Category: Bible Study

Knit Together

Turning the page on the calendar, there is finally the slightest hint of fall in the air. Kids are back in school and the long sunny days of summer are starting to wane. It’s cool and damp in the mornings and temperatures seem to drop as soon as the sun sets in the evenings. Suitcases have been emptied and stowed away. We scroll through vacation photos with fond memories, but are ready for the rhythm of the fall to begin. Although we enjoy the unstructured months of summer, many of us are craving a more regular routine. It’s not so much the repetition that we long for, but the consistent overlap with others. As much as we love the freedom of doing what we want when we want, we all need consistent encouragement, accountability, and support. Relationships with others keep us tethered to the things we value.

Without a doubt, one of the things I look forward to most is returning to a group Bible study. Although I continued to study Scripture and pray on my own during the summer, I’m looking forward to being with others who are ready to dive into God’s Word together. I think that’s why Paul’s remarks in Colossians jumped off the page when I read them recently:

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. (Colossians 2:2, NLT)

I love visualizing the community of believers as being “knit together by strong ties of love.” I picture God taking individual strands of yarn and looping them together to create a warm blanket of love. Another translation describes being knit together as being “encouraged in heart and united in love.” Who wouldn’t want that?

Although I’m not a knitter, I’ve noticed something about those who are: they’re always working on a blanket, sweater, scarf or hat and looking for someone they can bless with it. And because we were created in God’s image, I know they are mirroring what their Maker does. Turning the pages of Scripture, it’s clear that God created us for one another.  He loves taking stray threads and knitting them into the fabric of fellowship. He offers this gift to us throughout our lives, just as He’s done with people since the beginning of time.

The Greek word for fellowship is Koininia, which author and teacher Kelly Minter describes as “joint ownership, mutual sharing, community with God or one another around the shared life of Jesus in our everyday lives.” My favorite part about Koininia is that it’s not a closed system or a defined group—there is always room to add someone else. This has been true since the early days of the Christian faith:

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer…all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42 & 47, NLT)

So, I can’t wait to see God’s “knitting projects” for this year. I look forward to re-connecting with old friends and discovering new ones. I’m eager to see how the Lord will use His Word to speak to us, to inspire us, and to call us to action. I love that He’ll be doing this wherever people gather in His name all over the world. He creates beautiful things as He knits believers together.

Fellowship starts by building our lives on the firm foundation of God’s love. When we pursue Him, we’ll be blessed to experience authentic community with others who are doing the same. It’s worth the time and effort to invest in a group that desires to grow in faith and to be grounded in biblical truth. If you haven’t made plans already for this fall, take the time this week to find or start a group you can grow with this year. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be encouraged in heart and united in love.

“Build My Life” by Housefires is an awesome worship song that puts words to this idea.

Strength and Endurance

Stumbling down the dirt trail our feet ached and our knees threatened to buckle beneath us. The muscles in our legs felt weak and weary, but we pressed on. One thing urged us forward: the desperate need for water.

The hike to the top of Yosemite’s Half Dome had been filled with stunning scenery that included rushing waterfalls, granite staircases and majestic pines. It was a sparkling June weekend and my husband and I had been enjoying time away with extended family. A small contingent of our group had decided to brave the all-day adventure to hike to the top of Yosemite’s most iconic landmark. It had been a fun, but grueling day.

Although we’d set out early in the morning with plenty of water, we’d discovered less than half way into our day that a leaky bottle had pooled much of our precious water supply in the bottom of a backpack. We were young and fit and felt invincible, so we’d made the decision to complete the hike anyway, figuring we could ration the rest of our water. By early afternoon, we’d summited Half Dome and had begun the long journey back down the mountain. The exhilaration of achieving our goal faded with each step. The strenuous hike and the lack of water left us parched and fatigued.

At one point the trail paralleled the Merced River and we took a break to cool our aching feet. It required every ounce of self-discipline we had not to drink from the unfiltered water that we knew could make us sick with a nasty parasite called Giardia. As the sun sank low in the sky, we urged each other on, remembering the drinking fountain at the base of the trail. Bending down to take that first sip, I don’t think water has ever tasted so good to me.

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the single-minded focus we had at the end of that hike. I’ve had some similar cravings in the past few months, but my thirst has been more spiritual and emotional than physical. It has been an intense season in my life filled with stressful and difficult situations that have left me utterly depleted by the end of each day. Drinking in Scripture consistently and connecting with God in prayer have filled me with the strength I need to face each day’s challenges.

This past Christmas we received a small chalkboard as a gift—one square that had been cut from a large one that hung in my husband’s childhood home. We loved receiving a piece of family history to display in our house. What I’ve appreciated even more is using it to remind myself of the truth I need to drink in daily.

As I pore over the Bible each morning, God seems to draw my attention to certain passages that feel especially relevant in my current season. I’ve been returning to the same ones regularly to renew my mind and sustain me for the day’s challenges. Carefully choosing key words from the verses that speak to me, I write them on our chalkboard as a constant reminder throughout the day. Each time I grab my purse and keys to leave or put them back when I return, the words of truth are there on the wall to give me encouragement.

Right now, the passage that I’ve been mulling over is one that’s appeared a few times in recent posts. I’ve condensed it on my chalkboard focusing on key words.

The full passage says, “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9-12, NIV).

I pray daily for God to strengthen me with His power so that I can have endurance and patience. Later, I look back and thank Him for carrying me through and giving me exactly what I needed.

Here are a few things I’m trying to remember right now that may benefit you too:

-I don’t want to fall into the trap of feeling invincible, like I did on that Half Dome hike, thinking that I can survive on less than I need. I want to drink continually from the Living Water daily to draw on God’s strength, power and wisdom. I can’t ration it and hope that it carries me for long stretches of time without returning to it.

-I don’t wat to look to lesser things to quench my thirst. The water in the stream would have refreshed us for the moment, but made us sick in the long run. The same is true when we rely on lesser things to quench the thirst that only God can satisfy. Sometimes I’m tempted to anesthetize myself with shallow pleasures like buying something new, watching a funny show, eating a bowl of ice cream, or drinking a glass of wine. In moderation, these things aren’t bad, but ultimately, the comfort they provide won’t sustain or guide me when I face challenges and hardships.

-I need visible reminders of God’s Word to realign my thoughts and to encourage me throughout each day.

Listening to Christian music has been another source of drinking from the Living Water throughout the day. Let the truth of Jeremy Camp’s song “The Answer” encourage you today:

Five Ways to Stay Plugged In

Recently I returned from a mission trip in Mexico. The week away from the normal comforts of home was both inspiring and exhausting. Our group adapted well to riding on bumpy local buses to and from our worksites, doing manual labor without power tools, camping in tents, attempting to bathe with water slowly draining from a plastic “sun shower,” and even using port-a-potties with a rather pungent aroma. But there was one comfort of home that most people couldn’t do without: cell phones. While they were used mostly for taking photos and communicating with family back home, they appeared to be the one convenience that was indispensable.

The first year I went on the trip my eyes widened as I observed students clamoring for any outlet they could find to charge their phones. Every plug at the fast-food restaurants where we stopped on the way would be charging phones from the moment we arrived until the moment we left. Some creative students even hung phones from ceiling outlets.

My first year on the trip, I was fortunate enough to be on a worksite with a foreman who had a truck and a phone charger. I never had to jockey for position at a power strip in camp during the few hours the generators were running. Every year since then, I’ve relied on my first foreman to be my power source and he has graciously obliged. On our most recent trip, I scurried to his truck before program one evening and plugged in my phone. When I returned later, I was disappointed to see that it hadn’t charged at all. A quick investigation revealed that the cord had been unplugged from the lighter to make room for a different type of charger. I just hadn’t noticed in my haste. No matter how long my phone remained plugged into that cord, it was worthless without a power source.

And what is true for our all-important technology is even more essential in our spiritual lives. We simply can’t function well when we’re not consistently connected with our Power Source, God. Maybe this is the twenty-first century equivalent of abiding with the vine that Jesus describes in John 15.

I’ve been mulling over another passage on this theme written by Paul and Timothy:

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9b-12, NIV)

The prayers offered by Paul and Timothy in this passage show the value and necessity of staying plugged into God for the source of our power. As we do that, we receive wisdom and understanding from the Spirit so that we bear fruit and grow, continually strengthened with His power so that we have endurance, patience and joy.

As summer approaches, most of us look forward to a break from our regular routines. We anticipate the ease of a relaxing vacation at the beach or the excitement of traveling abroad. Leisurely days reading a book by the pool or finally tackling a project on our to-do lists sound inviting after the rigors of the year.

What is unfortunate, however, is that for many of us a break from gathering for a large-group Bible study also equates with a break from our spiritual lives altogether. This is like hoping the charge on your phone will last throughout the summer without bothering to plug it in. It won’t.

So before you kick up your feet and revel in the newly opened places in your schedule, why not plan how you’ll stay connected to your Power Source during the break from your usual Bible study? Need some suggestions? Well, I’m glad you asked…

  1. Choose a new devotional to read daily. Take the time to do the suggested activities and to read and study the Scriptures included. Instead of rushing through it, make the time to absorb what it says.  Here are several I’d recommend:
  • Embraced: 100 Devotionals to Know God is Holding You Close by Lysa TerKeurst
  • Awaken by Priscilla Shirer
  • Encouragement for Today by the Proverbs 31 Ministry Team

2. Choose a book of the Bible and keep a journal. After each chapter, stop and answer these four questions:

  • What does this teach me about God
  • What does this teach me about myself?
  • What do I need to do as a result of reading this passage?
  • What character qualities do I see in God displayed in this passage? (Questions adapted from Day 5 lessons in Finding I Am by Lysa TerKeurst)

3. Choose a Bible study to go through or finish a Bible study workbook that you didn’t complete during the year. Invite a few friends to do it with you.  Take the time to let the lessons sink in and then apply them to your life. Schedule times when you can meet during the summer to discuss what you’re learning. Text or e-mail each other in between meetings so you can hold one another accountable.  Here are several I’d recommend:

  •  The Quest by Beth Moore
  • Becoming a Vessel God Can Use by Donna Partow
  • Women of the Word: The Family Tree of Jesus by Marybeth McCullum (I’ve revised and updated this since it was done at Focused Living in 2015-16) Click here for more information

4. Read a book to gain deeper insight on a topic you want to learn about. Get some biblical perspective from a trusted Christian author.  Here are a few I’d recommend:

  • Love Does by Bob Goff
  • Chasing God by Roger Huang (founder of SF City Impact and SF City Academy)
  • I Give You Authority by Charles Kraft
  • Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi
  • Flourish by Natalie Maki (An author from CPC Danville!!)
  • The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
  • Fervant by Priscilla Shirer
  • Forgive and Forget by Lewis Smedes
  • The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns (revised and updated)
  • Surprised by Hope by NT Wright

5. Subscribe to an online study or devotional from one of your favorite Christian authors. You can start by subscribing to this blog if you don’t already. I’ll be posting throughout the summer.  Scroll back to the top of this post, look at the right side of the screen and you’ll see the heading “Subscribe to Blog Via E-mail.” Just fill in your e-mail address and click the blue “subscribe” button. Be sure to confirm your subscription the first time you receive an e-mail from this site. You might also check out the offerings at Proverbs 31.org. (The ministry founded by Lysa TerKeurst.)

Whatever ideas you decide to try, make it a priority to continue engaging your faith. My prayer is that you’ll connect to your spiritual Power Source during the summer months with the same consistency that you charge your electronic devices. Happy summer!

Following the Shepherd’s Voice

Leaning forward, I placed my frozen yogurt on the table and looked into her eyes. “Maggie, I love you and you will always be welcome at D-Group, but I guarantee you won’t want to come if you continue down the path you’re on.” My bluntness caught her by surprise and she quickly refuted my prediction, assuring me she’d never stop coming to youth group or meeting with the girls in our Discipleship Group. She was sure she could toggle between the high school party scene and her fragile faith.

I’d met Maggie a year and a half earlier on our church’s annual houseboat trip. She was an incoming freshman brimming with enthusiasm. I was a young, new leader ready to pour into a group of high school girls. Maggie and her best friend were the first ones I met that week and we made an instant connection. The three of us spent a lot of time together that summer. Once school started, we gathered weekly with a group of girls their age to share life and study the Bible. But by the beginning of her sophomore year, other activities began to have more allure to Maggie. Parties and popularity seemed more shiny and exciting than youth group, Bible study, and church friends.

Maggie was confused, not sure which voices to heed. She’d tasted enough of God at youth group to know He was good, but her parents had never really encouraged her involvement there. False friends promised fun and excitement that seemed more appealing than the solid and stable lives of the Christians who cared about her. In the years that followed, Maggie popped in and out of my life less and less. She was always invited and included in our group’s activities, but rarely came. It saddened me to learn that this funny, talented, bright-eyed girl later struggled through addiction and a string of bad relationships.

Like many of us, Maggie had a lot of voices speaking into her life and she didn’t know which ones to trust and follow. Sadly, she’d been exposed to Biblical truth, but strayed further and further from Jesus as deceptive voices lured her down other paths.

I pictured Maggie as I read Jesus’ words in John 10 this week. In the passage, He describes Himself as a shepherd who lovingly leads His flock: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28, NIV)

Listening to Jesus and following Him sounds simple, but with so many voices clamoring for our attention, it’s not always easy to know which ones to ignore. I think that’s where things went sideways for Maggie—she listened to the loudest voices rather than evaluating which ones truly cared for her.

Earlier in John 10 Jesus explains “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:9-10, NIV). The most dangerous thief we’ll ever encounter is the devil. Although he can’t snatch us from God’s hands, he’ll do whatever he can to steal our joy, kill our hope, and sabotage our faith.  In another passage, Jesus describes the devil by saying, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44b, NIV)

So how do we differentiate between the loving voice of our shepherd, the deceitful voice of the devil, and the unreliable voice of the world? Without a doubt, the best way is by evaluating what those voices are telling us in comparison to the unchanging truth of God’s Word. Studying the Bible consistently is critical.

Discerning between these three voices also requires thought and prayer. A few years ago, someone gave me a printed guide that helps me to recognize what voices to follow based on the tone, motive, and character of the messages I’m hearing. Over time, I’ve added on to the guide as I’ve had experiences with the different voices. I’ve included it below to help you tune your ear to the voice of the Shepherd over all others.

God’s Tone of Voice: Soothing, quieting, peaceful, encouraging, inspiring

Satan’s Tone of Voice: Insistent, demanding, hurried, mesmerizing, rash, accusing, defeating, discouraging, doubt-inducing, pride-building, vengeful, bitter, self-centered, critical, negative

The World’s Tone of Voice: Comparison focused, fearful of what others think, bases value on exterior qualities, struggles with wanting to measure up, stirs up insecurity

God’s Motives/ Character: Builds relationships, empowers us to do what is right, gives us courage, provides wisdom, gives peace, stretches us and challenges us to grow, reassures us, convicts to bring positive and healthy changes, offers grace, understands, forgives

Satan’s Motives/ Character: Destroys, deceives, accuses, divides, isolates, turns people away from God, induces guilt, creates self-loathing, capitalizes on doubts and insecurities, exaggerates faults, magnifies misunderstandings, makes sin appealing and acceptable

The World’s Motives/ Character: Pleases people to gain acceptance, works hard to fit into the right mold, satisfies self, looks out for self above all else, judges/compares self and others, does what is comfortable and convenient, avoids hard things, keeps up appearances, bases values and standards on popular opinion

Lysa TerKeurst, Finding I Am: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart, Lifeway Press, 2016.

The Significance of “I Am”

To people with an appreciation for good grammar, a book title like Finding I Am may provoke them to pull out a red pen to suggest corrections. However, to those who recognize “I Am” as a name for God in Scripture, it makes more sense. Lysa TerKeurst’s Bible study Finding I Am: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart is based on Jesus’ “I am” statements in the gospel of John. To grasp the significance of the title, it’s important to understand the weightiness of the phrase “I am.”

The Jews in  the New Testament reacted strongly when Jesus used this name to identify Himself:

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” (John 8:58-59, NIV)

The Jews of Jesus’ time understood the significance of the phrase “I am” in a way not all of us do today. It was such a holy name that they wanted to stone Him as a blasphemer for speaking it aloud and using it to refer to Himself.

To understand the name, we need to look back to the Old Testament. The Israelites had emigrated to Egypt from Canaan during a severe famine. Jacob, who had been re-named “Israel” by God, was the patriarch of the family. Along with his eleven grown sons and their wives and children, Jacob had arrived in Egypt at the invitation of his son, Joseph, who had risen to a position of honor and power there. (This is the same Joseph that received the coat of many colors from his father and that was sold into slavery by his brothers when he was a teenager. His story is in Genesis 37, 39, 40-50). The Israelites first arrived in Egypt as a large, extended family of about seventy people. The Egyptians also called them Hebrews.

After Joseph’s death, life for the Israelites began to deteriorate as new Pharaohs that didn’t know him came to power. Feeling threatened by the growing numbers of Hebrews, the Egyptians eventually enslaved them and began slaughtering their newborn boys. They feared the increasing Israelite population, believing they would grow too powerful and would eventually turn against Egypt.

Exodus chapters 1 & 2 describe the birth of Moses, the Hebrew child who was spared from death, hidden in a basket in the Nile, found by Pharaoh’s daughter, and raised as a prince in the palace until the age of forty. Our story begins when Moses was eighty years old and had been living as a shepherd in Midian for forty humbling years. He first encountered God when he approached a burning bush in the wilderness while tending his flocks. A voice from the fire spoke to Moses and identified Himself as the God of his forefathers. The Lord told him to return Egypt to free the Israelites from their 400 years of slavery. Obviously, Moses had a few reservations about what God was asking him to do:

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’  God also said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.’” (Exodus 3:13b-15, NIV)

God identified Himself using the name I AM WHO I AM, also shortened to I AM. The Hebrew translation for this name is Yahweh (pronounced YA WAY). Later, this name was transliterated into a Latin version of the name: “Jehovah,” which means “the self-existent one.” By calling Himself I AM, God revealed that He had no beginning and will have no end. Because it is considered a holy name, it would never have been written with vowels but instead would have been written YHWH. Jews considered the name so holy, they would not speak it out loud, but would substitute the name Adonai, which means “Lord,” in its place. Anytime you see “LORD” in all capitals in your Bible, it is translated from the name I AM. When you see “Lord” with lower case letters, it is the translation of Adonai.

So, for Jesus to speak the name “I Am” aloud and to use it to identify Himself was incredibly impactful to the Jews. The ones in the passage above saw it as blasphemy and wanted to put Him to death for using it. Others bowed before them when they realized He was the promised Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament.

The “I Am” statements Jesus makes throughout the book of John reveal different qualities about Him and tie to significant symbols from the Hebrew Scriptures. I love seeing how the New Testament fulfills and completes the Old Testament and can’t wait to unpack some of the specific places highlighted in Lysa TerKeurst’s study over the next few weeks.

Mark Schultz’s song “I Am” beautifully captures the significance of the name in both parts of the Bible. Click on the link and listen!

Lysa TerKeurst, Finding I Am: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart, Lifeway Press, 2016.

Old Made New

You can’t help but smile when you see it. The vintage ice cream truck transports you to a time in history when life seemed less complicated. SLO Mama Sweets touts itself as “an ice cream experience and sweet taste of the past.” I still remember when my brother and sister-in-law first told us about their dream of starting this business. After a lengthy search, they found a beat-up 1954 Chevrolet and began the painstaking process of refurbishing it into the beauty that it is today. When their truck rolls into an event with its music playing and the family members dressed in vintage garb, they create a magical atmosphere.

I admire people like them who can see the potential and beauty in an object that looks worn and tattered to a casual observer. We love to see things that are old and tired have new life breathed into them, don’t we? Makeovers of any kind fascinate us with their stunning contrasts, whether it’s examining before and after photos in a magazine or watching a rundown old house be transformed on a TV show.

I think there’s a reason we’re drawn to this concept of old being made new—it’s because the idea originated with the Author of life. God has always been about the business of re-making what is broken and worn. And that’s why I’m especially excited to spend the next couple of months sharing thoughts on Kelly Minter’s book All Things New: A Study on 2 Corinthians. Its theme verse gives us hope that we can be made new again at any age or stage of life, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

The process of being made new, however, doesn’t happen overnight. Makeovers in glossy magazine spreads and thirty-minute TV shows minimize the hard work behind the scenes. That beautiful truck pictured above took two years to refurbish from bumper to bumper. There were numerous setbacks and frustrations along the way. The process required incredible vision and tenacity for my brother and sister-in-law to see it through to completion. Making that old thing new again also involved a significant investment of their time and financial resources.

As we journey through the pages of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, we’ll discover the key ingredient to new life comes from being rooted “in Christ.” We’ll learn that leaving our old selves behind requires commitment over the long haul. There are no quick fixes or easy routes to true life transformation.

With Kelly Minter as our guide, we’ll learn to apply Scripture in practical ways so that we can become new creations in Christ. No matter what your age or spiritual maturity, 2 Corinthians has something to offer. I hope you’ll join me on the journey ahead through this foundational book in the New Testament as we experience the sweet taste of life in Christ.

“Made New” by Lincoln Brewster seems like the perfect way to kick of this study. Click on the link and make this song your prayer of praise today.

Kelly Minter, All Things New: A Study on 2 Corinthians, Lifeway Press 2016.

Top photo courtesy of Kathy Callahan

To learn more about SLO Mama Sweets click here.

Finishing Well

Sitting in the auditorium with other incoming freshmen, I listened with dismay as the orientation advisor spouted harsh realities: “Look to your left. Now look to your right. Statistically speaking, at least one of the three of you will not graduate from this institution.” The room was filled with bright-eyed, ambitious high school graduates and we gasped at this disconcerting fact. It was the summer of 1988 and I was experiencing my first cold splash of reality visiting the university where I would start classes in the fall.

The words of that orientation advisor echoed in my mind many times during the subsequent four years.  Each time I heard about someone who failed out, transferred, or chose to leave school for other pursuits I would think about that statistic. I was determined to persevere– especially my first year when I was adjusting to demanding classes, challenging living conditions, and severe homesickness. Putting on my cap and gown for graduation four years later felt like a true accomplishment. It wasn’t just a rite of passage, but a moment to celebrate a hard-won degree. Not only had I fulfilled the academic requirements, I’d persevered through a variety of personal challenges. I was leaving college with a diploma, confidence, maturity, and a much deeper faith

But the challenges I surmounted to finish well seem insignificant in comparison with Paul’s final words to Timothy: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NIV)

Throughout his years of sharing the gospel, Paul never lost his focus, no matter how difficult the journey became. Earlier in his ministry he’d explained, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14, NIV)

Paul pressed on through an amazing array of challenges. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, he explained, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-31, NIV)

Paul’s faithfulness to his call despite the hardships he faced inspires me. The lengths he went to for the sake of the gospel humble me and motivate me to persevere in my faith even when it’s not easy. His words to the church in Rome sum it up well: “We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3b-5, NIV)

Paul poured himself out like a drink offering so that others could know Christ. In turn, those believers persevered and shared their faith with still more people. Over the years, the good news passed from one generation to the next until it arrived in our lives. Just like Paul, Timothy, and countless others after them, we’ve received the gospel and the gifting to share it with others. Being reminded of that throughout studying Beth Moore’s Entrusted renews my enthusiasm to press on in the faith, to persevere in hardships, and to share the love of Christ with others who will be blessed by Him as well. It’s a lifelong pursuit until the day we meet Jesus face to face and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Whether the idea of being entrusted with the gospel exhilarates or intimidates you, the most important part is to lean into Jesus. We weren’t meant to share Him on our own strength and wisdom, but only through His. Listen to “Jesus I Believe” and make it your prayer today.

Beth Moore, Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy, Lifeway Press, 2016.

Thoroughly Equipped

I remember the first time my family went to the snow when our kids were very young. Taking a toddler and a pre-schooler on a trip to Tahoe in the dead of winter wasn’t something we could have done without significant advance preparation. Not wanting to invest a lot of funds in gear our boys would outgrow quickly, we devoted our energy to borrowing anything friends would lend us: mittens, boots, jackets, snow suits, socks, long underwear, hats, goggles, and sleds (of course). We knew that forgetting just one of these items would have put a damper on enjoying outdoor activities in the frigid conditions. We had to be thoroughly equipped to create a positive experience. Forgetting even one mitten or boot would have ruined the whole adventure.

In much the same way, God knows that we need to be thoroughly equipped to carry out His will. His Word promises us He’ll give us everything we need for spiritual impact: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Just as my husband and I did the work to provide our boys with the gear they needed for the snow, God does all that’s required to equip us for every good work. He doesn’t miss a single detail. Our responsibility is to study His Word so that we can put on the spiritual equipment He’s prepared for us there. We simply receive what He provides and allow His Spirit to work through us. Scripture reminds us of this several times:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3, NIV)

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13, NIV)

Beth Moore explains, “We are equipped and made capable by Scripture even for good works that don’t necessitate sharing the Word. Scripture is just as strategic for equipping the man or woman of God who works in government, stays home with the kids, or fixes car engines. That’s the power of it. The Word of God works wherever the person of God works.” (p. 142)

None of us is exempt from being used by God, no matter what station in life we hold. Looking back over my past, I can see how the Lord used me whenever I made myself available to Him. From college onward, I recognize God’s handiwork–sometimes it was through my actions and quiet influence, other times it was through my words. Each season of my life has afforded new ways to impact others with God’s love and truth. The opportunities to be used by Him have changed with every chapter, but they’ve never ceased.

We’re headed into the home stretch of studying 2 Timothy so it’s time to take stock of what we’ve been learning. “If we get to the end of this study with a good look over our shoulder at the journeys of Paul and Timothy but no clear gaze ahead at the path we’re called to walk with equal tenacity, we will have missed the mission in 2 Timothy’s message. We—common people with common problems–get to carry on the uncommon legacies of Paul and Timothy. To do so deliberately will be to do so most effectively.” (p. 133)

It’s time to pray about how we’ll let this study change us. If we walk away with more head knowledge but no real plan to act on what we’ve learned, we’ll have missed the point. So I’ll ask a few questions to help you clarify your thoughts: How is God stirring in you as you study 2 Timothy? What are you learning about how to turn your vertical focus into a horizontal impact? If you’ve been following Jesus for a while, can you look back and see how God has equipped you previously? Is there anywhere new you sense Him calling you to step outside of your comfort zone? These may be scary questions to answer, but don’t let them intimidate you. Remember that God is trustworthy and He has good things in store for you. All you have to do is let Him equip you. He’s already prepared everything, you just need to tell Him you’re available to receive it.

“Do Everything” by Steven Curtis Chapman gives some good encouragement on this topic. Click on the link to enjoy the song.

Beth Moore, Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy, Lifeway Press, 2016.

Building Your Spiritual Lineage

Pulling out the chair, I glanced over and smiled as we both sat down. I knew most of the people at my nephew’s graduation dinner, but the woman seated next to me was a stranger. Soon after we’d introduced ourselves, I discovered that she and her husband were the leaders of a ministry where my nephew had been involved throughout college. Despite their youthful demeanor, I learned they’d been staff members for several decades with an organization that shared the gospel with students and equipped them to pass it on to others. Having been a part of the same ministry on my college campus, it didn’t take long for us to begin sharing stories and discovering people we both knew. It was one of those “Small World” moments that make you smile, especially in Christian circles.

As Karen told me about the different universities where she’d ministered to students, one part of her story caught my attention. A mentor I’d had for just one year in college had graduated from one of the schools where Karen had served. I lobbed out my leader’s name, wondering if Karen knew her. Nearly jumping out of her seat, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm, “Wait a minute, you’re telling me that Kim was the staff member that helped you start a Bible study in your sorority?!”

“Yes, do you know her?” I responded with a smile. (I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.)

Karen explained that she’d mentored Kim during her college years and had helped her start a Bible study in her sorority, just as Kim had done for me. Exuberant, Karen finished her story saying, “This is so cool! It’s like you’re my spiritual granddaughter! I hardly ever get the blessing of seeing a second generation of the fruit God bears through our ministry!” Being maybe 10-15 years older than me, her “grandparent” analogy made me laugh.

In the span of that one meal Karen and I went from being perfect strangers to realizing that we were part of the same spiritual lineage. She had accepted Christ in college through a friend in her sorority. She’d gone on to spend her adult life pouring into college students with the gospel that had transformed her. One of the many students she’d discipled was Kim, who later “just happened” to be my Bible study leader for one year in college. It’s a special privilege when we get to see the big picture of how God builds His house one life at a time.

Beth Moore explains, “Practically every child of God has an earthly spiritual ancestry…Taking personal ownership of our spiritual lineage—both in what we receive and what we pass down—is titanic in this Scriptural journey. Whether we are on the younger side of the generational spectrum or older, God’s sovereign way is for optimum fruitfulness and faithfulness to spring from the soil of our connectedness.” (Entrusted, p. 59)

It makes me think of Peter’s description of believers, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5, NIV) Each time we share the gospel and someone receives it, we build God’s spiritual house just a little bigger. With Christ as our foundation, we continue to expand outward and upward, with each part of the house connected to the stones that were laid earlier and supporting the ones that will be added later. The same is true of our spiritual lineage: we received the gospel from those who came before us and we have the privilege of entrusting it to others who come after us.

Standing alone, stones are uninspiring. But when they are stacked together under the watchful eye of a skilled builder and sealed in place with the Holy Spirit, they represent the hope of salvation. It makes me realize how important it is to be intentional about continuing to share with others what has been entrusted to me. If we don’t recognize the crucial role each believer plays in passing on our spiritual lineage to others, it would be like a stone house with holes in the walls.

Take Beth Moore’s words to heart and share God’s faithfulness with someone who needs to hear the gospel. And maybe one day, you’ll be blessed with the opportunity to meet a perfect stranger who turns out to be part of your spiritual lineage.

Micah Tyler’s song “Different” could be a fitting prayer for inviting God to continue His spiritual lineage through you.

Photo courtesy of pixabay.com

Beth Moore, Entrusted: A Study of 2 Timothy, Lifeway Press, 2016.

The Value of a Vertical Focus

The blank wall in our backyard was unremarkable for years. We had ideas for how to spruce it up, but never seemed to find the time. And then one spring afternoon, my husband got inspired. Returning from a trip to the hardware store, he set to work installing small bolts up the wall at evenly spaced intervals. Once he finished, he uncoiled a spool of wire and wound it around each bolt. By the time he was finished, we had a perfect grid ready for a vine.

Strategically digging holes at the base of the latticework, we nestled tiny plants into them. After a few months, they began to grow tall enough for my husband to wind the small tendrils around the wire, training them to attach to it and grow upwards. At first the latticework looked a little lonely and bare, but over time the lush foliage filled in. Now, five years later, the once bare wall is the most noteworthy aspect of our yard. Getting it to look that way took time, patience, and discipline (for which I can take no credit whatsoever).

Every few weeks, new growth and foliage need to be pulled from the wall and either trimmed off or wound around the wire to continue the upward growth. Without human intervention, the wall would be a messy jumble of shoots and leaves with no pattern. It would be unruly and undisciplined.

For some reason, a picture of our latticework wall came to mind as I read a question in Beth Moore’s Entrusted Bible study this week. At the close of Week 1, Day 1, she asks readers “What brings you to your side of this page”?  In other words, why are you doing this study?

If my life was that vine growing up our wall, then God’s Word is what keeps me tethered to the wire when I want to stray out on my own. It helps me to keep a vertical focus so that my worldview, actions and attitudes come from God and not from the standards of our ever-changing culture. Consistently engaging in Bible study for most of my life has allowed healthy patterns to emerge and God’s handiwork to show in my life. His Word grounds me in truth when the world bombards me with lies. It is a firm foundation in unsteady times. It is a plumb line that keeps my thoughts and perspectives aligned with God’s ways instead of the world’s. It is the mirror that shows me my true identity as God’s beloved child when I’m tempted to measure myself by the fickle standards of the world.

When I’m not fighting against Him; when I’m patient over the long haul; when I trust Him even when I don’t understand why He’s allowing a certain hardship– He can do beautiful things in and through me. He sees the whole picture where I see only a small part. He has laid out plans for me, intentionally going before me to stretch out the wires on the wall that beckon me to grow to heights I could never achieve on my own. As I allow His loving hands to wind the tendrils of my life around His latticework, I see that His ways are higher and better than mine.

For me, completing a study guide isn’t a task to be checked off a to do list. We call it “homework” at Bible study, but in reality it’s the gateway to life transformation and the thing that continually keeps my focus exactly where it belongs: on God. And that is what brings me back year after year.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

“Word of Life” by Jeremy Camp is a song that celebrates Jesus as the Word that became flesh and the truth found in God’s Word. Click on the link to hear it.