Nothing Too Hard

"Ah, Lord God!  Behold, You have made

the heavens and the earth by Your

great power and outstretched arm.

There is nothing too hard for You."

     Jeremiah 32:17 (NKJV)

It's good for us to remember that whatever we're facing, nothing is too hard for God.  No problem is too big for Him, no situation too bleak, no need that He can't fulfill.

For me, it helps to remind myself that even all the small things are not outside of God's reach.  Last evening, I was feeling vexed because of a number of small annoyances and frustrations this week that just would not go away.  Then as I sat down to eat supper, I looked up and saw the beautiful sunset out my windows.  I stopped and just gazed at God's glory displayed in the rosy sky and the breathtaking cloud patterns.  That helped to put things in perspective.  I saw God manifested in the glorious sunset, reassuring me of His presence with me and in my life. 

When I start to feel like I'm getting caught up in the frenzy of this world, when my peace is fleeting because of the strife in our society, it helps to focus on God's creation.  The weather, nature around me, sunrises and sunsets, are reminders of God's sovereignty.  God is still on His throne and all is well with my soul.

My prayer is that you too will be reminded of God's glory through His creation and be reassured that nothing is too hard for Him to handle. 

Thursday Devotional - Upholding Oaths

Making decisions based on bad information or wrong assumptions can lead to big mistakes. It certainly did for Joshua, as we saw last week. However, what are we to do when we realize it after the fact? We aren’t to go back on our word, or sin again to try to fix it. We may have to live with the consequences.

After Joshua made a mistake by making a treaty with the Gibeonites, as we saw last week, he didn’t try to undo the treaty after he realized his mistake.

Joshua 9:16-21        Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. ¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, ¹⁹ but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. ²⁰ This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

Even though the Gibeonites had been deceptive, it didn’t negate God’s expectation that Joshua and the Israelite leaders uphold their oath (which God confirms in Joshua 10 and II Samuel 21).

What about your and my unconditional oaths and promises? Whether they seem little (like promising to take a kid to a park) or big (like a marriage vow) or a typical contract with a customer (that doesn’t have a conditional clause), we’re to keep our promises. How well are you and I keeping our word? Is there something we said with which we still need to follow through or uphold, even if the other party did wrong?

Next week we’ll see how God is ready and willing to help us uphold our unconditional oaths, move forward in the midst of consequences from previous mistakes, and make the next right step.

Alice

Listen, Learn, And Love

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:5-11

I was listening to a lady speaking about the challenges of being a woman in a workplace.  It came to a very interesting part that struck a chord in me.  She said that as a Christian black woman, people of the LGBT community would not approach her.  I let that thought marinate for a bit, and it occurred to me why that was.  You see, I too am with my own bias, and as a Christian, we can have such a strong response toward sin that it often can push away others.  Some of those are the very people that need Jesus more than we realize.  So how can I reach them?  First, I need to acknowledge that I too am flawed.  Then before I jump on my pedestal, my built-in guard rail of humility must remind me that at best I am not better than those around me.  Finally, I must pray my actions focus on opening my heart and mind to whatever is on their mind.  No judgment.  Just listen, learn, and love.

As Christians, we always must remind ourselves of the example Christ set for us to be toward non-believers.  Today’s verses are a reminder of the mindset of Christ, which set Him up to be glorified above all others.  I think of the calling of Matthew by Jesus himself as an example.  Matthew had a banquet for Jesus where many of his fellow tax collector friends came to ‘hang out’ with the Messiah.  Luke 5:30 says, “But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?””  Why were they complaining?  How often are we judging others because they are not ‘like us Christians?’  Do we look down on them with disdain seeing those who do not follow Christ as unruly sinful creatures? “Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” (Luke 5:31) It is highly likely that those Jesus puts in our lives are just like Matthew; lowly and not like ourselves.  Thus, we represent hope, joy, love, and acceptance  to those distant from God and in many ways need someone.  You know.  Distant like the person I was when He found me (a young man who never thought he was worthy of God’s grace).  Or maybe that same person when He found you (insert your story here).  God opened His arms, and asked us to come as we are.  He neither judged our past nor said we did not make the grade.  He said as Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow me.” (see Luke 5:27)  He focuses on the future as if to say, “Together, we’ll figure this out.”

Jesus Christ's love overcomes all barriers.  None of us are exactly where God wants us, but we have come a long way.  The journey is filled with detours and unexpected changes in our own plan, but we must always trust His plan for us.  Some of those very detours are people who we ordinarily see little in common with.  If we judge others by their faith, orientation, political affiliation, gender, we have closed ourselves to becoming that which Jesus so clearly showed to be wrong.  This is not to say He changes His standard.  What it does say is He transforms once we have accepted Him as Lord.  Isn’t that what we would want for all those who do not believe in Him?  How can we better display God’s heart and less His judgment?  My prayer is that when speaking with non-believers, we display the mindset of Jesus, and listen, learn, and love.  Amen.

Enemies

Have you ever had someone in your life that simply was not easy to love?  Maybe they did something horrible to you.  You even considered them an enemy because they hurt you or someone you love. 

Matthew 5:43

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

Matthew 22:37-39

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Loving your neighbor who you like is easy.  So, when we are told to love our neighbor as ourselves, it doesn’t seem so hard.

Matthew 5:44

I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

This gets to be harder and takes more effort from us to accomplish.  So why should we love our enemies? 

Matthew 5:46

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

Luke 6:35a

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.

But why?  What’s in it for me?

Luke 6:35b

Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

We are told to be children of God, we must love even those that we classify as enemies.  Imagine if God considered us enemies because we did something that hurt him.

Luke 6:36

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Wheel of My Life

“Therefore, submit to God.”

    James 4:7 (NKJV)

“If you confess with your mouth

the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart

that God has raised Him from the dead,

you will be saved.”

     Romans 10:9 (NKJV)

As I write this, we’re in the midst of another very heavy snow storm.  It seems appropriate to hear the song “Jesus take the wheel” on the radio, although I’m grateful to be working from home today rather than out driving in the blizzard.  Even in good conditions, I don’t like driving and regularly pray for God’s help to drive safely.  But I need Jesus to take the wheel of my life, not just the steering wheel of my car. 

Because if Jesus is our personal Savior, then we also must confess Him as Lord and submit to His will.  In church last Sunday, the pastor talked about the difference between surrender and submission.  He analogized to a military situation where soldiers who surrender usually do so involuntarily and with an eye towards finding a way of escape to re-gain their freedom. They may surrender on the outside because they have to, but not in their hearts. Submission, on the other hand, is voluntary and involves our heart, soul and mind.

Too often, Christians may refer to Jesus as Lord, but they fight His rule in their lives and rebel by going their own way, pursuing their own will. Have you ever sought the Lord’s help on a big issue but then came up with “Plan B” just in case?  Or committed a decision to God but then took action when you couldn’t wait for (or didn't like) His answer?  Or has Jesus been Lord on Sunday but not the rest of the week?  It's easy to say the right words yet act according to our own agenda.  When we do so, however, we miss out on the great blessing that comes from being fully submitted to Him.

God does not want our halfhearted acquiescence; He desires to be Lord of our lives.  He wants devoted followers who will relinquish our wills, our desires and our plans, who will voluntarily submit to His rule because He knows best.  When you know that God’s promises are true, when you’ve experienced His faithfulness time and again, when you’re sure that He’s worthy of being trusted with everything, then you will come to know His peace.  Then you can let go and experience joy and true rest because He is in control.

Jesus has the wheel of my life.  My prayer is that you too know the blessings of submission to Jesus as Lord.

Thursday Devotional - Relying on Our Understanding

Have you ever made a simple decision based on the information you knew, but later found out it wasn’t the right decision? Maybe you made assumptions that weren’t correct because you didn’t have ALL the information. I did that recently…

Earlier this year I had talks with James about getting his schoolwork done at school instead of goofing off and talking. He’s bright and quick and I knew he had plenty of time allotted to complete it. He eventually stopped bringing home 4 full pages of kindergarten homework! However, he continued to bring home 1 full page of math homework, which frustrated me (especially since he complained about having to do it after he got home). Instead of checking with the teacher, I kept blaming him, knowing it had to be his fault. Later, I found out the teacher intentionally sent home 1 full page of homework each day!!!  

Well, Joshua, too, made a decision relying on his own understanding…

Joshua 9:3-8, 14-15            ³ However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, ⁴ they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. ⁵ They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶ Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

⁷ The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”

⁸ “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

⁹ They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt… ¹⁴ The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

Joshua wasn’t to make a treaty with people who lived nearby. He knew that, but didn’t realize the Gibeonites were deceiving him. He relied on his own understanding. Like Joshua, we can read and know God’s commands but fail to act on them. We can still fall back on relying on our own understanding instead of praying and asking God for wisdom and direction. It may seem like a no brainer and easy decision, but we’re to go to Him for everything both big and small.

How can you and I remember that each and everyday with all of our decisions?

Alice

Gospel Feet

“How beautiful are the feet of those

who preach the gospel of peace,

who bring glad tidings of good things!”

    Romans 10:15 (quoting Isaiah 52:7) (NKJV)

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist

with truth, having put on the breastplate of

righteousness, and having shod your feet

with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”

    Ephesians 6:14-15 (NKJV)

My feet are sturdy and practical, but I do not consider them physically attractive.  Yet God calls our feet “beautiful” when we bring His gospel to others, when we walk to share His good tidings with the lost world. And part of the full armor of God includes our equipping our feet with His truth so we can walk in the world without compromise, armed against the wiles of the enemy. Moreover, when we’re busy with the Lord’s work, we will avoid one thing the Lord hates:  “feet that are swift in running to evil” (Proverbs 6:18, NKJV).

I thought of this the other day when I was walking door-to-door in the community distributing flyers for an event at our church along with gospel tracts.  My heart soared to think that I can have a small part in spreading the wonderful message of His glad tidings. Even if you don’t feel called to traditional evangelism, we can (and should) be a walking sermon—living out God’s redemptive grace before our family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and being ready to share the truth we’ve experienced. 

It’s amazing to me that God can use an ordinary vessel like me to bring the good news to others and I love to start the day asking Him to help my feet be beautiful in sharing the great gospel story. 

Where are your feet taking you today? How are you walking out the good news?

Thursday Devotional - Love Letter

At the beginning of the month, the kids and I pulled out our Valentine decorations. James was curious why we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Sarah suggested I ask “Period” (which is what James use to call Seri, for some unknown reason! 😊) I looked up the origin, but there isn’t anything concrete and no one knows for sure. It could possibly stem from the martyr of a St. Valentine. One was killed for secretly marrying people and the other wrote a letter to his sweetheart on the day of his death, supposedly February 14^th.  

After not being able to answer James’ questions, he continued decorating. With some heart sticks we pulled out (picture attached), James decided we should each hold one and then go around and say what we love about the other family members. Then, he suggested we wave the heart sticks up and down 3X chanting “God loves you, God loves you, God loves you!” It was a great way to start the “love” month. God is the perfect Valentine. He’s the One who first loved us!

I John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

God gave us the best Valentine gift – Salvation through Jesus Christ.

God gave us the longest, most helpful and encouraging love letter – the entire Bible!

Last week we talked about the need to read and know the entire Bible. The Psalmist knew the importance of this, as well.  

Psalm 119:73-77      Your hands made me and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.
⁷⁴ May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
⁷⁵ I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
    for your law is my delight.

Which part of God’s Love Letter will you read and delight in today? 

Alice

The Guiding Light

“The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.”  John 12:34-36 NLT

Last week, I talked a bit about my own fear. There was a great deal of apprehension that went with it, and the days after writing it were a bit nerve racking to say the least.  However, the thing I gained greatest comfort in was God would take me one of two places.  One, He would show how wrong I was, and I would see that I needed to be more aligned with Him.  Or two, He would give me greater courage and strength assured He is as I knew He always was; with me.  Today, the light is on, and my walk is illuminated.  Occasionally, I must confirm the light is not a freight train, but so far, so good.  The thing that drove me toward that belief is quite simply trust.  I keep reading His word and trusting in it, and it reassures me.  I hear Him in a sermon, and feel His presence when I question something that I have prayed on.  When there is no light, I seek it, and it’s always there.  Guiding me.

God always provides us with light to guide us through darkness.  Reading today’s verses, there are three things I am struck by.  First, the perspective of the crowd is an example how people often see their problems through a worldly and not Godly lens.  The crowd was well read and understanding of scripture, but they could see no further than what they read and heard.  They were looking behind at what they knew, but not ahead at what was possible.  How often are we stunting our own growth by limiting ourselves by what we once did rather than asking what through Jesus Christ we can now do?

Second, Jesus talked about trusting “in the light while there is still time.”  At first, one might think the verse is referring to Jesus’s time on earth is coming to an end.  While this is true, one must also note that if we have life on earth, we can become that very child of the light as well.  Think of the man on the cross when Jesus said to him, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43b)  There the man acknowledged he deserved punishment (judgment), and simply asked Jesus to remember him (repentance).  He had only three simple verses in the Bible, and yet, they gave us hope knowing the compassion Christ has for those who have sinned and repented.  How cool is that?

Finally, my focus went to how Jesus went and was hidden from them.  In the subsequent verses, it noted that most still doubted who Jesus was, but there were those who chose to believe in Him.  Those who believed had two things going for them that are important for us to remember today.  First, they fully trusted in Jesus.  This gave them a sense of surety that while He was hidden from them, He was always there.  Second, the light was now shining from within them.  Therefore, they had a sense of where they were going.  Think of their journey as an infinite game.  There was no winning or losing.  They were angling to continue forward with Christ, and thus left their former lives behind them.  They were now ‘children of the light,’ and their focus was on eternity.  Not the moment.  We too must think of our journey of faith as an infinite one.  Our time in this world is but a point along the road.  Our goal is to continue forward not looking back at our old self but instead focusing on our ever-growing relationship with God through Christ.  This not only reveals to us His light but also flips on the light within us for others to follow.

In a world that is filled with darkness, we are indeed shown the light through Jesus Christ.  Yes, there are times where it is difficult to see, and we can at times find ourselves lost in the wilderness.  But if we know Him, we are never alone, and no matter how dark it seems, we know the light is there.  We can walk with purpose knowing that as His child, we will not only find light but also be the light for those around us.  Let us always be knowledgeable of that simple truth.  Are you following His light?  Will you share your light with those closest to you?  My prayer is simple.  Focus on the guiding light of Christ, and trust it to lead us for all eternity.  Amen.

Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

With Valentine’s Day coming up this week, I thought it would be good to write about love.  Often times we think of all the beautiful things that love is.  Hugs, kisses, flowers, sweets, the list is endless.  But what does love look like in the hard times? 

My husband has dealt with anxiety and depression for many years.  Sometimes it can get rather ugly.  He missed his medication one day last week and the day after was not a beautiful love story.  It was however our love story.  He had an anxiety attack and it was rough.  Thankfully though, God gave us each other and he has blessed me with the ability to be patient (not easily) during these times.  And then in return, my husband is patient with me when I have moments that are not as enduring as others.

Do you show love even when things aren’t easy?  Are you patient with that person that frustrates you?  Have you stopped to think about the patience our Heavenly Father has extended to us in the times that we are not so easy to love?

May you feel the love of Christ this Valentine’s Day!