Category: Spiritual Growth

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I know that would usher in a new season in my life that would lead to writing many more blogs, a Bible study, and an unpublished book manuscript.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.

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

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.

An Honest Look at Priorities

It was one of the strangest, but most memorable gifts I’ve ever received—a clear jar filled with whole walnuts surrounded by grains of rice. The note attached to it explained that if I opened and removed the contents, I would learn a valuable lesson. If I put the rice back first, the walnuts wouldn’t fit on top. However, if I started with the walnuts, the miniscule grains of rice would nestle in the small spaces that remained between the nuts.

It was a visual reminder to help me prioritize wisely in the daily activities I chose. And one of the most important priorities I’ve discovered over the years is spending time with God daily. Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer explains, “Most of us feel we don’t have enough time to meditate on God’s Word, but—let’s be honest. We have time for anything we make time for. It all comes down to priorities.” (p. 91). In Discerning the Voice of God, she lists various activities we may prioritize over reading the Bible; things like watching TV, reading magazines, surfing the internet or talking on the phone. (If you’re doing the study, you’ll see what I’m talking about on page 90). 

Most of the distractions on her list are activities of leisure that steal our time. But many of the people I rub shoulders with regularly have lists that look a bit different.  It’s the necessary parts of life that often create a sense of urgency and cause us to get our priorities out of balance. I’m talking about things like running errands, cleaning, exercising, cooking, driving kids, helping with homework, grocery shopping, working, volunteering, e-mailing, caring for grandchildren, or going to medical appointments. I think it’s the mundane daily tasks like these that tend to pull us away from time with God more often than activities of leisure. After all, they must be done to keep life clicking along at a steady hum.

And that’s where the rice and walnuts provide some needed perspective. I think many of us view Bible reading and prayer as luxuries rather than necessities. We see them as the grains of rice to fit around the big, important “walnuts” in our lives. Prayer is a last resort when we’ve tried everything else. Similarly, reading the Bible is a thing we “should” do, if only we had the time. The “walnuts” on our to do lists demand our time and attention because they must be accomplished.

We get caught in a vicious cycle when our priorities are skewed. The things we think are the important “walnuts” prevent us from focusing on what really matters. Here’s how Jesus explained it: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life. And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)

Essentially Jesus says that the cares of this world are the rice and seeking Him is the walnut. There are several key phrases we can’t miss in the passage. First, Jesus says, “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” This means we don’t need to fixate on running after the necessities of life because God is our provider.  He orchestrates events to make sure we have what we need, so we don’t have to spend time fretting over these things. Instead, He invites us to seek Him first, knowing that “all these things will be given to you as well.” In other words, if the jar represents our day and we put the “walnuts” in first by spending time with God, there will also be room for the “rice” of tending to our responsibilities.

If the idea of spending time with the Lord before you tackle your day sounds impossible, can I invite you to try it as an experiment for a week and see what happens? Be intentional about planning it out the night before so you can try to develop a new pattern for your mornings. Personally, I’ve discovered that when I start my day with the Lord, everything else just falls into place. The things I need to accomplish get done or I realize they can be finished later. Sometimes what seemed urgent really wasn’t that important. And many times, something that felt like a daunting and time consuming task ends up taking much less time than I anticipated. The best part is that my heart and mind are aligned with the Holy Spirit. I have more grace and patience to offer others, a more positive outlook on my day, and a healthier reaction when I encounter frustrations. Why not give it a try and see what happens?

The best way to start is by praying and asking God to help you prioritize your time. Ask Him to increase your ability and desire to spend time with Him reading the Bible and praying daily. “As you seek to hear the Holy Spirit speak through Scripture, you are tuning your spiritual ears to catch that moment when a passage, verse or phrase—or even just a single word—grasps your attention in an almost shocking way, drawing your thoughts directly toward it and how it applies to a specific situation in your life.” (p. 87) When we draw near to God consistently, this opens opportunities for us to discern His voice. 

Listen to Lauren Daigle’s song “First” and make it your prayer today.

Prisciilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Listening for God’s Voice

Regardless of our age or station in life, all of us make choices about what we listen to and what we ignore. For those who love God and follow Jesus, it’s important to consider what input we choose to receive daily. How do we make ourselves available to hear from God? How do we learn to discern when He is speaking to us? Why do some people seem to hear from Him often and others not at all?

Pulling into a parking space, I stopped the car and turned to look at my two little boys in the back seat. They’d been listening to a story on a CD and I was surprised to find one of them hunched down with his ear next to the speaker in the car door.  Over the following weeks, my concern grew as I noticed many times when my son didn’t respond to me when I was talking to him. Finally, I made an appointment to have his hearing tested.

At the end of the visit, the doctor came in to report his findings. I braced myself for the news until I saw him smirk. “Your son doesn’t have a hearing problem, he has a listening problem.” My fear was quickly replaced by frustration. It turns out his hearing was perfect, he just listened selectively. Apparently, the stories playing in the car were worthy of his full attention, so he leaned close to the speaker to filter out all other noises. Conversely, there were times that I talked to him that didn’t seem as interesting or important, so he just didn’t listen. A mix of relief and exasperation filled my mind as we left the doctor’s office.

As I think about that story years later, I realize that all people have a “listening problem,” whether their hearing is perfect or not. Regardless of our age or station in life, all of us make choices about what we listen to and what we ignore. For those who love God and follow Jesus, it’s important to consider what input we choose to receive daily. How do we make ourselves available to hear from God? How do we learn to discern when He is speaking to us? Why do some people seem to hear from Him often and others not at all?

First and foremost, the Bible is our primary source for understanding how the Lord speaks. It is the guidebook for learning how to tune our hearts to hear His voice. God’s Word speaks to us directly and is also meant to be the filter through which we examine everything else in our lives. Scanning my Bible’s concordance for passages on hearing, listening, and obeying, I found ample information in both the Old and New Testaments. Here are a few of the many things I learned from Jesus’ teaching on these topics:

Jesus’ Followers Know Him and Recognize His Voice:“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)

Jesus’ Followers Obey His Teaching: “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.  Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.’” (John 14:23-24)

Jesus’ Followers Rely on the Holy Spirit for Guidance: “But the Advocate, 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 14:26)

Jesus’ Followers Experience Peace by Listening to Him:“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

In the next few weeks, I look forward to unpacking Priscilla Shirer’s updated version of Discerning the Voice of God to learn more about these concepts. I loved the original rendition of this study when I did it in 2009. Little did I know what trials and challenges I’d face shortly after completing it. Knowing how to discern God’s voice and to follow His leading have reassured me more times than I can count over the years since then. I hope you’ll join me as I continue to explore and deepen my understanding on this weighty topic.

For some musical inspiration, listen to Crowder’s song “Red Letters” and be struck by the power God’s words have to change our lives when we lean in and truly listen. (For those who are unfamiliar with the term “red letters,” some Bibles use red print to signify direct quotes from Jesus in the New Testament.)

Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God Speaks, Lifeway Press, 2018.

Be Fruitful and Multiply

If my kids ever decide to map out their family tree, they’ll discover that the branches aren’t balanced or symmetrical. Some of their ancestors came from enormous families and produced limbs that were laden with bountiful fruit. Some stand alone, signifying the final offspring of a branch. Until recently, I never thought about why we use the symbol of a tree when we depict our ancestry visually. Maybe it has a connection to God’s language  when He delivers His plan for humanity in the opening pages of Genesis. Moments after creating man and woman in His image, God gives them some clear instructions, usually referred to as the Cultural Mandate:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28, ESV).

At first glance, the mandate He gives seems straightforward and practical: they need to “be fruitful and multiply” by procreating to populate the earth. Their job is to bring order and structure to His creation and to oversee it according to His plan. However, I think there is also a deeper meaning to His words. Along with multiplying the number of people in the world, God was calling Adam and Eve to advance His kingdom on earth—to rule with, wisdom, love, and justice. He wanted them to carry out His will so that others on the planet could know and love Him as they did. Unfortunately, their choice to sin complicated this plan, but it didn’t thwart it entirely.

Throughout the Old Testament we see God’s people in a continual cycle. It would start when they rejected His way and sinned, which led to their decline as a people. This would be followed by consequences allowed by God’s hand. Eventually this would lead to them to repentance, renewed obedience, and restored relationship with Him. In between failures, the Israelites fitfully furthered His kingdom at different points in history. But it isn’t until Jesus arrives on the scene that we fully recognize the magnitude of God’s plan. “From the beginning, humanity was mandated to represent God, build culture and bring shalom to His world. Although compromised by the Fall, the mandate remains in place and is in fact fulfilled in Christ, the true God and true man who will ultimately restore His creation.” (“The Cultural Mandate: Living as Divine Image-Bearers” by Subby Szterszky. Click here for the full article.)

With Jesus’ birth, God renews His plan for His people to be fruitful and multiply to expand His kingdom—only this time it’s not so much about increasing the population as it is about changing the culture one heart at a time. His goal was for us to view ourselves and the world from His perspective instead of our own, which is why Jesus says: “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3, NIV). It is not until we are spiritually transformed that we can recognize God’s kingdom all around us and participate in advancing it further. Jesus explains, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst’” (Luke 17:20-21, NIV).

God’s kingdom has always been present in the world. And once we identify the places He’s moving and join Him in His work, He uses us to impact our surroundings. That’s what we’re inviting Him to do when we say: “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:10, NIV). Those words reveal our longing for God to carry out His will on earth so that His kingdom will continue to expand. This prayer acknowledges that we’re putting aside our wills and aligning ourselves with God’s agenda.

In the final days of His ministry, Jesus commissioned His followers to continue multiplying and bearing fruit when He said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, NIV).

He assured them of His constant presence with them, reminding them that multiplying and bearing fruit was only possible by staying closely connected with Him. Perhaps they recalled His earlier teaching:“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” (John 15:5. NIV).

Every follower of Jesus represents another branch on God’s family tree. And by abiding with Him, we’re equipped to share His love with others so that the branches will multiply and continue to bear more fruit in His ever-expanding kingdom.

When we walk consistently with Jesus and allow His love to flow through us, we’re doing the work of advancing God’s kingdom in a world that desperately needs Him. One of my favorite songs describing the impact we can have on our surroundings is “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective.  Listen and make it your prayer today.

Jen Wilkin, God of Creation: A Study of Genesis 1-11, Week 4 Lifeway Press, 2017

Note: the cycle of God’s people described in paragraph four is a commonly held truth among Bible Scholars.  This particular statement is paraphrased from Gideon: Your Weakness. God’s Strength by Priscilla Shirer.

Look Up Before Looking Out

It happens more often than I’d like to admit. I have an interaction with another person that throws me into a tailspin and causes me to feel discouraged or insecure. It might be a text message that sounds a little abrupt that causes me to fret, thinking I’ve annoyed or offended a friend. At other times, my mind ventures into negative territory when I read an unsettling news article or hear a podcast with an alarmist tone. Suddenly I’m sure the world is going to hell in a handbasket and there’s nothing I can do about it. At other times, it happens when I’m watching a show that reveals the transformation of a home. Inevitably, I look around my house and feel like it’s inadequate by comparison, causing me to be hesitant to invite others over. Sometimes it’s a pop song on the radio with an underlying message telling me that fueling anger, resentment and bitterness is the best way to feel powerful.

Sadly, the list of examples could go on endlessly, but in each case, they have one thing in common: my focus is horizontal instead of vertical. A few years ago, I realized that where I’m directing my attention has a profound effect on every aspect of my life. When I have a horizontal focus, I’m letting the standards of the world and the people around me inform my worldview, my actions, my choices and my attitudes. When I don’t think about it, my natural inclination is to let the input I receive on a horizontal plane affect me. Sadly, most of it is negative.

However, I’ve discovered a remedy that works to counteract these destructive thought patterns. It’s called having a vertical focus. When I take the time to read the Bible consistently, to apply what I’m learning, and to pray, everything changes. Maintaining an eternal perspective by looking to Jesus and the Bible to inform my worldview, actions, choices, and attitudes significantly impacts the way I approach every person and situation I encounter during the day.

The Bible encourages a vertical focus in many places, but one of the most succinct is in Colossians 3:1-2: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

With a vertical focus, I stop examining myself and evaluating how people and circumstances make me feel and I start looking at how the Lord is calling me to respond to them. As I set my heart on the things of God, He influences my hopes, dreams, feelings, desires and goals. When I fix my mind on Jesus, I filter my thoughts, attitudes, opinions and intellectual pursuits through Him and choose to fill my mind with things that would honor and please Him.

When I’m focused horizontally, it’s easy to get offended, to nurse a grudge, or to be annoyed by another person. However, when I’m looking vertically, I consider what God would have me do with those negative feelings. It’s hard to cling to pride and stay resentful toward another person after reading a passage like this one:

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful…And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-15 & 17, NLT)

Having a vertical focus changes my daily life drastically and puts me in a balanced, healthy place where I am grounded and able to see myself and others with the love of God. And as I spend time with Him and in His Word, the natural effect is that I begin to have a horizontal impact on others. God’s love and grace flow through me without my effort. I don’t have to try harder, I just need to be with Him consistently.

With a vertical focus, I can shrug off the poorly worded text message from a friend and assume a more generous explanation for her harsh tone. Instead of feeling insecure and wondering what she thinks of me, I can give her grace and pray for her. With a vertical focus, I can read a disconcerting news article and be thankful that God is still sovereign.  I can flip through a magazine with beautiful décor but realize that opening my home to others is a way to show God’s love through hospitality, not to impress them. I can also recognize more quickly when input I’m receiving is having a negative effect on me. When the stream of pictures I’m scrolling through on social media is making me feel inadequate or left out; when the song I’m hearing makes me feel justified in staying angry; when the show I’m watching is tempting me to think outright sin is reasonable or acceptable, that vertical focus kicks in and tells me to stop feeding myself lies.

Ultimately, having a vertical focus builds a firm foundation for my life. And it will do the same for yours. It starts with spending time consistently with the Lord and letting His Word speak into your life. Gathering regularly with others who are striving for a vertical focus is also a key part of maintaining that perspective. Over time, you’ll notice a difference in your heart and your mind. And you’ll be equipped to show God’s love to others in a way you could never do on your own.

Want to boost your vertical focus right now? Click on the link and enjoy FOR KING & COUNTRY’S song, “Fix My Eyes.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeZoQoyPn6I&start_radio=1&list=RDEeZoQoyPn6I

Knit Together

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When Plans Reroute

I didn’t see it coming. With one swift move on the game board, my son thwarted my carefully constructed plans. We’d been playing the game Ticket to Ride and I had been quietly building my railway empire laying my black trains on tracks spanning from east to west. With each turn, I’d been amassing the cards I needed to connect cities between New York and Seattle. The route was obvious and the rail lines I needed had remained unclaimed for many rounds of play. It was a good sign that no one had drawn cards that would impede my progress. However, in one move, my son’s blue game pieces blocked my westward path in Helena, Montana.  

Despite my disappointment, I studied the game board carefully and discovered an alternate course I hadn’t considered. It was less direct and forced me to veer south to Salt Lake City, but would still enable me to link New York and Seattle on my fictional railway line. After a few more rounds of play, I successfully reached my destination, although the route looked much different than I’d planned.

Playing that game has been an illustration of my life in the past year. Time and time again I’ve anticipated plans moving in one direction only to have them rerouted. Family members have had illnesses and injuries that have caused major shifts in our routines and schedules, cars have broken down and created significant inconveniences, and ministry commitments have had unexpected and abrupt changes that have required continual flexibility.

While none of these life derailments has been catastrophic, each of them has had the potential to cause major discouragement and bitterness in me. Through a negative lens, I could tell you about many situations from the past year that have caused frustrations layered upon inconveniences compounded by heartbreak. However, choosing a negative focus would only  encourage me to have a sour attitude or to wallow in self-pity.

Think about it. Any time something doesn’t go according to our plans and we react negatively,  it’s because we think we’re being ripped off. We believe we deserve to get what we want. Really, this is veiled entitlement—the assumption that everything should go the way we prefer. And when our expectations aren’t met, we feel indignant, disillusioned, angry or bitter. The resulting behaviors are rudeness, impatience, self-absorption, and harsh treatment of others.

Most of us like control and when life goes according to plans, we assume we have it. But what if that control we thought we had was only an illusion? What if we learned to loosen our grasp on the need for control and to trust God when our plans get rerouted? What if we saw roadblocks as an inevitable part of life instead of an anomaly?

Like my train route on the game board, there are times when we are so singularly focused on getting from Point A to Point B that we can’t imagine any other way for something to work out. Yet when we’re open, flexible and willing to accept unexpected changes and interruptions, we leave room for God to teach us a few things along the way. This is how we grow.

Scripture emphasizes this idea: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21, NIV) So when things don’t go according to plan, maybe instead of getting frazzled and upset, we’d be better off asking God to show us His purpose. Surely there is something we can learn from each rerouted journey we face.

Better still, we might consider including God in our plans and asking for His guidance and involvement from the start:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  (James 4:13-15, NIV)

God reveals His will through His Word. When we’re continually studying it, applying it to our lives, and pursuing a relationship with Him, we can find peace knowing our plans align with His.  Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean things will always go smoothly. Life is messy. People are complicated. Things change. We can rail against this and throw a tantrum or learn to accept it and let God refine us through it. And when our plans do get rerouted, instead of getting upset, our first inclination can be to rest in the knowledge that God is still in control.

If you’re in a season of “rerouting,” be encouraged by Micah Tyler’s song “Even Then.”