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What has become spiritually obsolete?

“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” —Daniel 2:21

My husband sent me an article about popular products from the 1960’s that are now obsolete. I used some of the items listed when I worked at some of my first jobs. Here is the list of those products:

Typewriters
Rotary phones
Carbon paper
Phone books
Adding machines
To their list, I would add the once-and-absolute-necessity Rolodex.

My husband and I enjoy wandering antique stores and often comment on how the things we used and enjoyed years ago are now considered “retro” or “antique.” On the other hand, if we experience a technology apocalypse, our generation’s obsolete stuff will come in handy!

**What has become obsolete in your church?**

The Sunday statistics board. There used to be a board at the exit from the worship service that showed how many people attended Sunday School, how much was given in the offering, and how many were in worship that day. That board required some volunteer church members each Sunday to gather the envelopes, count heads, count money, and, of course, drink coffee during the Sunday School and worship hours. Then came the “mega church,” which made this board obsolete.
The nosy offering envelopes that offered weekly accountability. We used to get mailed these offering envelopes that asked us to check boxes that said: “Read my Bible daily,” “attended Sunday School,” “Attended worship,” “Shared my faith with someone,” and “Gave my offering.” They should have included a box that said, “And I didn’t fudge my answers on any of these boxes.”
Church programs? Some churches still produce weekly printed programs, but most use screens to display announcements and guide the worship service.
The need to bring a Bible to worship. The Scripture for the day is usually on the screens or available on our phones and tablets. If our Sunday school teacher is tech-savvy, we have it on a screen in Sunday School as well. The need to locate the book of Amos in short order has greatly diminished. (I say that as a preacher’s wife who purchased a Bible with the tabs because I was greatly embarrassed one week to be the LAST one in my pew still flipping the pages of my Bible as I desperately searched for the book of Amos! That memory STILL haunts me!)
Lastly, what about our great need to be living a witness of biblical truth and living with that truth as our spiritual authority?

**What has quietly become spiritually obsolete for living a biblical witness?**

Have we included some areas of biblical truth in the same category as typewriters and carbon paper? In other words, are there some things Christians believed and taught in the sixties that we know still exist, but we have obsoleted them from our normal, daily lives?

When was the last time you counseled a young person, possibly a family member, that sex apart from marriage is a sin? (Hebrews 13:4)
When was the last time you considered your tithe as an option? (Malachi 3:10)
When last did you explain to an unbeliever that only those who believe in Christ have the hope of an eternal life with God instead of an eternity in hell? (John 14:6)
Have you ever believed that abortion was the better solution or enabled an abortion for someone you love? (Psalm 139:13–16)
Have you quietly grown accustomed to seeing two people of the same gender act as if their sexual relationship should be celebrated? (Romans 1:26–27)
Have you allowed your talk to become slanderous, tarnished, or unloving? Have you allowed your silence to give approval to things God cannot approve? (Ephesians 4:31–32)

My point was to step on ALL of our toes a bit, mine included. Satan’s hand has been on the dimmer switch for decades now. He has learned to take his time so that our eyes can adjust gradually to the growing spiritual weakness in our lives and in our culture. “A rising tide lifts all boats,” but the reverse is true as well.

Some timeless wisdom from C.S. Lewis

Normally, I use Scripture for us to consider. I included the Scripture passages above for that purpose. For today, I have a different suggestion. C.S. Lewis wrote a book called The Screwtape Letters, first published in 1942, and it has never left our bookstores. At least it hasn’t become obsolete yet. That said, I rarely hear it quoted these days. I plan to reread the book this summer. It isn’t just food for thought; it’s a feast.

Consider these important words of advice from Screwtape to his servant about how to influence the world. Screwtape is the name Lewis used for Satan, and the following quotes are his advice from Lewis’ timeless, important book.

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,…Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.”

“It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.”

“Suspicion often creates what it suspects.”

“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.”

“A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all—and more amusing.”

Will you consider C.S. Lewis for your summer reading?

If you feel like some of your spiritual resolve has been obsoleted, consider adding books like Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, or The Chronicles of Narnia to your summer reading list. It will be impossible to read and ponder these profound books without being changed.

If we have chosen a “moderated religion” in order to fit the current standards of our culture, have we chosen something that is “no religion at all”? We don’t want to be “amusing” to Satan; we want to be pleasing to God. The apostle Paul wrote, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

The need for spiritual servants will never be obsolete in God’s kingdom. Let’s give our lives a spiritual tune-up this summer by considering the timeless wisdom of C.S. Lewis. He has a unique way of pointing our hearts and minds toward God.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Why we believe in God

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” —Romans 1:16

God led me to write this article after a long morning walk. It had rained a LOT during the night, and when my husband and I went out to walk, the world was sparkling as a result. I looked at the sun reflecting off the clouds and onto a pond and wondered how anyone could miss the fact that only God can create this kind of natural beauty.

Great artists can paint God’s glory, but they can’t create the scene they are painting.

Great musicians can try to fill our thoughts with God’s glory, but they can never completely describe it.

Great theologians can try to teach about God’s glory, but they can never convince everyone.

I’m married to a Christian apologist, someone who defends the Christian faith with sound theology. I think these current days represent the greatest opportunities in my lifetime for evangelism and defending the Christian faith. People are searching for God in increasing numbers today. God’s people need to be ready to speak boldly for God. Are you able to readily answer a friend or family member who asks, “Why do you believe in God?” When that moment happens, we don’t want to wonder about an answer.

I hope this article will help serve as a preparation or reminder of how we can be ready to “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

Why is our world asking about God right now?

It’s important to consider the timing of our witness. We need to answer biblically, but also recognize that a small, personal point of view could cause us to miss the greater work of God in our world today.

We have a generation whose lives were traumatized during the COVID years. They heard the angst but didn’t really understand. They felt the confusion of those days, but answers were hard to come by. Their lives were impacted by their experiences and feelings. That is the generation asking the most questions right now.
Politics have NOT provided adequate solutions to their questions and concerns.
They rightfully question what they read, knowing that they live in an era of partial, unobjective truth from most teachers and leaders.

We need to be prepared to answer people’s questions, but we might also need to be sensitive to those moments when people need a better answer than their own. There are times to be bold, times to be adamant, and times to be understanding and careful. So, if we are asked about our faith, the first thing we need to do is pray and know that we don’t have the ability to answer faith questions. It isn’t our job. That is why God gave us his Holy Spirit. If we pray before and during our times of evangelism, we won’t speak our own thoughts or give our own answers; Jesus will speak his answers through us.

Our world is asking about God right now, and God’s children need to allow him to answer. Evangelism requires our humble reliance on God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will speak if we will trust our thoughts to his.

What do we believe about God?

We believe in a Creator of our universe. We believe that science proves God’s existence.
We believe that the psalmist was correct when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky aboveproclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).
We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, and our faith in Jesus enables our forgiveness. We have the chance to be made holy and righteous in God’s sight. John 3:16 is the gospel message.
We believe in the sacrificial death of Christ and in his resurrection. Romans 8:11 is truth.
We believe that if Jesus was raised from the dead, God will raise us to eternal life as well. John 11:25–26 is our powerful hope.
We believe that Jesus will return for each of God’s children one day and usher us to an eternal home in heaven. Jesus promised his disciples in John 14:1–3, and that promise is biblical truth.

**Why do you believe in God?**

This is the part of your witness to prayerfully consider today. Every child of God has doubted their salvation at some point. Do we just believe what our parents taught us? Do we just enjoy the culture of church people? Do we just decide faith was our best option? How confident are you that Christ is the only way to eternal life?

God allows and redeems the difficult moments in life to enable our faith. When was your faith tested, and how did you come to an overwhelming trust in the existence of God? When did God reveal his love for you and pour his strength into your life? At what moment did you step fully into your faith in God?

The important truth to emphasize in any evangelistic conversation is faith. The author of Hebrews wrote a blunt truth that is necessary to understand: “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). No one can believe in God without acknowledging the fact that our belief requires faith. We cannot prove the existence of God. No one can believe unless they accept the fact that faith is required by God. No one can share the truth of God without the faith and trust his Spirit provides.

Our faith is our best witness. Has your faith been strengthened and sanctified throughout the moments of your life? If so, the Holy Spirit within you will be a great evangelist to others.

**Some help to forward to others, after you have shared your faith**

What does a person need to know to place their faith in Christ? A webpage written by a pastor about a great song has witnessed to millions of young people. The song is I Believe by Phil Wickham. The videos and lyrics are a perfect testimony about what Christians must believe to receive Christ.

What does it mean to live a life of faith in God? My favorite testimony song is The Goodness of God by CeCe Winans. Her voice and her life are a testimony to the unique power of God’s Spirit. She uses her gifting for God’s good purpose.

How does faith provide God’s strength, even through the hardest times? The song Even If is written and sung by Bart Millard and describes his choice to continue to believe even when he didn’t understand why God had allowed his son’s chronic illness. Another powerful song is Blessings by Laura Story.

Finally, how can we live our lives on earth with the hope of heaven? Bart Millard also wrote the song “I Can Only Imagine,“ a song we often hear at Christian memorial services today. That song speaks to our confident hope of heaven, found through our deep faith in Christ.

Finally

Every evangelistic opportunity will hopefully lead to the moment we ask the person, “What are you going to do about the answers you have heard today?” Every person needs to know that faith in God is an informed choice. They must make the same choice that Joshua gave his people thousands of years ago. Joshua explained that everyone would be influenced by the ideas of the world, and that they would need to choose to live faithfully for God. Everyone must choose either faith in God or something less. Joshua said, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Then ask the person, “What do you choose today?” Tell them, “I hope you will choose to believe in the Creator God of the universe.” A blessed life on earth is our best life, and we can only imagine how great our eternal life in heaven is going to be!

Finally, assure them that you hope he or she will spend their eternity with you in heaven. They simply need to ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior in order to step into a living faith, led by God’s Holy Spirit.

Who needs your confident witness today? Pray for the opportunities to be an evangelist this week. God wants to answer that prayer and use your life for his kingdom purpose. People are asking. Are they asking you?

Photo by Vitalii Abakumov on Unsplash

How would Jesus spend our taxes?

“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” —Romans 13:6–7

Taxes are the talk of the day. Do you think you pay too much? Are your tax dollars being spent honestly, in ways you would approve? Those subjects are the debate in today’s news. But maybe the better questions to ask are, “Do you wish you lived somewhere else?” “Do I wish the country I love had better spending policies?” Finally, maybe we should be asking ourselves, “Who can I vote for that will do the best job with the dollars we send?” I wish we could vote for Jesus. Then we would know our taxes were being spent properly.

If Jesus were in charge of our tax dollars, how would he spend them?

Jesus spoke often about money

About 15 percent of all the recorded words of Jesus in Scripture mention money. About 40 percent of his parables addressed the subject. Jesus knew that money was a significant aspect of our earthly lives, so he provided important teaching on the subject.

Money can be an idol in our lives, but it can also purchase our idols as well. Jesus was preaching his Sermon on the Mount when he taught, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Jesus wanted his followers to have the right perspective on their possessions. To understand what Jesus taught, we need to examine the word “treasure” in its original language.

We should “treasure” things as Jesus taught

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek definition for “treasure” in the Sermon on the Mount describes “the location of treasure,” which “reveals the object of affection, shaping attitudes, priorities, and behavior.”

In other words, Jesus was describing our treasure as the places where we invest our money, but also our time, emotions, and values. I’ve heard preachers say, “If you want to know what you treasure, look at the monthly withdrawals from your checking account.”

If you are an active, Spirit-led Christian, you can probably feel pretty good about your spending. I’ve often said that if every Christian tithed, we would never need sermons about budgets or building campaigns. The money would just be there for everything the church needed to do. There is a reason God said, “10 percent.” That would be more than enough if everybody tithed.

The same is true at the national level. If everybody in our country went to work and paid their taxes, we would never have a pothole in the road, inadequate health care, or a person who was cold and hungry. If everyone paid their taxes and tithes, our world and our churches would function as God intended. Of course, we would still need to treasure the same things Jesus treasured. We would need to spend and prioritize our lives as Jesus taught.

Do we spend our money on the things Jesus wants us to have?

You might think I’m about to tell you to give up your expensive cup of coffee, your nice car, or your designer clothes. Those things might be just fine if they don’t reflect your treasure. How high a priority is having costly things in your life? If you lost your ability to purchase those things later this year, what would you do, think, or feel? Does wanting those things keep you from paying your “taxes to Caesar” or from giving your “tithe” to God’s kingdom work?

My husband and I were married in 1980, two weeks after we graduated from college. We combined our checking and savings accounts, paid our moving expenses and rental deposits, went to the grocery store for necessary items, and, after balancing the checkbook, we were in really bad shape financially.

Jim was a seminary student, and I was looking for a teaching position that wouldn’t actually happen until three years later. Jim worked part-time while attending his classes. I worked full-time at a receptionist/secretarial position that didn’t pay well. Both of us found a second job, and we were able to make it, but not easily. I found out later that we could have qualified for some help from the government, but that thought never crossed our minds.

Those early years in our marriage were tough, but formative. We tithed because God told us to. This year, our first quarterly tax payment exceeded our combined annual income from that first year of our marriage. Our income has changed over the past forty-six years, but our priorities, our treasure, are still pretty much the same. Living in poverty is not the measure of spirituality. If that were the case, then we would have been stronger Christians in our first year of marriage. (Thankfully, we’ve grown some!)

How would Jesus spend our taxes?

Living a life that God has directed and blessed is a witness to our treasure, our investment priorities. We don’t just invest our money in our personal priorities; we invest our time, our emotions, our energies, and our focus.

How would Jesus spend our tax dollars? Jesus was fully invested in those things that matter eternally. When God is King of our lives, we realize he is King of everything we own. Are we investing in things that matter for a moment, or matter eternally? Are we investing in possessions or people? Do we mistakenly teach others, especially our children, that their earthly lives matter more to us than their treasure in heaven?

Jesus would spend our taxes on things that prioritize people’s souls. Everyone has both an earthly life and a life eternal. If our priorities are eternal, we will spend our money, time, emotions, and focus on the things that will matter most forever. Everyone we meet today is either destined for heaven or hell; there is no third option. Does Jesus guide our spending with his priorities?

Jesus said:

To the tax collectors: “Collect no more than you are authorized to do” (Luke 3:13).
To the Pharisees: “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).
To his disciple: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself” (Matthew 17:24–27).

Be encouraged today

Taxes have never been fair because not everyone pays them fairly. The tithe has never been given because some keep part of their 10 percent for themselves. Some will always pay more than others, and some will always pay less. Jesus knows all of that and reminds us that he will provide all we need to give if we live according to his will for our lives.

As Jesus told Simon Peter, “The sons are free.” God’s children live imperfect, earthly lives, knowing that things will never be fair because God gives people freedom to make choices. Jesus would tell us that we are free to choose what is best. We can live our earthly lives with his priorities, and our obedience will produce an eternal treasure. We can trust Jesus to provide us with all we need.

Pay your taxes with joy because we probably don’t want to live anywhere else. Prioritize the 90 percent that God has allowed us to keep and freely use. Invest with the priorities and direction of our King. When we asked Jesus to be our Savior, we also offered him our lives, including our finances. We asked Jesus to be our Lord and our Savior.

Americans will “render unto Caesar” today, but hopefully Christians will be reminded to “render unto God” today as well. Our taxes will be spent. Everything we give to God is invested eternally. Consider it your “401K-ingdom” account. Let’s spend our treasure as Jesus leads, investing in his kingdom priorities.

Photo by Mikel Mirjane on Unsplash

Jesus’ post-resurrection message

“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'” —Mark 16:15

Jesus’ teaching didn’t stop with the cross. In fact, Jesus has never stopped his ministry on earth. The body of Jesus spent a little while in the tomb, maybe just moments! It’s very possible that the stone was rolled across the entrance, and his body disappeared. Jesus had already handed his soul to God, but we don’t really know when his soul returned to earth. Many people who saw Jesus after his resurrection didn’t recognize him right away.

We don’t know why that is true, but we know it is true. Jesus died, then Jesus lived again. The same disciples who had grieved his death saw Jesus, alive and well. The apostles were so convinced of his resurrection that all except John were executed for their belief.

What did Jesus tell his disciples that caused their profound faith to change the world?

The disciples didn’t have to wait long to see Jesus

I love that the first people to know Jesus was resurrected were the group of women who went to the tomb to treat his body with their love and respect. They carried the spices to the tomb, and when they drew near, they realized the tomb was unsealed and open. Mary Magdalene saw the stone had been rolled away and hurried to tell Peter and John, assuming the worst (John 20:2). The other women in the group remained at the tomb. Those women, according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, saw the angels who announced to them that “Jesus is risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:6). Then the angels told the women to “go and tell” the disciples what they had seen.

Mary Magdalene returned to the empty tomb with Peter and John after informing the apostles that someone had “taken” Jesus, and she didn’t know where. Peter and John returned with Mary and found the tomb empty, as Mary had said. The men returned to the Upper Room, unaware of what had happened. Mary was heartbroken and weeping, grieving the loss of Jesus, when she looked up and saw him. She didn’t recognize him at first, but when Jesus said her name, she knew it was him.

Jesus spent the next days in his resurrected body, appearing to his disciples. He met two of them on the road to Emmaus. These two men didn’t recognize Jesus and began to talk about all that had happened. They had believed Jesus to be the Messiah, but his death on a cross had shaken their faith and caused their confusion. The man said to them, “‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25–27). They continued on the road and encouraged the man to stop and eat with them. Scripture tells us, “When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:30–31). Scripture tells us these two men hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the others what they had seen and experienced.

Jesus then appeared to his disciples, who were in a room, behind a locked door! He came back again, this time while Thomas was present, and Jesus invited the disciple to touch his hands and side. Jesus didn’t want any of his disciples to doubt his resurrection.

Soon after, the disciples were fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They saw a man on the shore who asked how they were doing, and when they told him they hadn’t had any luck, the man suggested they throw the net out on the other side of the boat. Immediately, the net was filled with fish. When John, the beloved disciple, saw the miracle, he recognized the man and said, “It is the Lord!” John told Peter, who then “threw himself into the sea” (John 21:7). John stayed in the boat and brought the net full of fish with him.

That was the day Jesus fixed them breakfast and then took Peter aside. Peter had denied Jesus three times the night of his arrest. On this day, Peter was allowed to confess his love for Jesus, once for each time he had denied him (John 21:15–19).

The final message Jesus left his disciples

Jesus gathered his disciples on the Mount of Ascension. They wanted to know if he was going to “restore the kingdom to Israel.” They were asking Jesus when he would step into his role as the “conquering King Messiah” Isaiah had described (Isaiah 63:1–6).

The answer Jesus gave his disciples on the Mount of Ascension was profoundly important. He said, “It’s not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Jesus didn’t tell his disciples then, and he hasn’t told his disciples since. Every person who has predicted the Second Coming of Christ has been wrong. We know that Jesus will return as the “Conquering King,” but the timing is known only to the Creator God.

Jesus did leave his disciples with the final message of Acts 1:8 before his ascension. Soon after, on the day of Pentecost, these men and women received “power” and “became” witnesses to the world.

Jesus’ post-resurrection messages were:

Go and tell.
Do you love me?
If you love me, feed my sheep.
You won’t know when I will return.
Until I return, live as my witnesses and take the gospel message throughout the world.

They listened, have we?

The work of a disciple was made clear by Jesus before the ascension. The Holy Spirit was provided to all who would believe. The role of a disciple was made possible. Believers have the power to continue the earthly ministry of Jesus if we will submit our imperfect thoughts and wills to the leadership of his perfect Holy Spirit.

When or if the shelves begin to fill with chocolate bunnies next year, how many people will you have shared the gospel message of the resurrection with?

He is risen. One day, we will rise to heaven as well. People deserve the opportunity to know Jesus as both Lord and Savior and live this life with the hope of eternal life in heaven. Those disciples obeyed Jesus and changed the world; we can too. The same Spirit that touched Peter at Pentecost is the Holy Spirit within believers today.

Jesus’ last message to his disciples is still his message to you and me. “He is risen.” “Go and tell.” me. “He is risen.” “Go and tell.”

Photo by Silas Baisch on Unsplash

Jesus prepared us for Easter

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8

Every Easter, we consider those moments in the Upper Room when Jesus prepared his disciples for his death and their future ministry. We typically apply his words only to his first-century disciples. This year, I applied the words of Christ to each of his disciples today and realized that the message Jesus spoke on the last night of his life remains his message to us this Easter.

How did Jesus prepare us for Easter?

Recognize our advantage in this world. Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). I’ve often considered how amazing it would have been to walk and talk with Jesus, as his first-century disciples did. But Jesus told them that they would soon have a greater advantage than they had before. The “Helper,” the Holy Spirit would “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Jesus stood on the Mount of Ascension and told these same men, after Easter, that they would receive “power when the Holy Spirit comes” (Acts 1:8). On the Day of Pentecost, in the Upper Room, that power arrived. When we became Christians, we received the same Holy Spirit who was given to those first-century disciples. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, it is good to recognize our great advantage in this world. We have been given the power to serve and worship as someone filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ.
Recognize that our purpose is the same. Jesus then told his disciples that his Spirit, “will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14–15). The earthly ministry of Jesus did not end with his Ascension. The Holy Spirit of Jesus entered the world at Pentecost, and now Jesus continues his earthly ministry through his disciples. Anytime you are Spirit-led in your choices, you are allowing Jesus to “declare” his message and ministry through you.
Recognize that when you pray, even in times of grief, you can ask Jesus to author his will in your thoughts and words, and his joy in your heart. Jesus said, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16:22–23). To ask something in the Father’s name is to ask for God’s will to be your own. God will “give you the desires of your heart” through his Spirit. When you pray in the Spirit, you pray for “his kingdom to come,” which is for “his will to be done.” Jesus promised that our joy can be eternal because the blessings of obedience to his will are our heavenly reward and our earthly hope.
Recognize that this promise of Christ is for all disciples until Jesus returns. This is an important message from Christ that is rarely preached during our “Easter” celebrations. Jesus said, “I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Often, the difficulties of life can cause even Spirit-filled Christians to feel as if Jesus has let them down. There are people who will not want to celebrate Easter this year because they are disappointed with Jesus. It is important to always recognize that Jesus promised we would have trouble in our earthly lives. The Holy Spirit doesn’t usually keep us from tribulation; he strengthens us for tribulation. The first Easter wasn’t a celebration for his disciples, and sometimes it won’t be a celebration for his disciples today. One of our jobs is to teach the truth of Scripture. Who do you know that needs to understand that Jesus promised the tough times would be a very real part of our earthly journey? Our joy isn’t because we escape tribulation in this life; it’s the hope of no tribulation in heaven.
Recognize we aren’t home yet. The great promise of Christ is that the road trip we call life has a final destination. One day we will exit these broken-down, well-traveled, dinged-up vehicles because we are home! The front door will swing open, and Jesus will be standing there with his arms open wide and our eternal family behind him. Until then, we have been filled with the power of Jesus to be his disciples during our earthly road trip home. We can fulfill his purpose each time we allow him to use our lives to do his earthly ministry. We can survive whatever this life throws at us, until we aren’t supposed to survive anything else on earth. We can be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit of Christ until we stand in the actual Presence of Christ.

Who needs to become a disciple this Easter?

As you heard Jesus speak to those first-century disciples in John 16, how did his words speak to you, his disciple?

Who have you discipled that will spend their first Easter worshiping Christ this year? If you don’t have a name or names for that question, how can you give the Spirit of Christ access to your life and ministry before next Easter?

How will you use the power you have received through the Holy Spirit to be an uncompromised disciple for the One who gave everything for the sake of your eternal soul?

We wish you Easter blessings

I’ve said many times, “We need to live a life God is able to bless.” Jesus spent his last moments, the moments before Easter, teaching that room full of ordinary people how they could live as his disciples.

His message to the first-century disciples is still his message for every disciple today.

I wish you an Easter filled with his Holy Spirit, so that you can worship, serve, pray, and live in obedience to his will. You have the power to live a life God is able to bless. That joy is eternal because of Easter.

May your Easter be a blessed and holy celebration of our Lord.

Happy Easter from all of us at the Foundations ministry.

Photo by Hugo Fergusson on Unsplash

When “woke” will work

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” —Galatians 3:28

The Easter season might seem like an odd time to consider the fact that one day, “woke” will work. The woke movement began many decades ago, but its meaning has evolved over the years to influence votes, opinions, and choices today.

According to a Forbes article, “Before the word was co-opted by the right wing, “woke” was a word used within Black communities and social justice campaigns to refer to an awareness of inequality, with some urging others to “stay woke”—and picked up mainstream popularity as the Black Lives Matter movement grew in the early 2010s, particularly after the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.”

There has never been a time in human history when certain groups didn’t feel alienated and abused. For some, it relates to their race, but historically, people have also been grouped by religion, nationality, politics, and many other factors. In many ways the first-century Christians could have been labeled “woke” by their peers. If woke is a movement to “raise awareness of inequality,” then Jesus would have sided with the woke of his day.

When did “woke” work?

The early Christians were considered radical believers when they first began. Their cause ran counter to the traditional values and beliefs of their day. The early Christians claimed that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and that everyone needed to place their faith in him to be right with God.

The early Christians claimed to have been eyewitnesses to miracles, even the miracle of raising a person from the dead. Meanwhile, the leaders of the day were warning people not to listen to or follow what the “woke” were preaching. How did this small group of people succeed?

The Christian movement changed the world. The leaders could not stop the movement, even when they killed the leader, persecuted the followers, and did their best to undermine the movement at each turn.

Why did “woke” work in the first century? It was led by the power of God, for the sake of his plans. The disciples were tasked with “raising awareness” to the reality of Jesus the Messiah, not Jesus as simply a man. The disciples were called to be witnesses of the gospel despite persecution and cultural bias. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the gospel message, the work of the “woke” would have been ineffective. The gospel message has thrived because it is the truth of God and fulfills his purpose for all of creation.

Would you have been part of the first-century “woke”?

I do not know if I would have become a follower of Christ in the first century. I’ve always respected my leaders, and I tend to seek and follow their advice. In many ways, I am “a respecter of persons” as the King James Bible would define that.

I don’t know if I would have gone against the flow and followed Jesus. That thought gives me a sense of compassion and respect for those early Christians. I don’t know if I would have listened to the disciples instead of the spiritual leaders of the day. I don’t know if I would have had the courage to join the movement those early Christians began.

Easter separated the “woke” from the masses

God’s people were looking for a Messiah king, not the King who was Messiah. The Jewish people were looking for someone who would put the nation of Israel at the top once again. They wanted their Messiah to be like King David and rule the world. Jesus came to be a shepherd King, not a warrior king. When Jesus was hung on the cross, to most in the first-century, he had failed. When Jesus died, he was seen as a kind man who had been misguided. Many saw Jesus die on a cross, but none of them witnessed the actual moment he came back to life.

A few followers witnessed Jesus after his resurrection, and those were the people who began the movement that would follow. The Spirit-filled disciples were the “woke” of the first century, and many of them died for their cause. Their lives were spent “raising awareness” that Jesus of Nazareth was God’s chosen Messiah, God’s Son.

When will “woke” be perfected?

Paul was under house arrest in Rome when he wrote his letter to the church in Galatia. The Christians were enduring significant inequality and had a strong need for justice. Church history records several eras that are defined by those same needs. Anytime there is a common belief, supported by leaders, that stands against God’s plan, it will fail. But historically, speaking the truth has always come at a cost.

Paul’s words to the people in Galatia were intended to help them survive persecution and stand on the truth. Paul was encouraging them with these words about heaven. He wrote, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

Heaven is where “woke” will work forever

The only place where the movement against inequality will be unnecessary is in God’s eternal kingdom. Until then, we are human beings struggling against human sins. The best road to a working, woke people will be found through unity in the Holy Spirit as we live for God’s truth and purpose.

Jesus was waiting for his captors when he prayed for his future disciples, saying, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). The news will report on the Christian movement this week as we celebrate Easter, our way. We offer the world a movement against “inequality” because we speak the gospel message of truth. Justice is found when we are “one in Christ Jesus.”

Easter ignited the Christian “woke” movement, and for more than two millennia, its message has never changed. Jesus is Lord. He is risen. We believe.

Woke doesn’t work, apart from the powerful word of God. Let’s fully join the movement that has continued to work, albeit imperfectly, since it first began. Jesus prayed for that in the Garden of Gethsemane, and his prayer has been answered over and over again.

Will you join the movement Jesus began? Will you commit to your defined role as a Christian disciple and share his gospel with all you can? Welcome to the “woke” message that will work.

Photo by Jordan Wozniak on Unsplash

When Jesus makes the news

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:35

Jason Hughes was a high school math teacher and golf coach in Gainesville, GA. On a rainy night, he heard five of the school’s students outside throwing rolls of toilet paper over his trees and bushes. He ran out to catch them in their prank, a prank he apparently had been expecting. When the students heard his approach, they ran to their cars and attempted to get away. Sadly, Jason Hughes tripped on the wet grass, falling in front of one of the cars, and was struck. The kids immediately stopped and tried to help, but Jason died hours later in the hospital.

The district’s superintendent released this statement: “Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father; a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues.” Schofield went on to say, “He gave so much to so many in numerous ways as he faithfully served God. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family.”

The five 18-year-olds who were involved in the toilet paper prank have each been arrested. The young man who was driving the vehicle that hit Jason has been charged with felony first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving, as well as misdemeanor criminal trespass and littering on private property.

The moment Jesus made the news

I wanted to write about this tragic event because of the statement his family released to the news media. The real truth about this story can be heard in those words. Jason’s wife, Laura, was also a math teacher at the high school and the mother of the two children who lost their dad that night. She, too, is a devoted teacher who cares deeply for her students.

Laura is filled with grief right now, but that isn’t what she wanted people to know. As the media rushed to get the facts and create a quick, sensational story, they often failed to get the whole truth. There were stories of blame, slander, drama, and condemnation – all of which were factually based, but not necessarily the entire truth. The family released a statement so that people could grieve with them, but grieve with hope and truth.

The family’s statement read: “We are thankful for the outpouring of prayers and support as we grieve the loss of Jason. We ask that you continue to pray for our family and also for the students involved in the accident, along with their families. Please join us in extending grace and mercy to them, as Christ has done for us.” The Hughes Family

I was watching an ABC morning news program that reported her statement. It was interesting to see the faces of that program’s hosts. Her words obviously moved them, but the only thing said was, “tragic.”

People who don’t understand Christianity still don’t know what to do when Jesus makes the news. That was true in the first century, too.

Why did Jesus pick the Passover season to die?

The most obvious reason Jesus died during the Passover season is that he was born to become the final Passover Lamb the world would ever need. The captives in Egypt were told to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on their doorframes. This was the final “plague” before the Exodus. The angel of death brought judgment on the homes in Egypt that night that were not covered by a lamb’s blood. That was the plague that led to the captives’ release.

The nation of Israel celebrated that day as a sacred and holy time of remembrance. The Passover meal is filled with symbolism, reminding people of the Exodus from Egypt. The city of Jerusalem was filled each year with Jewish pilgrims who were required to make the journey to Jerusalem at least once in their lives during Passover. Many came more often than that.

Jesus shared that Passover meal with his disciples before his death. We call it the “Lord’s Supper,” and Leonardo’s famous painting is titled “The Last Supper.” Jesus took the bread and the wine and changed the meaning of the Passover meal to include his death. Jesus told his disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

The city of Jerusalem will be less crowded this year due to the war with Iran. Normally, the city is almost impossible to move through during the Easter/Passover season. It is now crowded with Christian pilgrims as well as Jewish visitors.

Jesus wanted to “make the news” that day

Jesus picked the Passover weekend to die because he wanted the world to recognize him as the sacrificial lamb. Isaiah had told the Jewish people their Messiah would be a suffering servant. The prophet described him as, “oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Hundreds of years later the Jewish people weren’t looking for their Suffering Servant, they wanted their Messiah to be a conquering king.

Jesus chose to die at a time when his death would remind people of Isaiah’s words and understand that his blood would now cover them. Jesus would die for their sake, so they could escape this life and enter the promised land, heaven. He also chose to die at a time when the city would be full of pilgrims from around the world. His death made news that day, and so would his resurrection.

I wanted to write about Jason Hughes’ family’s statement because it is a modern-day Easter story. The ABC news reporters shook their heads as if they couldn’t believe or understand the Hughes family’s request that people pray for the student’s families and join the family in “extending grace and mercy to them as Christ has done for us.” Christians understand the Source of the family’s strength and mercy. The Romans 8:28 of this tragic event is evident in their message to the nation. The family knows and serves Jesus. Easter is more than just a spring holiday to them.

I hope that statement continues to make news during this Easter season. Her statement is the divine purpose of Easter and echoes the words of Christ when he said, “‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments” (Luke 23:34). On the cross, Jesus prayed for the very men who had beaten and bloodied his body. Jesus prayed for the men who had hurt him the most with a compassion found only in the powerful love of God.

Help Jesus make the news again this Easter

This is an important time of the year to celebrate Easter as a pilgrim to the Passover table. Jesus would tell us to celebrate Easter “in remembrance of him.”

How will your life point people toward the divine Source and power of our Christian faith? May all of us help Jesus “make the news” in the news we share over the next few weeks as we celebrate the Easter season.

Photo by Samuel McGarrigle on Unsplash

You have a kingdom purpose

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” —1 Peter 4:10–11

When the Lord filled you with his Holy Spirit, he called and equipped you for a kingdom purpose. There are things that you are gifted to accomplish in this lifetime that will have eternal significance. Do you know his kingdom purpose for your life?

Jesus said, “It is finished”

I was sitting in church when I heard my pastor say, “Jesus did not say, ‘I am finished.’ Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’” I dove for my phone so I could jot down that statement. I knew it would be my next article.

That one simple statement holds a great truth, especially during the Easter season. By earthly measures, Jesus did not live a life of great success.

He died at a young age, having never experienced the blessings of a long life.
He died with almost no earthly possessions.
He died with a small congregation, most of whom deserted him in the end.
He was laid in a borrowed tomb.
His death was mourned by some but celebrated by the influential leaders of his day.

Yet listen to his final words on this earth. Scripture tells us Jesus spoke in a loud voice, saying, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). History has revealed that the short, focused life of Jesus was the most important life ever lived on this earth.

The kingdom purpose of Christ

Jesus said, “It” is finished. Jesus knew in that horrible, pain-filled moment on the cross that he had completed his earthly purpose. He had died a sinless man, on a shame-filled cross, in order to become the final sacrifice human beings would ever need for the forgiveness of their sins.

God so loved this world that he gave us his holy Son for this purpose: “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That’s why Jesus said, “it is finished” instead of “I am finished.” Jesus came to earth to become the sacrificial lamb, and that job was completed through his death. However, Jesus was resurrected and is still present in the world today, through his Holy Spirit. He won’t say “I” am finished until his final return.

Believers have been made holy for a holy purpose

The day you placed your faith in Jesus, his sacrifice on the cross covered your sins. You were made holy in God’s sight because, as the old hymn says, you were “washed in the blood.” I’ve often taught that we should work to see ourselves as God sees us today. We know we aren’t perfect; however, we still too often view ourselves as the sinners we are on earth, rather than the saints we will be in heaven. When God looks at us, he can see us as his holy and perfected children because he can view our lives through rose-colored glasses. He is able to see us as eternal souls and view us now through the blood of his Son.

When God filled you with his Holy Spirit, you gained a new name or a new character. All of us have the hope of heaven and the hope of holiness. Through the Holy Spirit, we have been made holy, and we have been given a holy purpose. Jesus hasn’t finished his work on earth. He has simply chosen to work through us, his followers, to accomplish his kingdom tasks.

Do you know your holy purpose?

Those who hear me teach know that I often stress the need to understand your spiritual giftedness. It is crucial to fulfill your holy purpose. If you have never tried to discern your gifting, this tool can help. Just remember that discernment is the work of God’s Holy Spirit, too. A spiritual gifts tool will likely be nothing more than an analysis of your ideas if you do not seek the voice and leadership of the Spirit as you complete the questions.

There is a difference between the gifting of the Spirit and the natural talents all of us were born with or developed. A spiritual gift is not what you are able to do on your own. Your spiritual gifting is what Jesus, by his Holy Spirit, is able to accomplish through your life.

Your holy purpose is probably not what you naturally choose to do for Jesus. Your holy purpose is obedience to the work Jesus chooses for you. You will know it is a gift when you understand how much you need Jesus in order to accomplish the work.

Serving your kingdom purpose requires the strength and guidance of Jesus. Jesus wants to be that in our lives. Among his greatest gifts are:

The peace that passes our understanding.
The power that only he can produce.
The presence that his Spirit provides.

God gave you the Holy Spirit to make you holy and to enable you to accomplish his kingdom purpose for your life. Your treasure in heaven, your eternal reward, is the result of your obedience to his calling. Your obedience to his direction is your kingdom purpose.

We need to echo the words of Christ someday

The last words of Christ were carefully recorded in Scripture because they contain a lesson that every generation of Christians needs to remember. All of us will come to our final moments on this earth someday unless Jesus returns to say, “We are finished here on earth.” Jesus taught us our kingdom purpose until that day when he said, “It is finished.” Jesus wants us to find that same peace, that same sense of earthly success during our lives.

When your life on earth is finished, will you be able to echo Christ’s words and say, “It is finished”? Keep praying, seeking, and obeying until you know your answer to that question is a confident “yes.”

Christians won’t ever have to say, “I am finished” because we have the promise of eternal life. Until then, we need to walk in obedience to his Holy Spirit until we, too, can say, “We are finished.”

Photo by Steve A Johnson on Unsplash

Does technology influence or control your thinking?

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:2

A lot of things are influencing our brains today that our parents and grandparents never had to consider. Technology has molded our minds and adjusted our way of thinking. God is providing his people with a heightened awareness of this fact that can move Christians to the forefront of some discussions. Does technology influence our thoughts or actually control what we think? It’s crucial we consider the difference.

First the phone, then the radio, then TV

Alexander Bell patented the telephone in 1876. Twenty years later, the technology for “wireless telegraphy” was patented. Technology has been changing the world for 140 years and continues to do so.

A telephone was once considered a great luxury, only found in the home of someone with considerable wealth. It wasn’t until forty years later, during the 1920s, that homes were commonly wired with phone lines. I remember when my parents bought a home with a second phone jack, which meant they could have a phone in their bedroom as well as the kitchen. It was the same phone line, but two locations in the house to make calls. I had all my phone conversations in the kitchen, using a wall-mounted phone. I still remember my dad coming home one day in a foul mood because he had been trying to call my mom to tell her he was running late, only to get a busy signal each time. (I had two sisters who used the phone too!) Now, everyone has their own number, their own privacy, and the ability to make phone calls at any moment, anywhere, and leave a message if needed. How has that impacted our marriages, our parenting, and our family time together? What conversations exist because there is no accountability to someone who might overhear? How much time can our kids spend on their phones simply because no one else is waiting to use them? We live in homes that don’t often require us to consider others’ needs. How has that changed us as people?

According to a Wikipedia article, in 1923, one percent of U.S. households owned at least one radio. Eight years later, a majority of homes had a radio, and that number reached seventy-five percent by 1937. I remember my mom and dad talking about the excitement their families had felt when they first bought a radio for their homes. Dad talked about rushing to get all his chores done so the family could sit together and listen to Abbot and Costello, Amos ‘n’ Andy, or Fibber McGee and Molly. The radio also brought news from the war, and everyone had someone they knew and/or loved who was fighting overseas.

The Golden Age of Radio soon transitioned to television. Only about one percent of households had a TV in 1948. That percentage grew to over fifty percent by 1953. Almost every home had a TV set by 1960. It was then that people began to be influenced by more than “words.” People began to dress like those they saw on television rather than those they saw every day. Father Knows Best set standards for family values, clothes, and hairstyles.

People and families have changed because of technology. Parents, kids, and neighbors used to gather on a front porch each evening to talk. Later, they gathered around a radio to share a program and laugh together. Next, they gathered around a television to talk about the way the stars dressed, cooked, vacuumed, or went to work. I Love Lucy suggested life in the big city and the idea of marrying someone who wasn’t from the local neighborhood or school. The cultural differences were part of the storyline.

Now, people carry their individual phones in their pockets or purses. We listen to the radio in the car, but we can “stream” only the kind of music we choose to hear. Typically, households have more than one TV, so kids can watch what they want while their parents do the same. And again, we can “stream” only those shows that we choose to enjoy. Sadly, we can watch shows and movies we would never have gone out in public to view and would never have watched with children present.

Now, we have tablets and computers

We are still a decade away from fully understanding the impact that tablets and computers have had on people. Young families today are navigating these waters, trying to raise their kids while guessing at the impact these technologies will have on their futures.

How has technology changed us?

What happens to the family when they don’t share their time? What happens to our minds if we only hear one side of the issues of our day? What happens to the kids when their parents literally do not know what they are hearing, watching, or thinking about?

Those may be the most important thoughts we will have this week. What happens when technology controls and influences our thoughts and perspective more than God?

God knew this day would come

One of the most miraculous things about Scripture is the fact that it says the same things to people today that it did to every generation of people that has existed. The truth we find in our Bibles is still the truth our great-grandparents and their great-grandparents heard. It might be the only truth that is able to bind everyone together in the future.

God intentionally preserved biblical truth so every generation could navigate the world. His word might be sitting on our shelves, contained in the music we choose to stream, watched on our televisions, and witnessed in the movies we watch. We can also access his word in the phones that we carry everywhere we go.

God is available to us in the same technology that entertains, informs, and influences the world.

Today’s question: Does technology influence or control your thinking?

Scripture taught our grandparents, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV). Most of us will probably read that verse in a version of the Bible that says something like, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV).

I like the King James version that describes the Spirit-led Christian as a person with a sound mind! Our world could use more of that kind of thinking. The ESV is a direct translation of the words Paul used.

God gave every Christian the Holy Spirit, the very nature, character, mind, and power that enabled Christ to live a sinless life on earth. We do not speak often enough about the unlimited power each of us has been given to handle the joys, fears, changes, and influences that are part of living on this side of heaven.

We will all be influenced by the things in this world. That’s why God provided the control of his Holy Spirit in our lives. Anytime you see the words “self-control” in Scripture, you can think of that as “a self, controlled by God’s Holy Spirit.”

More changes are coming

Consider how technology has changed the world in the past 150 years. Think about how technology has changed you and those you love. Then imagine what changes could lie ahead. The Holy Spirit is the power our Creator God has given to his children so that through us, he can change the world.

Hear the Spirit of God say what he has always taught his kids, “This is the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21). Teach that truth and expectation to all you are able to influence. Technology has dramatically changed our culture, but God’s unchanging Word is for every generation. His truth has always been, and will always be, perfectly the same.

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Has God sanctified your imagination?

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” —2 Corinthians 10:5

According to AI, most people spend between 2 and 4 hours a day using their imagination. God created us to imagine, so it is safe to say that when we made him Lord, we asked him to be Lord over those thoughts as well.

In Oswald Chambers’ classic, My Utmost For His Highest, the February 10^th devotional asks, “Is Your Imagination of God Starved?” Chamber’s words are based on a message he spoke from Isaiah 40. God asks the prophet, “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? Says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out the host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing” (Isaiah 40:25–26).

Oswald teaches his readers, “Rouse yourself, take the gibe that Isaiah gave the people, and deliberately turn your imagination to God.”

How do we “rouse” ourselves today, and deliberately ask God to sanctify our imaginations? How would that change our thoughts and creativity if we did? What might we accomplish for God if our imaginations were sanctified, made holy, for God’s great purpose?

C.S. Lewis would encourage us to “baptize” our imaginations

Lewis was the author of some amazingly imaginative books. As a young man, he often enjoyed reading fantasy literature. One day at a train station, he picked up a book by George MacDonald titled Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Man and Women. Robin Mark Phillips wrote an article about C.S. Lewis’s fascination with the book. Phillips said, “While Lewis found in the narrative of Phantastes all the qualities that had charmed him in other romantic writers, such as the novels of William Morris, there was something else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. ‘It is as if I were carried sleeping across the frontier, or as if I had died in the old country and could never remember how I came alive in the new.’”

C.S. Lewis found in McDonald’s work, “a sort of cool, morning innocence, and also, quite unmistakably, a certain quality of Death, good Death.” You see, Lewis was still an atheist, and MacDonald was a sanctified Christian. Phillips wrote that years later, after Lewis’ conversion, C.S. Lewis “looked upon MacDonald as his spiritual master, saying, ‘I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself…I have never concealed the fact that I regarded him as my master. . .’”

C.S. Lewis would go on to write books like The Screwtape Letters and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from his brilliant imagination. In his autobiography Surprised by Joy, Lewis described his discovery of MacDonald as having “baptized his imagination.”

Has God sanctified your imagination?

If the AI article is correct, we spend a good bit of our day using our imaginations. How then can we give those thoughts over to God?

I have always loved to read a great novel! My second major in college was English, and I was tasked with reading some of history’s best literature. A secret goal of mine has always been to write a “great” novel. I would rather write one Gone with the Wind than a hundred different book series that use the same characters in different circumstances. My favorite Christian fiction writer has always been Francine Rivers. She, like Lewis, came to faith later in life.

Rivers has been honest about her writing before and after her salvation. Rivers wrote popular romance novels under a pseudonym. I heard her speak once, and she described her early work as racy and lacking moral restraint. She met God, and he changed her life and her imagination. Her testimony, which can be found on her website, describes how the Lord sanctified her thoughts. She said, “My main desire as I started writing Christian fiction was to find answers to personal questions, and to share those answers in story form with others. Now, I want so much more. I yearn for the Lord to use my stories in making people thirst for His Word, the Bible.”

Why would Francine Rivers yearn for the Lord to make people thirst for God’s word? The answer to that question is the path to a “baptized” or “sanctified” imagination.

How can you allow the Bible to transform and make holy your imagination?

We can learn a lot from God’s message to Isaiah. Again, God said, “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? Says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out the host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing” (Isaiah 40:25–26).

Every time we open our Bibles, we can read words on a page, or we can hear God speaking to us from heaven. We can read factual, truthful stories from history, or we can use our imaginations and walk with Paul, Peter, King David, and others. We can imagine how it felt to be Joseph or Mary, holding the Son of God in our arms. We can sit by Jesus in the Garden and feel his agony and shame at the thought of accepting our sins. We can read the Revelation and wonder what it means, or we can read the Revelation and imagine seeing what John saw in heaven.

I’ve been teaching God’s word for a long time. There are times I teach a lesson, and it is factually accurate to the best of my ability. The best lessons I teach are born of the moments I spend stepping into the passage with my imagination. We should feel the moments God’s people felt in our Bibles. We should do our best to bring our Spirit-led, sanctified imaginations to Scripture.

I am going to teach Paul’s journey to Rome this week. As I was preparing the lesson, I actually began to feel seasick on that boat with Paul! I imagined the terror that those on the ship must have felt. Later, I imagined the wonder they must have felt when they washed up on the island of Crete and later watched Paul shake the poisonous snake off his hand.

I may not ever be able to write my fiction novel, but I will likely want to try. I just don’t yet feel called away from the time I spend writing about God’s truth, from his Holy Word. I enjoy teaching the Bible because I know that when I spend time in God’s presence with the Bible, the Creator God of the universe speaks to me from its pages.

God can sanctify your imagination through his word

I will close this blog post by sharing these words from Francine Rivers. Her words are my heart as well. She said, “I pray that you will finish my books and pick up the Bible with a new excitement and anticipation of a real encounter with the Lord Himself. May you search Scripture for the sheer joy of being in God’s presence.”

I hope you will begin or continue your journey of allowing God to sanctify and baptize your imagination. Someday in heaven, C.S. Lewis, Oswald Chambers, and Janet Denison will enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories about God’s amazing truth!