I recently watched a video, Above Inspiration, in which Joyce Meyer proclaims exciting news- among other encouraging messages—that we can enjoy our lives while God works on our problems.
Meyer also said that what we focus on will be magnified in our lives. I can relate.
Change can lead to loss. Loss leads to grief. Grieving loss is okay, but we shouldn’t allow them to consume us. Instead, we can flip the script and start being thankful for the gains—focus on the positive. This intentional act and prayer for God’s help make a big difference in our daily outlook.
Change brings growth, but that doesn’t mean it is easy. Most change is challenging. Still, we can focus on celebrating the gains and good things during our season of change. When we turn this around, even small gains become significant victories. God knows how to give good gifts—worth celebrating.
Our attitude plays a substantial role in celebrating small victories when we have what seem like huge losses. The gains far outweigh the losses for me and likely most others—it comes down to what we focus on. A thankful heart knows many blessings. If we allow our negative thoughts to take over our minds, we’ll be miserable and make everyone else miserable.
But when we weigh the gains against the losses and see them as victories to celebrate, we win, and the enemy loses. Satan wants to divide, destroy, and keep us from the God-given joy that is ours in Christ (John 10:10). I’ve said it before – Satan is a liar. God is love, and in Him, we find unity and harmony that not even the enemy can take from us if we claim it by the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ mighty name.
God is our almighty refuge in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1).
I am reading Roxanne Parks’s Bible plan, Speaking Life, in which she supplies a fabulous analogy for the importance of what we seek. A hummingbird and a vulture flew over the desert, searching for food. The vulture was looking for dead animals – death, and the hummingbird was looking for nectar – life. They both found what they were looking for. I love this!
She continues to say that our lives will always move in the direction of our most potent thoughts. Maybe this is why Paul advised the Corinthians to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). What we focus our thoughts on matters. We can think about the positive, life-giving gifts or the life-sucking negatives the enemy uses to overwhelm us. It’s our choice. Once we focus on the good and Christ – God will help us find peace and joy in our hearts.
Our thoughts and words matter, and what we think about ourselves matters.
As believers, there are life-giving truths about all of us in God’s Word. We are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139.14)—sons (and daughters) of the King (Rom. 8:14-16) – fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
I don’t know what you are going through, but God does, and He cares for you immensely. Take a moment to ask yourself what you are focusing on; if you need help identifying it, ask God to reveal it to you. Then, see if you can intentionally flip the script by listing all the gains and things you can be thankful for during this season of change. Make Christ your focal point and note your daily attitude to see if it changes your negative thoughts and outlook.
“Here my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth, I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings” (Ps. 61:1-4, Emphasis added)!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7, Emphasis added).
“If you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13, Emphasis added).
The Word of God is not just a collection of verses but a living, powerful force. It’s like a sharp sword, cutting through our innermost thoughts and desires, exposing them to the light. This is no coincidence. One of our most potent spiritual weapons is the sword of the Spirit –the Word of God (Eph. 6:16). Paul confirms that we should use prayer and the Word of God to thwart the enemy’s attacks. Combined, they become a mighty two-edged sword, wielded in the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:16-17; Heb. 4:12).
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He didn’t rely on His strength. Instead, He used the Word of God to stand firm against the enemy’s tactics, frequently quoting Deuteronomy when Israel failed its wilderness tests (Deut. 6:13). Jesus set an example for His followers by standing firm on the Word of God to resist the devil (Matt. 4:1-11).
The power of the Word – only God’s Word – has the force to break strongholds (2 Cor. 10:5), create (Gen. 1:1), give life (Ezek. 37:1-4), direct nature (Ps. 147:15-18; 148:8), reveal the glory of God (John 1:14), and demand a decision (John 8:51; 12:47). Moreover, The Holman Bible Dictionary explains that the Word is Jesus’ message; the message about Jesus and Jesus Himself. A pre-existent life-giving person (John 1:1-18).
The next time the enemy tries to steal your joy – speak life. Let us be in the Word enough to pray and quote verses that destroy strongholds. We can start each morning by confirming our thoughts on what we know to be accurate and constant in our lives – God’s grace and His Word –the continuous, irrevocable promises we can claim daily. “True joy is the divine work of the Spirit in a yielded vessel” (Find Joy in the Journey, Teresa Cooper). This is my favorite quote from a Bible plan I recently completed. The key phrase here is ‘yielded vessel.’
Intentionally surrendering ourselves to God—inviting the Holy Spirit into everything we do – to fight the good fight of the faith and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness (I Timothy 4:7, ESV).
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8, emphasis added).
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).
You don’t often hear that statement in a world where people look for what makes them happy to fulfill their inner desires. It is more popular to tell people to follow their heart, which generally means making decisions based on emotions or personal desires rather than solely relying on logic or reason.
But what if I told you this life is not about being happy? It’s about finding joy. There is a difference. Circumstances drive happiness, but joy happens regardless of circumstances. This concept can bring hope and optimism, knowing that joy is not dependent on external factors but can be found within through our connection with God and His love. Jesus said when we keep His commandments, we abide in God’s love, as he did. (John 15:9-10).
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11, emphasis added).
Joy is derived from a spirit-filled heart. In the Bible, the heart refers to human will and emotions. Anytime our feelings are involved, we must be cautious, warned, and prepared not to allow them to take over and disregard reality. The Bible says the heart is deceitful and desperately sick (Jer. 17:19, ESV). Allowing our emotions and desires to override the truth is easy without spiritual discernment.
While following your heart can be rewarding to the flesh, it’s essential to balance it with rational thinking and consider the practical consequences of your choices. Prayerful consideration in decision-making is critical to logical thinking since our emotions can lead us astray.
I remember a season after becoming a Christ-follower when I didn’t trust myself with making decisions because I knew the consequences of my past mistakes. I was reminded that I am not the same person as I was when I made such poor judgment, although I was still valuable and worthwhile in God’s eyes; I am wiser and make better godly choices.
With God’s help, I made a list of all the things I am now that I wasn’t then and came up with eleven things. Such as honesty/truth (I am not hiding secrets anymore), respect for my body, I have boundaries, morals, and a voice to say no, and on and on the list goes.
This is an excellent exercise for anyone questioning themselves, especially for a new Christ-follower. I can trust myself to make decisions because I do not rely on myself. I take all my decisions to God, and this makes a huge difference. So, let’s stop following our hearts, allowing our emotions to make decisions without taking them to God first, and praying for spiritual discernment and the wisdom to stay in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24, emphasis added).
“Walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16, emphasis added).
“A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones” (Prov. 4:30. MSG, emphasis added).
It’s a joy to share new knowledge. For instance, did you know that the English translation for Amen is truly or verily? In Jewish prayers, amen was used as an affirmative response to a statement of wish, affirming its validity. It’s like saying this is sure, valid, or so be it. As you know, using it at the end of a prayer is common.
According to The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, in the NT, Jesus used it at the beginning of His statements to affirm its validity. He prefaced His own words to proclaim the Kingdom of God is bound up with His person and emphasize the authority of what He said (Brand, 56).
You know all those verses that begin with truly, truly – that is really Amen, Amen. Jesus is God’s reliable and faithful witness. He is mentioned in Isaiah as the “God of Amen” (Is. 65:16, ESV) and is also called “The Amen” (Rev. 3:14).
This led me to think about my prayers. It is easy to get into a habit of repeating the exact words to God. I wondered about the importance of always saying ‘In Jesus’ name, Amen” at the end. John teaches that God will grant whatever we ask in Jesus’ name (John 16:23-24), and the ESV Study Bible notes say this is not a requirement (John 14:13). Still, effective prayer must ask for and desire the things Jesus delights in (I John 5:15). We are to seek God’s will, not ours. God is wiser than us. I will continue to pray in Jesus’ name. Still, it made me think about why I do it instead of repeating it mindlessly.
Prayer is the essence of communion with God—whether it’s a petition, such as The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6: 9-13), or the great examples in Psalm 86, proclaiming praise, asking pardon, or seeking communion (V63), protection (V57), retribution (V107), or healing (V6)—our words to our Abba are intimate conversations, sincere petitions, and thanksgiving. This communion brings us closer to God and fills our spirits with peace and fulfillment.
Prayer is not throwing words at God—like darts—hoping to hit the mark. We can talk to Him like a Friend and Father, trusting that He knows best, even if we don’t get what we ask for. Our priority is being with God. He is Jehovah—Jireh. The Lord will provide for our every need (Phil. 4:19). The important thing is to seek the Kingdom of God first, and then all things will be added to us (Matt. 6:33). When we don’t know what to say or ask for – the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom. 8:26).
Seeking the Kingdom of God continually means being cautious in our communications and actions. We shouldn’t try to make ourselves look good before men but humbly please God alone. Sometimes, our pride gets in the way, but we need to be alert to it and bold enough to honor God in all circumstances as God-pleasers—not people-pleasers. Let’s be inspired to seek the Kingdom of God first, and then all things will be added to us.
Another issue is that we must be reminded to pause before we speak. I pray for God to help me not react so quickly with offense or try to defend myself and say the first thing out of my mouth—which usually leads to tension instead of kindness and grace. A simple whisper – Jesus, help me or help me, Holy Spirit – does the trick. The hard part is being mindful of this before I speak.
Jesus said those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matt. 23:12). We can rise above the rest by lowering ourselves at Jesus’ feet. Let’s be bold and courageous enough to take a chance on looking bad before others—if it is righteous acts/obedience to God’s Word and character— we will be exalted in the end when it matters most.
Let us glorify God through acts of love in all circumstances, not just when it is easy. Amen.
Fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).
I come from a family of storytellers. Dad was a fantastic narrator. Whether from the head of the table, the pulpit, or his comfy recliner, he had invigorating stories whenever we gathered. It comes as no surprise that his children inherited the storytelling gene. My brother, JD, tells stories every day through his job as a fantastic editorial cartoonist and speaker. Check out his page and subscribe to his weekly blog, Crowe Jam.
Likewise, my sister, Donna, uses her talent to paint vivid pictures with words; she also has a fabulous blog called The Old Soul Medicine Crow. As for me, you, my readers, are my outlet for my meager attempt to share my stories and messages. Nevertheless, I give God all the glory and am grateful for the opportunity to communicate through my writing and photography. It brings me joy.
My storytelling helped me get more than one job. When I interviewed for my second job, I was asked to share an experience that stood out to me from the job I was leaving, as a dispatcher for a trucking company. This story was the first thing that came to mind: Zach, our local driver, picked up the loads and returned them to the lot until it was time for delivery. On this occasion, he picked up at a company in a neighboring county that used inmates to load trucks. As he was returning, I received a phone call from my contact at the facility informing me they were missing an inmate.
The voice on the other end surprised me. “We suspect he may be stowed away in your trailer.”
His nonchalant statement did not match my urgency for the situation, as he calmly assured me he was not armed or considered dangerous. Still, he was a fugitive trying to escape, and I didn’t know what he might do.
This was many years ago, telling my age, there were no cell phones to reach Zach to let him know he may be hauling an escapee. He didn’t even have a CB in his truck. What was I to do but call the state police and have them on standby? They asked for a truck description and searched for the inmate inside the trailer when it arrived. They did not find a stowaway. Still, this incident is not easily forgotten. This memorable tale was a hit with my soon-to-be new supervisor.
My subsequent employment required storytelling. I worked as a reporter and photographer for my hometown newspaper, earning my column, Angela’s Anecdotes, where I mostly shared family stories. I aim to use photography and words to portray images that pull the reader into the scene, although I sometimes fall short. I admire my siblings for their God-given gifts and natural abilities, but my lack doesn’t deter me from sharing a good anecdote. It’s in my genes, after all.
Growing up, our neighbor, Mr. Hall, was a grand storyteller. We would sit and listen to him for hours. On one occasion, in the 70s, when voice recorders were our new fascination, Mom decided to record one of Mr. Hall’s boyhood memories about stealing and eating watermelon from someone else’s patch. When he was finished, she asked him to listen to it as she played it back on our new recorder.
I will never forget his astonished response, “That feller on the radio has had the same experiences I have!” That is one priceless memory.
Jesus was a storyteller. He used parables to teach his disciples many excellent lessons that we can apply to our lives today. One significant lesson Jesus taught His disciples, whom He sent out to share the Good News about the Gospel, was to pray for workers for the harvest (Luke 10:2, NLT). In this parable, the harvest is the people who need to hear the Gospel and be gathered in God’s presence (Is. 27:12). The laborers or workers are those Jesus implores to tell others about Salvation by grace through Christ. We are to be laborers for the harvest and pray for others to share the Good News.
Sharing the story of Christ can be challenging. Still, as Christ’s followers, we always have a story to tell about our rescue. Our stories constantly intertwine with Jesus’ story. Sometimes, sharing the Good News is as simple as sharing our story. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Jesus modeled a life of trust and dependence on our heavenly Father (Luke 11:1-13). We can also place our faith in God and depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the right words. We need to be willing to try. God will do the rest and place people who need to hear our story in our paths. Praying for that opportunity and showing God you are willing doesn’t hurt. Likewise, pray for others willing to do the same thing.
Another great parable that stood out to me while reading the book of Luke is when Jesus explains the cost of following Him. “But Jesus told him, ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:62, Emphasis added). In this parable, the NLT Study Bible explains that “the ancient farmer guided a plow with their left hand and his oxen with his right. Looking away would turn the plow out of his path. For a believer, looking back meant placing earthly concerns ahead of God.”
Whenever we neglect to share the Good News as Jesus commanded (Matt. 28:19-20) because of fear, doubt, or whatever reason we concoct, we let our earthly concerns take priority over God. Whenever fear or doubt creeps in, the enemy keeps us from sharing Jesus’ story. After the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent out returned from their Gospel expedition, they were astonished those demons obeyed them when they used Jesus’ name (Luke 10:17). Jesus told them not to rejoice in their spiritual power but instead in the greatness of God, who freely gives salvation (V20).
Likewise, we can use our spiritual weapons to keep the enemy at bay, step out in faith, and share our story of salvation with others so they can enjoy God’s presence and accept His gift of salvation if they choose. At least by sharing, they can hear the Good News and hopefully receive the opportunity. This is when we pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to stir their mind because it is not of us but of God to transform a person’s heart. Sometimes, we plant a seed that someone else will water – a blooming flower needs both. It is God who gives the growth (I Cor. 3:6).
As many of you know, my story has many twists and turns (literally), including an eye-opening car crash on a curvy mountain road that woke me up from my self-induced stupor and a lifetime of people-pleasing and co-dependency that nearly strangled the life out of me before I realized God is in control – not me – as I tried to believe through my poor choices. He spared my life for a reason, and I knew then that I needed to pay attention to what God wanted. He rescued me from a miserable existence and life of abuse to empower me with a voice to say no and taught me how to set boundaries that lead to life – not death. God gave me a story to tell that I undoubtedly cannot ignore His existence, nor the fact that I would not be here today without Him. My relationship with God is the most essential thing in my life. When I finally figured that out, all my other relationships were better, and everything started to fall into place.
When I first began sharing my story with women’s groups to teach the red flags of abuse and empower them with the knowledge that breaks generational cycles – I had one group leader tell me I could not talk about God. They didn’t understand that I could not tell my story without talking about God. He is my story! He rescued me! That is my story! I will never leave Him out of it for anyone. Still, there are ways to share our stories without blatantly preaching to others about their need for salvation – which turns most people off. However, it is undeniably woven throughout my story in the miraculous ways God turned my life around and what I am doing today that I have no justification for claiming the glory for. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen (Gal. 1:5).
What’s your story? Can you use it to share the Good News with others? I pray you become a laborer if you aren’t already. The harvest is plenty and ripe for the picking. I hope you glean something from this message and share it with someone who may need to hear it.
“Yet the time will come when the Lord will gather them together like handpicked grain” (Is. 27:12, Emphasis added).
“These were his instructions to them: The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So, pray for the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Luke 10:2, emphasis added).
Both compassion and unity have been on my mind recently. At first, I thought of them exclusively, but the more I read and think about them, the more I realize they are not mutually exclusive – instead, they are the threads that weave us together. We cannot truly experience unity without compassion for others; we connect through compassion.
Jesus, our ultimate role model, demonstrated compassion to the highest degree. The Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains that compassion is a fundamental Christian asset that should guide every believer’s life (Brand, 326). It captures the very character of God, who is the source of every believer’s capacity to have genuine compassion (325). This divine origin of compassion reassures us of our connection to God and each other. Peter listed compassion among the essential Christan virtues (I Pet. 3:8, ESV).
Paul reminds us that the demand for compassion is rooted in God’s very nature. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6, Emphasis,).
‘But God’ – is a powerful phrase not to be taken lightly. Please don’t skip over this when you are reading Scripture. It is significant each time it is used and demands our full attention and engagement. The ESV Study Bible notes that when things look the grimmest, Paul utters the most remarkable short phrase in the history of human speech. God’s mercy is undeniably from His loving heart – not from anything anyone does to deserve it. Only by grace!
This leads me to unity: a circumstance of harmony (Brand, 1621). To achieve harmony, we must share the same love, which originates from God. Paul emphasizes a shared concern for one another (I Cor. 12:25) and encourages us to live out our life in Christ and the Spirit by living in unity (Phil. 2:1-2). “For Paul, the unity of the church reflects the unity of the Godhead: one God (I Cor. 12:6), one Lord (Rom. 10:12, I Cor. 12:5, Eph 4:5), and one Spirit (I Cor. 12:4-11; Acts 11:17)” (Brand 1621).
In today’s divided world, we need more people to come together in love and compassion. We can be a beacon in someone’s life in small ways—even a smile can brighten someone’s day. This reminds me of the Hello Human Kindness commercials, which are probably the best TV commercials, in my opinion. They are sure to make you smile and maybe even cry.
The power of prayer is often underestimated. When God’s people band together in unity, miraculous things can happen. It is crucial that we pray for our country and the hurting people around us who need to know Christ. So many marriages end in divorce, leaving kids without an all-too-important father figure.
All problems arise from our heart condition; Christ is the only remedy.
I challenge you to pray for unity and harmony that stem from compassion and are rooted in Christ.
I am sure everyone knows someone who is struggling with their marriage. Fill in the blank: Father God, I pray for unity and harmony in ______________’s marriage’ that they would know Christ and have compassion for each other. In Jesus Christ’s mighty name – Amen.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts” (Ps. 139:23-24, ESV, emphasis added)!
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32, emphasis added).
Although the Fourth of July may be over (until next year), the fireworks continue to keep us up at night. Celebrating freedom comes at a cost –not just the loss of sleep.
Like our freedom in Christ, Jesus paid the price at a high cost, which means substantially more than losing a few nights of sleep. Still, the celebration of freedom we enjoy each day can sometimes be taken for granted.
One of my favorite verses from Paul’s words, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, ESV, emphasis added), holds a profound meaning. The ESV Study Bible explains that this freedom is the multi-faceted liberation that comes with salvation in Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is freedom from condemnation, sin, guilt, and death. This freedom also gives us access to the loving presence of God as it does away with the old covenant. It invites us into a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Something I did not know existed for most of my life.
After many years of bondage, Christ showed me a different way. With God’s help, I broke out of the lies that kept me in captivity. The horrific, suffocating cycle I was stuck in no longer held me imprisoned. It took a tragic accident to jolt me awake from my self-induced stupor. But God gave me the power and freedom to say no, set boundaries, and begin to peel back the layers of my past that led to healing.
During a difficult season in my life, I thought God was punishing me for my poor choices. The mental anguish that followed was destructive, but I now realize it was the consequences of my bad decisions – not God’s punishment. God was always rooting for me. He didn’t wait for me to clean myself up to take me in His arms. He took me in His arms first and then helped me make the necessary changes to align with His will.
As achronic people-pleaser, I had a lot to learn. I can certainly relate to Paul when he writes, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10, emphasis added).
Absolute freedom comes from surrendering everything to Christ and keeping Him at the center. Once I figured this out, everything else fell into place. I am free from shame and the lack of self-worth, and I find my identity as a daughter of the King.
Who are you trying to please – man or God? What does freedom mean to you?
The Word of God is not just a text; it’s a potent force that can transform lives. In 2 Cor. 10: 4-5, Paul urges the Corinthians to seize every thought and make it obedient to Christ. This transformative power of the Word is our key, offering us hope and inspiration. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we, like Paul, can dismantle strongholds of wrong thinking and behavior, paving the way for a more enlightened and hopeful future.
John’s writing tells us that Jesus Christ is the living Word that reveals the glory of God—a pre-existing life-giving person (John 1:1-18, NLT).
The Word of God possesses the strength to create everything around us – including us – and demolish strongholds, a testament to its unparalleled power. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary expounds that it represents Jesus’ message, the message about Jesus and Jesus Himself (Brand 1666).
The book of Psalms paints a majestic picture of how the Word, with its remarkable power, directs nature and comes to the aid of His people. This power is a testament to the divine origin of the Word and its ability to bring about miraculous changes in our lives.
“He sends his orders to the world – how swiftly his word flies! He sends snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold? Then, at his command, it all melts. He sends his winds, and the ice thaws (Ps. 147: 15-18, emphasis added).
“He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death” (Ps. 107:20, emphasis added).
The Word of God is not a passive entity; it is described as living, active, sharp, piercing, and discerning (Hebrews 4:12)—God’s utterance delivers awe-inspiring results, engaging us in a dynamic relationship with our faith.
Hebrews records that God’s promise and oath are unchangeable because God can’t lie. We can have confidence in our hope in Christ (Hebrews 6:18). The Word, as the Gospel message, gives us steadfast hope that is strong and trustworthy, like an anchor for our souls (v19).
With this in mind, we can claim every promise that is ours as His children and heirs with Christ (Gal. 3:29). Abraham never hesitated in believing God’s promises. He was convinced that God would do whatever He promised (Romans 4:20-21). We can have the same confidence today because God’s Word is God. God is Love (I John 4:8). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), providing us with a reliable anchor for our faith.
When He ascended to heaven, Jesus left us the gift of peace for our hearts and minds—one of many promises we can claim—something the world cannot give (John 14:27).
When we accept Christ, we receive a new heart and spirit. The Holy Spirit Jesus speaks of as our Advocate who reminds us of these promises and gives us hope to persevere. The OT also speaks of this, pointing to Christ when God showed Ezekiel in a vision that He can bring dry bones to life (Ezek. 37:1-14). The breath in this passage is the Spirit. These passages often end with God’s promise that He has spoken and will do what He says (36:36; 37:14).
When I surrendered my life to Christ, these dry bones came to life for the first time. The weight I was carrying from my past lifted immediately with the utterance of one question—God, what do you want? I had never asked this before because I was focused on what I wanted (or thought I wanted).
Can you relate?
Maybe it’s time to ask God what He wants for you.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30, NIV, Emphasis added).
“From his abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17, NLT, Emphasis added).
According to The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, reconciliation is the bringing together of two parties, a change or exchange (Brand, 1337).
We can all relate to reconciliation in some form or fashion, whether it be our bank statements that we end up dumping a few dollars into ‘reconciliation discrepancies’ or those who spend hours painstakingly looking for a few cents. Then there are the number of marriages that chalk their divorces up to irreconcilable differences.
The stark truth is that, according to Divorce.com, a significant 57.7% of divorces are labeled as irreconcilable differences. It’s a call to action that some of these couples might have spent more time balancing their bank accounts for a few cents than nurturing their marriages.
If any relationship merits this category, it would be humans with God after the Fall. Yet, in His profound love for us (Romans 5:8) and his unwavering desire to be in a relationship with His people (Hebrews 8:10), God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him by the gift of grace through Christ (2 Cor. 5:20, ESV).
There are two examples in the Bible where the person who hurt someone takes the initiative to reconcile the relationship (Matt. 5:24; I Cor. 7:11). The ESV Study Bible notes that the opposite is true about God. In our case, the injured party (God) takes the initiative to restore the relationship between Himself and humanity. This unexpected twist is the result of Jesus Christ bringing together God and man with the result of salvation (2 Cor. 5:19).
Only through this union are attitudes transformed, and we humbly and gratefully receive the gift of reconciliation God has already achieved in Christ (Rom. 5:11).
Still, suppose we don’t recognize our sinful nature and need for a Savior. In that case, we won’t seek God or the relationship Christ offers or receive the wonderful gift of reconciliation because of His love for us. Take a moment to reflect on someone you know who may need to hear the message of God’s love – or see it in how we show them love.
“For I am convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38, NLT, Emphasis added).
A dear friend at church recently got the cancer diagnosis that we all dread. He has a beautiful attitude and outlook. As I thought about and prayed for him, 2 Cor. 4:7-18 came to mind.
As we experience these pains, believers with hope in Christ also experience great joy and life. Paul describes the turmoil of this evil world that we still contend with today. Nevertheless, there is a light inside us because of Christ. We carry both the death of Jesus and the life of Christ. Paul calls it a “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7, NKJV, emphasis added).
I think the New Living Translation’s description is enlightening—it describes the treasure as a light shining in our hearts. Although we are fragile, like jars of clay, the treasure inside us is excellent. It clarifies that the great power is from God, not us, which is the message Paul focuses on.
He continues to explain that although we are pressed on every side by troubles, we are not crushed. We may be perplexed but not driven to despair, hunted down but never abandoned by God. We may get knocked down, but not destroyed. By suffering with Jesus – we also share the life of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:8-10).
Another Scripture that came to mind was, “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, ESV, emphasis added). When we have the light of Christ in our hearts, our joy meter is full, regardless of our circumstances, because our trials are temporary, and our joy is eternal. Therefore, our joy gives us strength because it is from the power of God, not ourselves.
As we struggle with losing loved ones to this broken world and its diseases, we can rest assured that God will restore them and give them new bodies that will never experience pain or suffering again (Rev. 21:4). Paul provides more details about this – explaining that when we die and leave these earthly bodies, we have a home in heaven. God will make an eternal body for us. As a guarantee of this, when we accept Christ in our hearts, God places the Holy Spirit inside us – this is the light in our hearts that gives us the hope that we have a new body and home to look forward to (2 Cor. 5:1-10, NLT).
Jars of clay and earthen vessels symbolize human weakness and dying bodies. Still, the treasure is life everlasting in Christ or God’s revelation of Himself in Christ deposited in an earthen vessel. We can learn to trust God amid adversity – the results we get are determined by the effort we put into our relationship with God.
“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:23, NLT, emphasis added).
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