shopping, wrapping, baking and elf-hiding. It’s the magic, the mystery and the wonder lasts through January, February and all year long.

I want to focus on a unique aspect of the Christmas Story, the Wise Men, also called “Magi.” Who were these mysterious foreigners, and how did a single star lead them to Jesus?

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’
Matthew 2:1-2, NIV

The Wise Men were magicians, sorcerers and foreigners from the East. We know that they did not previously know or worship God. Yet, they came to Jesus.

They came to see The One whose power and majesty far outweighed any wisdom or magic trick they could concoct. They knew He was special, and they knew He was worth their time. These foreign magicians knew He was God Eternal, the Everlasting King.

The Wise Men saw all of this in a single star, which led them to bow before a tiny little Baby.

Lasting Mystery

Matthew, Jesus’ disciple and author of this book, originally wrote to a Jewish audience. He was very intentional on multiple occasions to demonstrate how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah.

In Jewish times, people who were Gentile (foreigner or non-Jews) were considered unclean and unholy. Why would Matthew make sure to document to a primarily Jewish audience, that these non-believers from another land came to worship Jesus?

And better yet, why would God call these men from far away when they were not His people? Why did foreign magicians have such a crucial role in the Christmas story?

God does not think the way we think. Or even the way we want Him to. God caused Gentile men, who did not know Him, to travel to the country of Israel, to the rundown town of Bethlehem in order to worship Him, as a baby.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9, NIV

Lasting Majesty

Another significant person in the Christmas account actually lived 700 years before Jesus was even born: Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet of God to the people of Judah during the reigns of four different Jewish kings. In Isaiah 6, we read about an incredible encounter Isaiah has with Jesus on the throne.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Isaiah 6:1-3, NIV

Isaiah later gets the famous message that we hear at every Christmas pageant and see on many Christmas cards.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6, NIV

Isaiah saw the majesty of the Lord, both in His heavenly form on His throne, and in His human form, as a baby. Both are majestic, and both are holy.

As we look at the Baby in the manger, we can remember that God chose the unlikely foreigners to lead the way in worship. We can stare at the mystery and magic of His birth and remember that God’s ways are higher than our own. Even when we read Matthew’s recount of the story or Isaiah’s prophetic words, we rejoice, that the grace of God cuts through cultural barriers, and systems.

Lasting Trust

Most of us do not feel like Wise Men, but we might feel like outsiders. We can trust, that the Light of God will lead us to Jesus, no matter where we have come from.

We can trust that He is worthy of our time, worthy to be worshiped, no matter what the world looks like around us.

When we see that little Baby in the manger and when God’s ways don’t make sense, we can rejoice with the angels. We can declare, “Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty, ” because that is who He is.

We can trust, that the Light of God will lead us to Jesus, no matter where we have come from. We can trust that He is worthy of our time, worthy to be worshiped, no matter what the world looks like around us. Click To Tweet

Simon Matzinger

encouragement, friendship, love, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Encouraging: Reaching Out to Others Costs Us Nothing

DevotionalsJanuary 27, 2019January 29, 2019

Reaching out and encouraging others can feel like we are being a bother. The opposite is quite true: we are giving strength to weary people who need it.

Discouragement was weighing heavily on me. It was the week before Christmas and I had done very little to prepare. For the previous 7 weeks, my husband was traveling for work. I spent a lot of this time getting ready for our foreign exchange student to experience her first Christmas. But she was gearing up to leave our home forever.

I was run down and feeling low when, suddenly, a text appeared on my phone. A friend, many states away, reached out to tell me she’d seen a meme that made her think of me. It was nothing extravagant. She forwarded the meme with her thought, however, she had no way of knowing it was exactly what I needed to hear!

Encouraging

I wonder how often we are given a name by the Holy Spirit but brush it aside with a warm thought and never follow up? I know He wants us to pray for one another…He tells us so in the Bible. But in this day and age of instant communication, we rarely reach out and talk to one another. All I know is, the message that’s been clear to me the last month is this:

Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:11, NLT

When I receive an email from a colleague, a text from a friend, a call from my dad…all of these things let me know I’m loved. I’m on their mind. I matter to other people. It’s so encouraging!

In this day and age of instant communication, we rarely reach out and talk to one another. But God's Word is clear. We are to encourage and uplift one another in love so that God may dwell among us. Click To Tweet

Strengthening

As a busy mom and wife, I am so worried about the home front that I often neglect my own needs. When others take the time out of their own busy lives to let me know I’m important to them, I feel strength course through my veins! The mind is a powerful thing. As my friends and family speak love and encouraging words to me, I am somehow given a very physical reaction to an emotional feeling.

The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.

Isaiah 50:4, NLT

Sometimes, in this digital age, we convince ourselves that reaching out is really a bother to busy people. I am a witness to how untrue that is. When I see someone I love taking the time to reach out to me, I never feel bothered. I feel encouragement and strength.

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who those who have weak knees.

Isaiah 35:3, NLT

Reaching Out

How might this word help you today? Is there someone or several people in your life you’ve been meaning to connect with and haven’t? Do you have an email almost finished to send, a letter to an elderly grandparent unwritten, a kind word of praise to your child? Maybe a word of support and appreciation to your spouse?

I don’t know about your own lives, but I know many times I think of friends and family and don’t take a few minutes to reach out. It costs me nothing but a moment of my time. Time I may be squandering on social media or reading an inconsequential novel. We all have the same amount of time, and we need to prioritize some of it to bring encouragement to one another.

It may not be everyone’s gift, but it certainly is a discipline we all can and should develop. I encourage you to make a list of people God has put in your life. Try to reach out in one manner or another each day to one person.

Patrick Selin

resolution, focus, purpose, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Resolute: Learning to be Unwavering in Our Purpose

DevotionalsJanuary 23, 2019January 23, 2019

Many times we go into the New Year with resolutions, but lack actually being resolute. How much would our lives change if we lived with purpose and acted it out in every aspect of our lives?

Year after year I have made many New Year’s Resolutions and year after year I have not succeeded in any resolution I have made. From weight loss goals to quiet time goals, they never go as I expect them to. 2019 is a New Year and I am asking myself the same questions…What do I want my resolution to be? How will I actually fulfill my resolutions? What if this year, instead of making resolutions, we decide to be resolute in the purpose God has given us?

Resolute Defined

What does it mean to resolute? According to Google Dictionary, it means “to be admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering”. Let’s take a minute and resonate on that definition.

Purposeful, determined, unwavering. Those are very powerful words. What would our life look like if we were to exude those qualities in our relationship with Christ? How often do we waver? Give up our determination? Forget our purpose?

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NLT

I love the imagery this scripture provides with our faith being like a race. It provides the perfect example of what it looks like to be resolute in our beliefs and journies.

Ultimate Purpose

The part of this passage that stuck out to me the most was “I run with purpose in every step”. A lot of times, as believers, we tend to wonder or forget what God destined for us. We act not because it is purposeful but because it is easy. Or, we think it will help us find our purpose…

We get caught up trying to find our specific function in this world that we forget what our ultimate purpose is… To love, follow, and serve our God.

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 22:37-39, NLT

Love God, love others. That’s it. While many of us have even more specific callings, at the end of the day all followers of Christ were created for this common purpose.

How resolute are we in this? Unfortunately, I know I am not resolute in loving God and loving others. I judge and gossip. I don’t trust His plan and deal with discontentment. This is not the picture of being resolute.

Love God, love others. While many of us have more specific callings, at the end of the day all followers of Christ were created for this common purpose. Click To Tweet

The Vision

What does it look like to be resolute in our purpose?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Colossians 3:23, NIV

Being resolute in our purpose means doing all things as if we are doing them for the Lord. In your place of work, in times of discontentment, in times of struggle and doubt; do all things as if doing them for the Lord.

When we practice this, it will change every aspect of our lives. Our productivity at work will go up. We will treat our bodies better. Our relationships will become richer and stronger. We will act out our purpose in every aspect of our lives. We will be admirably purposeful, unwavering, and determined. So let’s go into 2019 not focusing on our resolutions but on our purpose. Doing all things as if unto the Lord.

new, resolution, salvation, beloved, Oh Lord Help Us, Christian, women, mentor, ministry

Newness: Learning to Live As New Creatures in Jesus Christ

DevotionalsJanuary 22, 2019January 22, 2019

As born again believers, we leave behind our old, sinful nature to live in the newness of Jesus Christ. This is a choice we can make with the newness of each day.

As a new year is upon us, I imagine that many people are eagerly anticipating something new. But as with any transition, I suspect that many others are actually dreading the prospect of a new year. Perhaps there’s pressure to create lofty New Year’s resolutions. Many of the same problems that have plagued us for years linger still. It’s just the same old, same old. Same old stressful job. Family problems. Same old debt. Weight to lose. Same old bad habits to break.

Seems as if there’s nothing new to look forward to. Nothing to feel excited about. Nothing new under the sun. It won’t be the simple turning of a page on the calendar that miraculously makes all things new. Beloved, when we believe in Jesus Christ, no matter the date on the calendar, there is always something new in store. And that is good news! So let’s explore this notion of newness. What does it really mean to be made new? Is this a one time deal at the point of salvation, or are there new things we can anticipate each and every day?

A simple turning of a page on the calendar won't miraculously make all things new. Beloved, when we believe in Jesus Christ, there is always something new in store. And that is good news! Click To Tweet

Passed Away…

First off, we need to understand that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, there is a death that takes place. Our old, sinful nature must die in order for our spirit to come alive in Christ.

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

When we are saved, we leave behind our old nature. Old things pass away. People often use the phrase ‘pass away’ as a euphemism for death. And indeed, our old self dies at the point of salvation.

As we move through each new day, and each new year, it’s critical to recognize that the Lord offers us His newness. He has made us new in Him. We are no longer reliant on our own strength as we navigate this life. Born again, we now have the power of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ living in us. And when that’s the case, anything is possible!

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Matthew 19:26

Man’s Newness…

What once seemed impossible to our old nature, is now possible in Christ. We are capable of doing new things, acting in new ways, and pursuing new dreams because we are new creatures. Leaving behind our old shortcomings and weaknesses, we get to trade in our old nature for a fresh identity: Jesus Christ. And when we make that trade, we receive all of who He is.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24

Much of this rebirth–from the old carnal man to the new spirit man–happens in our minds. This is why is it so vital to learn who the Bible says we truly are in Jesus. It’s only when we renew our mind to His truth, that we can begin to operate from a place of true righteousness and holiness. Those old ties that bound–lust, corruption, sin–no longer have a hold on us.

A New Thing…

In order to live from this place of newness, we must also resist the temptation to return to our old ways. We can’t let past regrets, old lusts, or painful memories continue to haunt us. When we dwell on those old things–which pertain to our old nature–we can miss the new things the Lord is doing in our lives.

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19

Leaving behind the former things, we are actually able to see new blessings from the Lord. When the Lord removes our blinders, and those old scales fall off of our eyes, we can clearly see the good that He is up to in our lives. This is the same God who led the Israelites through the desert, and who made rivers in that desert. These were new things indeed! When we keep our mind stayed on His truth and set our gaze on Him, we will see Him do completely unexpected things on our behalf.

New Mercies…

Beloved, if we blow it one day–or have been blowing it for quite some time–the good news is that we can always turn back to the newness of the Lord. That’s what repent means. Turning back to Him. Asking Him to forgive our sins. Praying for Him to help us completely leave our old man behind. Thanking Him for giving us a new nature. His nature. Praising Him for re-making us in His image.

He is merciful and kind, faithful to forgive us. To give us new mercies. To give us a new, clean slate. Not just on New Year’s Day, but every day. Because each new day is an opportunity to do a new thing when we are living as new creatures in Christ Jesus.

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Have you left your old behind? What new thing will you do today as a new creature in Christ?

All scripture references are from The King James Version of The Bible.

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Forgetting: Leaving the Past Behind and Pressing On

DevotionalsJanuary 21, 2019January 22, 2019

Forgetting the past and pressing on towards the future can feel unobtainable. But the Lord calls us to witness the new things He is doing in our lives.

Ah, a new year is upon us yet again. (It will likely take me six months to remember to write 2019!) A new year can mean different things to different people – a fresh start, a renewed exercise/diet plan, or beginning the latest Bible Study. Forgetting the former year’s mistakes or blunders may also be part of a new year agenda.

Have you been making resolutions? Thinking about resolutions? Breaking them already? I gave up New Year’s resolutions several years ago because it was too discouraging when I didn’t keep them…year after year after year! Finally, I accepted who I am: someone who doesn’t keep resolutions! Or…more honestly, is not going to stick to a diet or exercise program, which is, unfortunately, what they usually pertained to.

Upheaval

2018 was a turbulent year for me. As many of you know, my mom died in December of 2017, after a long and demoralizing battle with dementia. Following a five-year struggle against lung cancer, my only sibling died in June of 2018. In addition, my husband retired in August and we hauled our lives from our home state to another state to be closer to our grandchildren. In doing so, we left our oldest son and daughter-in-love, dearest friends, our church, and beloved neighborhood.

With so many upheavals occurring in my life within one year, chronic migraines assailing me, the latter part of 2018 found me hiding in a dark place, spiritually and emotionally spent. My prayers went something like this:

Leave me alone, God. I’m tired and sad and lonely. Tell me again why we moved? These migraines are disabling me – I’m useless to You now…and I’ve gained weight!

Arrested

But my Heavenly Father would have none of it. He waited patiently…and loved me through all the mess and self-pity. During the last few days of 2018, He arrested me with a challenge for 2019. Through His Word, the Spirit of God challenged me with a passage from Isaiah.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:18-19, NIV

I also love the wording of another translation:

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,…”Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:16, 18-19, ESV

As someone trained in the field of counseling, and as a veteran of therapy myself, I have spent a great deal of time looking back. Remembering former things is what you could call my specialty. Learning from the past, delving into family-of-origin dysfunction, which impinges on current daily life, old wounds which have never healed – studying these areas can lead to emotional health.

Drowning in them can lead to emotional sickness and death.

Forgetting

There are several instances in Scripture when God invokes His people to remember: Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 7:17-18; I Chronicles 16:12, 15; Luke 22:19; 2 Timothy 2:8 – to name a few.

There are also times when His people chose to remember God’s works to strengthen themselves in difficult situations: Psalm 45:17; Psalm 77:11; Psalm 78:35.

Remembering isn’t a bad thing, especially when we remember in light of Jesus and how He has worked in our lives. Remembering can become quicksand when we glorify the past or make it an idol, as though God can’t work like that, again. I know; I’ve committed that sin. It was subconscious, at first, but the message to my Father was the same: “You can’t top what you did in my life back there!”

Loss is Gain

If anyone had a license to point back boastfully to what God had done in his life, we all know it was the apostle Paul. Who among us was blinded by a dazzling light, clearly spoken to, and commissioned by the Lord Jesus Himself?! I won’t even go into his immense apostle resume, but he gives a rundown of his Pharisee vitae in Philippians 3. Nevertheless, Paul stated that his intellectual and religious past was, in his own words, rubbish.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…

Philippians 3:7-8, NKJV

Pressing On

Can you imagine? In his day, essentially, Paul had gained the whole world. He was revered as a Jewish scholar among scholars. After Jesus captivated him, he became the apostle of apostles, if you will allow me license here. He preached to masses, healed many, cast out evil spirits, (Acts 19:11-20). He even corrected Peter before the Church council (Galatians 2:11-14)- Peter! the rock upon whom the Church was built! In addition, Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Yet, the accolades to which many of us would cling with tenacity meant nothing to him.

Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect; but I press on, to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14, ESV

Forgetting

Forgetting what lies behind – the failures AND the victories. For some of us, it’s easier to forget the victories than the failures. They eat at us and gradually the enemy sees that they become our identity. The failures become little foxes that spoil the vineyards of our lives, (Song of Solomon 2:15), eviscerating us and leaving us powerless.

For others of us, the victories are clutched to our chests and we refuse to release them. They define us. Whether they are spiritual, religious, or business successes, we believe we would be naked, vulnerable…nothing without them. Perhaps our identity is wrapped up in them, so how can we forget those bouquets of victory?

Oh, Beloved, forget the former things; don’t dwell on the past. If we will lay down the past, our mighty God will do a new thing this year. He longs to. He will make a way in the wilderness of our lives and rivers in the desert that was once our dreams.

Press on, sisters.

Beloved, forget the former things; don't dwell on the past. If we will lay down the past, our mighty God will do a new thing this year. He longs to. He will make a way in the wilderness of our lives. Click To Tweet

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Compassion: Portraying Tenderness through Actions, Not Just Words

DevotionalsJanuary 20, 2019January 20, 2019

Compassion is more than a feeling, it’s an action. We must live this two-fold mission, to truly love those around us. To truly portray the love of Christ.

Sharing my testimony is a tool I use to help others feel comfortable with me. I tell the nitty-gritty of my past so that others know I am not sitting on a lofty pillar. There’s nothing they can tell me that will make me run away.

It’s easy for me to talk about the past. It has come and gone. I can share the lessons I’ve learned and the way God moved. But the right now is way more difficult. It can feel too raw, too vulnerable, too real to talk about current circumstances…

Compassion in Action

But I did just that. I couldn’t take it any longer. I found my safe friend, stumbled around small talk, then let it flow. My heart knew I could trust her. We’d already been through so much in such a short time. She could see through the tears, the pain, the anger, the vulnerability. She listened, cried, felt my pain, and loved me.

Her love was action. She jumped head first into How can I help my friend mode. Secretly texting her husband… We need to help Katie. And they did. My friend felt my need, saw where she could help, and helped. Compassion in action…

Prove It

Compassion. This word can be thrown around willy-nilly, without a mind for God’s (Biblical) definition. The world tells us it’s a tender feeling toward someone suffering. There’s often a strong desire to lessen the pain. And while this is definitely true, we know love is more than just a strong desire. Love is an action.

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 3:18, NLT

Compassion doesn’t just boil down to a posture of the heart. It is also a posture of our hands. I mean this figuratively and literally. It’s two-fold, noun and verb. In my real life example, my friend’s heart felt the same pain as mine. But her hands, arms, and mouth provided comfort in my suffering, alleviating a small amount of my pain.

Bottomless Compassion

Imagine for a second, if my example had a different narrative. What if my friend had judged or rejected me? What if she threw condemnation in my face instead of reminding me of my redemption in Christ? Have you ever received reproach? Have you ever given it?

I think we are all guilty of this, but pure compassion overpowers judgment. Because we have all received bottomless grace upon grace through our Beautiful Redeemer (John 1:16), we can love others where they are. We can say I hear you, I see you, I feel for your situation. This gives us the ability to cultivate trust and share truth. To share the sincere love of Christ.

If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.

1 John 4:20-21, MSG

Holy Spirit Lead

Genuine compassion is the result of our lives being poured out and replaced with the sympathies of God. Our devotion to Him allows us to be a conduit for His love. When we step outside our human nature (self-minded), the Holy Spirit has room to occupy our words, our hearts, our actions.

Let’s not just speak words of tenderness, let’s jump into action to help those who are broken, worn down, or suffering. It doesn’t always have to be a massive undertaking… a hug, a served dinner, $5, free childcare… Every effort made through compassion honors our Gracious Father.

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

1 Peter 3:8, NLT

Have you surrendered to God’s heart? Has the Holy Spirit prompted you towards a posture of empathy and kindness?

Let's not just speak words of tenderness, let's jump into action to help those who are broken, worn down, or suffering. Every effort made through compassion honors our Gracious Father. Click To Tweet

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Proven: Who are We? We Are Spoken For and Justified

DevotionalsJanuary 17, 2019January 17, 2019

What is our go-to response when people ask us who we are? We are Christ’s. That’s who we are. We have nothing to prove because we’ve been proven.

What defines us as people? Is it our social status? Our hobbies? Our jobs or grades? Personally, I’m going to have to say no. I think we all know, at least somewhere in our heads, these things do not define us. We hear it all the time…

You’re more than their opinion of you. – or – You aren’t the clothes you wear.

What are we trying to prove by presenting our best, outward selves? We are not defined by material things, but what are we defined by? There are so many things each of us could say if someone were to ask Who are you? Let’s journey through my most recent identity crisis. My hope is that what I’ve learned will bring a new, possibly clearer view of who and whose you are.

A Trip To Finding Myself

Some of you may be familiar with Young Life. For those of you who are not, the best way I can describe it is to call it a school-based youth group. Their main focus is to penetrate the teenage mind and introduce Christ to the terrifying mob often referred to as high schoolers.

The weekend of December 7th, I went on a retreat with Young Life and had a radical, unexpected transformation. Towards the end of the weekend, the speaker told all 400 of us the story of Christ’s resurrection. I’ve heard this story all my life and in all honesty, I hadn’t genuinely expected to get a lot out of the weekend aside from good reminders. I was so wrong.

Not Listening

For every-single-one of the 17 years I’ve been on this great green earth, I’ve been comparing myself and setting unrealistic standards for how I live my life. This is a natural thing all human beings experience. My problem is that I preach the answer to anyone and everyone undergoing the same issue. I’m always saying things like…

Stop looking at yourself through their eyes.

You are yours before you are anyone else’s.

But I’m just gonna come out and say it, I don’t listen to anyone when they tell me the same. Not my family, friends, or even myself. We’re told that without Christ nothing is possible and that we do not have to heal ourselves before going to the doctor. I’ve never been able to apply that.

Spoken For; Proven

The speaker told us all to get out and talk to God. While sitting all by myself in below freezing weather for 15 minutes, I had a life-altering moment…

I am spoken for, I am justified, I don’t have to prove myself to anyone. Not people in my 6th-period class, not the people I went on that retreat with. I don’t have to prove myself to my church or my family. I don’t even have to prove myself to myself because I have been proven in Christ.

Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

John 7:28-29, NIV

We are spoken for, justified, chosen. We don’t have to prove ourselves to anyone, not even to ourselves. We have been proven in Christ Jesus. Click To Tweet

Not Alone

I am not here on my own. What a great reassurance that we are not alone! When I find myself using earthly things to define myself, it gets lonely. That’s like trying to trust our entire lives in a human being’s hands; we will fail. It is human to make mistakes. We have to put everything in Christ. Our trust, our love, and our identity.

Who are you? What are you letting the world say about you and how much of it are you believing?

Who am I? Well, I’m Anna. I’m 17 years old. I’ve not yet reached the glorious height of 5 feet tall, I’m from Kentucky, and I love music and art. Above all else, I am a daughter of Christ. I have been chosen and I have eternal life with the Holy One.

For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Ephesians 1:4-5, CSB

Ethan Weil