You open the mailbox and there's a card addressed to you. Someone's throwing the party of the century, and you're invited to attend! Whether you can make it or not, an invitation has been extended, and the sender deserves a response. 

Jesus has extended many different kinds of invitations. Some of them even believers ignore. What will you do with your invitations? Respond affirmatively; say no thank you; or, ignore them?

Let's look at just a few of the things He invites us to "come" and do, from the examples of Scripture:

• 1.  Be saved: Isaiah 55:3, "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you..."
• 2. Rest: Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  
• 3. Be satisfied: John 7:37-39, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
• 4. Fellowship with Him: John 21:12, "Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine...”
• 5. Inherit: Matthew 25:34, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Jesus invites us to come and be saved, rest and be satisfied in Him, fellowship with Him, and inherit eternal life. What is your response? Please be polite. Don't ignore the invitations.

What is the essence of a person?

The dictionary defines "essence" as "the properties or attributes by means of which something can be placed in its proper class or identified as being what it is" and "the most significant element, quality, or aspect of a thing or person".

In the book of Matthew, we find a familiar story that describes the essence of Jesus:

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. Matthew 9:20-22

A significant part of Jesus' essence is His power. His miracles help us identify Him as God. Certainly, the healing virtue didn't come from the garment. Jesus didn't wear a magical cloak, neither do I believe that his power was actually transferred to the fabric. I believe if the woman had reached out and come up ten feet short of touching the hem of his garment, she still would have been made whole. Because what she grabbed wasn't just the hem of His garment, it was the "Him" of his garment. Her faith wasn’t in the clothes. It was in who Jesus’ was, His identity as God in flesh. And her faith resulted in a miracle.

This story displays not only Jesus' power, but two other traits that describe his essence: He is omniscient and compassionate. People pressed in from all sides, yet He knew who had reached out in faith. He picked her out of the mob. And He had compassion on her, encouraging her to "be of good comfort". He reassured her that her faith had worked.

We may be reaching for His garment, for something that we need from Him, but we first need to grab hold of who Jesus really is. Meditate on his essence. Trust in his power, rely on his omniscience, and rest in his compassion.

We recently compounded the crazy in our house by adding a fourth furry friend to the family. The current dynamic is two parents, three kids, two cats, and two dogs, and the newest member has been an interesting life change.

My husband and I hadn’t dealt with the joys and trials of a puppy in a long time, since our good girl Maggie is far past that stage. Enter a sweet yellow lab mix we both couldn’t resist. His name is Rico, and since we brought him home, this now five-month-old, fifty-two pound puppy has taught me some things about who I am and who I want to be.

Rico is not 100% house-trained. He's learning quickly, but he's still a puppy, and he sometimes has "accidents" in the house. The most frustrating thing about potty training a dog is going a couple of days without any puddles or unpleasant surprises, getting excited about the break-through, then walking into the kitchen to find another mess. Three steps forward and two steps back in the process is discouraging.

While it might be the MOST UNUSUAL COMPARISON I've ever made, Rico's shortcomings remind me of myself. I've been a Christ-follower for a long time. I ought to know how this whole thing works, right? I know what sin is, and I should know how to avoid it. But do I always do the right thing? No, I make mistakes just like Rico. Maybe (definitely) not just like his mistakes, but I can easily find myself in a stinky situation when I'm not Christ-like in my words, thoughts, or actions, and this reality makes me want to be show Rico a little grace.
 
But there's at least one way in which I aspire to be like my lab. This dog is always by my side. If I'm on the couch, he's on the couch. If I'm working in the kitchen, he's in the kitchen. If I let him outside to potty in the fenced backyard, he won't go unless we come out and stand with him. He'll stay on the deck and bark to be let back in. He doesn't want to be left alone, or maybe he doesn't want me to be alone. Either way, he is loyal; a steadfast companion. He likes to be near me. 

James 4:8  says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..." When we just nudge in close to the Father, he tucks in close to us right back. May I strive to stay near Him, never leave His side. Drawing close to God through reading the Word, praying, and meditating on Him is how I learn to be more like Him and avoid those "messes" that my sin makes. May I be even more loyal to the Lord than my dog is to me.

Thanks, Rico, for the lesson.

1.) Your mother loves you with all her heart.
2.) You are wonderful.
3.) Jesus Loves you.

I made this list for my children because it's important. These are the things I want them to remember when life gets tough. These are the truths I want them to carry into adulthood. To one day teach their children. To hold in their hearts even after I'm gone.

We practice the list sometimes. I quiz them on it: "What are the three things I want you to always remember?" They often respond with some paraphrased version of what I've taught them. But I'll take it.

It makes me think, if Jesus had a similar list, what would it look like? What does He want us to carry always? To never forget, no matter where we are in life? Based on Scripture, here's what I think He wants us to remember:

1.) I love you.
2.) Don't worry.
3.) You are valuable.

He said "I love you" by leaving the beauty of heaven, taking on human flesh, and being born into this world. To be near us. To walk among us. To know us.

He says "don't worry" over and over in the Bible. Don't worry about food, clothes, tomorrow (Matthew 6). Will we listen? He says "my peace I give to you" (John 14:27). Will we take it?

He said "you are valuable" on the cross, by redeeming us with his blood- a payment more precious than silver or gold (1 Peter 1).

When life gets complicated, go back to the list. It's proven in the Word. Hold it close to your heart.  Meditate on the simple truths He wants you to remember.

My youngest child is mischievous, and hyper, and often unruly, but he is one of the wisest people I know. He has a profound understanding of God, and an amazing commitment to follow Him. Only four when he made a profession of faith in Jesus, he was baptized before he was five and a half.

Daniel wanted to be the first one in the river, and there wasn’t a hint of nervousness on his face until he got into position to be dunked. He panicked a bit but rallied quickly, and he came out of the water smiling. Later that day, this is what he told me:

“I just kept telling my brain, I’ve made up my mind.”

Wow. What resolve! He made up his mind and was determined to follow through.

It reminds me of a song I've loved since childhood which says, “I’ve got my foot on the rock and my mind’s made up.” My aunt sings it often in our church, and she delivers the song's message so powerfully. (I don’t have a video of her singing it, but here’s another good version for you to enjoy: Bowling Family YouTube Video)

When we’ve decided to do anything that we know to be the will of God, we have to follow through. Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 NKJV) In a world full of wishy-washy, flip-floppers, it's important for us to have made-up minds.

I’ve started and stopped many projects. Sometimes I get excited about an idea and the next day it’s a distant memory. But I hope I will stay committed to the things that really matter. I want to be steadfast and immovable, like the scripture encourages: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV)

Certainly, I wouldn't have been upset if my son had decided not to be baptized that day. It was his choice to make. But his courage to follow through is an inspiration to me, and I hope it is to you. When you feel like turning back on the task to which you've been called, just remind yourself you've made up your mind!

An actor looks at his script and begins to read a scene from the second act. Because he jumped into the middle of the plot, he doesn't have enough knowledge of the character's backstory and mindset to perform the role believably. He can only infer the correct emotions based on the dialogue.

​"What's my motivation?" the actor asks the director. "How did my character get to this point in his journey? What's his story?"

​As Christians, we are instructed to do some pretty big things. The Bible says, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself." (Luke 10:27) Of course, we do this with the help of the Holy Spirit, but as we strive to live out this verse, it helps to look at our motivation. Why do we love, serve, and obey Him? What pushes us to keep going?

​The Word makes our motivation clear: "We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19) He loves us! That's what should motivate us more than anything to follow Him. Especially since we didn't have to earn His love, and we certainly didn't deserve it. Romans 5:8 says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

​Whenever the journey seems hard and you find yourself asking "Why should I?" do this or "Why should I?" do that, remember your motivation: He loves you. The God of the universe loves you unconditionally, and that's enough to keep you going.

There are some big promises in the Word of God, and sometimes I think we miss them. Maybe we just get so caught up trying to fill our scripture quota that we miss the truth of what God is saying to us. But I found a really big promise this week, wrapped up in two itty-bitty words: All things. Through His word, I want to look at how God has promised us EVERYTHING (all things) we will ever need.

One of my favorite verses has always been Romans 8:28, which assures us that “all things” work together for good to those who love God. But my study on our sufficiency in God came from 2 Peter 1:3. Here we find that God has “given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” through the knowledge of Jesus. He has given us all things! That’s a big thought! When we know Jesus, we are fully equipped with everything we need, not only to live, but to live godly lives.

The promise of total sufficiency through God began in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 9:3 says, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” This is an example of God not holding any good thing back. He provided completely.

This idea of abundance in Christ has nothing to do with a “prosperity gospel”. That’s a very narrow way to look at the blessings of God. The Bible says, “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) What does “all things” mean? What exactly do we have? I believe it means literally everything. We have access to everything we could possibly need or want, according to His will. The sky is the limit...if God wills it. And if He doesn’t will it, I don’t want it!

​Another of my favorite passages is this beautiful sermon from the Apostle Paul found in Acts 17: "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." (Acts 17:24 – 28)

He made everything, he owns everything, and he gives everything to us as his children. Bottom line—when you have Jesus, you have everything.

​Check out these other applicable “all things” verses: Psalm 8:6; Philippians 4:13; Matthew 19:26; Matthew 6:33; 1 Corinthians 3:21

What do they mean to you? I'd love for you to share in the comments!

I'm tired of listening to people's problems.

​It may seem harsh, but I'm tired of just listening to the constant noise about the number of things wrong in our communities, and you should be tired of it, too. The time has come for the body of Christ to do more than listen. We need to stand up and actually be the solution for our broken world, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the book of Nehemiah, one hundred and sixty years after the start of Israel's captivity by the Babylonians, God stoked the heart of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the capital city of his ancestors. Nehemiah heard the news that "the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire (Nehemiah 1:3)", then he wept and mourned over the situation. He also prayed and sought direction from the Lord, and God paved the way for Nehemiah to carry out a plan of action to fix the problem.​

Driving with my smartphone in my lap, I became aware that I had reached for it several times to make sure it was still there, as if the phone had a history of walking away. In that moment, I acknowledged my dependence on and obsession with the little device. Then in an attempt at self-absolution, I said, "Oh, I know God is all I need, and I could live without electronics as long as I still had Him." But God wasn't done with the teaching moment, and this isn't a devotional about not putting your devices ahead of God.

After exploring the idea of living without technology and convincing myself I could handle it if necessary, I was confronted with a few questions: What about the Bible? What if I had to live without it? If for some reason my Bible, and my Bible app, were suddenly unavailable to me, would I have enough of it hidden away in my heart to be satisfied?

The Holy Bible is a method of communication which God provided to teach us about Him and to guide us in righteousness. The Bible is more accessible and more available throughout the world now than it has been at any other time in history (although in some places, people put themselves at great risk for owning a Bible). Knowing that I don't appreciate the ease of access to the Bible as much as I should, I have to question how it would affect me if it were taken away. Would the fact that I've memorized John 3:16 and 17 be enough to satisfy me? Would the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23 be enough to me? How would I hunger for it and grieve over it, if I couldn't have it?

Psalms 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Although I believe the Lord will preserve His word, it is a good exercise to imagine how life would change if the Bible suddenly vanished and it wasn't here to light my path. I imagine I would write down every verse of scripture I know, and pray to remember more. I would probably ask everyone around me what verses they remembered as well.

Thankfully, the Holy Spirit can never be taken away and will always be my Guide, but I pray that God will continue to speak to me through His word, and that I will treasure it. We should commit scripture to memory, not for fear that it will be taken away, but to allow it to work in our lives.

Have you ever been praying and realized your words were actually from His Word? We know God speaks to us through the scripture, but we can use the scripture in our communication to Him as well.

We are given the model prayer by Our Lord in Matthew 6 and in Luke 11, and there is power in reciting this prayer (sincerely and not out of vain repetition) every day. Indeed, all our prayers should center around four words from the Lord's Prayer: "Thy will be done."

But I'd like to present you with some other verses that can be used in prayer. From the Old Testament, I like to use the words from the heart of King David in the book of Psalms as my own plea to God. There are so many we can reference, but for today, these are the verses I've connected together as my personal prayer. This is what is on my heart:

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalms 19:14) Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10) Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. (Psalms 143:10) From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalms 61:2)"

The words from Psalms need no editing, because they are already directed to God. From the New Testament, I've taken the prayer of the Apostle Paul for the church at Phillipi and personalized it.

This prayer is based on Philippians 1:9-11:

"May my love abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,that I may approve the things that are excellent, that I may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

What more can we ask for in life than to grow in love, for the glory of God? This is my sincere prayer.

The Word is full of examples of righteous requests we can make. Thankfully, we also have the Holy Spirit to guide us in our communication with God, we have Jesus as our intercessor with the Father, and there is no required formula or specific liturgy needed.

​1 John 5:14,15 says:
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Whatever format you use, take time to talk to God today.

There are many verses in scripture that warn us NOT to look back. Jesus said in Luke 9:62, "No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." This reference to looking back means longing for an old lifestyle or a turning away from the calling of God. But looking back in the right way is a good thing!

If you need a dose of joy in your day, spend some time taking inventory of the blessings God has poured out. Look back over the course of your life and see where he has brought you from. We sometimes take for granted the way he keeps us from day to day, but if we look back over the span of several years it is mind-blowing and obvious what the Lord has worked.

I recently found myself reflecting on a conversation I had with my husband 13 or 14 years ago, before he and I started dating. We were just "work friends" then, and he was admittedly a non-believer. In conversation, I asked him if he was concerned about what would happen to him after death, to which he replied, "Not really."

This memory almost made me shout! Why? Because now this "work friend" is my husband who has been a believer for years, and he's now a minister telling other people about Jesus. Wow! Who but God can do that?

We need to remember where we came from, not lamenting for the "good old days" but praising God for leading us toward His purpose!

Read the words of Moses from Deuteronomy 6:10-12: "And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage."

He was saying: Don't forget where God brought you from! None of what you have is by your own hand! God did it!

I encourage you to take time to reflect today. What has God done that amazes you when you take a look back?

I saw pictures today that broke my heart, and immediately brought a certain verse of scripture to mind. The pictures were of people walking through flooded streets in Houston, Texas, in the devastating wake of Tropical Storm Harvey. The people in the images on the news look so helpless and desperate, overwhelmed by water.

​I saw their faces, and I ached for their ordeal, and I prayed for their safety, and I thought, "Oh, if they could just get to higher ground!" I don't know much about the landscape of Houston. I think of Texas as being very flat. And with the water coming down so fast, it seems their only refuge would be an elevated place.

​Many times in life, we feel flooded with trouble, much like the literal flood being experienced right now in Texas. It rains down on us and overtakes us, and we feel like we just need to get to a place of refuge.

King David certainly felt like this, when he wrote the psalm that says, "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:1,2) This is the verse that came to mind when I saw pictures of the flooding. There is a rock that is higher than all of us- a place of spiritual safety above the storms of life.

When we trust Him, God is our rock. Psalms 62:7 says, "In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God."

Rocks are solid, and they can provide stability. In the New Testament, Jesus compares those who follow his teaching to "a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." (Matthew 7:24-25)

​The Word of God provides a sure foundation for life. No matter what circumstances we may face, we can trust in the Bible to point us in the right direction and teach us how to endure trials.

​I pray for the people in the path of the storms in Texas. I pray that God will provide physical safety and refuge. My hope for those overwhelmed by this terrible situation is that they will trust in Him as their Rock, that their hearts will be comforted by Him and He will give them courage.

It is often said that money is the root of all evil.  Indeed the scriptures tell us (1 Timothy 6:10) that specifically the “love of money” is the root of all evil.  But we understand there are many sins that have nothing to do with money, so we have to look at the verse in context.

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”  Here we see money was the root of all the evils of those who coveted after it and allowed it to compromise the tenets of their faith.

There is, however, another portion of scripture in the New Testament that I believe provides us an explanation of the cause of ALL evil in the world.  It seems too simple that there is a singular problem with mankind that causes us to sin, but I believe the first chapter of Romans does provide us with a powerful and concise explanation.   

​​I underlined the parts of the passage I want to bring out as key points. 

There is no such thing as an atheist.  I find it hard to believe that anyone could look at the beauty and majesty of creation and arrive at the conclusion that it is all a serendipitous result of cosmic happenstance.  We have the evidence of God the creator right in front of us, so there is no excuse for unbelief.
 
So, what is the cause of evil?  Not glorifying God as God and not being thankful.  (I suppose that really is two causes, but I believe they go together.)  Along with that comes worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator (which brings us back to the love of money- a “thing” that people have created and tried to elevate above God).

In this same chapter, verses 26 and 27 specifically address homosexuality; then verses 29-31 give us a list of some of the other problems in the world, all prompted by the failure to honor God as God- the Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent Creator- and to be thankful for His perfect design: “fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful”.

​It is easy to understand that sin is disobedience, but we disobey whenever we fail to recognize His creative power and His authority over all creation.  I believe that much of the moral decline of our society can be attributed to the theory of evolution being widely embraced as scientific fact.  People have bent and stretched the definition of science for the express purpose of denying the Creator.

​Not honoring God as Creator is the starting point of sin for many, while others may espouse the idea of Intelligent Design and still fail to honor God as God in other areas by simply not following His divine instructions outlined for us in the Bible. 

​Now that we understand the cause of sin, at a base level, what is the antithesis of a sinful life?  Romans 1 gives us the answer for that, too!

Verse 16 says: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."  And verse 17 delivers the final answer: "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (For further study, the last part of verse 17 is a reference to Habakkuk 2:4.)

​How beautifully the Word of God fits together!  It doesn't condemn and just point out all the weaknesses of man.  It mercifully gives us instruction for how not to fail.  The antithesis of a sinful life- one of wickedness, deceitfulness, envy, pride, etc.- is one of faith in Jesus and the redemption that comes from Him alone. 

I’m sure there will be tons of devotional articles about the “Great American Eclipse”.  On August 21, 2017, people in a 66-mile-wide path, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, will be able to witness the sun be completely blocked from view by the moon, and the rest of the United States will experience a partial eclipse.  Obviously, the eclipse is a big deal, and there are several spiritual applications that can be drawn from it.  Here are my thoughts about this grandiose celestial event. 

Darkness and Light are common spiritual themes.  We know that Light is symbolic of goodness and God, and darkness is symbolic of evil and Satan.  But, the analogy I draw from thinking about the eclipse doesn’t deal with the most obvious symbolism.  When I think about the eclipse, I think about the massive, powerful sun being covered up, blocked out, at least from our line of sight.  The sun is so big and powerful, yet it will be hidden from view.
 
Right now, especially, in our country and in our world, it feels like sin abounds- against God and against our fellow man.  It’s easy to feel like the egregious acts of evil we witness daily are too rampant and too serious to be overcome.  But the Bible clearly gives us the answer:  “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)”  This verse is a reference to Proverbs 10:12, which says: “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”

Love eclipses sin.  Just as the sun will negate the effect of the sun during the eclipse, love can negate the power of sin in the world.

I’m thankful for the total spiritual eclipse that has taken place in the life of every believer.  When a person repents of their sin and believes on Jesus as their Savior, the sins of the past are blocked out, never to be seen again by God. 

Where I live, 95% of the sun will be covered by the moon during the solar eclipse.  But, Jesus, who’s love is perfect, has covered up 100% of my sin.  The Bible says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)”  Not a little bit free.  Not mostly free.  Free, indeed.

- "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:1-2

- "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James 5:19-20

The body of Christ should operate as a cohesive unit to help protect individual believers from spiritual danger.

Again, we are not speaking of physical things (although I have enjoyed many wonderful meals at church).  ​We join together with other believers to receive spiritual food; that is, sustenance that helps us grow in the faith. 

- "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

- "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Colossians 3:16​

​We come together- teaching, preaching, and singing- to be fed spiritually. 

After a recent church service, I walked up on a conversation that really provided some food for thought. The discussion was about advice from women in the Bible. A gentleman asked me if I could name any instances in the scripture where a woman gave good advice. I have to admit, I drew a blank. But this gentleman already had the answer, and I was pretty impressed with his insight, although there was a slight undertone of a joke about being surprised that a woman had given good advice. So the commentary that follows is based on two verses that he shared with me, and I hope you will find this advice as inspiring as I do.

The first piece of advice comes from a women whose name we aren't given. She is commonly referred to as "the woman at the well". After an encounter with Jesus where she recognizes him as the Christ, the bible says this woman made her way into the city and then said to the men, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4:29) This woman's advice sounds simple, yet the heart of her message is the most important of directives in all of human experience: Meet Jesus.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) Without a real, personal encounter with Christ, one cannot know or understand truth, experience authentic joy or peace, or have any assurance of heaven. When the knowledge of the power of a relationship with Jesus was revealed to the woman that met Him at the well, she couldn't keep that revelation to herself. She had to share Him with others. If you haven't taken the woman's advice to meet Him, please take a moment now to consider her words.

For those of us that have met the Christ, we should follow the woman's example and use our energies to make His name famous. Our lives should make others want to meet Him. The joy that we carry should speak for itself, saying, "Come, see! Come, see! Come, see!" And we should always be ready to tell others how we came to know the Christ, and what He has done for us. (But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3:5)

The second piece of good advice comes from a much more popular biblical figure- Mary, the mother of Jesus. I had never stopped to reflect on Mary's words to the servants at the wedding in Cana. Just before the Lord performed His first earthly miracle by turning the water into wine, his mother said to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." (John 2:5) What more can I add? Straightforward. Simple. Life-changing. In obedience to the Lord, all the questions of life are resolved. Of course, we have to search the Word to know His commandments, but Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Whatever He says to do, we should do it.

The servants that filled the water pots and drew from them to serve the governor of the feast witnessed a surprising miracle! We can likewise see miraculous things in our lives, when we are obedient to what Jesus says to do in His Word.

​I'm so glad the words of these two wise women of history were presented to me for further reflection.  May we all take their advice to heart.

My heart is bursting right now.  I just talked to my ten-year-old daughter for the first time in four days, and she's finally on her way home from camp!  I am so excited to see her, and hug her, and hold on tightly for the rest of the weekend!

This post is a little more personal in nature than other recent articles I've written.  I want to share that this has been one of the most challenging weeks I can remember.  As a full-time working mother who has always wished she could be a stay-at-home mother, I have been reveling in the opportunity I have this summer to take several weeks off just to spend with my kids.  It has been glorious!  We have laughed, and played (and fought and cried), and have been so busy seeing and doing fun things for most of the month- then one of my three left me for almost a whole week!

​My family is involved in a group called American Heritage Girls (I tell people it's like Girl Scouts, but Christ-focused).  It is a remarkable organization.  I serve as the troop Shepherd (kind of like a chaplain), Elizabeth is in the "Explorer" unit, and Sarah is a "Tenderheart".  We've gone on family camp-outs with the group, and Alex has taken the girls on many of troop outings during the last two years of our involvement.  We love American Heritage Girls.  But when Elizabeth wanted to go to an AHG summer camp five hours away, my faith was tested in a big way!

​You have to understand, I have not gone without seeing this child for more than a day in ten years!  Other than a few one-night stays with grandparents, the only times I've not slept under the same roof as her was when I was in the hospital having her sister and brother.  But I knew this experience would be good for her, and she was so excited to go.  To be honest, the only reason I could let her go was because her dad took a week off from work to go volunteer at camp.  (Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful daddy for my children.)  He took four girls from our troop (including our girl) and drove from Lewisville, NC to Crawfordville, GA on Monday, and they are returning on a Saturday.

Campers are not supposed to call home, I suppose for a few reasons.  Logistically, it would be impossible for that many girls to have access to phones.  I think they also feel it makes homesickness worse instead of better.  Plus, camp is supposed to be a place to escape the hold technology has on us.  Still, I balked at the restriction.  It doesn't feel natural for a mother not to speak to her ten-year-old child for that long!  (We bent the rules a little, and I did get to speak to her for about 60 seconds on Tuesday.  And, of course, my husband sent me text message updates and pictures every day, plus I could talk to him on the phone in the evening.)

​But, what a lesson God had for me this week!  There were a few lessons actually.  I could talk all day about learning to have faith that He will take care of my children.  But the biggest lesson was something I thought I already knew: Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

Another one of the moms from our troop and I got together this week and discussed it.  We are guilty of worshipping our children.  It is a difficult thing for me to distinguish between the love and devotion of a mother and idol worship, but I have to admit that I probably cross that line sometimes.

Deuteronomy 4:24 says, "For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."  God's rightful place is at the center of our lives.  He belongs at the top of our priority list.  The thought of being without my daughter for a week almost made it hard to breath!  But do I feel that kind of devotion for the Lord?  I  definitely believe He created a mother's heart to long for her children, but I need to be very careful that I am not placing them above Him in my life.

​I can't say that I've learned any special secrets for avoiding elevating my children to idol status, but I think just recognizing I do it is an important step.  As with any sin, all we have to do is ask forgiveness and ask Him to help us overcome it.

​I am so thankful that when we walk with the Lord, He helps us to grow and puts circumstances in our life that draw us closer to Him.  There were times while Elizabeth was gone that I thought, "Why on earth did I let her go?"  and "Why did I agree to this?"  The answer is simple.  It was a God thing.  He helps us grow.  He teaches us the lessons we need to learn when we seek Him.  This week was so beneficial for my child.  And as much as it hurt, it was beneficial for me, too.  I pray I will succeed in not having any other gods before Him, including my children.

Some days I step outside my front door and feel the warm sunshine on my face and the gentle breeze brush across my skin, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  Just the ability to experience a particularly beautiful day is an amazing gift, and it makes me grateful to exist in this world.  This past weekend I spent a couple hours floating down a peaceful river, surrounded by majestic scenery, under a sunny sky, in the company of kind friends and two of my children. It was wonderful!

At night, I lay my head down on a soft pillow, in a comfortable bed, where I feel safe.  Again, I count these things as remarkable gifts.

But I have to ask myself, "Would I be so grateful if my circumstances were much different?  Would I still be in awe of the handiwork of the Creator if the view outside my front door was different?"  I can't answer those questions with certainty, but I'd like to think that I would.  Sure, I have fears and worries and doubts, and there are days where I allow my perspective to be skewed.  There are days when I find myself grumbling and complaining about things that have no real consequence.  But, even on those days, I have an abiding joy.

Joy is a hallmark, but not the source of, an abundant life.  So, what does it mean to live abundantly and how do we do it?  One of the definitions for the word 'abundant' is, "Richly supplied, as with resources".  When I think about that definition, it occurs to me that abundant living is not measured by tangible resources.  Living abundantly means having a completeness and fullness in life that does not depend on circumstances.  Abundant living is being richly supplied in resources that transcend our natural understanding.  The key to abundant living is recognizing the source.​

In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  Jesus does not merely supply us with abundance.  He IS our abundance.  Jesus doesn’t simply give us joy.  He IS our joy.  As children of God, we must recognize that even the ability to feel the emotions we associate with the idea of abundance comes from Him.

Abundant living comes from fellowship with the God of the universe, through Christ.  Ephesians 3:19 says, "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."  I can experience joy and have gratitude for of all the blessings of life around me- the natural world, the love of my family, my earthly pleasures- but the true source of abundance is the fullness of God.

Did my experience on the river this weekend qualify as living abundantly?  Sure- but only by extension.  It is the relationship I have with God, which reveals the truth of His goodness, that allows me to truly enjoy this life and appreciate the beauty He has provided.  Having a relationship with God, in itself, is living abundantly. ​

Sometimes I get a thought about which I want to write, and I search the scriptures for help with that topic. Sometimes I search out the scriptures for help finding something to write about. This devotion was born of the latter method.

In my searching of the scriptures today, I “found” 1 Thessalonians, Chapters 4 and 5, and in these chapters, practical instruction for sanctified Christian living. I was struck by how plainly many of the exhortations are outlined.
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While we are only saved through faith in Christ, and not by our works, we are compelled by the Holy Spirit to strive to be more like Christ in our actions. The word “sanctified” means “set apart”, which is to say, markedly different from the non-believer in thought and practice.

Please note, the title of this devotion is not "21 Steps to Sanctified Christian Living". I am not trying to present a comprehensive list here. I'm sure there are additional ways in which we should conduct ourselves to demonstrate sanctification. Please also note, this list is not my own invention! The ideas are taken directly from scripture, but I have paraphrased them in a list format.

So, let's look at 1 Thessalonians. In Chapter 4, verse 3, it says: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification:" Well, that seems pretty clear! It could be interpreted that the idea of sanctification here pertains mainly to the exhortation immediately following (which is number one on the list below). But, I read that statement as an introduction to all the contents of Chapters 4 and 5, as the end of Chapter 5 seems to be a summary of the instructions in Paul's letter.

Yes, this a list of "Dos" and "Dont's".  But as with all biblical instruction, the purpose is not to restrict or burden, but is to improve the spiritual health of the believer.  This list contains actions and practices that set us apart from those outside of the faith. 

At the end of Chapter 5 we are left with some great encouragement!  "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." (5:23-24)  Commit to serving Him and He will take care of the sanctification process.  

I would love to hear your thoughts about this content!  Please leave your comments below.  If you found this devotion helpful, please consider sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest!  If you would like to be notified of new blog posts via email, please subscribe!

I've always admired people who are "prayer warriors", but I have to admit, I've never felt like I fall into that category.  Don't get me wrong- I enjoy talking to God, and prayer is certainly a daily practice for me, but I am so easily distracted that I often don't spend enough quality time in prayer.  While my intention is not to absolve myself, I had a revelation recently that made me feel better about my prayer life, but most importantly, it filled me with awe about God's grace.

I often find myself whispering the words, "Your will be done, Lord"- when I'm driving, when I'm walking into my office, when I'm cleaning the house.  My mind might be in a million different places, but those words will squeeze their way into my thoughts and I'll direct them to Him.  It was while listening to a radio sermon about the Lord's Prayer a few days ago that God spoke to my spirit about this.  I felt Him say that every time I had whispered those words, He had received them as a prayer and had acted on my behalf.  He honored my five-word prayer.  I suddenly felt like He has been ordering my steps, in part, because of my feeble little prayer for His will to be done.  And then it made so much sense- little prayers are heard by a big God!  I've known this for a long time, but it seemed God was making it a special point to remind me.

Let's take a look at three "little" prayers in the bible that had great impact.

• Judges 16:28: "And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes."  After his prayer, Samson was given the strength to destroy the temple of Dagon.  
• Matthew 8:2: "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."  After his prayer, the leper was cleansed.
• Luke 23:42: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. " After his prayer, the thief was promised eternal life.

In all three of these examples, the petitions were granted, even though the words spoken were few.  It didn't take great orations or lengthy invocations to move the heart of God.  It seems when it comes to prayer, quality is more important than quantity, and what qualifies a prayer as effective is the faith behind it.

To be sure, the more we can pray, with faith, the better!  I know I should still strive daily to spend more time in prayer.  There are so many things about which to pray- our families; our nation and leaders; our churches; our spiritual growth; non-believing loved ones.  And those are just requests!  We could spend 24/7 offering prayers of thanksgiving and praise!  But, my point is that we shouldn't discount those quick prayers we utter throughout the day.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing."  I think that can look like this:

"Lord, help me on this test."

"Please bless my children."

"Make me more like You."

"Give us opportunities to show Your love."

"Thank you."

I'm so glad God hears and responds to "little" prayers, as well as the "big" ones.