by Katie Gilbert | May 18, 2017
I love the mountains. They are a pure demonstration of God’s great design on this earth. They exude strength and majesty, regardless if they are covered with snow or basking in the sunlight.
My family has visited Colorado almost every year since I was born, so my affinity for mountains is no surprise. The photo featured is from our last visit in August 2016. This year was the first time in awhile that for several days the clouds hung low on the mountains. It felt like suddenly a roof had been lowered on the town because you couldn’t see through the clouds to the blue sky.
Recently I’ve had this feeling again. A lot right now in my life feels like the roof above me is closing in. Between a family emergency and feeling like I am struggling to be mentally, spiritually and physically healthy, these clouds of fear and stress have laid heavily upon me, day-to-day.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Isa. 60:1).
On Easter weekend “the glory of the Lord” shone through these clouds. Both during the Good Friday service at my church and Easter morning, He reminded me something that seems so simple but easy for me to forget. One point our pastor made was: Stop fearing what can’t kill you. I get so easily caught up in the day-to-day that I let the things of the world scare and intimidate me.
He has won.
Regardless of my troubles and anguish He has won, and He is the reason that we have nothing to fear.
I hope that you are able to see God’s light past clouds that may be looming, that you would understand these are just the things of this world, and the Lord will bring you past them.
by Amy Spear | May 17, 2017
Sitting in my car one spring day, I hear my two youngest playing a new game. This game was the sweetest thing to a momma’s tired soul.
It had been a long several weeks. I had been running around like crazy. My house was a disaster (and still is), and all I wanted to do at that exact moment was… zone out, just take a few moments to myself. Yet, the instant I heard the game they were playing, I just had to play!
“OK, now it’s your turn to say something nice to me,” instructed Owen.
“Your blue eyes are so beautiful,” praised Rosie. Owen’s eyes lighted up with delight as he made a funny face at his little sister.
“Now it’s my turn to tell you something nice. …Your red hair is beautiful and long.” Owen commented back.
“I want to play!” I exclaimed.
“OK, mom. It’s your turn. You have to say something kind about one of us then we will say something nice about you.”
“Rosie, your laughter makes me smile and brightens my day. You are a joy to everyone,” I proclaimed. She smiled and then laughed her sweet little laugh.
“Now I want to tell you something mom. Your heart is so beautiful. More beautiful than anyone else I know,” stated Owen.
I instantly loved this game! Immediately my heart grew warm and gushed with love for these two little faces looking at me with admiration and love.
“Owen, I think your eyes are beautiful too, and I love the sweet words you give me every day. They seem to come right when I need them,” I said.
Man, who wouldn’t want to play a game like that? We all love encouragement and praise. Sometimes it is the very thing that keeps us doing good and motivates us to push on.
I was reminded that my actions and words can either bring memories of blessings or memories of discouragement. My words have such an impact on Rosie and Owen, and their words have an impact on me too.
I began to question myself, “How do I want to be remembered? How do I want them to feel about me as their mother? Will they have more good memories or more bad memories?”
The answer, well, that will be determined by the words I speak to them.
“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (Prov. 18:20-21).
Speaking wisely to my children today (and to anyone else for that matter) will yield a table of goodness and delight that will be satisfying tomorrow.
“Pleasant words are a honeycomb; sweet to the taste and healthy to the body” (Prov. 16:24).
I want my words to be healthy to my children and bring them a strong and vivacious life. I want to spur them towards all that the Lord has planned for them, not hindering them in any way.
“There is one who speaks rashly, like a piercing sword; but the tongue of the wise brings healing,” (Prov. 12:18).
We don’t always know what’s going on inside a person’s heart and soul, even our sweet children. It is hard for them to even know sometimes. But if we will remember to speak kindly and not out of anger or impatience we can bring healing that only the Father knows about.
“The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding” (Prov. 17:27).
This one is so hard for me! I love to talk, I defiantly have an opinion, and I’m a red head – need I say more about keeping a cool head?
Yet, God’s word says to do just that. Don’t speak out of anger and keep some of those opinions to yourself. The more I do this, the more intelligent I will become. If I apply this knowledge to raising my children, I will learn to listen more, to control my temper more and to correct them with grace instead of sharp rebuke. A mom who is intelligent is a mom worth striving for!
So how about you? Do you want to play our game too!? Who can you offer up words of praise and encouragement to today? When you encourage them, see how quickly they encourage you back! It may just bring about a bountiful table of blessings in your life!
by Caleb Gordon | May 8, 2017
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
When I was in junior high I got made fun of for the way I looked. What’s funny is that, looking back, I was not that different looking from so many of the kids who were in my class. Nevertheless, I was still ridiculed and insulted by so many classmates. I came home one day in tears and sat down to talk with my dad.
He is a Christian man, so his council was so helpful. He opened his Bible to the verses you just read above and he said, “It’s far more important what God says about you than what some silly junior high boy says about you.” I’ll never forget that.
I read those two verses over and over, then I decided I wanted to say something. I started to write my first message, and it was out of this text. I went to a Christian school at this time, and I asked my teacher if I could lead the morning Bible study.
Man you talk about afraid, I sure was. But I stood there ready to take whatever came my way because I trusted what this Word said about me. I am wonderfully made. I am not a mistake. I have God’s stamp of approval on me. He did not mess up with me. He created me just the way He wanted to, and that’s all that really matters.
So I got done talking, and my teacher sat in tears. She could barely speak. The whole class was silent. And then they began to clap. The message made it to their hearts, I think. At least from the outward appearance, it seemed too. But honestly, it did not matter. What David wrote was 100 percent true. I am not a mistake. And that applies to you. What God made inside of you is priceless. Never forget that.
So often what happens to us is we tend to try to gain men’s approval when what we should be striving for is God’s approval (Gal. 1:10). Our push should be into Christ, and our desire should be to please Jesus over our flesh and man’s approval.
Today, I challenge us all to listen to what Jesus says, rather than what the world says. Trust HIS word, not the world. Look at what He wants rather than what other people want. Follow God’s plan and instruction rather than chasing the approval of men around you.
by Ryan Smith | May 3, 2017
We live in a culture inundated with voices. Everyone has an idea, an opinion or a set of steps for us to follow.
But how often do we stop to consider the voices we are hearing?
In 1 Thess. 2:13, Paul says to this young persecuted church, “This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God.”
The Gospel is the message of God.
So why is it so important they receive the message of God rather than the message of man? What’s the difference? Paul knows there is power in the message of God that is not in the message of man.
Stop and consider the messages you are hearing; the voice from the screen, from the page, from the friend, from the church. Are they messages of man or the message of God? Sadly, they can look eerily similar yet be tragically different.
The difference between the message of man and the message of God is simple: means and ends. The message of man holds man and self as the chief end. The message of God holds God as the chief end. Those seem pretty different. However, the message of man can wholeheartedly be infused with the means of God to make it sound like the message of God.
Here’s an example:
Did you know God loves you? In fact, He is head-over-heels for you! He has an amazing life planned for you. The Bible says He has plans to prosper and not to harm you – to give you hope and a future – everything you dream. It also breaks his heart that you are in this spot with your relationships, finances, low sense of self-worth or even doubt.
Did you know Jesus died on the cross to show you how much He loves you? He gave us His Word to give us places to turn when we need encouragement, support or answers.
Will you give God your storm today? Will you break off the chains of fear? Will you remember these verses when you start to doubt that you are anything less than perfect – just as God made you and sees you?
You deserve more than this, and God wants to give it to you.
Q: Message of man or message of God?
A: Message of man.
What’s difficult about the message of man is that so much of it is absolutely true! God does love you. He does want what’s best for you. But what is often done in offering the contemporary Christian Gospel (which is really no gospel at all) is that the right elements are offered:
YOU -> GLORY -> GOD.
But they are in the wrong order:
GOD -> GLORY -> YOU.
Same elements, same words; it even has the Bible in it. However, the chief end is not a glorious God – it’s a better you. You are the end. God is the means.
While they look similar, there are a few areas where these two messages tragically diverge.
THE BIBLE. The Bible is used merely to support a point.
The message of man views the Bible as a resource to consult, not an authority to stand under. Often verses or promises are applied in a way that supposedly benefits the listener, but the fact that these promises were given to different people at different times for different reasons is ignored. The Bible is seen as sufficient, authoritative, and inerrant – until it conflicts with other voices. But the Bible is not another voice to be consulted or considered. It is the transformative story of the Good News of Christ.
THE CROSS. The cross is used just as a means to display the love of Christ.
While the cross does display the love of Christ, it equally displays the wrath of God as the just penalty on the sin of man. To understand the cross, the ideas of atonement, justification, and sacrifice must be conveyed as well. Not that these big words have to be used. It can be as simple as “Jesus died in our place.” Jesus didn’t die on the cross because he was a really nice guy who like Van Gogh, mutilated himself as a sign of affection. Jesus bore the wrath of God you and I deserve so that we might be freed from that penalty. We are crucified with Christ so that we may live with Christ.
SIN. Sin is not something we have done; it’s something done to or around us.
We must walk through the storms of life – whatever they may be. The message of man identifies those storms as sin. The Bible says sin is something we have done because we have hearts that love sin (our way and deception) more than God (His way and truth). We don’t need to be freed from the storm around us. We need to be freed from the sin inside us.
What’s so condemning about the Gospel of man is that you and I are terrible gods.
The earth and everything in it was made for the glory of God, not the glory of us. We cannot bear the weight of glory. We will turn it into pride that consumes, abuses and ultimately destroys us and those in our path (cue flashback to Gollum and the ring).
The Bible continually reinforces the ideas of personal responsibility, holiness and the primacy of a glorious God – things lost in the message of man. They may not make us feel good about ourselves, but they will lead us to worship a BIG glorious God. In so doing, we learn how to rightly see ourselves in light of the surpassing view of God.
The Gospel is not about how God fits into our story, but how we fit into God’s story. It is the message of God and it is more than enough.
Cling to the Word of God. Cling to the message of the gospel. Cling to the cross of Christ. In so doing, like the church in Thessalonica, no matter what comes your way, you can stand and say, “Jesus is better.”
by Chris Doyle | Apr 28, 2017
Greetings!
I’m concluding my series of “textual takeaways” from different Bible passages, and next week I’ll be back to commenting on timely topics. Once in awhile I may return to sharing thoughts on Scripture, as the Bible needs to be an emphasis on society, especially since today’s culture doesn’t seem to acknowledge biblical instruction, or at least adhere to it.
This week I’m offering six standpoints from 1 Cor. 7:1-17, Paul’s instructions pertaining to marriage. I think it’s one of the more unique advisements Paul offers in his epistles.
- Consider the context
The church in Corinth would not be one to emulate. I’ve heard it said that if you wanted to do a study on practical human behavior, it would be best to not use those in an insane asylum as subjects for research.
The city of Corinth had a reputation for indulging in pagan culture, especially sexual immorality. As one of the early churches, the Corinthian Church struggled with its surrounding immoral standards, and the church members asked Paul, as the church’s founder and advisor, how to handle different aspects involving marriage.
So the best way to apply the majority of Paul’s teachings in 1 Corinthians, especially chapter 7, is to understand it is written FOR all Christians not necessarily written TO all Christians. But with today’s society struggling with the purpose of marriage, Paul’s instruction here may be more applicable.
- The necessity of marriage
One verse in the Bible that is subject to misinterpretation is 1 Cor. 7:1. More than one Bible translation has the verse saying “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” A legalistic Christian would take this literal and could consider it a sin for a man to have any physical contact with any woman who is not his wife. This would be too strong of an interpretation of what Paul is saying.
Other translations of 1 Cor. 7:1 interprets the verse saying “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” This would be more sensible, especially in relation with the whole context of the passage.
There’s even some translations having the verse saying “It is good for a man not to marry.” What I appreciate about this translation’s conclusion is marriage and sexual relations are equivalent. However, it can lead to misunderstandings.
Paul is beginning to answer a problem in the Corinthian church, and it involves marriage, even how to observe sexual relations in marriage. He starts with explaining the Christian life here on earth would be best observed if there wasn’t any sexual relationships as it pertains to the Christian’s purpose (share the Gospel and make disciples – Matt. 28:19).
However, he doesn’t mean to stop there. He goes on in verses 2-6 to tell the Corinthian Christians that it’s human nature to desire to have sex, and it should be observed in the marriage relationship. So husbands and wives, fulfill this marriage obligation to each other because if you don’t, Satan will take advantage of your natural desires.
- Paul’s marital status
Debates exist on whether or not the Apostle Paul was married. However, the strongest argument for Paul being single is in 1 Cor. 7:7-8. He said he wishes everybody could be like he is, that being not married. He also said he thinks it’s better for single people and widows to remain single like he is.
Some translations, KJV and NASB for example, allow for vague interpretations to occur, such as Paul desires for Christians to be motivated in ministry as he is motivated, NOT referring to his marital status specifically. I believe this interpretation is a stretch, and I don’t believe KJV and NASB support such wrong conclusions. To be clear, Paul does emphasize devotion to ministry, but he also is making known he is not married.
ESV, HCSB and NIV provide more clarity and state directly that Paul said he believes it is good to stay unmarried as he is unmarried.
Bobby Kelly, one of my favorite NT scholars, concluded that if Paul WERE married he was a bad husband, referring to his lengthy missionary journeys and living from place to place. This, of course, would mean Paul contradicted his own teachings of husbands devoting themselves to their wives (Eph. 5:25-28), so no, Paul was not married.
- To unmarried Christians
Paul mentions singleness as being a gift from God. Actually, both marriage and singleness are gifts from God, and God equips us to live under either status, as both marriage and singleness are valuable to accomplishing God’s purposes.
I did not get married until later than usual in life. In fact, Karen and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this year. Many people my age and much younger have been married for 20 or more years.
I understand what Paul means when he said he wishes Christians could get along without marrying. Some single Christians have the opportunity to serve in ministry in ways married Christians cannot. Paul wants single Christians to know they are valuable and to accept their single status, even if they are single for a season.
Tim Keller recently shared this applicable comment: “Singles, if you think you are lonely now, marriage to someone who doesn’t share your faith is the loneliest you can get.”
- To Christians married to an unbeliever who wants to remain married
Verses 12-14 offer another unique situation, as some Corinthian Christians thought they should divorce their unbelieving spouses and marry Christians. But Paul said this should not happen. He taught that God’s ideal is for husbands and wives to stay together – even when one spouse is not a believer.
The Christian spouse should be a witness to their lost mate, and if the unbelieving spouse wants to remain married to a committed Christian, the chances are good they too will make a profession of faith to follow Jesus. Also this is a good example to the children that their parents remain faithful in marriage.
- To Christians married to an unbeliever who abandons the marriage
Paul encourages Christians who have been converted after they were married to remain faithful to their unbelieving spouses. Do all that is feasibly possible to make the marriage work.
However, don’t abandon your faith for the unbelieving marriage partner. And if the unbelieving spouse wants to leave the marriage, and the Christian spouse cannot peaceably convince them to stay, Paul said in verse 15 to allow them to go. God desires for marriages to work, but He doesn’t want hostility to develop.
Paul also said in verse 16 that, even in a disappointing result, if the Christian spouse handles the divorce or separation respectfully, it could be possible, through their kind disposition expressed in the unfortunate process, they may still influence their unbelieving spouse to convert to Christianity.
The conclusion to this issue in verse 17 is very important: “Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches” (NLT).
by Caleb Gordon | Apr 26, 2017
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2).
We are so easily distracted by some of the simplest things. So many of us view this life as the end-all-be-all, when in reality, it’s really a super short.
In fact, the Bible tells us in James 4:14: “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
Did you catch that? A mist. Have you ever sprayed a spray bottle full of water and just watched it in the sunlight? It’s really mesmerizing, if you focus and really study it, but it’s gone fairly quickly.
The same thing applies to our own lives. We are only here for a short amount of time. We need to make the best use of our time. The Bible also tells us why it’s so important to make that a priority. “Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16).
There is going to come a day when all that we’ve done is going to be reviewed, and honestly, if Christ has not forgiven you, has not covered your sin in His mercy and grace, it’s over for you. But the wonderful thing about the Gospel is that we have a chance at redemption. In order for that to become a reality, though, we must follow the admonition of the Scriptures. We must set our minds on things that are above and not on things that are here on earth.
So today, as you walk out through this day, I want to challenge and encourage you to seek Jesus while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6). I can promise you, everything will change when you do this.