You Don't Earn Heaven

Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

As I read on from this verse, it is the story of the farm workers who all did different amounts of work but each received the same pay. The verse above is not about the poor becoming rich or the rich becoming poor.  It's not about the losers of the world becoming winners and vice versa. While there is some truth in the fact that your earthly status has nothing to do with your heavenly status, the fact that Jesus follows this verse with the wages story tells me his meaning had more to do with not being able to do enough to earn your way to a place in heaven.  God's kingdom is not about merit. It is not about how much you do or how well you do it.  God's kingdom is not about pleasing God. God's kingdom is very simply about being loved and loving in return.  There is nothing we can do or say that will make God love us anymore than He already does.  He loves the murderer just as much as He loves the missionary in Africa. There is nothing to earn, just accept.  Accept the gift of God's love and see what happens.

Not For Wimps

Matthew 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

What an interesting statement for Jesus to make to his disciples as he is sending them out to "preach" to the lost Israelites. I'm trying to understand what it looks like to be as shrewd as a snake and innocent as a dove. What a strange combination. Yet, I think it is exactly what it takes and what it looks like to live in the world and not be of the world.  We have to navigate so carefully and be on guard while responding with a peaceful spirit. It is not a simple task, to be sure. And being as shrewd as a snake must be done with the innocence of a dove, otherwise we are no different than those who are not in Christ. Jesus isn't an easy name to share. There is no other name that gets the same reaction as His. This is the proof that there is something to who He is. We must keep walking with the Spirit in order to be innocent and peaceful, but we must also keep watch for the evil one. Christianity is not for wimps, that's for sure.

Don't Be a Resounding Gong

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

It's been a very interesting week. Why is it that bringing yourself in a humble state to God is so difficult at times? We are like bratty little kids who want it done our way or to our liking and when that doesn't happen, we throw a fit.  Okay, maybe that's just me. ;-) Here's the deal, when I talk at God, rather than talking with Him, I am not humble at all.  I become a resounding gong, clanging out my thoughts without any regard for my love for God and His love for me. Unfortunately, then I have to be humbled.  I have to be brought to a place that is so irritating in my mind that the only place I can turn to is God.  I feel horrible about that.  I don't know why I can't just always turn to God.  I do so well in seeking Him in some things and so terrible in others.  Trying to come to God out of love and not just because I want something or even need something is a daily step I am working hard on right now.  Approaching the throne of Grace out of love every day so my relationship with God is strong and my understanding of who He is humbles me, that is the journey I am on.

Literally Just Sitting

This is a day where I'm kind of worn out and I don't really have the capacity to sit down and dig deep with God.  This is a day where I literally just sit in the quiet and rest in the presence of God without doing anything.  No talking, no praying, no reading, no typing, just sitting.

Authority Is God's

Daniel 7:14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Lately God has been reminding me of His authority over the earth and all that is in it.  He has been assuring and reassuring me that He is in control and He is who makes things happen.  This verse is the final piece in the puzzle for me today. God was, is, and will always be in control.  He has the power to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.  His will is perfect. There is nothing that will change who God is. To His glory, may I always live.

Complete Breakdown

Psalm 43:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

All of Psalm 43 is very appropriate for me today. Some days you just have moments that are tough. I don't even realize how I have taken to leaning on myself until I am completely shot and can't go anymore.  Then it hits me hard. I'm doing life on my own again. I'm not spending enough time with the source of my soul.  I need time to just sit and be, and I need to make time for that daily...Sit in my sanctuary with God and renew my soul. There is the typical cycle that happens when I find myself out of oomph.  It's usually a complete breakdown emotionally and physically, followed by particular time with Jesus, crying out for rescue, ending with an enormous praise for His faithfulness and His Presence.  My time with Jesus is sacred. I know it. Sometimes life just makes it such that it is very hard to get into that space with Him.  The Psalms are a great way to spend time with God and lift your voice to Him. I need Him every hour, in joy and sorrow. Some days this is painfully obvious to my soul, especially when I've missed my time.

Unconditional, Unchangeable, Unshakeable

Matthew 5:44-45 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

This verse was such a good reminder to me of the fact that God loves people not because we are worthy, but simply because He does. His love is unconditional, unchangeable, unshakeable. What a great way to live life, knowing you are loved just because, no stipulations attached.  Now the good reminder is that if God loves people like this, and I am called to love people like Jesus, then my love for others has to be unconditional.  This is only really possible for me through the Holy Spirit in me.  Left to myself, I will look at how others treat me, at the very least, to decide whether or not they are worthy of my love.  With the Spirit working through me, only then am I really able to love people with the heart of God. I just have to get out of the way and let Jesus show. Easier said than done in some situations, which is why I am thankful God works on me as I walk with Him and loves on me the whole time. Whew!

Watch For It

John 2:4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

This is the miracle of water to wine.  I am contemplating why Jesus performed this miracle. Was it to please his mom? Was it to help the family? Was it to reveal a bit more of who he was? Was it to give glory to his Father? Jesus performs this miracle under the radar and takes no credit for it.  The bridegroom gets the credit for saving the best wine until the end of the party. For me today, this verse shows me the small mercies Jesus bestows as we await the perfect timing for a thing. He brings little graces about so that our hope continues. Timing is such a hard concept to grasp, especially when we have such a finite view of the topic. Details emerge here and there and we try desperately to put the pieces together without knowing the full picture. I get myself into trouble with this one, trying to decipher where the final destination is. Then I am gently reminded that this life is not about the end destination, it is about the journey I'm on to get there. I have to look at each piece and discern what is happening in my heart and soul in this instance that is leading me closer to Christ.  Mary involves Jesus because she knows the deep impact he will have in the small things. There is glory to be seen on the journey, not just at the end of it. Watch for it.

From the Very Beginning

1 Corinthians 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

It is apparent to me today that my journey with Jesus is all because He sought me first. I only know and understand what I do today because of the God and His gift of the Holy Spirit. In the verses prior to this Paul is talking about knowing God for who He really is and that this is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.  I know this, but I have never really thought about it's deeper meaning. We are moved in our souls to seek God and to love Him because of the Spirit's work in, around, and through us.  We are not even aware of our own need until it is revealed to us from God.  Jesus is so much more than just a sacrifice on my behalf, and that much I understand.  It is the fact that my heart is open to Him in the first place, for which I need to be most grateful. I love Him because He first loved me, and the meaning of that is becoming renewed in my mind and in my soul.  Human wisdom is not what draws us to God. The Spirit of God is who brings us near to God, from the beginning through to the end.

Through All and In All

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

I don't know about you, but for me, when I am feeling in need of sustenance, I don't refer to this verse.  I grab my cold brew with cream or a Dr. Pepper, get a little snack, heck, I might even take a nap in order to get myself back to feeling normal. We use all different types of vices for all sorts of purposes in order to do life on our own as God looks on knowing we will never be fulfilled. And even worse yet, we start to compare our vices to those of other's, making ours seem less "sinful". If only we could turn to Jesus each time we are in need.  Seek Him first and let Him guide our hearts to what it is we truly need.  This verse says it all, the Lord sustains us, through all and in all.  He is our help. Call on Him.

Transformational Grace

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Renewing of the mind tends to lead people to educating themselves about God. I have a hard time thinking that is really what Paul was talking about here. Education about God, as important and as good as that is, is nothing compared to living in the Spirit (living with God). So what did Paul mean by "be transformed by the renewing of your mind"? Here is what I've experienced and what Paul's words mean to me...When I learned about transformational grace through Dallas Willard's writing, in Renovation of the Heart, my mind was renewed through a revelation from God. I learned that grace is an agent of change, not just a type of mercy.  God uses grace through the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts to become what He created us to be.  Our actions and words change because we are transformed from the inside out by the work of the Spirit through God's grace.  Our hearts no longer desire to do things of the flesh when we allow the Spirit to take over. We are transformed bit by bit. Our heart begins to desire things of the Spirit, which is how we will be able to "test and approve what God's will is". This is a journey and it takes a lifetime.  I have only begun to scratch the surface.  It is still hard, at times, for me to know God's will, but I am continuing the Journey with Jesus to be transformed.

A Lovely Picture

Psalm 73:23-24 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

What a lovely picture the psalmist paints.  Walking with Jesus at moments when all else seems to be failing. I have been seeking God for quite some time now and I am still amazed at how He brings His word to me.  He uses the Bible, other people, situations, books, nature, "coincidences" and so on.  God loves to be our guide and take us through life.  The hardest part is actually listening to what He says, once one is able to discern His voice.  This relationship takes time to build.  I have had many conversations with God over the years, and I still need reassurance from my trusted mentors that I am hearing Him and not myself.  The beauty in this verse is that even when we are a bit clueless or are doing our own thing, God is right there walking with us, making our path His path. We are refined as we go and we are set apart for Him in Christ.  There is nothing better than this journey with Jesus.

Finding Our Rhythm

Jeremiah 33:11 '...the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, "Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the Lord.

I was sent to this word today and I was instantly reminded of life before Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  The five of us spent time together playing music, eating meals, watching movies, taking trips, and so on.  It was a beautiful time.  We enjoyed each other so very much, from all of us together to each possible pairing that could occur.  It was pretty amazing.  Then the cancer diagnosis came and God showed us all a new way to live in Jesus through His Power, His Grace, and His Glory. We were each given a new depth to our life in Christ through Mom's cancer battle.  There are really no words for it, so I always hope the depth is visible to those who have known us through it all.  But to the real point here. Since Mom's been in Heaven, it has been hard to find our rhythm as just the four of us.  We do just fine and we are all okay, but it's very different than when we were five.  We have asked God many times what this is all about and when we will have our restoration on Earth.  I believe this verse is reminding me that God has great intentions for the four of us, and that we are almost at the place where this can be revealed.  There is hope in death, and we know it in the depth of our souls.  We are great with whatever life brings, whether that is restoration here on Earth or reunification in Heaven.  God's will is perfect and His plans cannot be shaken.  I'm reminded of that today.

Not Enough

Mark 8:5 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they replied.


Yes, this is the miracle of the loaves and fishes feeding over 4000 people. Today I am struck by the compassion of Jesus on these people who had not eaten for three days. He calls the disciples to him and then asks them the question.  The disciples weren't sure about how this was going to go either, wondering where in the world they were going to get food for the people when they were in the middle of nowhere.  And yet, Jesus took what little they had to offer and made it plentiful for all who were there.  There were even leftovers. For me today, the seven loaves feel a little like where I am in my life.  I feel like, "Lord, this is what I have to offer.  It isn't much and I'm not sure how it will work, but it's what I have to give." God can take my little offering that, frankly, for me alone would not be enough to do anything with, and make it bountiful for the Kingdom.  My part is to give Him all that I have (you realize the disciples didn't say anything about what they were going to eat if they gave up their bread) and let Jesus make something incredible happen.  Surrender.

Symbols and Markers

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

Samuel called upon the Lord for the people of Israel and they were saved from the Philistines.  In the Old Testament, the people of God always put up some kind of marker to show where and when God had helped them.  We don't do this so much anymore.  I'm kind of taking a little moment with this here, thinking about how I might be able to incorporate something similar in my own life.  I often write down things that have happened and how God moved, but I don't necessarily set aside something to mark those moments. I have to ponder this more. I'm not sure where my heart is on this yet, and the purpose it may serve in my faith journey with Jesus.  Symbols are powerful, but I don't want them to become the focus.  Food for thought.

Unsure To Assurance

Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Today I specifically asked God to remind me of His faithfulness and this is the verse I read randomly. 😉 God is so good.  He is faithful in our daily living and He is faithful in his promises. This verse was something I desperately needed to hear.  God has told me He is doing a new thing with me, but I was starting to feel a little unsure.  It's taking more time than I'd like to find out what the new thing is. The verses before this are about not dwelling on the past, but moving forward. I needed those words too, although remembering the past gives me opportunities to see where God has been faithful already. God has a good track record in my world and I do not doubt Him now.  His gift of His Word today takes me from unsure of His movement to assurance that He will do what He has said.  He is faithful and I will continue to be faithful to Him. You can trust that God is faithful. I've seen Him in action.