Faith

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The best of friends

Did you know that God is a friend?

The Bible says he’s closer than a brother. That means as much as your family loves you, God loves you more. 

God has many names, but friend is one of my favorites. 

Friendship, to me, is a precious gift. We graft people into our family trees and we share with them our treasures, our hopes and dreams. 

God’s friendship is the best in the world. 

  • He’ll never leave you or forsake you. 
  • His spirit–the Holy Spirit–leads and guides you every day. 
  • His Word is a letter written to you and for you. 

God is a friend. 

There’s been many times, when I’m trying to freak out about something, that I am forced to stop. 

I feel God’s peace, God’s love in the strongest way. 

Lord, I know you’re with me. I’m the one choosing to freak out–You’re not freaked out at all. You’re just waiting on me to remember. 

My friends do this to me all the time. 

They let me talk and vent before saying, “I see why you’re upset, but have you thought of it this way?”

God does the same!

He’s a great friend. 

I encourage you to think about God as a friend. 

This shift in perspective changed my relationship with God in a major way. 

He’s not some mean, old man who’s distant and cold toward you and I. 

God is a friend. 

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Go to Hell, Michigan

I’m sure you’re familiar with the expression “There must be a special kind of hell for ________.”

It’s a saying that we use when people are so mean, so evil that we think there’s no hope of redemption for them.

Did you know that hell is a part of our vernacular?

  • I’d go to hell and back for him/her.
  • Our world’s going to hell in a hand basket.
  • They’ve been through hell.
  • I’m trapped in a living hell.
  • Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

The list goes on and on….

Seriously, I googled “colloquial expressions about hell” and found over 50! (Link below)

But my favorite use of hell is when we spell it out–for the children’s sake, of course.

“I told Bob he could go to h-e-double l.” 

Which leads me to wonder why the people of Hell, Michigan don’t use this phrase as a tourism tag line?

The forecast in Hell is...

The forecast in Hell is…

Go to Hell, Michigan today!

I find it ironic that a large majority of people claim to not believe in hell, and yet never question their vernacular.

This is a subject that needs to be discussed more.

As a Christian, I believe that hell is a real place.

I knew a boy years ago that joked around about partying in hell with the demons.

Trust me. There will be no party there. That’s one invitation you need to decline.

Why do we talk about hell so much?

I think it’s because, deep down, we all know sin is at the root of every evil committed.

Everyone’s looking for hope, for a reason to live beyond themselves.

Our early heritage of faith might be outlawed in courtrooms and classrooms, but it’s present in our vernacular.

It’s time to talk about the final destination.

For your investigation:

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hell

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Lessons from the War Room

I watched War Room yesterday. It is, by far, the best Kendrick Brothers film to date.

Here’s the description, taken from the official movie website:

Tony and Elizabeth Jordan have it all—great jobs, a beautiful daughter, and their dream house. But appearances can be deceiving. Tony and Elizabeth Jordan’s world is actually crumbling under the strain of a failing marriage. While Tony basks in his professional success and flirts with temptation, Elizabeth resigns herself to increasing bitterness. But their lives take an unexpected turn when Elizabeth meets her newest client, Miss Clara, and is challenged to establish a “war room” and a battle plan of prayer for her family. As Elizabeth tries to fight for her family, Tony’s hidden struggles come to light. Tony must decide if he will make amends to his family and prove Miss Clara’s wisdom that victories don’t come by accident.

Facebook/War Room

Facebook/War Room

Here are 5 lessons I learned by watching War Room:

  • I need to pray more.
    • As Christians, we’re told to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). I always have time to chat, but I find that God gets scraps of my attention.
  • I need to be more intentional.
    • It’s easy to get caught up in the “Dear Lord, please be with ______” kind of prayers. I need to be more specific as I pray, taking my time instead of sending up emergency flares.
  • I need to pray the Scriptures.
    • This is pretty self-explanatory, but I want to start praying scripture passages, especially as I get more intentional in my conversations with God.
  • I need to pray more with other Christians.
    • Praying with others is not only a part of “bearing each others burdens” (Gal. 6:2) but also an important part of connecting in faith about a specific request.
  • I need to praise God when my prayers are answered.
    • I don’t praise God enough when a prayer is answered. Not doing so is selfish and reveals an underlying attitude of ungratefulness.
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An incomprehensible love

I read an article once that said many Christians feel uncomfortable when questionable people attend church. You’ve probably read or heard something similar before too.

Homeless people, prostitutes, druggies, murderers, pedophiles….

Even reading that list probably made some of you cringe just a little.

But Jesus died for us all. He didn’t say, “Unless your past was questionable. That’s where I draw the line.”

If a questionable past can keep you out of Heaven, I’m already disqualified.

All of us deserve hell. We just can’t measure up to God’s righteousness by ourselves.

And that’s why God–from the foundations of the earth–had the plan of salvation ready to go.

God, creator of the world, knew BEFORE IT HAPPENED that man–his most special creation–would screw up.

Then he created us anyway.

Why?

Because He is a God of love and wanted a people to lavish that love upon.

This fact still blows me away!

God has ALWAYS loved you. He loved you BEFORE you were ever loveable. He loved you even when He KNEW mankind was going to say, “Buzz off! I’ve got this under control.”  

It’s a love that’s beyond comprehension.

Why is the church not sharing this wonderful news?

God's loveBecause we can’t run around telling people Jesus loves them just as they are. There are conditions you know!

So the church continues to avoid homeless people, prostitutes, druggies, murderers, pedophiles….

And don’t even pull the “So your saying that we should all just do whatever we want? That’s greasy grace” card.

It’s a tired argument that needs to die.

I’m simply stating the fact that a behavior modification program, which has never worked (just ask the children of Israel) is not the same as the transforming power of grace.

The “bad” people we try desperately to avoid need Jesus.

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How to not read the Bible

I’m not too good at reading through a devotional or even following a Bible reading plan…

My goal for this year is to read the entire New Testament, but I didn’t put any restraints on myself to read the books in a particular order.

I like it much better this way and there’s no guilt over not following a plan.

You shouldn’t feel guilt while reading the Bible. At least, not when it comes to following or not following a plan. 

Yes, read your Bible.

Yes, it’s a good idea to read your Bible every day.

Just ditch the guilt because it’s counterproductive. 

Scripture says that the Bible is life and health to those who find it.

There’s nothing healthy about being legalistic toward Bible reading. 

About six months ago, I was praying about this subject and here’s what I heard:

Isn’t the point to spend time with Me?To learn more about following Me? I’m just happy you are reading. 

And that set me free.

It’s my prayer for you to be set free as well.

As Christians, it is important for us to know the Scriptures.

The Bible is God’s will expressed to mankind. 

Keep in mind that legalism and religiosity is not a part of that plan.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. 
Until next time,

Happy reading!

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Must Read: Love, Skip, Jump

I have another book recommendation for you.

If you’ve ever wondered what you can do to help others, then this is the book for you .

Shelene Bryan’s solution is simple.

Skip something.

A coffee.

Lunch.

A movie.

It doesn’t matter how much your skip costs. Any amount can help someone in need.

Love, Skip, Jump explains how and why Shelene Bryan, founder of Skip1.org, started her ministry.

bookThis book is challenging my perspective on how I choose to use my time, money, and resources.

Like I said before, if you’ve ever wanted to help and just don’t see how you can, this book is for you.

Give it a read.

And I promise your perspective will be changed too.

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Celebrating a wonderful beginning

Last fall, I started my journey of learning sign language. This September will mark my first full year as a student and future interpreter.
I never imagined this journey would be as fulfilling and jam packed with adventure as it has been.

When I started learning, I honestly had no idea what to expect. Taking a sign language class was me stepping out in faith. It’s something I had wanted to do for over 3 years and I decided that it was time to quit putting it off.

I fell in love almost instantly with the language and it’s people!

All along the way, I have committed myself to prayer, asking God for opportunities to learn, grow, and serve.

The answer to this prayer has come in the form of great friendships–including one friend who I consider my mentor–with individuals who are willing to teach an eager newbie.

The opportunities to serve are beyond my wildest dreams for only being a beginner! All I can say is God is faithful…

There’s a lot more I could talk about but I will stop for now. We will definitely talk about this subject more as the year progresses.

Today I just wanted to reminisce and give thanks to God for a great first year.

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Rabbit trails about inadequacy

I enjoy walking to the bank. It’s a nice change from sitting  all day.

The bank manager normally mills around and talks to customers. Today was Friday, so he was dressed casually. Monday through Thursday he wears a suit–an ill-fitting suit–and he seems a bit jittery. I got to thinking that maybe he’s uncomfortable because the suit doesn’t fit him.

The sleeves go way over his wrists and his pants are too long….he reminds me of a kid playing dress up. Maybe he feels inadequate and that makes him nervous?

I realize I’m speculating and this guy could be the most confident man in the world.

But my imagined story is not far from a truth many of us face everyday.

Feelings of inadequacy can sneak up on the best of us.

I saw a girl from high school today in a restaurant. She always made me feel small and unimportant. When I saw her, I panicked and found myself looking down, willing her not to notice me.

I thought about her and the branch manager as I walked back to my office.

My rabbit trail of thoughts led me to this conclusion:

We all play dress up at some point. We all experience inadequacy from time to time.

The act of dressing up, though, is actually a great test of our faith.

Sometimes you need to do it scared. Whatever “it” is for you, I can guarantee you that the first few times you step out will require a great deal of faith.

Your clothes will be too big.

And then you grow in confidence until you’re like Arnold Schwarzenegger, biceps ripping out of the sleeves from all the muscle you’ve built up. (Sorry! My imagination just got the best of me again.)

 But growth like that takes time and practice and even a few failed test runs.

Don’t let these things keep you from trying.

Don’t let feelings of inadequacy stop you.

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No spirtual hermits allowed!

That’s it! I’m disconnecting from social media and going off the grid! This world is ridiculous.

Being a hermit sounds like a great alternative to the craziness.

Why bother trying? Nothing will change.

blog 3Unless…..

I start seeing myself as a world changer, a warrior, a follower of Christ who is here to spread the gospel.

Notice that the early church didn’t run and hide when faced with adversity. They were bold. Not stupid, mind you, but bold. When they had to scatter because of persecution, the church grew.

Kind of ironic, isn’t it? That’s not what you’d expect.

Look at the church today in China and the Middle East. The body of Christ is growing exponentially! They are being persecuted and martyred every day.

Their persecutors can’t figure it out: Why can’t we defeat these Christians? Nothing we do can stop them….

And yet, in North America, Christians start crying like a bunch of babies when things don’t work out.

blog 2 Can you believe the government is being so mean? This used to be a Christian nation. Now all I can do is post mean things on Facebook about those wicked unbelievers.

And then we lay on the floor like a toddler and pitch a fit.

Wow. I bet all of those sinful wretches want to be Christians now. You really showed them how strong faith can be in the life of a believer.

blog 1Throwing a temper tantrum changes nothing. It never does.

Read the Bible.

Jesus was hated by the world and He told us we would be hated too.

The disciples told us things would get really hard before Jesus came back.

What are you expecting?

Is your faith only strong when things are going great? Is it really that wishy-washy?

If so, I wouldn’t call that faith at all.

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What I Learned While Cutting Grass

When I cut the grass, I have a system: Look at where I’m cutting, think about what I want it to look like, and proceed.

The main reason for this system is that I have a battery operated weed eater. I usually have about an hour’s worth of juice, so I have to have a plan of attack. If I don’t plan my yard looks horrible and I get really cranky.

As I worked today, I couldn’t help but think of the creation story. I’m pretty sure that God sat back and really thought about His plans. He had a lot to get done in six days.

“Let’s see, first I have to create light and darkness, then land and sea. Yes, get the terrain set and then add the animals. That way everything will be ready for Adam.”

I’m amazed at God’s diligence and thoroughness. He thought of everything to make the world perfect for His ultimate creation: Mankind.

Isn’t it amazing?

The coolest part is that God loved humanity so much He knew that man would sin and STILL continued in His work.

He wants a relationship with you and me.

As I walk in relationship with Christ, it changes how I do the most every day things. I think about the normal, seemingly mundane tasks in life in a whole new way.

God wants to be the God of your family, finances, health—every aspect of your life—and in return He wants you to take responsibility, to trust and see His plan in all things.

It’s a cyclical notion.

That’s how I can see the fingerprint of God as I cut the grass, in the spider who builds His web, in the inner workings of a family.

God is everywhere.

The more Christ opens my eyes, the more I see the beauty of God’s creation, and how I fit into His plan.