Category: Christian Living

Staying Connected to the True Vine

I wish I was one of those people known for having a “green thumb”—the type that loves spending all day working in the garden. But truth be told, I’m more of the “black thumb” type. I’m not very good at tending to plants (or keeping them alive). There is only one place I’ve had success with something that grows and I can’t even take the credit for that.

My family has an old tree in the front yard that produces some of the sweetest, crunchiest apples I’ve ever tasted.  It was planted long before we ever bought the house, so we are just the grateful recipients of a previous owner’s forethought.  Every autumn we’ve picked enough to enjoy with our family and to share with friends and neighbors.

Then, a few years ago, the tree was getting a little tall and we decided it needed to be pruned back and thinned out.  The next spring, we were dismayed when not a single blossom sprouted on the tree. That fall, it was bare.  Not a single apple.  I was sure we’d ruined it for good.

Two years passed before the tree showed signs of returning to its former glory. Bountiful blossoms in the spring hinted at what was to come. By October the tree was so laden with apples that one of the limbs split away from the trunk.  Every weekend I would pick them to thin out the huge amount of fruit and lighten the load the branches were bearing.  I could work steadily for an hour, filling several bags, but when I’d look up at the tree, I’d barely made a dent.

Our experiences with that tree over the years have helped me to understand Jesus’ teaching in John 15 about the vine and the branches:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6, NIV)

Of the many concepts illustrated in this multi-faceted metaphor, there are three that I’ll explore briefly:

1) Remaining in Christ 2) Pruning Dead Branches 3) Producing Fruit

Remaining in Christ: The word “remain” here comes from the Greek “meno” and means “to stay.” It implies a commitment over the long haul. Some translations use the word “abide.” Lysa TerKeurst explains, “If we want to know God, we have to abide in Him…Really follow. Follow hard. Follow passionately. Follow fully. Follow with engaged minds and willing hearts and open hands and ready feet.” (Finding I Am p. 144)

When Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing,” He’s talking about doing things that are of spiritual or eternal significance. No matter how gifted, organized, engaging or passionate we are, we simply can’t be effective in the Kingdom of God if we aren’t continually attached to the Vine.  This is what Jesus illustrates when He explains that branches that don’t remain in Him wither and die. Just like the broken branch on my tree couldn’t produce any more apples, good works and ministry apart from Him are dead.

Pruning Dead Branches: To the casual reader, Jesus’ words about pruning sound harsh: dead branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. But as I learned with my apple tree, the pruning process is necessary to yield even better results. Pruning doesn’t damage or kill a tree. In fact, our apple tree’s productivity exploded after we thinned out the branches and gave the remaining ones more room to grow. It took time, but the results were worth the wait.

Submitting to God’s pruning in our lives can be painful and confusing at times, but I’m reassured as I look back on those seasons in my life. Sometimes God must clear away “good” things in our lives to make room for His best. When we grasp His gifts too tightly, we can thwart opportunities for further growth. Although a pruned tree looks bare, it also allows in more sunlight and absorbs nutrients more effectively to produce better fruit.

Don’t let the pruning metaphor unsettle you—it’s not implying you can lose your salvation, it’s illustrating the vital importance of abiding consistently with Jesus.

Producing Fruit: Like a can of fruit cocktail, there are several types of fruit Jesus produces through us when we abide intimately with Him.  First and foremost, when we stay connected with the Vine we display the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These aren’t characteristics we can manufacture in ourselves for any sustained amount of time. They only reveal themselves in our lives through the Holy Spirt as we abide closely with Jesus on a consistent basis.

We also bear fruit by sharing the gospel and leading other people into a saving relationship with Jesus. Good works flow out of us as we spend time with the Lord and align our hearts to His. The fruit we bear is the outward manifestation of intimacy with Him. (Colossians 1:6 & 10 also describes this.)

As we’re consistent about spending time in prayer, studying Scripture, obeying God’s Word, confessing our sins, and connecting with other believers, we’re receiving the nutrients we need for spiritual growth. So, if you’re lacking a green thumb in your garden like I am, be encouraged knowing you can be spiritually fruitful through the One who has the greenest thumb of all. All you have to do is abide in Him.

Click on the link and enjoy Matt Maher’s song “Abide with Me.” Make it your prayer today.

Lysa TerKeurst, Finding I Am: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart, Lifeway Press 2016 & 2017.

One Way

Neatly pressed tablecloths rustled as we walked past them on the way to our table. Starched napkins stood at attention flanked by place settings arranged with perfect symmetry. The hostess smiled as she showed us to our seats and handed us menus. A wall of windows nearby gave us a perfect view of the pristine beach where the club’s lounge chairs and umbrellas were stationed in neat rows. Beyond them, the Pacific Ocean gleamed as the sun sank low on the horizon. Although I’d seen the exclusive beach club from a distance many times, I’d never had the privilege of stepping inside it before. I felt honored to be there.

At the time, I was in college and had been invited to a birthday dinner for a friend whose parents belonged to the club. Because of her, I’d been allowed access to all of the amenities enjoyed by the members. As her guest, the staff treated me warmly and attentively.  I felt welcomed, included, and accepted, at least for the night.  I knew full well that if I’d returned the next evening on my own, I wouldn’t have been allowed past the front door.

Have you ever had a glimpse into an exclusive place that you knew you couldn’t gain access to on your own? Ever known that your only way to get acceptance was riding on the coat tails of someone with more clout than you?

Well, if you know how that feels, then I have good news for you: God made it possible for you to gain access to the one place that is more exclusive than any other.  It is a place reserved only for those who are perfect, holy and sinless. Anyone without these qualifications would simply be destroyed. Where is this place, you ask? It is in the presence of God for eternity.

Romans 5:8 explains our pitiful state and God’s solution to it: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  And Jesus says it clearly in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Lysa TerKuerst explains, “There is an exclusivity to this phrase, similar to John 10:7-9 where Jesus refers to Himself as the Sheep Gate. Jesus doesn’t come to show a ‘better’ way. There is no other way. There is one way, and that way is simply and solely through Christ.” (Finding I Am, p. 124)

In our pluralistic society, saying there is only one way to connect with God is outlandish and even offensive to some people.  The irony, however, is that God’s grace makes the Christian faith more inclusive than any other religion.  God knew His standard of perfection could never be reached by sinful humans. No matter how “good” we try to be, we will never be good enough to “earn” a place in heaven.  In human terms, this makes God’s “club” the most exclusive ever, with no one being allowed entrance. And yet, because of His desire to be in relationship with us, God made a way into His exclusive “club” through His Son, Jesus. For anyone seeking a direct relationship with God and hoping for eternal life in His presence, Jesus is the only conduit.  All we have to do is admit we need Him to save us from our sins. This is God’s grace, His free gift to us. Anything “good” we do after we accept Christ is simply an expression of our gratitude, not an act done to earn God’s love or to rack up spiritual brownie points.

Thinking back to that night I was a guest at the beach club, I smile as I remember the name of the friend who took me there: Grace. Just as my relationship with her enabled me to experience the pleasure and privilege of her parents’ exclusive club, a relationship with Jesus enables us to receive the joy and honor of knowing His Father.  This happens through God’s grace; His unmerited favor that we don’t deserve. Anyone that comes to God through His son receives grace, forgiveness of sins and acceptance into His family. He is indeed, the one true God who made a way to be inclusive despite His exclusivity.

The song “One True God” by Steven Curtis Chapman elaborates on this idea and uses some key phrases from Scripture to show Jesus as the one true path to salvation.

Lysa TerKeurst, Finding I Am: How Jesus Fully Satisfies the Cry of Your Heart, Lifeway Press, 2016 & 2017.

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.

Light of the World

The little condo wasn’t fancy, but it seemed to have everything we wanted: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small living room and a basic kitchen. It even had covered parking and was within walking distance of downtown. My husband and I were newly married and having fun setting up our home together. However, soon after moving in, we began to discover issues that hadn’t been apparent when we’d toured it with the rental agent. Some problems could be changed, but others were beyond our control. The one that bothered me most was the darkness. Surrounded by towering redwood trees, the condo never got direct sunlight. Over the months, this wore on me and I wanted to be away from home as much as possible.

It wasn’t until we moved a few years later that I realized how much I needed light in my surroundings. I’ll never forget unpacking boxes on the day we moved into our house. Feeling the sun warming my back as I worked in the kitchen filled me with a joyful contentment that I hadn’t experienced at home in quite a while.

So, it’s no surprise when Scripture tells us that the source of all light is God: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5, NIV)

The theme of light and darkness threads throughout the Bible, starting in Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:1-4, NIV)

John’s gospel opens by describing God’s choice to send His son to earth: “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4, NIV) Jesus took this a step further by making a bold statement followed by a promise: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12b)

When we believe in Jesus and accept Him as our savior, He gives us joyful contentment. God’s light not only shines on us with His blessings, it also shines through us. Jesus explains this in the Sermon on the Mount when He says: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

As followers of Jesus, we are conduits of His light to a world that is mired in spiritual darkness. We are like sacred solar panels, basking in God’s love, grace, and power. Once we soak it in, we’re called to pass it on to others who need it too. Most of them just don’t know it yet.

When we moved to our home many years ago, I began praying that God would use us as lights in our neighborhood. Over time, that prayer has grown in its scope to include any place where my family encounters other people: school, work, sports teams, community events, volunteer commitments, social gatherings, etc. As I pray, I often envision what a gathering of people looks like from a spiritual perspective. I picture myself with the light of Christ glowing from within me. At those times, I can choose to keep the light to myself or to let it shine so that it can bless others.

Imagine a sunset over the ocean. The rays of light affect everything they touch so that the glow of the sun shines on the water and reflects off the wet sand, creating vibrant hues and stunning scenery. In the same way, the warmth and light of the Lord’s love impacts everyone who encounters it. He intends for it to spread from one individual to another. God’s love changes people and colors the atmosphere around us with His grace and peace.

If you’ve never thought about it before, start inviting God to let His light shine through you. Pray that He’ll give you spiritual eyes whenever you encounter other people. Ask Him to give you the strength and courage to shine brightly when you’re the only Christian at a gathering. Pray that He’ll connect you with other believers so you can radiate the warmth of God’s love together. Draw strength and confidence from Christ’s light within you and let it bless others wherever you go.

Christy Nockels’ song “Life Light Up” made a significant impact on my understanding of being a light to the world. Listen to it and let the lyrics become your prayer today.

Josh Wilson’s song “Pushing Back the Dark” gave me the courage to ask God to shine His light through me. Listen to the lyrics if you need a little inspiration too.

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

Truth That Sticks

Stepping into the steaming shower felt glorious. Rivulets of brown water poured off my filthy body and circled the drain. It was my first time serving on a mission trip south of the border and I’d never been dirtier in my life. During our lunch break, we got word that a nearby “beauty salon” not far from our building site would allow us to pay for showers in their little shop. It was the only chance I’d have all week to bathe with hot water. The drawback was that I would have to put on the same dirt-encrusted, sweat-saturated clothes I’d been working in all morning. Rubbing off several days’ worth of grime in the shower rejuvenated me, but having to put the filthy clothes back on was unpleasant, to say the least.

It never feels good to cover over something clean and new with something old and dirty, and yet we often default to that mode when it comes to our spiritual lives. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reminds us, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV). After studying Paul’s teaching for the past two months using Kelly Minter’s Bible study: All Things New: A Study on 2 Corinthians, I want the truth I’ve learned there to stick with me so I don’t put back on the ways of my worldly life without Christ.

Re-reading the thirteen chapters of 2 Corinthians, I’ve chosen some key truths that I want to incorporate into my life for the long haul. Below you’ll see the new perspectives I’m striving to put on in place of the old I want to leave behind. (If you’ve been doing the study along with me, make your own list before you read mine—no cheating!!)

  1. Hardships create opportunities to learn patient endurance and to receive God’s comfort. Going through hardships allows our capacity for empathy and compassion to grow so that we can share God’s comfort with others who experience similar difficulties. (Chapter 1:3-6)
  2. We are the aroma of Christ. This will draw some people to us as the scent of life and will repel others from us as the smell of death. (Chapter 2:15-16)
  3. Our hope in the gospel makes us bold and transforms us into the likeness of Christ through the Holy Spirit. (Chapter 3:12 & 18)
  4. We are like fragile, ordinary jars of clay that contain the light of knowledge and the glory of God. This reminds us that our power is from God, not from us and causes us to fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal instead of what is seen and temporary. (Chapter 4:6,7,18)
  5. We live and walk by faith, not by sight. We are new creations and have become the righteousness of God through Christ. (Chapter 5:7, 17,21)
  6. We must strive to keep open hearts with those we love and minister to rather than letting negative responses deter us. We must use discernment and not yoke ourselves with unbelievers in our close, consequential relationships. (Chapter 6:11-12, 14-17)
  7. Godly sorrow recognizes how our sin hurts God. Repentance leads to salvation. (Chapter 7:10)
  8. Giving to those in need is a privilege, not a burden. We need to take our good intentions about giving and follow through with them. (Chapter 8: 4, 10-12)
  9. When we sow (give) sparingly, we will reap sparingly. This goes for our finances, our time and our gifts. God loves when we give of ourselves cheerfully. Giving shows that we trust Him and allows us to be conduits for His abundant generosity to others. (Chapter 9:6-11)
  10. We must demolish anything that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. (Chapter 10:5)
  11. Paul experienced tremendous hardships for the gospel but persevered to the end of his life. We should not be surprised when we suffer for the gospel but can rejoice knowing it’s evidence He’s using us too. (Chapter 11:23-29 lists some of the major things Paul experienced. The hardships I’ve faced for Christ seem minor in comparison).
  12. God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. When we are weak, we can find our strength in Him. We need to lean into Him to access His strength. (Chapter 12:9-10)
  13. As believers, we are called to be of one mind and to live in peace. This requires significant and intentional effort for all who call Jesus their Lord. (Chapter 13:11)

Although we’re new spiritual creations from the moment we receive Christ, practicing these alternate ways of operating is a daily battle. It takes a lifetime of consistent Scripture reading and regular study. It requires a lot of prayer and time spent with others who will spur us on in our faith journey. We’re already new creations through Christ, but we won’t be completely perfect while sin exists in the world. For these truths to stick, we must lean into God daily to renew our minds and take our thoughts captive.

That tension of the “already but not yet” is a constant theme in Scripture. We’re already new, but not yet perfected. We’ve already received salvation, but are not yet at home with Christ.  But it’s that tension that keeps me humble and causes me to rely on Him daily. It reminds me to cast aside those filthy clothes and opt for the clean ones given to all who are new creations in Christ.

What truth will stick with you from my list? Is there something impactful you’ve learned that I didn’t mention? Share it in a comment so that others can be inspired too.

Enjoy a worship moment celebrating your new life in Christ with Chris Tomlin’s song “Resurrection Power.”

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

One Mind

It was the spring of my senior year in high school and I felt like an eagle ready to take flight. I was excited about college in the fall, but also eagerly anticipating the three weeks I’d be serving at a Christian camp that summer. My dream to work there had begun four years earlier when I’d been a new camper on the brink of starting high school.

I loved everything about the camp and couldn’t wait to be old enough to apply for the “work crew” position available to graduating seniors. The positive and encouraging environment there was infectious and intoxicating. The camp staff was young and fun-loving but also had a deep faith that I admired. Of course, I also enjoyed basking in the sunshine, learning to waterski, socializing with friends, and sleeping on the houseboat roof at night. But more than that, I was drawn to something deep, authentic, and inspiring about the whole environment.

Naturally, I couldn’t wait to work there. When I was finally old enough, I jumped at the opportunity to apply. A few months later I stepped onto the front deck of a little houseboat for my first round of staff training. I was giddy with excitement. As the weekend unfolded, however, feelings of dismay began to eclipse my enthusiasm. Others on staff seemed to know and love Jesus in a way that I’d never experienced. They sang worship songs with passion and relished the idea of sharing their deep love for Jesus with campers. I felt like a fraud by comparison. My walk with God had been inconsistent in high school and pleasing Him had not been my focus. My motivation to serve at camp had been fueled by wanting extended time in the Christian environment I’d loved so much as camper. Improving my tan and getting in a little waterskiing were side bonuses that didn’t sound so bad either.

Looking back, I see now that although I’d accepted Jesus as my savior years earlier, I’d never allowed Him to be Lord of my life. I enjoyed parts of the Christian lifestyle, but I’d never pursued my personal relationship with Jesus consistently. I had several areas I’d been unwilling to surrender to Him. My motives and goals for being on staff weren’t bad, they were just immature. I had been focusing on the positive experiences I could gain from serving at camp; others on staff were fueled by a love for Jesus and the desire to impact campers for Him. Our contrasting goals give a good illustration for Paul’s words: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2, NIV). Their minds were on heavenly things, while my mind was on earthly ones.

Paul’s closing remarks in 2 Corinthians echo this sentiment: “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11, NIV, emphasis added) Paul encourages all believers to have a shared vertical perspective, looking to God to define their identities, goals, and worldviews.

This teaching applies to us now as much as it did to the church at Corinth then.  As followers of Christ we’re meant to pursue Him individually, but we’re also called to “be of one mind” collectively. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for believers to gather with a variety of intentions and motives and to have no unity at all. Like my camp experience, we can be in the same place for entirely different reasons. Earlier in 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul encourages the Corinthians to examine and test themselves. This is something we can only do on a personal level and with the help of the Holy Spirit. No one else can determine what’s truly going on in our hearts and minds.

When we’re in sync and “of one mind” with other believers, we create opportunities for God to work in powerful ways. However, when our minds are set on conflicting priorities, it creates frustration and ineffectiveness.

Maybe it’s time to take stock and determine if you’re “of one mind” with other believers in your midst. Consider a Christian group where you have an ongoing investment of time and resources—it could be your church, a Bible study, a small group, a ministry team, or a group that serves in some other way together. Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you through what you learn about yourself.

  • Was this group set up to serve a specific goal or purpose? If so, are you striving to help it accomplish those goals through your words, actions and attitude?
  • When it comes to this group, do you usually think about what you can get from it or what you can give to it?
  • In this group are you typically more concerned about your personal comfort & personal preferences or aligning with the bigger picture purpose?
  • Are your motives for being a part of this group pure? Is there an ulterior reason you’re there?
  • When things in this group aren’t going well, are you more inclined to complain and criticize or to voice constructive concern and to pray for resolution?

As you answered these questions, did you discover anything that needs to shift in your perspective? It might be as simple as adjusting your focus and attitude. It could involve having a hard conversation or making a difficult choice. Maybe, like my camp experience, recognizing that your focus needs to change will bring much needed clarity that leads to spiritual growth.

Being “of one mind” doesn’t happen naturally for a bunch of sinners like us. It requires effort, intentionality and the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.  Striving to be likeminded with other believers leads to unity, which was Jesus’ prayer for us from the start. On the night before His death He prayed to His Father, “I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23, NIV)

Being “of one mind” allows us to accomplish God’s purposes and to show the world that He’s real. The song “Make Us One” by Jesus Culture gives even more context to the importance of striving to be unified with other believers. Make it your personal prayer as you listen today.

My Weakness, His Strength

Turning my head for the briefest moment, I realized my carelessness just in time to see my front wheel colliding with the curb. The pavement seemed to rise up to meet my face as I crashed in a heap. Before I’d had a chance to react, I was sprawled on the side of the road, tangled in my bike and still clipped into the pedals. Rushing back to help me, my husband gently pulled the bike off me and surveyed my injuries.

The road rash on my swollen cheek and shoulder looked bad, but were minor injuries compared to the pain radiating down my right arm. A trip to the ER confirmed I’d fractured my right elbow and wrist. The bones took twelve weeks to mend, but it was an entire year before I regained the full range of motion in my arm. It’s now been almost two years since my accident, but there are times when twinges of pain and stiffness still remind me of it.

A few days after my crash, I began asking God what I could learn from that season of physical weakness and forced rest. As is often the case, He started speaking to me through His Word. One of the first passages that gave me comfort came from Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth:

 ”Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV)

God’s grace was sufficient for Paul, so I prayed the same would be true for me. With every task I was unable to accomplish with one hand, I asked God to let His power be made perfect in my weakness. I began to realize that my physical brokenness had many parallels to humankind’s spiritual brokenness. We want so badly to believe we’re strong and in control, but it’s when we finally surrender to God that we access true and lasting power and strength. It’s not until we admit that we can’t do it on our own that He can really work in our lives.

The twinges of pain I still feel in my arm from time to time provide a physical reminder of my frailty and weakness. But I’ve also learned to seek God’s strength when my weakness reveals itself in more subtle ways. Times when I’m feeling insecure or lacking in confidence or overlooked or unappreciated provide ample opportunities to tap into God’s strength. Days when I don’t have the energy to deal with a challenging person or feel fearful about what the future holds, I lean into Him. The more I recognize and admit my weaknesses, the more I can access the Lord’s strength. This is incredibly humbling, but infinitely reassuring.

Matthew West’s song “Broken Things” captures this idea beautifully. Click on the link and let it encourage you if you’re feeling weak today.

Kelly Minter, All Things New: A Study on 2 Corinthians, Lifeway Press, 2016, Session 7.

Return of the King

My family logs some serious time on the couch watching our favorite movie trilogy during the Christmas season. For a little over ten hours (usually spread out over five or six nights), Lord of the Rings captivates us with its stunning visual effects, complex characters, and redemptive plot. It’s been a tradition in our household to watch J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series unfold on the big screen annually. We never seem to get tired of it.

The subtle biblical undertones in these movies only make me love them more. One of the most poignant themes revolves around the people of Middle Earth longing for the return of their one true king. Some characters await his eventual return with hope while others have grown bitter or given up believing it will ever happen. Many characters remain ignorant that there ever was a line of kings or that there ever will be again. They don’t know the stories of old or the prophecies of what is to come.

Kelly Minter’s comments in All Things New reminded me of these movies as I studied Session 6 recently. Imploring us to adopt a lifestyle of generous giving, she makes an interesting connection between Paul’s instructions to the church at Corinth and Jesus’ teaching in Luke 12. It’s all about the return of the true King of Kings, Jesus.

Paul reminds the church of the promise they made to give to the poor in Jerusalem explaining, “I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.” (2 Corinthians 9:5, NIV)

Kelly connects the church’s readiness to give with Jesus’ teaching on His second coming, when He urges people to be ready for His return:

“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him…You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Luke 12:33-36, 40, NIV)

Jesus goes on to describe the fates of different people who don’t wait expectantly for His return. And let’s just say, none of them are positive. Kelly explains, “The idea is clear that when Jesus returns He longs to find His children in the game. The lights will be on because we’re not taking a nap from our Christianity or frolicking in the darkness of sin. We’re not in our pajamas binge-watching the television or binge-surfing the internet, and we’re not naked in our shame that forever keeps us hidden in the covers of uselessness. No! All things have been made new. Jesus has fulfilled the law and given us the grace to live in His power.” (p. 132)

Just as we’re called to anticipate Jesus’ second coming, the Jews of Jesus’ day waited for the Messiah prophesied throughout the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). They knew the promise of the Messiah began in Genesis when God said that Eve’s offspring would one day crush the head of the serpent, Satan (see Genesis 3:14-15). The promise continued with Abraham, whose offspring would bless all people on earth (see Genesis 12:3). Abraham’s great-grandson, Judah, received a prophecy that symbolized his descendant, the Messiah, as a strong lion that would one day command the obedience of the nations (see Genesis 49:9-10). And the hope continued through King David’s family line, and reaches ultimate fulfillment when the Messiah rules an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

Jesus’ birth set the fulfillment of these prophecies in motion. The last book of the Bible, Revelation, describes the complete fulfillment of them with His second coming. The writer, John, describes Jesus’ future return:

 “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)” (Revelation 19:6-8, NIV)

Paralleling the wedding imagery Jesus uses in Luke 12, John describes Christ’s return as a groom coming for His bride, the Church. Notice it says, “his bride has made herself ready.” John explains that the fine linen worn by the bride represents the righteous acts of God’s people (that includes us). This brings us right back to Kelly’s point: We show our readiness for Christ’s return by living in a way that pleases Him. By His blood, we’ve been made clean and set apart as holy. And because of Him, we hold loosely to our earthly possessions; He is the reason we freely give our time, talent and treasure. We do these things to honor Him and to prepare for His imminent return.

Remember, the Lord of the Rings trilogy I mentioned earlier? The last movie’s title is a bit of a spoiler. It’s called The Return of the King. In the end, the rightful king takes his place ruling Middle Earth and his subjects gather to celebrate. Their foes are defeated and the land is finally at peace. It’s a fictional picture of what we will experience on a much grander scale when Christ returns. I want to be ready for Him, how about you?

The song “Even So Come” captures the joyful anticipation of Jesus’ return. Enjoy the version below performed by Passion featuring Kristian Stanfill.

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

Eternal Rewards

Curling up on the couch to read aloud to my boys used to be a nightly ritual. As they grew older, we became captivated by a book series, called Christian Heroes: Then & Now. The biographies tell the stories of “ordinary men and women whose trust in God accomplished extraordinary exploits for His kingdom and glory.” We were inspired and challenged reading about Deitrich Bonhoeffer defying the Nazis in Germany, Jim Elliot risking his life to share the gospel with the Auca Indians in Ecuador, and George Muller saving thousands of orphans from the mean streets of Bristol, England. The books we read about modern heroes of faith were set in all different parts of the world at a variety of times in history. The one thing they had in common was that the heroes and heroines were passionate about sharing faith in Jesus and usually suffered in some way as a result.

What is it that drives people like them to trade earthly comforts and glory for the sake of the gospel? I think we get an explanation in 2 Corinthians when Paul urges us to not to lose heart when we face troubles, but to focus on what is unseen and eternal instead. He describes how earthly trials produce lasting glory.  Just a few paragraphs later, he explains, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV)

We know that being “good or bad” is not what determines where we end up for eternity. It is only through accepting Christ’s payment for our sins that we can be saved. Paul clearly explains that we could never be good enough to attain the perfection God requires. Instead, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV)

So, we can rule out the idea that Christians who appear before the judgement seat of Christ are being sent to heaven or hell based on their behavior on earth.  Second Corinthians 5:10 is not about our salvation, but about our eternal rewards. Paul is echoing the sentiments of Jesus, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” (Matthew 16:2, NIV)

Once we’ve accepted Christ, our eternal destiny is secure. So, what Jesus will look at on judgement day is how we handled our gifts, opportunities, and abilities to determine the heavenly rewards we’ll receive.

Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:14-30 gives one of the clearest explanations of heavenly rewards. You might remember in the story that a man who was leaving on a journey called his servants and “to one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.” (Matt 25:15, NIV) After a long time he returned and settled accounts with his servants.  “The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matt 25:20-21, NIV)

The second servant also returned double the amount of money that he’d been entrusted after investing wisely. These two servants illustrate Christ followers who diligently invest their time and talent for the sake of God’s kingdom. They know the way to show their love for God is by obeying His Word.

The third, servant, however, buried the bag of gold instead of investing it. His master chastised him for not even putting it in the bank where it would earn a little interest. This servant represents people who don’t have a heart for God’s kingdom and don’t use what God has given them.

Our good works don’t save us on judgement day, but they do reveal our hearts. This is especially comforting when I think about the many people who serve the Lord but go unnoticed.  Life deals hard knocks to everyone– even those who continually serve God and bless others. It’s good to know that even if life on earth seems unfair and harsh to some of the most generous and kind souls, God sees everything they do. Jesus explained: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven…But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:1,3,4, NIV).

God sees when we give of ourselves and He will reward us accordingly. Those heroes of the faith we read about must have known this because they saw beyond their present realities to future glory. They loved God and poured out their lives sacrificially knowing that they were obeying His call. They trusted that the Lord saw them, whether others noticed didn’t matter.

Pray and ask the God to show you the good works He’s prepared in advance for you to do. Examine your gifts, your skills, your time, and your finances and offer them for His use here on earth. And one day, you can look forward to standing before Jesus and hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Use Matt Redman’s song “Gracefully Broken” as inspiration for your prayer.

Kelly Minter, All Things New, Lifeway Press 2016

Janet & Geoff Benge, Christian Heroes: Then and Now, YWAM Publishing (For more information on their books, click here. )

*Ideas from the Zondervan NIV Life Application Study Bible footnotes were incorporated into this post.

 

 

 

 

Hard Pressed, but Not Crushed

Speeding across galaxies, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker set out on a mission to rescue Princess Leia from imprisonment by the sinister Darth Vader. Arriving at the evil Empire’s main base, they free her from her cell but must evade multiple foes on the way back to their ship. At one point, their only choice to avoid enemy pursuers is to dive into a chute that deposits them into a garbage bay on the space station. Standing in stinking debris surrounded by metal walls, they quickly realize that their escape route has led them to a dead end. As they search for a way out, the purr of a motor kicks into gear and the room lurches ominously. Within moments, the walls start closing in on them and they realize they’re lodged inside a gigantic trash compacter. Scrambling atop the heaps of refuse, the characters make vain attempts to brace the walls and save themselves. They are hard pressed on every side and it seems they’ll be crushed in a matter of minutes.

You may laugh when you read this, but I envisioned that scene from the 1977 hit movie “Star Wars: A New Hope” as I read Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Although most of us have never experienced the hardships Paul endured, (or being inside a trash compacter on a space station) I think we can relate to the idea of feeling “hard pressed on every side.” The pressures and demands of life feel crushing at times, especially when we face challenges on multiple fronts.

Lately it seems I’ve encountered a significant number of people who feel hard-pressed by difficult circumstances. Relationship challenges, health issues, struggling kids, aging parents, wayward grandchildren, financial difficulties, traumatic experiences, and day to day stress have left them feeling overwhelmed. However, I’ve also noticed that those who follow Jesus find their strength by leaning into Him for hope and wisdom.

Their examples inspire me and make Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians come to life. He explains “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, NIV) Despite our human weakness, we have access to God’s all-surpassing power. The NIV study Bible explains that our insufficiency as human beings reveals the total sufficiency of God. Rather than focusing on the perishable container (our frail humanity), we choose to focus on the priceless contents (the Holy Spirit).

Doing this requires us to be intentional in our perspective. Our natural inclination is to look horizontally and focus on the walls closing in on us, lamenting that we will soon be crushed. A wiser choice is to fix our gaze on God and maintain a vertical focus, trusting that He will use our troubles  for our good and His glory. Paul explains it this way: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV)

Even hardships that last for many years are light and momentary in comparison with the vastness of eternity. And God promises to be with us, to give us access to His power, and to help us every step of the way.

You may have noticed that I didn’t tell you what happened to our heroes from Star Wars as the walls were closing in. Their attempts to stop them from moving were fruitless because they didn’t have the physical strength. However, they were clear-thinking enough to seek aid from an outside source. Although it took a bit longer than they’d hoped, help did come through for them just in the nick of time. It’s a cinematic example of what happens when we stop trying on our own strength and tap into God’s limitless power.

Just for fun, instead of a song I’ve included a two-minute clip of that scene from Star Wars so that you can get the full visual experience of being hard pressed on every side. You’ll hear Luke Skywalker pleading several times “Shut down all the garbage smashers on the detention level!” If you’re feeling hard pressed today, call upon God’s all-surpassing power instead of trying harder on your own. Shout out to Him, fix your eyes on what is unseen, and watch how God works in your heart, mind, and circumstances.

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