Janet Denison

The power of fire

I lived in Thousand Oaks, CA, during high school and spent hours and hours at Zuma Beach. Zuma is the beach just north of Malibu. I watched the news coverage of the California fires, recognizing much of what the reporters described as “completely destroyed.” I can’t imagine what Malibu looks like today. Fox News called the fire damage “apocalyptic.”

I watched the flames and considered the number of times the Bible uses the word “fire” to describe an activity of God and even his character. The Bible uses “fire” more than five hundred times, ninety times in direct reference to God himself. Hebrews 12:29 says, “For our God is a consuming fire,” which refers to Deuteronomy 4:24.

The powerful Santa Ana winds drove the fire all the way to the ocean, destroying homes and lives, and I wondered why God chose to describe himself like that.

A consuming fire

My high school prom was in Malibu. For my 17th birthday, my boyfriend took me to Moonshadows restaurant, where I ate dinner a few tables away from Ted Knight, a star of the Mary Tyler Moore show. I drove up and down the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) many times over those years, enjoying the restaurants and shops. The fire consumed everything but my memories.

The fires raced through the area and skipped across PCH. Multi-million-dollar homes ignited, burned to the ground, and smoldered. What finally stopped the fire? The enormous power of the Pacific Ocean.

Is that why God called himself a consuming fire? God’s power is evident in fire, wind, and the vast waters that eventually stopped the devastation. The most powerful things in this world testify to the existence of the One who created all there is.

It’s probable to assume that one or more of the fires resulted from human error or intent. God honors the free will of those he created while working to redeem and restore the consequences of misusing that free will. I wonder if God’s plan to redeem includes the redemption of so many who feel like they have lost everything. I watched the news interviews and listened to what those affected were saying. Their grief was understandable, but I was struck by the fact that no one interviewed spoke about God or his saving grace. No one thanked the Lord for sparing their lives. It struck me how different those interviews would have been if the tragedy had occurred here in my hometown. We all grieve things in this life, but Christians can grieve with hope.

Scripture clearly states that everything accumulated or accomplished on earth is temporary except the things we do that have eternal value and reward. We should “set our minds on things above” as often as possible to keep a biblical perspective on the “stuff” of this world.

Paul’s perspective on our earthly priorities

The church in Corinth was a fascinating, diverse group of Christian believers. Some were wealthy, while others were slaves. Some were of Jewish background, while most were Gentile. Paul told the church, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:11–15).

The Bible doesn’t say much about our rewards in heaven, but it does say that how we live on earth will impact our lives eternal. Works that have no eternal value will simply burn up. Christians who professed their faith in Christ will always gain their salvation one day, but some “only as through the fire.” Our souls will survive the fire, but what will happen to our works? It’s good to assess our lives with a biblical perspective. If we lost everything on earth, would we still be able to consider ourselves wealthy beyond measure? What choices have we made and are making now that will result in our eternal reward?

I’m praying that some Christians who can share that biblical hope with the world will be interviewed in California.

Is your faith “fireproof”?

Peter told the first-century Christians, many of whom were suffering “various trials,” that God would redeem the hard times for their good. Peter told them and us that God allows suffering “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

God has always held “genuine faith” as his high standard. Isn’t it true that the strength of our faith is most often revealed during the fiery moments of this life? Sometimes, we fail, but we often discover the reality of the “peace that passes all understanding” when those hard times help us seek God’s presence and fully trust in his perfect character.

Faith becomes fireproof when it can withstand or simply survive the consequences of living in a fallen world. Leaning on God is a strength-building exercise.

The Spirit of Christ arrived with fire

God sent his Holy Spirit to the believers gathered in the upper room at the Pentecost celebration. Acts 2:3 describes the appearance of his arrival, saying, “Divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.” That day’s fire was an individual experience with a personal and powerful Savior. The Holy Spirit gifted those gathered and enabled them to share the gospel with everyone, speaking it in the languages the people needed to hear. That is the powerful fire of the Holy Spirit. More than three thousand people received their salvation that day.

That’s what John the Baptist meant when he preached, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

God is a consuming fire, and through the power of his Holy Spirit, we have been gifted to carry God to people who have experienced the worst moments this life can bring. People who think they have lost everything on earth can gain the hope of owning everything eternal.

Does your witness need a little more fire or a little more power? Does your evangelism need to become a higher priority? Those are good questions to consider as we listen to the needs of the people around us. I look at those grieving, lost faces on my television and realize that, except for a move to Texas, I could easily have been one of those people.

Let’s pray for their souls—that God will redeem the hardest times for his great glory. He wants to help them, and we should, too.

The power of hope for a new year

I recently read a Vice.com article that quoted a recent CBS news poll saying, “57% of the people polled consider themselves ‘hopeful’ for 2025. That number was up 10% compared to the same poll from 2024.” The Bible often speaks about the power of hope, and I was excited for us to consider that subject in a blog post.

When we all woke up on New Year’s Day to the news of the terrorist attack in New Orleans, I realized the subject of “hope” was even more important to think about. The terrorist attack was not just an attack on American citizens; it was an attack on the country’s sense of optimism.

Why were people more hopeful about 2025?

A Gallup news article dated December 30, 2024, said Americans expected “political conflict, economic difficulty, global discord, and a growing deficit.” Even with those concerns, “66% of U.S. adults expect gains in the stock market, 54% think there will be increasing or full employment, and 52% predict reasonable price growth.”

It’s too soon to know if America’s optimism will fade in the coming weeks and months. Will terrorism continue to threaten our way of life? Will the resulting fears cost us financially and keep some people from investing? Will we feel safer in 2025, or will our fears increase?

King David lived much of his life waiting for the next attack on himself or his kingdom. He was a warrior king, a brilliant strategist, and a person of high achievement, yet he also lived with constant threats. That’s why his words of hope in Psalm 20 are so powerful. King David wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright” (Psalm 20:7–8).

As children of God, our hope is impacted by world events, but our hope should never be a product of the world. I’m happy to live in the United States, and I’m grateful that we have the strength of our “chariots and horses.” At the same time, we, like King David, will probably always live looking over our shoulders as well. Every world power will always be a threat to someone else.

Many people are placing their hope in a new presidency, but as Christians, we need to put our hope in the King of kings.

Many people are putting hope in jobs, possessions, and financial accounts. Security is found in those things, but Christian hope comes from knowing we won’t always need those things.

Many people are hopeful that our military, FBI, CIA, laws, and leaders will keep us safe in this world. New Year’s Day was a reminder that none of us are completely safe from the things in this world until we are completely safe in heaven.

That’s why the author of Hebrews wrote, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Our greatest hope isn’t in the things we often tend to trust in this world. Those are the things we can “see.” We choose to trust the promises of God’s word because we choose to trust the promise of a greater life after this one. We have been promised life eternal.

Our hope is built on nothing less

Edward Mote composed lyrics to the hymn “Solid Rock” in 1836. He was inspired by the parable of the foolish man who built his house on the sand and the wise man who built his house on the rock. That’s why his chorus says, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

The first stanza of the hymn begins with the words, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” This is a perfect time to ask ourselves, “Do we really mean those words when we sing them to God?” When have you trusted only God and not something less?

Most of us can remember when we prayed for someone to be healed, knowing the doctors did not give that person much hope. I celebrated Christmas with my mom this year after I had been told by several people in the medical field that it was unlikely. Sometimes, doctors get it wrong; sometimes, God answers prayers that make things right again in our earthly lives. No doctor will always be right, but God will always make things right for his children. He will either heal them temporarily on earth or eternally in heaven.

Our hope is built on nothing less.

What can you hope for in 2025?

Your life can abound with hope. Romans 15:13

God has a perfect plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11

Reading the Bible with faith and trust will give you the hope you need. Romans 15:4

Heaven is a reality that gives us hope. 1 Peter 1:3

God will faithfully walk by your side every moment of 2025. Deuteronomy 31:6

Our hope is unwavering because it is promised by our perfectly powerful God. Hebrews 10:23

Hope can lift you above the hard times. Psalm 42:11

We can hope for God to make all things right if we trust in him. Romans 8:28

We can hope in God’s word because God cannot lie. Titus 1:1–2

The power of hope

Psychology Today published an article in 2023 about the power of hope. The subtitle said, “The secret is focusing on what you can control.” The article had a lot of helpful advice about setting goals, living in the present, hanging around with positive people, and focusing on “self” more often.

The advice of the experts in the world is often contrary to the advice given in God’s word. Our greatest goals should be God’s goals for our lives. We live in the present, but we should never live without the hope of our eternal future with God. We can hang around positive people, but we should prefer to hang around godly people who encourage us spiritually. We should think of the “self” according to the standard Jesus taught. He said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39).

We can have great hope for 2025 because we “trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Our hope will be strengthened and encouraged as we study God’s word.

I’m glad to spend 2025 with you. We have a LOT to hope for this year.

Is America asking for Jesus this Christmas?

Most of us work hard to give Christmas gifts that others will want. I hope the gifts under my own Christmas tree will give joy and happiness to the people I love. I love the Lord and what the Christmas holiday represents for his children. I’m sad for the people who try to celebrate Christmas without the indwelling joy of Christ. If I could give a gift to America, I would give the gift God chose to give that first Christmas.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Jesus is the most valuable Christmas gift ever given, a gift all of us can freely give. The only catch is that we must receive the gift ourselves before giving it away.

A recent article that Christians should know about

The Wall Street Journal published an important article on December 1 of this year. The article was titled Sales of Bibles Are Booming, Fueled by First-Time Buyers and New Versions.

The article stated that “Bible sales are up 22% in the U.S. through the end of October, compared with the same period last year, according to book tracker Circana BookScan.” I founded and now serve the Foundations brand of the Denison Ministries. This brand is focused on teaching biblical truth and helping others to learn how to study and apply God’s word to their lives. Needless to say, the Wall Street Journal article caught my eye!

The article quoted Jeff Crosby, president of the Christian Publishers Association, who explained the increase in Bible sales, saying, “People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren. It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.” The article also stated, “The demand for Bibles is rising despite evidence that the country is growing increasingly secularized.”

Is the country growing increasingly secularized, or are America’s citizens increasingly coming to realize they need God?

What causes people to seek God’s word?

America has been through a season of stress this past year. Regardless of which side you take in our political system, this year’s election campaigns were filled with angst, threats of disaster, and a sense that if your candidate didn’t win, the future looked disastrous. Americans have learned to question and doubt the news reports we see on television.

Are Americans looking for truth in the midst of doubts and stress? The Bible is known as a book of truth. Jesus described himself as “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

Last September, we watched the news footage of the horrible storms that hit places like North Carolina. A U.S. News article said, “The Carolinas braced for a storm that forecasters warned could bring heavy rain — as much as 6 to 8 inches in some spots. But one narrow band got a ‘firehose’ that dumped as much as 20 inches in a so-called 1,000-year flood that shocked many with its intensity.” Psalm 107:28 says, “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

Some television news reported that people weren’t getting the help they needed, and other stations reported all that would be done to care for people, many of whom had lost everything they owned and someone or something they loved. While the reporters were arguing about the truth, groups like The Samaritan’s Purse jumped in to be the truth and bring immediate, much-needed help. Compassion for people in need led to increased funds that were used, and are still being used, to help America’s citizens physically and spiritually. I don’t think we can overestimate Franklin Graham’s influence on our nation as he spoke God’s truth on our national news programs.

The election sent a clear message to everyone on both sides of the political war, as did the news footage about the terrible storm. Anyone who watched the news wanted something different because the people of our country deserve the help they need. Christians understand the government will never provide for a person’s greatest need. That is the real purpose of this blog post.

Christians know what America needs most this Christmas

Increased Bible sales point to an increased interest in God’s message to the world. When people realize they need truth, they look for truth. It’s our job as Christians to be watchful and ready to help them find the biblical truth that Jesus was born to provide.

The baby in the manger was and is God Incarnate. He was and is Immanuel, God with us. I like the way William Barclay described Jesus. He said, “God was always like Jesus.” I’ve often said that the baby in the manger was God, with skin on him. People often struggle to understand the God of the Old Testament. They simply need to understand that God has always been the Jesus they see in the New Testament.

Our country has bought a lot more Bibles this year, but will they read them? Will the average American understand the rich, eternal teaching of the words they are reading? Will they read the word of God and then live with biblical choices?

God’s word is powerful truth, but that truth is more likely gained through study, not simply reading. That’s why I wanted to start the Foundations brand at Denison Ministries. Before I ever owned the promise of my salvation in Christ, I owned a few Bibles. God’s word is written to help people know God. God’s creation speaks to his reality every moment of every day. Paul said God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Romans 1:20). Paul goes on to say that’s why people are “without excuse” for not knowing there is a God.

If you read this blog post, you probably know that God exists, and you probably want to know God as well as you possibly can. Sanctification requires a willing heart and careful study of God’s word. Even Paul said, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

My “end of year” request

Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Wednesdays this year. This blog post is the last lengthy post I will write this year. I believe America is seeking to know the God whom the apostle Paul wanted to know and the Lord Jesus whom God gave to a world he so loved more than two thousand years ago. I pray all of us will look for the chance to give the gift that matters most this Christmas and continue to give that gift throughout the new year to come.

It’s difficult to know what we should expect in 2025, but every Christian should look at the increase in Bible sales and recognize the felt need in our country today. We can all share the gospel message with the people God brings across our path. Will you “count everything as loss” compared to the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” as Lord?

I promise to commit our work at the Foundations ministry for that very purpose. I’ll send some wishes in the next two weeks, but this week, I wanted to answer my own question and say, “Yes, America is asking for Jesus this Christmas.” We at the Foundations brand want to help people know that the baby in the manger was the God of the universe and still is today.

We would be truly grateful if you helped us continue to help others know Jesus and study biblical truth. Thank you for caring, giving, and helping us provide God’s word of truth to the people of this world.

Two weeks before Bethlehem

Christmas is two weeks away. The Christmas season is about a week shorter this year because of a late Thanksgiving. Unlike the Thursday for Thanksgiving, Christmas is always celebrated on December 25, regardless of the day. I’ve never heard anyone say, “Maybe we should move Christmas back a week this year.” I’ve never heard anyone say, “We should celebrate Christmas on a Saturday or in the spring this year.”

The Christmas season has become a retail calendar with Black Friday sales that last a month. Christmas is about warm clothes, warm fires, snowflakes, candy canes, Christmas lights, and an ever-increasing number of inflatables. None of that sounds like something we should celebrate in the spring. Texans can’t even imagine snowflakes in the spring and with our winds the inflatables would be at least five houses down the road. I think the December 25 date is unchangeable in our culture, at least for now.

What were Mary and Joseph doing two weeks before Bethlehem?

Much of our time is measured by our clocks and calendars. Mary and Joseph had a deadline, too, that first Christmas. The Roman government had set a time for the census, and it didn’t matter that Mary was expecting her baby any day. The trip to Bethlehem was about 90 miles, and Mary and Joseph had to plan for all the possibilities.

Nothing is ever said in Scripture about Mary’s family. I know times were different in the first century, but some things are common to every generation. If Mary’s mom were still alive, she would have been concerned about her young daughter making that trip. She would have wanted to make sure she had packed everything she might need for the trip, the baby’s birth, and the extra time and supplies it would take her to travel those ninety miles.

If all the planning was Joseph’s responsibility, I imagine he was getting a ton of advice from the women of Nazareth about carefully planning for all possibilities. The two weeks before Christmas were tough for Mary and Joseph. It kind of puts all of our Christmas preparations in perspective, doesn’t it?

Is it time to make some adjustments to your Christmas plans?

Do the weather reports indicate that Christmas travel might mean spending the holiday in an airport or hotel this year? Is there someone you can’t or shouldn’t leave behind? Has your life become a little too busy and stressed because it is only fourteen days until Christmas?

Are the kids too focused on gifts and not focused enough on school? Are we too focused on the calendar instead of Christ? It happens every year until we decide to change the way we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

When Satan can’t have your soul, he settles for your time. When he can’t make you bad, he tries to make you busy. When your eternity belongs to God, Satan will settle for influencing your time on earth.

I wrote about Mary and Martha last week. Have you become worried and anxious about many things? If so, choose to delete a few things so you can sit quietly at the manger and spend time with the best part of Christmas.

Two weeks became two years or more

Joseph and Mary would have packed plenty of supplies and carried all their money. They would have done their best to stay with others in a group, but there’s a good chance Mary’s pregnancy slowed them down. It isn’t surprising that they arrived in Bethlehem and found there was “no room in the inn.”

Joseph and Mary’s plans were made with care but not with certainty. That young and newly married couple had no way of knowing that they would not return to their home in Nazareth for more than two years. They would not have packed or planned for the months they remained in Bethlehem or their future escape to Egypt.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a well-known, often-quoted verse. God told the prophet, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Joseph and Mary were faithful, righteous children of God. They would have been aware of the uncertainties but also known to trust God’s promises.

The rest of God’s message for Mary and Joseph

Mary and Joseph had both experienced the miraculous, and their faith and trust in God would have been strengthened as a result. Two weeks before Bethlehem, their knowledge of God’s promise to Jeremiah would have comforted their thoughts.

God had promised Jeremiah that his plans were for his children’s good, not their harm. The rest of God’s message to Jeremiah was just as important as the words found in verse 11. God also said, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile” (Jeremiah 29:13–14).

I wonder if Joseph and Mary talked about those words as they fled in the night toward Egypt, praying for their safety and the safety of their infant son. I wonder if Mary and Joseph were able to get word to their families and friends back in Nazareth.

Times were so different in the first century, yet the things that matter most apply to every generation.

It’s two weeks until “Bethlehem”

What plans have you made that need to be adjusted to choose God’s plan for your Christmas? His plan is to prosper you, not to harm you. His plan is best for your hope and your future. He has promised to hear you when you pray. He has promised to come to you and provide what you need. He has promised to anticipate the needs you don’t even know to pray for today.

Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Those gifts from the magi were essentially the provision they needed to travel and live in a foreign country until it was safe to come home.

God knows what you need today for the Christmas you will celebrate in two weeks. Are you having the “Mary Christmas” we talked about last week, or is the Martha within trying to take over?

I hope you will plan to sit at the feet of Jesus and trust the God who always provides for his kids. His plan for your Christmas is best. Do you need to be still and invite him to come and provide it?

Call on him in prayer, then trust that the baby in the manger has listened.

Wishing you a Mary Christmas

Thanksgiving came late this year, so it feels like Christmas is just around the corner. Between grocery shopping, cooking, and enjoying our crowd last week, I was late getting to this blog post. I prayed for the Lord to give me his thoughts as we drove to church.

Traffic was low, and we arrived early. I struck up a conversation with a woman who mentioned a really good Christmas message she had heard once. The speaker talked about having a “Mary” Christmas instead of a “Martha” holiday. The wheels started turning, and I realized I needed these thoughts today, so maybe you do, too!

I want all of us to have a “Mary” Christmas in this “Martha” world!

Is this a Mary or Martha kind of week?

Typically, when Thanksgiving runs late in November, the next week is crazy busy. School is out in just a few weeks. Travel plans, shopping, parties, Christmas cards, and all the other details start piling up. Those are all good things, but sometimes they come at the expense of the better things.

You know the story. Martha was in the kitchen trying to figure out how to feed the extra mouth that had been added to the table. She had probably planned to serve leftovers; now, the company required a better meal and more effort. Luke tells the now-familiar story:

“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38–42).

How do we, like Mary, choose the “good portion” this Christmas season?

Are you distracted with much serving?

Consider yet another Mary. This was a favorite verse among our church staff:

Mary had a little lamb who would have been a sheep.

But she joined the local megachurch and died from lack of sleep.

It’s so easy to get overbooked with the good things of the Christmas season that sometimes we can miss the moments spent at the Lord’s feet. How do we balance the need to serve with our need to worship?

Answer: Make sure you spend time at the Lord’s feet before you head out to serve.

This one thought could make a big difference in our Christmas season. We are going to attend parties. We are going to give gifts. We are going to see friends, enjoy conversations, and do a LOT of planning and preparations. We can do all those things with a Martha attitude or a Mary perspective.

Martha was “troubled and anxious about many things.” So, what did Jesus tell her?

Only one thing is necessary

If Martha had understood what mattered most to Jesus, she would have worried less about what to serve. Jesus would have preferred to eat leftovers if it meant he would have the chance to speak a word of spiritual encouragement to a friend.

The food will be consumed, the dishes will be washed, and the next meal will soon happen. The gifts will be purchased, wrapped, and then put away or used until broken, worn out, or set aside. Almost everything about our Christmas season is only for a season.

The “one thing” that is “necessary” is the One whose priorities have eternal outcomes.

The one thing is the One

Mary chose the “good portion” because she chose to make Jesus her priority.

Every day of the Christmas season should require a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa by the fire at the feet of Jesus. Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I usually teach that verse saying, “Be still and know he is God. If we don’t get still, other things become gods.” Christmas is a season that will simply come and go unless we use the season to serve Jesus as we serve others.

How does Jesus want to spend time with you as you serve others this Christmas season?

As you wrap a gift, pray for the person who will receive it.
As you cook a meal, pray for the conversations you can have around the table.
As you prepare for a party, ask the Lord for the chance to be a spiritual encouragement to someone there.
As you shop, pray for and then seek the opportunity to shop for someone who can’t shop for themselves.
Instead of storing leftovers, consider taking them to an elderly neighbor.
As you drive or stand in line, let someone who is rushed get ahead of you.
As you give, pray for the opportunity to give Jesus too.

The “one thing that is necessary” is time with the One who calls you to his feet. We need to know what Jesus wants to do in our lives this Christmas. We need to know how we can best serve him and impact others during this holiday season.

Will you have a Mary Christmas or a Martha Christmas?

That’s an easier question to answer than to live.

Things need to be accomplished, but we will do them differently if we spend some time at the feet of Jesus first. People need to be helped, thought about, and prayed for. The Martha moments will mean we are troubled and anxious about many things. The Mary moments will be spent with an ear toward Jesus, doing our tasks with his spiritual priorities in our hearts and minds.

Christians who choose to have a Mary Christmas will have a merry Christmas. We need only to choose the “good portion” that will “not be taken away.” The priorities of Jesus have an eternal purpose.

Will you choose to serve the One, the Christ of Christmas, this Christmas season?

Being Thankful

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).

You probably still have a lot to do before you’re ready for Thanksgiving. Thank you for taking a moment out of your busy day to read and consider this short message. I am so grateful to share this life, our spiritual journey, with each of you.

Zig Ziglar was an inspirational Christian speaker who said, “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

As God’s children, I hope we will spend some time before and after the rush of this Thanksgiving holiday to pause and consider all that we can be grateful for in this life, and God’s promise of our lives eternal.

My wishes for the holiday are many. I hope our turkeys are moist and the pies don’t burn. I hope the salads stay cold and the vegetables stay hot. I hope the glasses don’t tip, and neither do the chairs! I hope your Thanksgiving table will be surrounded with joy, laughter, and the love of family and friends.

I pray Zig Ziglar’s wisdom will become our own today. I pray that our grateful hearts will be ready to offer the Lord’s best to those around us. Gratitude is the healthiest of emotions, and we should look for ways to share our gratitude with those around us.

So, before we get back to work, let’s take a minute to pray for this special holiday . . .

Lord God, we thank you for the blessings we can count and those yet unknown.

We surrender our plans to yours, and our thoughts and words to your Spirit.

Help us find favor with you and others today; then help us renew that goal for each tomorrow.

We praise and thank you, God, for Jesus and offer our prayers in his holy name.

Amen.

May the Lord bless your Thanksgiving with his perfect joy.

That Printer of Udell’s: A book that changed Reagan’s life, and mine

My husband Jim and I hadn’t seen the new Reagan movie yet. We thought we were just watching another film until it became more than that. The movie is well done and worth seeing, but the book I read after watching the movie is what most impacted my thoughts, and hopefully my choices in the future.

In the movie, Reagan’s mom and her preacher give a young Ron the book That Printer of Udell’s by Harold Bell Wright. It is such a brief moment in the movie that it would be easy to miss, but I was fascinated by the idea that a book changed Reagan’s life. I asked Jim to back up the movie and hit the pause button so I could write the title down. When the movie was over, I downloaded the book.

That Printer of Udell’s

This is what President Reagan’s presidential library said about the book: “After reading this book at age 11, Ronald Reagan said it had a lasting impact on his life, shaping his own moral sense.”

Ronald Reagan wrote a letter to Harold Bell Wright’s daughter-in-law in 1984 and told her, “I found a role model in that traveling printer whom Harold Bell Wright had brought to life. He set me on a course I’ve tried to follow even unto this day. I shall always be grateful.”

John Fund, a Wall Street Journal columnist, said, “Many of Reagan’s accomplishments, as well as his outlook on life, can be traced back to that dog-eared copy of That Printer of Udell’s.”

Why did this book change Reagan’s life?

I have always been a fan of President Reagan. He is the president who shaped my ideas of what an American leader should be. After hearing that this book changed his life, I knew I wanted to read it. This is a synopsis of the book from his presidential library:

Ronald Reagan noted that this book provided a lasting impact on his life, shaping his own moral sense. He identified with the central character, Dick Falkner. Falkner’s childhood was one of poverty and abuse from an alcoholic father. Recognizing his life for what it was, he ran away from his home, but he could not run away from all of his problems. Sixteen years later he found himself hungry of body and empty of spirit in a small Midwestern town.

Eventually, he is taken in by George Udell, a local printer and a kind-hearted man. George Udell gives the young man a job, and something more important: spiritual support. Through hard work and Christian morals, the man who becomes known as “that printer of Udell’s” rises above his past to a new life with God, doing what he could to change the lives of the town people.

Why did this book impact Ronald Reagan as it did?

The library says this about Ronald Reagan’s mom and dad, Jack and Nelle:

Jack was born in Fulton, Illinois on July 13, 1883, and raised in the Catholic Church. Nelle was born in Fulton, Illinois on July 24, 1883. The two were married in November 1904. Jack worked as a salesman most of his adult life and suffered from alcoholism. Nelle was deeply religious, and active in the Disciples of Christ Church.

The movie depicts Reagan’s mom and her pastor giving him the book so that he can understand he has choices to make about his future. He can follow in his father’s footsteps, or he can follow in his heavenly Father’s footsteps.

Ronald Reagan would be the first to say that he did not live a perfect life. Neither does the main character of the book. But, as the book makes clear, God and his true followers offer the grace we need to make mistakes and then move forward with better choices.

The book kept me home from church

That statement may seem like an odd thing for me to put in my blog post. Did I make a wrong choice after reading a book about making God-driven choices?

It was Sunday morning, and I woke up at 4:30 a.m. because I wanted to finish reading the book before church. I finished the final page at 6:30 a.m., leaving me plenty of time to get ready. People who know me know that I am a stickler for defining “on time” as five minutes early. In contrast, one of the most frequent arguments I have with my husband is because I married a man who thinks, “I can get one more thing done, before I have to leave.” I hate to be late. He hates to waste even one minute of time being early. We have been married for forty-four years so I don’t think either of us will change on this subject, so we now try to accept our differences.

Interestingly, on Sunday morning both of us were having the same struggle. He was rushing through some important moments with God, trying to be ready for church. I was also struggling with a multitude of God–driven thoughts about the book I just finished in order to get to church. Jim and I sat down together, talked, prayed, and both agreed we were supposed to stay home that morning.

Sunday mornings are sacred times for worship. Why did God lead us both to stay home?

If you have been a reader for a while, you know that I believe there is only one perfect Book. I would never say that a work of fiction should be considered in the same way as the Bible. However, That Printer of Udell’s is an inspired novel, even in its imperfection. It was published in 1902, and there are words and phrases about people that would not be acceptable today and might keep some from recommending the book. I recommend the book anyway because if you read carefully, you will see the author is often commending the character of the people, using words that were considered acceptable in 1902. It would be a shame to miss the message of this book because of when it was written.

C. S. Lewis was referring to the wisdom of timeless literature when he said, “It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.” This “old” book is one of the best books I’ve read in my lifetime.

This week, I will teach some of my favorite verses in the Bible. I often quote Colossians 3:23–24, which says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Sunday morning, serving Jesus meant to sit quietly at his feet and listen. I’m still processing all that came from that time of spiritual worship and meditation.

Sometimes worship is about being alone with God and allowing his Spirit to author your thoughts and ideas. I can honestly say I hope everyone who reads this blog post will download That Printer of Udell’s. The book changed Ronald Reagan’s life, and I believe it will likely change each of our lives as well. It is a book about practical Christianity and the hard work it takes to live in this world with God-authored priorities. Living with those sacrificial Christian priorities is “our spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1–2).

Your life has infinite possibilities

In the book, Udell’s printer, the son of an alcoholic, works his way from homelessness to spiritual strength because of God. One of my favorite quotes comes from Udell himself. He greatly admired his employee’s difficult yet successful journey in life and said, “Truly, the possibilities of life are infinite. The power of the human soul cannot be measured, and no man guesses the real strength of his closest friend.”

This book is about the strength each of us has available to us through our closest friend, Jesus Christ. That Printer of Udell’s is literature, a work of fiction. But it is a work of fiction that God used to change a man like Ronald Reagan and a woman like myself. “The possibilities of life are infinite.”

Have any of us reached our God-given capacities yet? This book can help us consider that question and then aim for God’s answers.

God’s word for America from Paul and Barnabas

One of the best things about God’s word is that it never holds back or softens truth. The Bible tells us David was a man after God’s own heart, but it also tells us about David’s sin with Bathsheba. Scripture tells us about Noah’s faithfulness and the shame he experienced later in life. Paul was quoting ancient truth when he wrote to the Christians in Rome, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:11–12). A few sentences later, he told them everyone sins and falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).

Paul was stating the ancient biblical truth that because of the Fall, human beings will never be good enough for heaven without a saving faith. Jesus died because we needed him to pay for our sins. The Bible doesn’t withhold truth about even our greatest heroes of the faith because every one of the heroes needed to have a God who would save them. No one is born a saint, and everyone is born a sinner except Jesus.

Who are the winners and the losers?

The news media has discussed that question extensively in the past week. What is the biblical response and the thought every Christian should strive to remember?

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The winners in this world are the people who have accepted the free grace gift of salvation. The losers are the lost, those who have rejected Jesus. Christians live with the Light of the world so we can live as the light of the world. We are called to be one in Christ and one with each other.

Why, then, do we have so much trouble getting along?

Paul and Barnabas offer some advice

Paul would not have been able to do all he did for the Lord if not for Barnabas. The Bible doesn’t tell us about Barnabas’ sins, but we know he had some. When Barnabas spoke up for Paul in front of Peter, James, and the other church leaders in Acts 15, his words about Paul were received and respected. Obviously, Barnabas was a man who lived with a high and holy reputation.

On the other hand, Paul had a reputation that needed to be overcome. The early church accepted him largely because men like Ananias and Barnabas said they should. Paul and Barnabas traveled together, establishing churches and leading others to a saving faith in Christ.

They did this until they got into an argument over John Mark. The Bible makes it clear that Paul and Barnabas thought they were right about John Mark, even though they disagreed. Bible history points out that they were both right and wrong.

These two saints were about to take their second missionary journey together. Barnabas thought they should take John Mark, even though the young man had abandoned them on the first missionary journey. Paul didn’t want John Mark to come, thinking they might repeat the same mistake twice.

The Bible says, “there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other” (Acts 15:39). Two devout Christians, called and gifted by God, couldn’t agree and decided not to work together. You might say they “agreed to disagree.” The result? Barnabas did missionary work with John Mark, and Paul took Silas.

God redeemed the disagreement and used all these men for his higher purpose. We know that Paul later reconciled with both Barnabas and John Mark because he mentions them in 1 Corinthians 9:6 and 2 Timothy 4:11 using words of praise.

If Paul and Barnabas could give Christians in America some advice today, it might stem from their own experience. These two men might remind us that every Christian on earth is still a sinner. We should expect to disagree, even with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But our disagreements shouldn’t stop us from serving God’s kingdom purpose. When we “sharply disagree,” God can redeem our sins for his greater good.

If we ask a wrong question, we will get a wrong answer

When Christians disagree, it is rarely over who is right or wrong. Instead, we should ask ourselves, “How are we both right and wrong?” We should also ask, “What does God say is right about our point of view, and what is wrong?”

Sometimes, we remain at a place of sharp disagreement. If so, agree to disagree and move forward, together or separately, with God’s calling.

The modern trend in our culture is to take a side and defend it. The problem is both sides can make some good points. None of us are perfectly right or completely wrong. We are just a bunch of sinners who likely want to “feel right” more than we try to “be right.”

What is the first question to get right?

What has God said about it? If we care more about what God thinks and wants than what we might feel is best, the correct answers will likely follow.

If Paul and Barnabas can sharply disagree, so can we. The truth is found at the end of their lives and ministries when they once again thought highly of one another. All of them, John Mark included, knew that God had redeemed their disagreement for his greater good.

Since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden, God has been doing great things through a bunch of sinners. We can expect God to continue doing the same until we join him in heaven.

Paul and Barnabas were both passionate about serving Christ, and they did serve him well. We should be less worried about conflict and more confident about God. Truthfully, the absence of conflict often indicates the presence of apathy.

Christians need to become as passionate about God’s word as others are passionate about their point of view. We are called to be the “light of the world.” We can disagree with the world and one another, but we must agree with the humility that comes from knowing only God will get it perfectly right.

How do we walk carefully with God today?

I’ve taught Bible for a LOT of years, and I continue to be amazed at the newness of the ancient words. The Bible is a book like no other because its Author is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator God. There is a reason the Bible is a best-seller every year.

The Bible tells us everything we need to know God and truly understand ourselves. Scripture teaches us how to become children of God and live with his Presence now and one day, eternally in his Presence in heaven.

One Sunday, I followed along in my Bible as our pastor led us through a passage. We read a verse that I have read and taught many times. My eyes were drawn to the verb, and my thoughts were brand new. Then, as I was preparing to teach, that same verb presented itself again. The idea for this blog post soon followed.

As I sit here, you probably know something I cannot know today. When you read these words, you will likely know who won the election and who will be president of the United States for the next four years.

Many news programs will discuss the “differences” between our nation’s people. The Bible teaches us that every person born in this world has one need in common: We all need to know God and draw close to his Presence. The best way to do that is to understand why Peter and others chose to use the verb “abstain.”

We all have an important choice to make today

Sunday morning, the sermon addressed the various divisions politics can cause in our culture today. Those divisions exist in people’s homes, jobs, friendships, and social settings. It’s the day after the election. How are you feeling about the results? As you walk past people today, what might you say if people feel differently about it than you do?

As the congregation read through 1 Peter 2, we discussed that our highest calling as Christians is not politics. Instead, our highest calling is to lead people to a knowledge of God and his power to save their souls. Peter told his fellow Christians and us today, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:11–12 NIV).

According to Peter, we have a high calling for this day after the election. Your candidate may have won or lost, yet our high calling as Christians remains the same. The most important message you will speak today is the sermon your choices will preach. As people study your life today, will they see a Democrat or Republican or good deeds done by someone whose life glorifies God? Whoever won the election, we are still going to be “aliens and strangers” in this world.

Our highest calling today is to “abstain from sinful desires” because they are at war with our souls.

Today, Christians from all around this country are wanting to gloat, complain, celebrate, or be depressed. God’s children can be Democrats or Republicans. Regardless of which candidate won, a lot of people are happy, and a lot are upset. Maybe we need to “abstain” from our personal feelings today and remember we have a higher calling from God. The way we converse and react with those around us will either display our lives as “pagan” like the world or as children of God who are “aliens and strangers” on this planet.

Why did Peter use the word abstain?

A good article I read said that biblically, the word abstain “comes from the Greek word apecho, which means to deliberately withdraw from, stay away from, or put distance between oneself and something else.” To abstain from something means to make a deliberate choice for a higher purpose.

I’d often heard the word used as part of fasting. A person “abstains” from food to hunger for God. People “abstain” from alcohol to always keep their minds clear, listen for God’s voice, and be ready to serve him at their best.

So, when Peter said, “abstain” from sinful desires, he was saying to avoid those desires, put them entirely out of mind, and put distance between us and those things that might be sinful. What is the end result of this abstinence? Our souls aren’t at war with what we might desire and what God desires for us.

What did Paul teach?

Paul had to defend the faith in many of the churches he started. As soon as Paul left and moved on, others, like the Judaizers, began to attack the original gospel message that Paul taught using their own thoughts, ideas, and values. Paul’s letters were often written to keep the new Christians, often from Gentile backgrounds, from being misled.

Paul wrote his letter to the mostly Gentile church in Thessaloniki, saying, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–4).

Paul often taught these new Christians how to live in a Gentile culture with Christian values. He, too, used the verb “abstain” so that they would understand God’s will for their sanctification. We are made holy, “sanctified,” when we abstain from the sins of this world, especially the sins the world understands, accepts, or even rewards.

What will you need to abstain from today?

Are there conversations you will need to avoid or walk away from? Are there conversations you can redirect to a higher message? Are there people who don’t understand your vote who will be surprised to learn you want to understand theirs?

Today can take many different directions. Why not abstain from some of those directions so that we can point people in the direction of God’s higher goals for this country and for our lives?

Matthew Henry was a well-known theologian who lived from 1662 to 1714. He once said, “Men’s neglect of God’s commands in smaller matters often leads to their disobedience in greater matters.” Let’s remember not to think of the jokes, complaints, and conversations we are around today as “smaller matters.” I hope it is a good day today because it is a day we have decided to live carefully and obediently with God and allowed his highest calling in our lives to matter most.

You probably know who won the election and who lost. More importantly, you know the One that needs to win every moment of this day and each day to come.

Paul’s advice for those who are weary of the eerie and feeling a bit grinchy

Tomorrow is Halloween, and I am glad it is finally here. I’m always okay when October flies by, and this one has. Halloween has become increasingly popular—and increasingly eerie. But I’m not a fan of this holiday’s ghoulish, dark festivities, commercials, and programming. You could call me the Grinchette who stole Halloween. Still, I understand and appreciate how many churches try to use Halloween to do some good outreach while passing out candy.

Nevertheless, I’ll be glad when all the eerie inflatable decor is exchanged for air-filled turkeys, pumpkins, and pilgrims. Then, those will be set aside for all the Santas, Christmas trees, and sleighs. I’d prefer to skip Halloween and just celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and a new year.

Eerie is big business

I don’t think I will be able to wish away Halloween any time soon. According to one news story, “The National Retail Federation’s annual Halloween consumer survey found total Halloween spending in 2024 is expected to reach $11.6 billion, with $3.8 billion of that going to costumes.” The same report said that some costumes this year cost almost $200. I still remember the year I cut holes for my arms and legs into a big box and went trick or treating as a computer. I used up some of my mom’s aluminum foil, but otherwise, the costume was free.

You can probably spend a bit more on the eerie Halloween decor and costumes this year because Thanksgiving turkeys are supposed to cost 13% less this November. However, if you also serve ham at your meal, you will pay 5.2 % more for that.

The best part of this Thanksgiving will be watching the football games without the numerous political ads. The election will have been decided before the holiday arrives. That said, you may want to throw an extra bottle of Tums into your grocery cart just in case the family gets into a heated conversation over the election results while consuming that turkey and ham.

I won’t even mention the Christmas season yet, even though we’ll begin to see some of those decorations next week! Weary of the eerie leads to being thankfully rushed into the busiest and most festive season of the year. We do love our holidays!

This Grinchette will look for her heart

Dr. Seuss’ story of the Grinch is famous. At the end of the story, the townspeople’s joy causes the Grinch’s heart to grow three times its size. His new, larger heart leads him to return all the toys, food, and decorations he stole from Cindy Lou and the rest of the town. Everyone has a wonderful holiday after all.

What can we do when we become weary of the eerie? Are you tired of turkeys on the table and on the tv? And what do you do if you have become a Grinch or a Grinchette about the Christmas season and schedule?

The next couple of months will happen, and we need to be ready emotionally, financially, and most especially spiritually.

Seek God, and you will find him

I was teaching from the book of Philippians when I read a familiar passage in a new light. Paul wrote these words while being held under house arrest by the Roman government. We have a lot of profound Scripture today because Paul spent almost two years confined to a house, able to think, pray, and write.

When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, he told them why he was content even though imprisoned. He said, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). That is a well-known and often quoted verse, but when read in its context, it is rich with biblical advice for every Christian.

Right before Paul spoke about being content, he taught the church how to live in a way that pleases God. If we heed Paul’s advice to the Philippians, we will know how to seek God and find him. Paul would tell us that this is how we live our faith for the upcoming season of holidays and every day that follows in the new year. Paul told the Philippians (and us), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonablenessbe known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:4–9).

The God of peace will be with us, too

Paul taught us what to do if we want “the God of peace” to be with us. Joy is our reward. Christian character is our choice. The peace of God is our strength. The presence of God is his gift. If we choose to live with the holy character Paul described, we will enjoy these next months and years filled with the peace of God through his Holy Spirit.

The eeriness of Halloween reminds us that we live in a dark world without God’s light. Our deepest gratitude at Thanksgiving is grounded in the eternal hope that Jesus has provided us through our salvation. How we “practice” our faith is the best way to seek and find the God of peace, especially as we kneel before the holy infant of Christmas.

“If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” That is how we overcome being weary of the eerie and all the other stress of the holidays and celebrate each day ahead with joy. (And, by the way, your heart could grow to be three times its original size according to “Seuss 12:1–2.”).

Let me be the first to wish you all happy, holy holidays ahead and encourage you to spend each coming day knowing the God of peace has filled your life with his presence, peace, and joy. Christians have a LOT to celebrate . . . especially after tomorrow.