Thursday Devotional: God Died

I’m deviating from where I was in our adoption story to share some recent developments…

I previously mentioned that the kids like “Go, Tell it on the Mountain” as one of their favorite Christmas Carols. Well, at dinner on Christmas Eve, Sarah (2 ½) asked me to sing the song about “God died.” I could not figure out which carol she meant. Most Christmas carols are about Jesus’ birth and not His death! (I eventually started singing different ones until she either gave up or decided she wanted me to sing “Angels We Have Heard on High.”)

Anyway, over the next few weeks she would bring up that “God died.” This led to several conversations about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins but not staying dead! So, recently, instead of randomly declaring “God died,” Sarah now randomly declares “God die on cross!” In fact, last night during our prayer time together, the one thing she decided all on her own to thank God for was “God die on cross.”

It’s exciting to watch the kids grow in their understanding of who God is and what He has done! Jesus laying down His life for us, so we don’t have to eternally die for our sins, is amazing!          
John 10:11-18 ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Jesus did die. He died willingly, purposefully, submissively and lovingly for you and me. He’s the only One who could! Have you accepted His death in your place? If so, you are His sheep and will live forever with Him!  


As Sarah has said several times recently “I not die cross.” No, we don’t have to die for our own sins. Jesus already did!

Better Together

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”  John 21:15-17

For years, I have had a spiritual mentor that has helped me stay on the right track when I was wandering astray.  In fact in many ways, he was keeping me righted even when he did not even realize it.  When I felt that urge to do something that felt wrong, he was there in spirit almost like a voice from God.  He has been instrumental in my life, and when I am distant from him, I feel the difference.  I bring this up not to imply you are doing something wrong.  In fact, my belief is that many of you are doing great things in the name of Christ, and as such can be a mentor for others, which is why I bring this up today.  But what if you or someone is in need of someone?  Yes, God is there for us.  A mentor is not a replacement for God.  Instead, you or they are a reminder of God’s goodness and how He changes lives.  It’s to say we have God’s word as the instruction book, and being or having a mentor can encourage one to reach a higher level of God’s calling and/or help right the ship.  Better yet, you can be that someone who finds their way after being lost.

While there is only one path to God through Jesus Christ, a walk is always easier with someone.  I once wrote on these verses regarding Jesus speaking to Peter.  At first glance, we read it as if Jesus is questioning Peter.  However in reading throughout the book of John, we know Peter loves Jesus, and Jesus is all knowing.  So what is Jesus doing?  He is mentoring Peter.  The other week, I spoke of Jesus washing feet to set the example.  In today’s verse, Jesus is preparing Peter to step forward and lead the disciples and other lost souls to Christ.  ‘Feed’ and ‘Take Care’ are the instructions Jesus Is providing Peter, and Peter would go on to begin the spread of the Gospel after Jesus ascends to Heaven.  Walking with someone either as a mentor or protégé has mutual benefits.  As a mentor, you are serving part of God’s purpose in building others for His will.  As a protégé, you are taking the next step of your own growth becoming more aware of God’s plan for your life.

God is sufficient for all of us, but He did not intend for us to live life alone.  Sharing our faith is part of our mission, but giving guidance to and receiving the advice of others in the name of Christ is always a win for all involved.  We can enhance our walk of faith by reaching out to others either for help or to help.  So do you have a spiritual mentor?  Who can you be more of a guide on God’s glory to?  My prayer is that we are willing to guide or be guided toward a greater understanding of God’s plan for we are always better together.  Amen.

Nothing can separate us

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It seems that I’ve had a lot of devotions over the past few months that deal with death and yet, here I am again this morning dealing with it and therefore writing about it.  Later this morning I will be attending the funeral of a friend who died way too soon.  He had been suffering a long and hard battle with cancer and during service Sunday morning, he returned to our Lord. 

Last night, my husband and I went to the visitation.  The part that got me the most was watching his son, around 10 years old, stand at the casket and just stare.  You knew he was really struggling to understand what was going on and the why. 

While my heart just broke for him, his siblings and their mom, I was encouraged by a comment his mom posted on Facebook earlier in the day.  You see, in their house, they had a chalkboard wall and just a couple of weeks ago when the dad was coming home from the hospital, they put a welcome home message on the board. 

Yesterday morning the mom saw it as she was trying to figure out how to get through the next few days and she thought she should probably erase it.  Then it hit her, Brian had his final welcome home party going on.  Her young son kept saying that that they would see him again when Jesus returns. 

Brothers and sisters, when you have Christ in your heart, nothing is going to separate you from his love.  When faced with separation from a loved one here on earth, remember that when you know the love of God, nothing will separate you from their love either. 

Please join me in praying for the Miles family today as they say an earthly goodbye to their dad/husband. 

I pray today that you will have a love for the Lord that equates to nothing being able to separate you from our Lord and Savior.

Our Journey to Adoption, Part VII - Trusting the Shepherd

John 10:1-5  “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, always acts with integrity and can be fully trusted. He doesn’t scatter or harm his sheep, but personally interacts and calls each one by name. He leads His sheep in the right direction. He doesn’t always hold and carry each sheep and doesn’t have any of His sheep on a leash, but He is always there to protect and lead. As His sheep, we have the responsibility to listen and follow, even through difficult terrain.

In February last year, James and Sarah’s biological parents’ rights were finally terminated. However, more uncertainties surfaced. Their biological mom had a certain amount of time to appeal and she said she did appeal. In addition, an uncle was found that wanted the children and a former foster family expressed interest in adopting them. We appeared further down on the list of possible parents.

Since the children were now up for adoption, a new adoption worker and adoption organization were given their case. Knowing we were one of several couples in the “hat,” we nervously continued a new round of interviews, fingerprints, physicals, background checks, paper work, etc. All the while, we were growing in our love for the kids as we continued to do weekend respite care. It was a daily struggle to not let all the uncertainties weigh me down and stress me out. We kept praying for God’s will and direction while continually remembering that He’s the one who brought us together in the first place!

In what situation right now do you and I need to trust Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and follow His lead? He cares for us, loves us and is always there to lead us!

Alice

That's The Job

Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”

When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”  Mark 2:13-17

I was somewhat a nerd when I was in high school.  A lot of it was because I tended to be a bit more open and excitable about things that made me come across as socially awkward.  I was too hyper to be cool and too sensitive to others.  I went to multiple schools, but the only one that I fit in was a small school in Boston.  Why?  Because it did not matter what color I wore and how I acted like.  They just embraced me because I was . . . Just Kent.  Many of us know groups we did not get along with.  Maybe they wore tattoos or had earrings in places you’d never consider.  Some talked a different way or said things you did not agree with.  Or dare I say they were overly religious and thought they were better than others.  We would not do that, would we?  Christians are often accused of being holier than others even when we are not, but do we have an obligation to help them see the truth?  My response is much like that to my boss whenever I have to have a tough conversation with one of my staff or take on a task that I really do not like.  “That’s the job,” I say to myself.

Helping others understand the message of Jesus Christ is as important as just knowing Him.  The calling of Levi (later called Matthew) discussed in Mark 2 exemplifies what our approach to others should be.  Levi, the tax collector (in high school terminology, that's the kid who doesn't really fit in anywhere), is called by Jesus, and Levi invites Him to dinner.  The Pharisees (a.k.a. the 'In' crowd) talk about Jesus (the cool kid) questioning why on earth would He talk to Levi and other sinners.  Pretty snooty, right?  Jesus' righteous response was to point out that He was there not only to call "those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."  In one sentence, Jesus put everyone on the same level playing field.   The climate that we live in today is one of divisiveness with strong opposing views.  Do we look at this as the chance to challenge others beliefs?  Perhaps.  However if we want to reach one we do not understand, we have to get to know them, and to know them means to embrace them where they are as they are.  This is what Jesus taught in today's verses, and is a blueprint for us to reach those who initially do not seem within reach or equally as important unlike us.

We all fit under God’s plan.  This means we need to understand everyone is God's child, and if your circle of people talk, think, and look just like you, you are not serving God's will.  He wants us comfortable being uncomfortable.  Let us embrace that by seeking understanding of those who do not believe as we do instead of judging because they do not fit our 'narrative.'  How can you reengage with someone you dismissed because they are different from you?  Who can you reach out to outside of your comfort zone?  My prayer is that we challenge ourselves to embrace others where they are as Jesus embraced us where we were.  Why?  Because, “That's the job!"  Amen.

Tues Devo: Value

Philippians 3:7-9 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ” (NASB)

Hello,

As I have been reading through Philippians this week, the word that stuck out to me here was value. In my work I tend to speak of value and focus on bringing value to our customers with our services, so it certainly made me take a second look at this section of verses. One question I believe this begs us to ask is simple – how do we value our relationship with Jesus?

Value can be spoken of – but how is it proven? Among other items, it certainly is proven through the amount of attention we pay to that which we claim to value, and what we are willing to exchange to get/maintain that item of value.

Again, how much do we value our relationship with Jesus? Are we giving it attention? Are we un-concerned with the things of this world that He has called us to give up?

I hope these questions challenge you today, and draw you closer to Him.

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill

New Year Resolution

1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

With each new year, many people set New Year’s Resolutions.  When I read this verse this morning, that is what came to mind.  For this new year, I want to make sure that my mind is alert and sober and that I am setting my hope on the grace to be brought to me when Jesus returns. 

We do not know the day or hour that he will return.  We should at all times be in the right mind so that when the time does come, we are prepared!

Happy New Year!

Our Journey to Adoption, Part VI - Jesus is Enough!

As we saw last week, the blind man faced quite the opposition right after he received his sight.  He was taken to the Pharisees for questioning, his parents weren’t supportive, and he was eventually thrown out of the synagogue!  Jesus didn’t leave him there, though. 

 John 9:35-38                ³⁵Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" ³⁶"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." ³⁷Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." ³⁸Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

Jesus didn’t get the man reinstated into the synagogue or fix his relationships, but He did reveal more of Himself to him. He helped the man’s faith continue to grow, which was far more important. In response, the man chose not to focus on what he didn’t have or what he lost but instead chose to focus on what he did have and who Jesus was. Jesus was enough!

That’s a lesson God continually impressed on me through our adoption journey. Last winter as court dates kept not being scheduled or scheduled and then canceled, it was easy to get frustrated. We even saw a third fertility doctor and finally tried insemination twice, to no success. However, after starting my period for about the hundredth time since our miscarriage, I was able to praise God! We were studying the book of Revelation at the time and how worthy Jesus always is! He is enough! 

Where else do you and I need to turn our focus away from what we don’t have or what we’ve lost and instead remember what we do have and who Jesus is? He is always approachable, always available, always there, always offering help, and always worthy of worship. Jesus is enough!

Alice

Blaming The Student

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.  John 13:12-17

“What is wrong with kids today?”  I laugh when others say that not realizing that is what we ourselves often heard from our parents.  Many of us are frustrated with how today’s youth seem self-absorbed and do not care enough about God (or others for that matter) and what He wants.  My initial reaction has been to jump on the bandwagon.  However, I realize maybe God expects something better of us.  Perhaps we feel the way we do because the younger generation is just different from us.  Could it be we have fallen into the trap of trying to use old school math to solve a new school math problem?  It is far easier to tell the younger generation that does not seem to get it that they need to do things the way we did it.  Now there is some truth to that, and for some youth, that is exactly what is needed.  But think of this as a teacher and student problem.  If we, the teacher, are giving all the effort, our initial belief is it must be the student’s fault, but if the student is trying to understand but failing to, the teacher clearly is not good at teaching, right?  The real truth lies somewhere in the middle.  And it’s important that we stop focusing on blaming ‘the student’ because we all lose if they do not learn who God is and what He has in store for them, right?

Jesus as a teacher focused on helping others to learn of God’s plan, and He utilized a number of different ways to achieve this as His goal was for us to be living examples of Him.  Nearing His final days, Jesus washes the feet of the Disciples, and teaches as an example.  This is powerful because as Jesus noted, they acknowledged Him as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and yet He was humble enough to do this for them.  Jesus sometimes told parables, and other times asked questions to help others figure it out.  At times, He was blatantly direct, and others, He was a loving nurturer and empathizer.  Here, He simply sets the example for them and ultimately us.  If we want to reach a generation that has lost God, we cannot simply say they don’t get it.  What we need to do is understand where they are.  Then like Jesus, set the example and find out how to best teach them about who God is. 

God’s work is a labor of love.  If we love God’s people, we are obligated to be teachers to those who may not know Him.  If you are not capable of teaching a way that gets through to them, rely on someone who can, and learn from them.  What’s the worst that can happen?  They still stay lost?  How can you share your knowledge of God to others?  What can you do to be a better sharer of God’s impact in your life?  My prayer is that we focus being better teachers of who Jesus Christ is and stop blaming ‘the student.’  Amen.

Tues Devo: New Year, same path

Hello,

So often we talk about the New Year and making new changes. We look at what we need to do differently. Some do well with that, others fade in time, others just make no change in the face of pressure. But what if we were to look at the New Year from another perspective – that of our Heavenly Father? He isn’t going to do anything new. He wants to keep us moving down the same path – growth in Him and towards Him. Why should we bother looking at it from this way? We like to think about new and fresh starts. I think it is encouraging to have the element of consistency. God is working with and on us – that hasn’t changed. I think it is also good to not forget where things have come from to bring us to the point where we are now. While we may not be fond of the immediate past, if we step back and look at where we started we can see the progress over time, and be encouraged as God draws us closer to Himself. Paul reminds us of this in Philipians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

Have a blessed day and 2017 – let God keep working in your life.

Will Hill