Category: Christian Living

Giving Generously


Driving through the city on a sunny afternoon, I watched from the passenger seat as familiar sites rolled by my window…ornate Victorian houses, clanging cable cars, trendy stores, chic cafés, and tiny gardens sandwiched between tall buildings. A few blocks further down, the picturesque scene transformed as we passed liquor stores, empty lots filled with trash, and raggedy people sleeping in doorways. One group leaned against a graffiti-covered wall smoking cigarettes and drinking from bottles tucked inside paper bags. A few kids skipped past them down the sidewalk, their fresh faces providing a sharp contrast to the bleak surroundings.
 
For most people, scenes like these cause different emotions to bubble to the surface. Some turn their heads, preferring not to engage the conflicting feelings of guilt and compassion that may arise. Others look on wishing they could help, but feel ill- equipped and unsure about how to intervene in a community struggling with such vast problems.
 
Although I’ve felt those things at different times, that day I was hopeful. I thought of the letters my family receives from a little boy and girl in that neighborhood who we’ve been sponsoring for several years through SF City Impact. I pictured the Christian school they attend that brings the light of Jesus to that struggling neighborhood. The people working there have willing hearts, deep faith, and years of experience that enable them to engage the neighborhood’s practical and spiritual needs. And as you might expect, they have limited resources to fill them.
 
On Good Friday, members of my women’s Bible study made the drive into that neighborhood to deliver Easter baskets to each child and staff member at SF City Academy. Gathering with these women to fill the baskets has been one of the many highlights of being part of this group. Delivering them to the children and staff members is both humbling and fulfilling. It’s amazing how God uses simple baskets loaded with trinkets and treats to show love, encouragement, and support to adults and children who are often overlooked. 
 
This year, it seems especially poignant to be doing this as we’re wrapping up a study on the book of Ruth. Like some of the families who will be receiving baskets, Ruth struggled with poverty and found herself as an immigrant on the fringes of society. Because of her rural setting, she gleaned in the fields to get food for herself and Naomi. This was God’s provision for the poor described in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19-22).
 
In modern times and urban settings, the poor don’t have the option to glean fields, but we’re still instructed to offer support using the same principles. The command to give to the needy is a consistent theme throughout the Old and New Testaments. Jesus taught on the importance of giving many times. One of the most memorable is when He described His eventual return:
 
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40, NIV)
 
When we give to those in need, it’s as if we are giving to Jesus- the kindness we show them is a manifestation of our love for Him. Giving to the needy motivated by love for Jesus also frees us from expecting gratitude in return. Whether it’s acknowledged or not, any act of kindness done for a person in need is the same as doing it for Jesus Himself.
 
Paul also taught about giving:
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19, NIV)
 
Material wealth is fleeting and uncertain. It’s not a good source of ultimate security. We can rest assured that God provides everything for our enjoyment, not just our needs. True life is not bound up in the accumulation of possessions or material wealth but in sharing what we have with others. Our generosity stores up spiritual treasure for us that is of eternal value.
 
James also had much to say about this topic:
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17, NIV)
 
Our generosity must be rooted in humility and empathy. We share out of the abundance God has lavished upon us, knowing all our resources were given to us by Him. Generous giving reveals our genuine faith while honoring God and showing others that He is for them.
 
 There are numerous ways to share what the Lord has given you, whether it is donating your financial resources, offering consistent prayer support, or volunteering your time. Will you commit to praying about where God might be calling you to provide consistent support for people in need? The Lord often prompts us to intervene in situations that break our hearts. Where is He drawing your attention right now?
 
Not sure where to start? Here are a few ministries doing amazing work with people in need who would welcome your involvement through giving, serving, and praying. Click on them to learn more.
 
San Francisco City Impact 
Compassion International
World Vision
International Justice Mission
Samaritan’s Purse

Feel free to suggest other ministries we should consider in the comments below.

Let Matthew West’s song “Do Something” inspire you to action today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I2csO7_pOI
 
 

Jesus: Our Kinsman Redeemer

Sometimes things we encounter in the Bible are hard to understand without a bit of historical or cultural context. Reading through the Old Testament book of Ruth, we learn that Boaz is identified as a kinsman-redeemer of Naomi and Ruth. Although this isn’t a term we use in current times, understanding it will help us see how the idea of a kinsman-redeemer relates to us.

You may remember that Ruth, the impoverished Moabite, gleaned in Boaz’ fields to provide food for herself and her mother in law, Naomi. After Ruth reported how kindly she was treated by Boaz, Naomi encouraged her daughter in law to make a bold move, saying:

“Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

Ruth willingly followed along with Naomi’s somewhat risky plan. Here’s what happened next:

“When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet! ‘Who are you?’ he asked.‘I am your servant Ruth,’ she said. ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.’” (Ruth 3:2-4, 7-9, NIV)

Uncovering Boaz’ feet was an act of humility and submission for Ruth. By asking him to spread his garment over her, she was requesting his protection over her through marriage. While all of this may sound like ancient history, there is significant personal application for us today because as a kinsman redeemer, Boaz stands as precursor or “type” of Jesus. 

“Through his actions, Boaz communicates Christ. His person and character illustrate the incredible hesed [love, goodness, kindness] that Christ possesses for his people, as well as, the great measures he is willing to take to redeem his bride. Though Ruth arrives at Boaz’s bed, empty-handed and humbled to the core, Boaz treats her with respect and kindness (3:10-13). Disgraced by her position and despised for her ethnicity, the young Moabite woman appears to have little to offer. Yet, despite all this, Boaz views her as a worthy woman (3:11). Though Ruth comes from a family that has turned their backs on the Lord, the Lord turns his face towards Ruth and reveals himself to her through Boaz. Boaz foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate kinsman redeemer who will redeem a bride for himself—the church…Though Boaz redeemed the line of Elimelek, Jesus would come to redeem all the people of God. It was him to whom Boaz’s position pointed to, for in the person and work of Christ was found the true definition of kinsman-redeemer.”1  

Boaz paid a high price financially and socially to redeem Ruth, bring her into his family, and make her his bride. In a similar but greater way, Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us from sin and death and to reconcile us with the Father by cleansing us of our sin: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Romans 5:8-11, NIV)

Just as Boaz redeemed Ruth and Naomi, Jesus redeems those who place their faith in Him and lavishes them with His love and grace: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,” (Ephesians 1:3-7, NIV)

Through Christ, we gain direct access to God and all the blessings that come with it. We transition from being outsiders to members of God’s family:“Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  (Ephesians 2:12-13, NIV)

Because of Boaz, Ruth’s status changed dramatically–she ascended from being a poverty-stricken outcast to a beloved wife. She was grafted into the most esteemed family tree among the Israelites–the line that would produce Jesus, the Messiah and King of Kings. Like Ruth, our status changes dramatically when we accept Christ. Let’s rejoice in having a kinsman-redeemer who delivers us from a life of spiritual poverty and gives us a new identity as chosen, accepted, and beloved members of God’s family.

Listen to the lyrics of “My Story” by Big Daddy Weave and praise God for how they fit both the story of Ruth and Boaz and the story of Jesus and those who put their faith in Him. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIHmYBKkGa8

1. Stephanie van Eyk, “The Ultimate Kinsman Redeemer” https://www.ligonier.org/blog/ultimate-kinsman-redeemer/

Nicki Koziarz, A Woman Who Doesn’t Quit, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Staying Open to the Movement of God

Staying open to the movement of God means we must be attentive to the Lord and open to change. Being flexible and ready to deviate from our comfortable patterns and predictable routines becomes our “new normal.”

The opportunity was amazing, but the timing couldn’t have been worse. Saying “no” seemed like the only logical answer. I’d been a member of a writers group for a while when the leader invited me to write a blog for a local news website. Saying “yes” would mean writing regular posts for six weeks as our church studied a book called The Hole in Our Gospel by World Vision’s President, Rich Stearns. My assignment would involve reading the book, listening to the sermons, participating in weekly small group discussions and then writing my thoughts and reactions consistently. 
 
I saw a few roadblocks that would have made it easy to say “no.” First off, I’d never written a blog and didn’t have any idea what was involved. On top of that, I already had a plate full of responsibilities and couldn’t imagine how I’d have time to complete the weekly reading, let alone post my thoughts about it. Beyond those obvious reasons, my family was struggling through a disastrous home remodel. I was already feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin emotionally since we’d been living in our house during construction.
 
Despite all that, when I told my husband about the invitation to write the blog, he said, “How can you pass on that chance? Haven’t we been praying that you’d have more opportunities like this? Now you’re being invited to write about a Christian book for a secular news site that thousands of people read? Sounds like God is dropping the opportunity right in your lap.” 
 
Clearly, my husband was more open to the movement of God than I was at that moment. After listening to his wise words, I said “yes” and embarked on the adventure of writing my first series of blog posts. Little did I know that would usher in a new season in my life that would lead to writing many more blogs, a Bible study, and an unpublished book manuscript. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought when I said “yes” that I would later have the courage to launch my own website and to have God inspire me to write over 260 posts.
 
Author Nicki Koziarz explains, “Most of us believe God wants to do great things in and through us but moving toward these things is often difficult.” (p. 107) Staying open to the movement of God means we must be attentive to the Lord and open to change. Being flexible and ready to deviate from our comfortable patterns and predictable routines becomes our “new normal.” Following God’s prompting may involve being thrust into situations that are beyond us, forcing us to rely on His strength, wisdom and power. Although it seems scary, this is where exponential growth happens.
 
Ruth and Naomi’s story provides a perfect example of staying open to the movement of God. Ruth just so happened to find herself gleaning in the fields of Boaz, who showed her great kindness: “As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, ‘Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.’” (Ruth 2:15-16, NIV)
 
When she returned home to Naomi that night with an abundance of food, Naomi realized the hand of God at work through the kindness of Boaz: “’The Lord bless him!’ Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. ‘He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.’ She added, ‘That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.’” (Ruth 2:20, NIV)
 
Naomi saw that Ruth’s gleaning in Boaz’ field was no coincidence. She recognized the providence of God: His care and guidance even in the smallest details. Naomi hadn’t sought out the help of her relative, but God had led Ruth to his field. This was only the beginning of seeing God’s hand move in their lives in mighty ways. Once He had their attention, they were ready to follow His lead.
 
What does it take to imitate their example and be open to the movement of God in our lives?
 
Be Teachable
For starters, we need to pay attention and ask God to show us where He’s moving.  We need to trust the Lord and invite Him to reveal what we need to learn, especially when plans aren’t unfolding according to our preferences. God often places opportunities before us that we miss because they don’t look the way we expect. If you find yourself in a situation that isn’t going the way you want, stop and ask God to show you what He wants you to learn from it. Tell Him you’re open to how He wants to move in your life through the situation.
 
Maintain Margin
Another way to be open to God’s movement is to maintain margin in your life. When your schedule is packed and your to do list is a mile long, it’s hard to be flexible and available to the Spirit’s prompting. Prayerfully consider where you invest your time. Don’t rush to fill every second with a scheduled activity. Instead, try starting your day with a simple prayer, “God show me who You want to bless through me today. Show me where You’re already at work and inviting me to join You.” 
 
Remember You’ve Been Equipped
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God prepares good works in advance for us to do. The Lord equips those He calls and gives us gifts to use to bless others and to further His kingdom. Ask Him to show you where He wants to use the gifts He’s given you. Invite Him to lead you to the good works He’s prepared in advance for you.
 
Be Flexible
Nicki Koziarz says, “I think one of the worst things we can do for ourselves in the process of becoming women who complete our God assignments is to stay stuck in the patterns that paralyze us. Change often seems to be a far off concept we can’t always wrap our actions around.” (p. 95). Being open to the movement of God means being flexible and agreeable to change. God rarely does things the same way twice. He often calls us to be stretched beyond our comfort zones so that we can discover new things He wants to do in and through us. If we’re not flexible and open to change, we’re closing ourselves off to the movement of God.
 
If you want to see God work in your life, just ask. Remain expectant, teachable and flexible so that you’re ready to respond when He reveals Himself to you.
 
Listen to Plumb’s song “Lord, I’m Ready Now” and make it your prayer today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBUQqLp6N24

Interested in reading the blogs I wrote for the The Hole in Our Gospel?Check out the links below.

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel-part-2

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel-part-3

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel-part-4

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel-part-5

https://patch.com/california/danville/bp–the-hole-in-our-gospel-part-6

Nicki Koziarz, A Woman Who Doesn’t Quit, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Following Through Despite How You Feel

Almost before he could walk, my son loved anything with wheels. He played with toy cars constantly and was naturally drawn to the world of professional auto racing from a very young age. As a pre-schooler, he dressed up as his favorite NASCAR driver for Halloween and by elementary school, he had most of the drivers’ names, car numbers, and sponsors memorized. Watching Sunday afternoon races on TV became a regular practice in our household. Although I’ve never sat through an entire race from start to finish, I’ve learned a few things about the sport. 

One of the key aspects of car racing is the use of colored flags to communicate to drivers and spectators. Most of us are familiar with the image of a black and white checkered flag that signals the end of a race and the declaration of a winner. I’ve learned there are many other colored flags during a NASCAR race that are used before that one however: a yellow flag means “caution” and indicates hazardous conditions, a red flag brings the race to a halt temporarily, and a green flag allows the race to resume. A black flag denotes a rule violation and means a driver must return to the pit and a white flag signals the last lap of the race. 

Much like those colored NASCAR flags, our feelings help us to interpret our surroundings and determine how to proceed. Unfortunately, however, our feelings aren’t always reliable. When we depend on them solely to make decisions, they may lead us astray. Like the colored flags, they tell us there is a reason to react, but often don’t equip us to handle the situation accurately. For example, we might not always “feel” like following through with a commitment we’ve made, but when we remember the reason we agreed to do it and recognize how God is using it, we push past our feelings and persevere. For this reason, we must filter our feelings through our minds and the Holy Spirit to determine how to proceed. Many times, we’ll discover we need to press on, despite how we feel.

Take the Old Testament character of Ruth, for example. In chapter 1 of Ruth, we learn that she’d lost her husband and had committed to travel to Judah with her grieving mother-in-law. As a Moabite, she chose to leave behind her homeland, culture, and family to stay with Naomi. She put her faith in the God of Israel and walked away from the idol-worship of her people. 

 Chapter 2 in the book of Ruth opens with the two returning to Naomi’s hometown of Bethlehem penniless and alone. As widows, they had no safety net and no obvious connection to family members who would look out for them.  So, Ruth made a practical decision for the sake of their survival:

“And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor’ …So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek…Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, ‘Who does that young woman belong to?’ The overseer replied, ‘She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.” She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.’

So Boaz said to Ruth, ‘My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you.’” (Ruth 2:2-9 abridged)

So, what feelings might Ruth have had to overcome to provide for herself and Naomi? 

Shame: Gleaning fields was for the poor and destitute. Ruth’s choice to do this meant putting aside her pride and accepting that she had descended to the bottom rung of society’s ladder.

Emotional Exhaustion: It’s likely that living with her bitter mother-in-law in poverty drained her emotionally, yet she pressed on to provide food for them.

Physical Exhaustion: Gleaning in the fields was probably back-breaking labor in the hot sun, yet the story tells us Ruth worked so hard she earned the respect of the hired hands and the the field owner, Boaz.

Grief: Ruth had lost her husband, left her homeland and parents, and was living as a pauper. Being relegated to do manual labor only added insult to injury. She could have wallowed in her emotional pain and used it as a reason to stop trying, but she didn’t.

Fear: The fact that Boaz told his men not to lay a hand on her hints that it was not uncommon for women in her positon to be used and abused by those who had more power. As a foreign woman alone, without ties to male relatives who could protect her, Ruth was incredibly vulnerable. She was easy prey for anyone that wanted to take advantage of her. Fear of being harmed could have been a reasonable excuse not to follow through with gleaning in the fields.

While it’s unlikely anyone reading this would find themselves in a similar situation to Ruth, there is much we can learn from her example. Take a moment to consider the role feelings typically play in your decision-making process. How often do you opt out of something because you just don’t feel like doing it? How often do you press on because you realize it’s worth it in the long run? Do you allow your emotions alone to guide your decisions or do you balance them with reason and intellect? Do you invite the Holy Spirit to help you interpret your feelings and to show you how to respond? Do you consult Scripture to access biblical wisdom?

Consider the words of the writer of Hebrews who gives us Jesus as the ultimate example to follow:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

Decide right now that you won’t let your emotions be your primary guide. Don’t ignore your feelings, but don’t let them be the only factor you consider when making decisions. Step back and look at the big picture. Consider God’s perspective and then decide the best way to proceed. In the long run, you’ll be more apt to wave that checkered flag of victory knowing you followed through despite how you felt.

Listen to Lauren Daigle’s song “Look Up Child” and be reminded where to fix your eyes when you’re tempted to let your emotions take the lead.

Nicki Koziarz, A Woman Who Doesn’t Quit, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Accepting the Assignment of Refinement

Vibrating beneath my hands, the power sander spewed a cloud of fine dust as I ran it over the wood. The dresser had an ugly, opaque finish and I was curious to see the quality of the wood hidden beneath it. To my delight, the sanding revealed pure, unblemished maple with a beautiful grain that far exceeded my expectations.

I was reminded of that recently as I turned the page of my Bible study book and read author Nicki Koziarz’ first habit of a woman who doesn’t quit: “She Accepts the Assignment of Refinement.” Refinement is defined as the process of removing impurities or unwanted elements from a substance; the improvement or clarification of something by the making of small changes. I believe this definition doesn’t just describe the process for inanimate objects, it also explains the way we can be refined spiritually.

This makes me think of one of the first Bible passages that ever jumped off the page at me. It was during my freshman year in college, which was a season of tremendous loneliness for me. I had surrendered my life to Jesus, and really wanted to honor Him in the choices I made, but was finding it challenging in my secular surroundings. One morning, I read this passage and found renewed strength to persevere:

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

I took heart because the passage assured me the trials and challenges I was facing were refining my faith and proving it was genuine in the same way gold is purified by being refined by fire.

Like using a sander on wood, trials refine our faith. They remove the ugly layers of protection we often put on ourselves over time. Pride. Self-sufficiency. Impatience. Selfishness. Faith that was obscured by those layers is revealed and clarified when trials draw it to the forefront of our lives. Persevering by keeping our eyes on Jesus enables us grow deeper in our relationship with Him. This opens a conduit for us to experience His love and comfort in ways we never would in times of ease and comfort

Oftentimes when we study a passage like this one, we envision major “life event” sort of trials. A cancer diagnosis. The death of a family member.  The loss of a job. An ugly divorce. A traumatic event that derails plans and dreams.

While those life-altering trials often refine our faith, smaller difficulties can produce the same results, if we let them. A challenging person or situation becomes spiritual sandpaper in the hands of God. Any trial we face is ripe to become an assignment of refinement, if we’re open to it.

The Bible makes many references to the Lord as a refiner. Psalm 66:10 states it clearly. “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” God uses people and situations to magnify our impurities so that we can be cleansed of them. When we submit to Him, this process changes our perspectives and makes us look more like Jesus in our actions and attitudes. 

In the book of Zechariah God speaks again about refinement. “I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’” (Zechariah 13:9b)

A few years ago, my family experienced a relentless chain of hard circumstances that led us to deeper intimacy with Jesus and profound spiritual growth. Ironically, at the center of many uncontrollable difficulties was a situation that we’d brought on ourselves: a home remodel.

With every annoyance we experienced, from doing laundry on our back patio to living without a kitchen for seven months, to working with an unreliable contractor, we learned we had a choice. We could wallow in self-pity and bitterness or we could let God refine us through the process. 

We started praying a one line question each time we faced a setback: “God, what are you trying to teach us right now?” Then, we braced ourselves for the answer. God revealed many ugly impurities in us that needed to be surrendered to Him throughout our remodel. And, as painful as it was, we chose to let Him do His refining work in us. He uncovered a lack of patience and a craving for control. He taught us to wait and watch for His answers in His timing. Submitting to that process transformed us in ways we never would have expected.

The struggles and challenges we face, both large and small, are an amazing opportunity to uncover the faith planted deep within us. As I learned with refinishing my dresser, true beauty shows only after the refining process removes the ugly outer layers. “When we start to see the hard, messy places as assignments of refinement, something shifts in our souls…It’s about letting the hard things make us strong.”*

Rather than lamenting the difficult things we must endure, we can rejoice knowing that they are revealing a genuine and lasting faith that is more valuable than anything this world could offer.

Are you in a season of waiting and wondering how in the world God could use your hard situation for good? Let the lyrics of “Take Courage” by Bethel Music bring you hope today.

*Nicki Koziarz, A Woman Who Doesn’t Quit by , Lifeway 2016, page 55.

Adapted from my post entitled “Genuine Faith: 1 Peter 1:1-12″ originally posted 2-21-17

Obedience Requires Trust

Handing back the graded assignment, I affirmed my student for her effort, but explained why she hadn’t earned the maximum points possible. She glared at me with arms folded for the rest of the period in Freshman English. Sadly, no amount of encouragement I gave could break through her stubborn shell. As the semester progressed, I think she saw me as an unreasonable and unfair task master. Eventually, she just gave up trying. Her stubbornness and pride led her to miss the opportunity to learn from that experience and prevented her from receiving any further instruction from me.

While I would never be so presumptuous as to equate myself with God, I think many of us see Him similarly to the way my student saw me all those years ago. We want to approach Him on our terms instead of His. Rather than taking the time to learn how to live faithfully and obediently, we follow our own path and then don’t understand why we don’t feel more connected to Him.

Accepting God’s free gift of grace offered through Jesus marks the beginning of a lifelong process of growing in a relationship with Him. Author and pastor Eugene Peterson describes this journey as “a long obedience in the same direction.” That “o” word (obedience) is a hard one to accept in our culture today. Like my student, most of us want to do things on our terms. We pray hoping God will bend to our wills instead of inviting His will to be done. The idea of obeying Him doesn’t sound nearly as attractive as the free gift of grace.  Yet, the two were meant to go hand in hand.

Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of obedience saying: “If you love me, keep my commands…Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:15 & 21, NIV)

Years after hearing Jesus teach, John expanded on the importance of obedience by explaining, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says,’I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:3-6, NIV)

The idea is that once we receive God’s grace, we show our love for Him by responding with obedience. Doing this makes His love complete in us over the course of a lifetime. It shows that we trust Him, whether or not we understand what He’s doing. Author Priscilla Shirer explains, “Obedience is not only the proactive posture we take to hear Him, but it is also the response we employ once He has spoken.” (p. 186)

I’m guessing right now you may be wondering two things. First, how are we supposed to know all of the commands Jesus wants us to obey? Second, how can I ever follow them obediently when I still struggle with sin every day?

The short answer to the first question is simple: you need to read the Bible consistently. The more you study Scripture, the more it will study you. As you discover God’s plan for your life and begin to incorporate His ways into your choices, you’ll begin to surrender different areas of your life that you’ve been trying to control on your own.  As you respond to His Word by trusting Him and taking steps of obedience, you begin walking a new path that puts God in the lead instead of you. Make time consistently to study His Word intently, discuss it with others, wrestle in prayer over the things you don’t understand, and ultimately you will be changed by it.

Going back to the second question above, you may be wondering how it’s possible for an imperfect and sinful person to be obedient and walk as Jesus did. We can’t be obedient to God based on our own will power or good intentions. Jesus knew this, which is why when He explained the importance of obedience to the disciples, He also said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:16, 17, 26, NIV)

When we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit of God comes to live in us. He is our tutor, our guide, and our advocate. He gives us wisdom when we ask for it, He convicts us when we’re dabbling with sin, and He gently leads us in the way God calls us to go. He speaks to us through God’s Word, searches our hearts, and intercedes for us in our prayers (see Romans 8:26-27 if you’ve never heard this before).

God’s grace gives us access to Him for eternity but our trust and obedience are the keys to living the abundant life He intends for us now. Not surprisingly, there aren’t many popular songs today about the concept of obedience.  There is, however, a great old hymn called “Trust and Obey.” Click on the link to hear Big Daddy Weave’s version of this song and let the truth of the lyrics marinate in your mind.

Originally posted as “Faith Foundation #8: Trust and Obey” on August 1, 2017.

Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Weaving God’s Truth into Your Day

In her closing comments of Discerning the Voice of God, Priscilla Shirer urges us not to compartmentalize our faith, but to let it be woven throughout our daily lives. She says, “What you’ve read in your quiet time or heard from your pastor at church the previous Sunday is not disconnected from the happenings of a regular morning, afternoon, or evening. If you’ll consider Him throughout the day, even when it’s a busy one, He’ll weave it all together so you can know His will and ways—as long as you’re actively listening.” (p. 194)
 
One of the best ways I’ve found to keep God’s truth in the forefront of my mind throughout the day is by listening to Christian music. Priscilla comments, “As the worship music speaks of His attributes, I ponder the lyrics and allow them to lead me into personal worship. The music envelops me. I am both overwhelmed and encouraged by an awareness of His presence.”  (p. 184-285) And in the Psalms, David mentions music many times, including this prayer, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Psalm 32:7 NIV)
                       
For me, lyrics I hear continually shape my perspective and impact how I see myself and others. They help me to maintain a vertical focus on God and to let His ways inform my attitudes, actions, and choices instead of defaulting to my sinful human nature.
 
Looking back, I see that Christian music began steadily influencing me during a season when I ached with loneliness and longed to be loved and known. It was during my first year away at college. I’d chosen a huge, secular university filled with people who had diverse ideas and life choices. As much as I enjoyed being a student at the school, I felt like a tiny guppy swimming in a vast ocean. I longed to connect with true friends who shared my love for God and who would journey with me through the challenges college held. But finding and making like-minded friends took time—especially in the beehive of activity at a major university. To soothe my aching heart, I started playing an old cassette tape I’d brought from home. It was one of the few Christian albums I owned. Each night, I’d find solace from Amy Grant singing:
 
“In a little while we’ll be with the Father, can’t you see Him smile? 
In a little while we’ll be home forever, in a while
We’re just here to learn to love Him, we’ll be home in just a little while
Days like these are just a test of our will, will we walk or will we fall?
Well, I can almost see the top of the hill, and I believe it’s worth it all.”
 
I would drift off to sleep with those words of comfort filling my mind. Throughout the day, I found reassurance remembering them—especially when I faced difficult circumstances or felt tempted to wallow in loneliness.
 
Since that time, the options for good, Christian music have expanded considerably. And, not surprisingly, I associate many songs with different seasons in my life when I needed hope, encouragement, or direction. 

When our niece lost her battle cancer at the tender age of two, songs like “Your Love is Life to Me” by FFH and “Every Minute That I Breathe” by Jana Alyra helped me to trust God and to recognize that hope in Him stretches into eternity. Life on earth is only a shadow of what’s to come. And when my dad went home to heaven a few years later, it was Amy Grant’s rendition of “This Is My Father’s World” that soothed me with the reminder of God’s sovereignty:
 
“This is my Father’s world/ Oh, let me never forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong/ God is the ruler yet
This is my Father’s world/ Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is king, let the heavens ring/ God reigns, let the earth be glad.”
 
It was Francesca Battistelli’s song “This Is the Stuff” that helped me to keep my perspective when our simple home remodel went sideways and became a source of painful, but necessary, spiritual refinement. And Matt Maher’s “Hold Us Together” prompted me to thank God for the people who rallied to support my family during that difficult season.
 
Christian music hasn’t just buoyed me in hard times, but has broadened my understanding of Scriptural truth and showed me how to apply it in my daily life. Rend Collective’s “Build Your Kingdom Here” deepened my understanding of the part of the Lord’s Prayer that says, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I’d never fully understood that God meant for me to participate in bringing more of His kingdom to earth before hearing that song. Similarly, Jason Gray’s song “With Every Act of Love” inspired me with tangible examples of how my actions could further God’s kingdom every day. Josh Wilson’s song “Pushing Back the Dark” instilled me with the courage to shine the light of God’s love in secular environments. It also inspired me to accept the invitation to lead a Bible study for women exploring faith.
 
Listening to Christian music isn’t a replacement for reading Scripture or praying, but a way to reinforce God’s truth as we go about our days. Song lyrics playing in our minds can give us hope, encouragement, perspective, and words for our prayers. They help us to keep the right focus in a world filled with distraction and discouragement. 
 
In the book of Zephaniah, we’re reminded, “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV ‘84) Do you let God rejoice over you with singing regularly? You’ll find it much easier to include Him in your day when you do.
 
I often include a song at the end of my blog posts– now you know why. If you’ve never taken the time to listen to one before, then today is your day! I’ve posted my current favorite: “Build My Life” sung by Pat Barrett. The lyrics have become a regular prayer for me. Why not let them do the same for you?
Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God, Lifeway Press, 2018.


Listen for God Right Where You Are

She wanted to be a missionary, but God gave her eight children who needed her love. Although she never got to share the gospel overseas, Priscilla Shirer’s grandmother “accepted what God had placed in front of her as an invitation to partner with Him in the purposes He’d planned for her life.” (p.142) Her faithfulness and obedience changed the trajectory of the lives of her children and grandchildren. And many of her family members continue to have a far-reaching impact on others today.  What she did can happen in the life of any person who trusts God and follows His lead. Priscilla explains, “In discerning God’s leading one of the most impactful requests you can make is to ask God to open up your eyes to see—to really see—where He is working around you and then jump on board with it…The Holy Spirit reveals God’s plan to you as He orchestrates the circumstances of your life.” (p. 142)
 
The Bible provides numerous examples of people who traveled on unlikely paths to achieve God’s purposes. Each of their stories illustrates powerful truth we can apply to our own lives. Priscilla encourages those doing her study to learn from some of these characters (see page 144 if you’re doing it). Below you’ll find a brief summary of each of their stories. Choose the one you identify with most and use the suggestions that follow to prompt your prayers.
 
Joseph: We find his story in Genesis 37-50. One of Jacob’s twelve sons, he received a coat of many colors from his father that showed he was the clear favorite. As a teenager, he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and sent to Egypt. Through years of slavery and an unjust incarceration, God continued to refine him as a leader and to equip him with experiences that would shape his character. Eventually he rose to be second in command of Egypt and saved the entire region from a deadly famine. Amazingly, he also saved his brothers from the famine, forgave them, and acknowledged that what they had intended for harm, God had used for good. He traveled down a long and difficult path into the “sovereignly arranged purposes of God.” (p. 144)
-Are you in a season where life seems unfair? Does it seem impossible that God could use the bad things that have happened to you for good? Maybe, like Joseph, you can ask God to use this time to shape your character and to prepare you for what comes next.
 
Moses: His story unfolds in the book of Exodus, starting with being spared from a death sentence as a baby. His mother’s plan to save his life by floating him in a basket in the Nile led to adoption by a princess. He was raised in the house of Pharaoh, where he learned how to be a leader. After murdering a slave driver at age 40 and fleeing into the desert, he spent the next 40 years herding sheep. Only then did he discover God had been preparing him to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites to freedom. Once he brought them out of Egypt, he spent another 40 years with them in the wilderness before leading them to the Promised Land (which he never got to enter).
-Are you in a wilderness season like Moses was for forty years (twice)? Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn as you’re waiting for Him to reveal His plans for you.
 
Ruth: We find her story in the Old Testament book of Ruth. As a young widow, she chose to leave her home country of Moab and travel to Bethlehem with her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi. With no money and no prospects for the future, she provided for herself and Naomi by gleaning in the fields alongside other poor people and foreigners. Her upstanding character and faithfulness to her mother-in-law caught the attention of the field owner, Boaz. Eventually they married and had a son who was in the lineage of Jesus.
-Are you in a season where the tasks before you seem menial? Pray that God gives you the faithfulness and character of Ruth to execute them for your good and His glory. You may be surprised to discover how He uses them to impact others and to bless you.
 
Esther: We read her story in the Old Testament book of Esther. As a Jewish girl living in Persia, she found herself recruited into the harem of King Xerxes after the execution of his previous queen. Eventually, she became his replacement wife and later risked a death sentence when she approached him in the throne room without an invitation. The courageous appeal she made saved her people from annihilation and turned the tables on those plotting against them.
-Do you have a personal or professional relationship with a powerful person? Can you leverage that relationship to help someone else? Pray and ask God to use you to influence him or her in ways that glorify Him and further His kingdom on earth. 
 
Daniel: His story unfolds in the Old Testament book of Daniel. As a captive from Israel brought to Babylon, he served in the royal courts of three different kings. During his lifetime, his integrity, wisdom, and faithfulness to the one true God always showed clearly. In one story, rivals plotting against him created a trap that would make his devout faith worthy of a death sentence. After being thrown into a lion’s den for praying to his God, his life was miraculously spared and God received all the glory.
-Are you facing persecution because of your faith? Is there a place in your life where others disregard or dislike you because you follow Jesus? Pray and ask God to help you stand firm, to protect you, and to bring glory to Himself through you, just as He did with Daniel.
 
Ananias: We find his story in Acts 9 when God appears to him in a vision and calls him to restore Saul’s sight after he’s struck blind on the road to Damascus. Knowing Saul was actively persecuting and killing Christians, Ananias questioned God’s directive to help him. After the Lord made it clear that this was His plan, Ananias overcame his fear and went to find Saul. He healed him, prayed for him to receive the Holy Spirit, and baptized him.
-Is there a challenging person God has placed in your life for you to impact? Pray and entrust your fears to God and allow Him to use you.
 
None of these characters knew how their situations would turn out, but they chose to trust God anyway. For some, they endured decades of hardship before seeing how He was going to redeem their circumstances. When we get discouraged waiting and wondering how God is going to work something out, we can take heart remembering these stories.
 
“So, instead of asking God to reveal His will for the next twenty years of your life, refocus your request. Ask Him to give you the courage to fully engage in what he has put before you today, as well as the faithfulness to stay on the path until He gives you different or new directions. Keep a firm confidence in His purposes, His plans—and His perfect timing.” (p. 153)

Click on the link below and find some inspiration by listening to “Confidence” by Sanctus Real.

Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God, Lifeway Press 2018.

God’s Names Reveal His Character

Brilliant gold, orange, and pink clouds accentuated by the black silhouette of trees in the dawn's early light brought me reassurance that God holds all things together.
Some nights I toss and turn, my mind churning on the many things that are heavy on my heart. In those quiet moments, I lay my concerns before God, hoping to offload them onto Him so I can get a few more hours of precious sleep. It seems there have been a lot of burdens to entrust to Him lately. Some days I write feverishly in my prayer journal about the many people and situations where I long to see God bring help, change, and healing. I pore over passages of Scripture searching for words of hope and encouragement to guide me. 
 
But sometimes, God doesn’t reveal Himself to me through the pages of Scripture. Instead, He gives me an experience to show me His majesty. Recently I had a sleepless, angst-filled night. When I finally shuffled out of my bedroom bleary-eyed and groggy, I noticed an unusual glow coming through the front window. Glancing outside, I saw our car in the driveway reflecting hues of gold, pink, and orange in the early morning light. I stepped outside for a better look and caught my breath as I admired God’s handiwork splashed across the sky. Within a few minutes, the brilliant colors faded back into the muted greys of the winter morning. Interestingly, this same thing happened again later in the week after another sleepless night. Again, the vibrant colors only appeared for a few minutes before fading away, but both times I was there to see them and to be encouraged by God’s presence. I immediately thought of a verse that has reassured me frequently in the past year: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17, NIV)

Remembering His character and drawing near to Him put my worries into perspective and brought me peace. The color-drenched sunrise was a visual reminder of the Lord’s infinite power. I knew that the same God who created breathtaking artwork in the sky would be sovereign in my life and would tenderly care for me and the many concerns that swirled in my mind. There was no doubt that He would hold all things together.
 
So frequently we come before God with a list of fears, needs, and concerns. And while He does invite us to give our burdens to Him and to cast our anxieties before Him, He also longs for us to come near to Him just because we love Him. Priscilla Shirer advises, “Don’t bypass the relationship because you’d rather have answers to your questions. God wants to speak to you because he wants you to know Him. Knowing His direction is just a byproduct. He wants to reveal truth about Himself to you because this knowledge will lay the firm path toward fulfilling His purpose for your life.” (p. 107)
 
Throughout the Old Testament, God appeared to different people and reassured them with exactly what they needed. And when He did this, the people he encountered would label Him with specific names. Each one revealed a different aspect of His character. I’ve included several of them below. 
 
-Elhohim means Creator and is first found in the creation story in Genesis 1:1
-El Shaddai means The All-Sufficient One and is first found in the story of Abraham in Genesis 17:1-8
-El Elyon means The Most High (Sovereign) and is found in the story of Abraham and Melchizidek in Genesis 14:18-20
-Adonai means Lord or Master and is found in in the story of Abraham in Genesis 15:2
-El Olam means The Everlasting God and is found in the story of the Treaty at Beersheba in Genesis 21:33
-El Roi means The God Who Sees and is found in the story of Hagar in Genesis 16
-Yahweh means LORD or The Self Existent One (also translated later as Jehovah) and is found in the story of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3:13-15
-Jehovah Tsidkenu means The Lord is Our Righteousness and is found in prophetic remarks about Judah and Israel found in Jeremiah 23:6
-Jehovah Jireh means The Lord Will Provide and is found in the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:14
-Jehovah Raah means The Lord my Shepherd and is found in the words of David in Psalm 23:1
-Jehovah Shalom means The Lord Send Peace and is found in the story of Gideon in Judges 6:24
-Johovah Rapha means The Lord Who Heals and is found in Moses’ instructions to the Israelites from the Lord in Exodus 15:26
-Jehoval Shammah means The Lord is There and is found in the vision of the temple and city rebuilt in Ezekiel 48:35
-Jehovah Nissi means The Lord is My Banner and is found in the story of the Israelites defeating the Amalekites in Exodus 17:15 while Moses held his arms high with the help of Aaron and Hur
-Johovah Sabaoth means The Lord of Hosts and is found in the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:3-11 and the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:42-47
-Johovah Mekoddishkem means The Lord Who Sanctifies and is found in the discussion of observing the Sabbath in Exodus 31:12-18
-Qanna means Jealous God and is used to describe God’s desire to have the unrivaled affection of His people in Zechariah 1:14
 
Which aspect of God’s character do you need to focus on right now? Maybe it feels like you’re lacking in some way and you need to know He’s the All Sufficient One. Or perhaps you’ve been overlooked or forgotten and need reassurance that He is the God Who Sees. Maybe you’re struggling to trust God through financial challenges and need a reminder that The Lord Will Provide. It could be that you or someone you love needs physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing and you need to lean into The Lord Who Heals. Whichever name and character quality resonates with you right now, draw near to God and let Him comfort and encourage you.
 
On those mornings when I witnessed amazing sunrises, a song came to mind that seemed perfectly suited for those moments. Click on the link below to enjoy, “Nobody Loves Me Like You” by Chris Tomlin.

Names of God lists compiled from LORD, Teach Me to Pray and LORD, I Want to Know You by Kay Arthur.
Discerning the Voice of God by Prisilla Shirer, Lifeway Press, 2017.