Three blessings for restored faith

Throughout our ministry, we have often spent time with people who recently lost a loved one. Invariably, the conversation turns to the last time they saw that person and the last words that had been spoken. Sometimes, their parting words gave them a sense of peace or calm, while other times those words became an additional part of the grief they would always remember.

We drop kids off at school, send them off to college, leave work at the end of the day, and say goodbye to people at church we won’t see again until the following Sunday. Our parting words can be brief and unimportant or sometimes full of careful thought or planning, depending on the situation.  

Last Sunday I was talking to our Sunday School director about their “kids” when he mentioned that his son-in-law ran a roofing company. I told them that was good to know while hoping I would never need to know! 

About twelve hours later a large storm roared through Tyler and the morning light revealed a downed tree and a lot of shingles in our yard. I sent an early email to them and the roof will be repaired this afternoon. God is so good. 

A random “goodbye” statement at church wasn’t so random at all. 

Paul’s parting words 

Paul wrote his letter to the church in Corinth carefully. In the first century a letter required parchment, ink, and a great deal of thought and care. Paul didn’t have a “delete” key on a computer to quickly erase words he no longer wished to say. He would have planned and possibly practiced a sentence before recording it on the valuable parchment. He, or whoever was recording his words, wrote his letters knowing they would be shared often, with many churches and people in the region. It was important they were thoughtful and well done. 

Paul was a pastoral parent to the Christian churches he helped to establish. Like any good parent or pastor, he taught his people what they needed to know and then worked to remind them of what they had been taught. One of Paul’s deepest concerns for his young churches was false teachers, men who claimed to be apostles yet taught a message contrary to the truth. The people in the church were impressed with these men’s oratory and therefore lacked discernment for the actual truth of what was being said or taught. 

We have two of Paul’s letters to Corinth, but we are missing at least two. Apparently, Paul had written a very angry letter to the church at some point that occurred between the two letters we have in Scripture. 

Paul was willing to be angry when necessary, especially when the truth of the gospel message was being harmed. Many of our preachers today share a similar anger. It is hard to see the people in the church choose to believe, truly believe, something that the Bible teaches against. 

Why is truth essential to the future of the church? 

Last week, our ministry was blessed by hundreds of people who chose to donate on North Texas Giving Day. Not everyone understands why Denison Ministries exists and what our purpose in ministry truly is. In many ways, we write for the same reasons Paul wrote to those first-century churches. Our page on the North Texas Giving Day site simply reads, “Take a stand for God’s truth.” 

Our purpose for all we do is to provide biblical truth to as many people as possible for their daily choices. We have existed for almost fifteen years, and we are amazed at the profound changes in our culture and government that have occurred in that short time. We knew it was time to carefully proclaim biblical truth to our culture, but we had no idea fifteen years ago all that would take place. 

But God knew.  

The greatest threat to the Christian church has always been false teaching. In some of the final words of 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for” (2 Corinthians 13:8–9).  

Truth was essential in Paul’s day, during the Reformation Era, and remains an essential goal for the church for all time. Please know how grateful we are to those of you who help us speak biblical truth to our culture. We began our ministry praying to lead God’s people to a renewed relationship with God and to help the church seek revival and awakening among their people. Paul prayed for the restoration of Corinth, and we pray for the restoration of the church in America.  

How can we pray for our churches today?  

  • Dedication to biblical truth
  • The original apostolic message of salvation in Christ
  • The power of the gospel to save
  • Biblical marriage values
  • The biblical standards for our daily choices
  • Making choices God can bless, or accepting that God must discipline
  • The One true God and Jesus, the one true “way” for the salvation of all 

All Christians need to know that faith doesn’t work apart from God’s word of truth. 

It never has. 

The three blessings of a restored, biblical faith 

Paul’s closing words to Corinth at the end of his letter spell out the three blessings Paul wanted for those in the church. His parting words would display his heart for them and his passion for their faith. Paul wanted the church to be filled with rich blessings.  

So, Paul reminded them of the singular power and purpose of the Godhead, the holy Trinity. He said, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). 

Paul describes a blessed life as: 

  1. Confident of the grace that provides our salvation through Jesus Christ
  2. Abundantly overflowing with the love of God for oneself and others
  3. Maintaining a continual fellowship with God through the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit

Paul chose his parting words to the church in Corinth because his great desire was for them to live with truth and faith God would be able to bless. 

If Paul wrote a letter to us . . . 

What would Paul tell us to change? Repent of? Be restored to? What would revival look like today?  

We are in many ways like the church in Corinth. We need biblical morality. We need an insistence on the original apostolic teaching. We need careful concern for others. We need to be restored so that God can bless us with his grace, love, and fellowship. 

God wants to bless his people. Thank you so much for helping us send biblical truth to a culture that needs God’s restoration and blessing. We are praying for renewal, awakening, and revival in our churches so that others will want to know and receive the blessings God wants to give. We will continue to speak God’s biblical truth and pray for those blessings to come.

I might have been a Pharisee

Except for the fact I’m a woman, I might have been a Pharisee. 

I’m a big fan of rules, but one of theirs was “no women allowed.” 

Other than that, there is a lot about their lives I might have appreciated. But Jesus didn’t appreciate much about them at all, and that gives me food for thought this week.

This article comes out on St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick wouldn’t have been a great Pharisee, but he was a good friend and disciple of Jesus. 

WHO WERE THE PHARISEES? 

I read an interesting article on the Pharisees. They are mentioned ninety-eight times in the New Testament. The name Pharisee probably is related to the idea of being separate or detached, similar to the meaning of the word holy. 

The article described the religious leaders by saying, “In many ways, the Pharisees were the worst people in the world. They were cold and legalistic. At the same time, the Pharisees were the best people in the whole country. They were the holy men who kept the law; they pursued purity with a passion and wanted nothing more than to live lives that pleased God. They were sincere, albeit sincerely misguided.” 

So, where did the Pharisees go wrong? 

They wanted to please God but did the opposite. They took their eyes and thoughts away from God by idolizing rules as their god. It was the most prevalent sin throughout Scripture and remains a significant temptation for God’s people today. 

You have to admit, it is confusing. God told Moses to, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2). The entire book of Leviticus is full of rules for God’s people. The Pharisees took God’s rules and turned them into thousands more. 

God gave us a framework of laws and standards in Scripture so we would know right from wrong. God’s people have always wanted to know what rules to follow because we want to make sure we are following God. The problem: it’s tempting to start following rules instead of God. 

God told Hosea, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). At some point, the people began to think God wanted the lamb or the wheat instead of their repentant heart and their love. 

That’s one reason Jesus was angry at the Pharisees. He told them, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23). 

ST. PATRICK GOT IT RIGHT 

An interesting article on St. Patrick said that, as a boy, Patrick was kidnapped and taken to Ireland. He was forced to work in the fields under terrible conditions. 

One night, in a dream, God led Patrick to escape to the coast, where he was rescued by some sailors and returned to his home. Years later, after becoming a Catholic priest, God called Patrick back to Ireland as a missionary. Patrick is credited with bringing the gospel to that country. He converted thousands of souls and started hundreds of churches throughout the country. Tradition says that he used the Irish clover to teach people about the Trinity. 

In his book The Confession, St. Patrick wrote: “The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.” 

Patrick learned to love God, and that priority enabled him to love even those who had once enslaved him. 

IF YOU WANT TO PLEASE GOD . . . 

Do we serve God hoping to appease him or because we love him? 

We can try to please God like the Pharisees, or follow the example of St. Patrick. 

Why did the Pharisees fail to please God while Patrick was named a Saint? 

The Pharisees served the letter of the Law and St. Patrick served the Lord of the Law. Pharisees felt like they grew spiritually as they learned to understand and obey more laws. St. Patrick wrote, “The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith.” 

If we want to please God, we need to examine our motives. 

When last did you obey a law simply because you loved and trusted the Lord of the law? 

TRUE LOVE IS NEVER AN ACT 

Jesus called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” the literal word for an actor. Jesus told them they only acted like they loved God. Jesus knew their hearts and said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). 

I confess there have been many times I have worried more about the outside of the cup too. There were many Sunday mornings I got ready for church and spent more time thinking about what I would wear, who I would see, and what I would teach rather than Whom I was to worship. 

I might have been a Pharisee in the past, but I don’t want to be one now. 

There is a reason Easter is my favorite holiday and my least favorite day at church. The church was filled with new clothes, fresh flowers, a live orchestra, and a lot of people who only came that day because it was a holiday. 

In a way, I think I felt about Easter Sunday like Jesus felt about the Pharisees. It was more an act than an act of love. 

THIS EASTER, IF YOU WANT TO PLEASE GOD . . . 

Last Easter, we were stuck at home, with churches shut down. A lot of people felt like we missed Easter. But, I think God enjoyed much of last year’s Easter worship. There was no reason for people to act like they had Easter joy. Those who worshipped did so because they truly loved the God they sang to, prayed to, and were grateful for. 

It is the Lenten season, the days to prepare spiritually for Easter worship. It isn’t our “works” that please God; it’s our love and devotion. When last did you kneel at the cross and gratefully grieve the sacrifice Jesus made for our redemption? 

We can spend Easter acting like we love God or actually loving God for all he has done. The difference between a Pharisee and St. Patrick is that one knew how to please God, the other loved to please him. 

I might have made a good Pharisee, except for Easter. It is easier to serve God’s rules, but Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). Let’s remember the example of St. Patrick and make this a great day.

We could be in this together

I’ve often wondered what the week after Easter was like for the first disciples. 

His resurrection changed everything—and still could.

Easter 2020 

I told my husband, Jim, “This will be the only Easter of my life that I hear an Easter sermon and then go back to sleep.” 

His response: “That’s probably a good idea.” 

(In case you don’t know, my husband is also my preacher.) 

Easter Sunday actually turned out to be a wonderful day. 

Jim and I went walking in our neighborhood, waving at people (from a distance) and wishing them a happy Easter. As we reached our front door, we commented that, on any other Easter Sunday of our lives, we wouldn’t even have said “Amen” yet. 

This year, we were home with our feet up before noon. We made lunch and then enjoyed eating outside on our patio.  

Easter from a “preacher’s wife perspective” 

I will remember Easter 2020 with fondness. 

From a “preacher’s wife” perspective, it was calm and peaceful. I really missed our chapel family this year, but we didn’t have to work as hard as we normally do. 

When you are in ministry, Easter Sunday is the Super Bowl Sunday of the year. The preacher is the quarterback, and while he isn’t the only one on the field, he feels most responsible for the game. 

That said, every quarterback on Super Bowl Sunday wishes he were in the game. Jim probably felt a bit differently about Easter 2020 than I did. 

Are we “in this together”? 

“We are in this together.” 

Those words have become a community catchphrase for these COVID-19 days. It is in the TV ads, on T-shirts, and displayed on signs and banners. But, I tend to ponder what those words really mean to those who hear it. 

That phrase is usually spoken with the hope that it will make people feel better about their circumstances. In other words, “We all have problems in life; therefore, we are all in this together.” 

It sounds good, but, truthfully, we rarely share the difficulties of a person’s life—because we rarely can. 

COVID-19 has impacted everyone, everywhere. In that sense, we are in this together. 

But this pandemic does not impact everyone in the same ways.

  • Some people will lose a loved one to this disease. The rest of us will lose someone we knew.
  • Some people are risking their lives when they go to work. Others are working safely at home. Still others are out of work, not knowing if they will have a job when this crisis is over.
  • Some of us have plenty of stuff to sustain us during this crisis. (Okay, I confess. I might have “hoarded” just a bit.) Others didn’t have the ability to store things up in advance and have run out of things they need. People have been waiting in long lines for food, diapers, and other basic items.
  • Some of us have hope, believing that everything will be okay again. Others don’t know if they have ever been hopeful about their futures.

Maybe we are all in this together, but not in the same ways.  

The biblical “together” 

I think utter gratitude for Jesus must have dominated the hearts, lives, and conversations of those first disciples following the resurrection. 

Jesus was their teacher, their leader, their miracle-working Messiah. Then Jesus was killed, buried—and raised. People saw the risen Christ and knew he was God’s holy Son. Everything about their lives changed as a result. 

Those early Christians could have said, “We are in this together.”  

The book of Acts says, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:32–35). 

Those early Christians lived with joyful abandon because they believed Jesus would return at any moment. 

Their stuff, in the meantime, was for anyone who needed it. That is why they were together, “with one heart and soul.” 

An Easter perspective 

We should try to share the perspective those first disciples owned. 

Until Jesus returns, we should allow God’s grace to be powerfully at work in each of us when there are needy persons among us. Those of us who have stuff can share with those who have need, remembering that not every need is material. 

People still need what Jesus died to give. People need resurrection joy and assurance of their salvation. 

Pope John Paul II said, “We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song.” Hallelujah means “God be praised.” “Easter people” praise God with gratitude born from grace. 

A free download for the “Easter people” 

Jesus told his disciples, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me” (Matthew 26:11). I think if Jesus were speaking to his disciples today, he might say something like, “You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have opportunities like these.” 

I think this pandemic has provided a unique season for ministry. The “Easter people” should be ready to praise God for giving us opportunities to help. 

Americans really aren’t in this together. People have different needs during these days. If you are like me, you are “tipping” more often right now. I’m picking up groceries, and sometimes things are delivered. I’m noticing people who have and others who are struggling. I wanted to be able to express my gratitude and help financially, but I wished for the opportunity to help spiritually as well. It was easy to say “God bless you,” but I wanted to do more. So, I wrote a flyer that I’ve been using whenever I leave a tip or want to thank someone. 

I would love to give it to all of you to use as the Lord leads. It is easily downloaded and can be printed at home. There are two flyers per page, and anyone is welcome to use it to offer a generous gift and your faith.  

Cut the page in half lengthwise and then fold each flyer in half. I put the money inside the fold and write a few words of gratitude on the blank page inside. I’ve given several away and they have been well received. It gives me joy to give more than just the money. 

Everyone appreciates being appreciated, and I imagine most can really use extra financial help right now. We are God’s “Easter people,” and we have a unique opportunity right now. 

Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Do you love me?” 

The apostle said, “Yes Lord, I love you.” 

Jesus responded, saying, “Then feed my sheep.”  

Our gratitude and love for Jesus can be expressed through our grace and generosity to others. It’s fine to say “we are all in this together,” but how much better is it if the Lord uses us to bring people to himself, through faith?  

In Christ, we actually could be in this together. 

What does God hate?

I considered taking another week off but knew I should write. I need to say something you are unlikely to hear or read about in the news. I don’t want to speak about the sins of the El Paso shooter. 

Instead, I want to speak about the sins of the saints, myself included.

I have been floating on a cruise ship, watching the whales and the wildlife. I wish I were still enjoying the majestic beauty of Alaska, where the sun only set for a few hours before the next morning rolled around. 

But, we don’t live on a cruise ship. We live in the real world.

The sin born of righteous anger

As Christians, we should view the mass shootings on Saturday with God’s perspective and be incredibly cautious to live today with his holy standards. Satan doesn’t care which side of “right” you stand on, as long as you sin where you stand. 

James 1:20 is an important reminder to each of God’s children today: “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

I can testify that some of my greatest sins were born of righteous anger. All of us have a right to be enraged at evil. 

The important question for all of us today is this: Is our rage producing the righteousness of God?

God hates too

Did you know that God hates? 

Solomon knew that and left us with that knowledge. He wrote: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Proverbs 6:16–19). 

God hated Saturday’s news about the El Paso shooting more than we did. I cannot fathom the controlling evil filling that young man’s heart and mind. It is beyond understanding. God hated the shedding of innocent blood and the heart that devised such a wicked plan. God hates the lies and the false witness that was breathed out as a manifesto.

But there is a glaring caution in Solomon’s words for every Christian today. 

God also hates the haughty eyes of those who think their sins don’t harm. God hates our lies when we say things we have no right to say. 

And it is the seventh “hate” that each of us should carefully consider today. God hates it when we sow discord.

If my Facebook page looks a little like yours, there is plenty of sin born from righteous anger among the family of God. 

We need to realize that God hates our sin too.

Redeeming hate

If you read this blog, you know that God wants you to love. God wants you to care. God wants you to think before you speak, type, or share. The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

But you can count on this truth: The Holy Spirit can handle your hate. He can redeem it and produce the righteousness our culture needs to witness from God’s people. 

My husband, Jim, and I were talking about the shooting last Saturday and realized we had the same thoughts. We weren’t as shocked by the news as we had been in the past. It wasn’t a shooting; it was another shooting. It was disturbing to realize we weren’t surprised by the news, just saddened. 

We wondered what Christians had previously crossed that boy’s path. Did they have an opportunity to reach out to an angry child but spoke words of contempt or rage instead? How many Christians had turned away from that boy in the past, with disgust or distaste, thinking they were giving that kid what his behavior deserved? 

Who could have offered the grace that none of us deserve instead?

Is the next shooter your neighbor?

That “kid” lived near my part of town. Maybe I sat in a movie theater with him. Maybe I watched him act up at a mall. Maybe he saw me roll my eyes or turn my head away when he cursed or acted out. Maybe I had a chance and missed it. 

Maybe I will have a chance again, with another child, tomorrow.

What does God hate? 

Anger that does not produce the righteousness of God. 

The cruise ship isn’t home

What are you going to do with your anger now? 

That question is what led me to write this blog. 

A lot of God’s people would choose to live on a cruise ship. It’s easier to sail through this life sheltered in the church and avoiding realities. But, while a cruise ship is a great place to visit, it isn’t where God has called us to live.

This world will always have evil. It always has. But, it can also be filled with God’s powerful love. 

What are God’s children contributing to the culture today? Is it their righteous anger or the righteousness of God? 

If God’s people won’t share the light, we are just increasing the darkness.

Again, it doesn’t matter that we stand on the side of right if we’re sinning where we stand. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to redeem our anger. 

Who knows? The kid or neighbor who receives our words and attitudes of grace may be forever changed.

God would love that.


God Knew It Would Take Effort

Three of my favorite words in the Bible are found in the book of Hebrews. Whenever I see them, I breathe a sigh of relief because those words reveal God’s expectations. Those three words are found at the beginning of Hebrews 12:14.

The NIV version says, “Make every effort . . . .”

The Lord knew that living our faith was not going to come naturally. It would take effort.

Who wrote those words?

We don’t know who authored Hebrews, but I would like to meet him one day in heaven.

Theologians think it was probably Barnabas or Apollos, and that would make sense. Those men spent a lot of time with Paul, learning Christian doctrine, traveling from city to city, and teaching Christianity to people from many different backgrounds.

If you study the life of Paul, you’ll learn that he was highly respected, was loved and appreciated by many, but probably was not the easiest person to live with. He burned everyone’s candles at both ends.

Barnabas and Paul argued over John Mark and went their separate ways for a time. First Corinthians seems to reveal that some tension existed between Paul and Apollos. No one was better at Christian doctrine than Paul, but no one caused quite as much trouble as Paul either.

Is that why theologians think the author of Hebrews was Barnabas or Apollos?

God expects us to make an effort

Whoever the Holy Spirit inspired to write the book of Hebrews really understood the Christian life in a non-Christian world. God has very high standards for his children, and all of us are going to struggle to live up to his expectations. But, then again, God expects us to struggle.

What God is really asking us is to “make every effort.”

The New International Version of Hebrews 12:14–15 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Our salvation doesn’t depend on living up to God’s standards. We were saved by his grace through Christ because we couldn’t live perfectly. Our witness, however, does depend on our efforts. And a LOT of Christians are making a great effort to “live in peace” and be “holy” because they want people to see the Lord.

A different way to view the news

I decided to look at the news a bit differently and was surprised by the thoughts that followed.

There was another mass shooting, this time in Virginia Beach. I was appalled at the pain that one man’s massacre left behind. I was impressed by his coworkers and the law enforcement who risked their lives to stop him from killing more.

I also wondered if, in the aftermath, there were Christian coworkers who were wishing they had made “every effort” to lead that man to the Lord.

After those thoughts, I decided to consider the story from a different point of view. I wondered how many news stories do not exist today because of the Christians who have made every effort to make sure that “no one falls short of the grace of God.”

The unreported news

We normally hear about the failures, but, one day in heaven, we will learn of all the successes.

If I see things from a new perspective, I’ll realize that there are hundreds, thousands, and maybe tens of thousands of people who have lived full lives because somewhere, sometime, a person made every effort to live like God requested his children to live.

I know there are countless millions of people who will live eternally because Christians made that effort.

For every shooter, there are billions of people who are not evil. For every human being who falls short, there are humans who don’t. There are a lot of people making an effort to live in peace with others and be holy. As a result, there are a lot of people who will get to meet their Lord one day.

Growth that isn’t good

There is one more word from the author of Hebrews. He knew what comes naturally for Christians who make an effort to live holy lives while surrounded by people who don’t.

Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Do stories like the Virginia shooting increase your efforts to share God’s grace or do they feed the “bitter root” that grows up and causes trouble?

I know I’m guilty of the latter. I almost can’t watch the news these days without my “bitter root” growing another few inches. I need to make a greater effort not to fall short of living with the presence and power of God’s grace. I need to make every effort to help others find that blessing in their lives as well.

Praise God for the news we don’t see

It is a different way to view the news. Most of the news does not reflect holy living. Praise God for all we don’t see on the news that does. There are people who are making every effort to live with God’s standards, and people come to know God’s salvation every day.

Does your bitter root need a little tending to?

If so, make every effort to live a holy life and lead others to faith. That effort will be rewarded here on earth and in heaven. People are rarely bitter at a baptism!

Today, you will have the opportunity to be an example of God’s grace to someone. It was an effort for the author of Hebrews, and it will be an effort for us. But someday the good news will be known.

Let’s joyfully and faithfully be part of those headlines.

Wynonna Judd: Behind the Fame

Fame is a weak support to lean on

A friend came up to me at Bible study and said she had just attended an event that included a concert with Wynonna Judd. My friend sent me the link to one of the country singer’s songs, “These Are the Things That I Lean On,” and encouraged me to listen to the lyrics.

The first line of the song is “Psalm 23 when I’m scared to death.”

Wynonna Judd has been in the spotlight since the 1980s, when she and her mom became famous as the country duo The Judds. Interestingly, Judd isn’t their real last name.

When Wynonna was born, her last name was Ciminella. Wynonna never knew her father. And, Wynonna, her mom, Naomi, and her sister, Ashley, had rough lives in their early years. In fact, at one point, they didn’t even have indoor plumbing.

Wynonna Judd’s fame brought significant change to her life. Her quick temper and outbursts were the subject of tabloid news as well as her three marriages. She would be the first to say that a significant part of her famous reputation was as the edgy, often reckless daughter of Naomi Judd.

Fast-forward to her life today and you understand the journey that has her singing songs like “These Are the Things That I Lean On.”

Last June, her daughter, Grace, was sentenced to eight years in prison for violating her probation. She pleaded guilty to possession, manufacturing, and distribution of methamphetamine. Grace is expected to remain in prison until 2025.

I found myself hoping, then praying, that during her time in prison, Grace will come to embrace the gift that she was named for.

God loves Wynonna Ciminella

Our culture is fame-obsessed, but it’s important for our Christian witness that we look past fame to the genuine person behind the persona. Everyone deserves the chance to be known for who they are, not who they appear to be. That’s the way God views people.

Choosing to know and appreciate a person for who they genuinely are is a gift we have been given by God and a gift we should share with others. It’s difficult for people to accept that they are loved, even with all their flaws, but that is a unique message Christians can—and should—offer.

That’s the message that Wynonna “Ciminella” needed and received. That’s the gift offered by the first line of her song, “Psalm 23 when I’m scared to death.”

When Jesus called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” he was using the ancient word for actors on a stage, men behind a mask. I think Jesus could probably call out many of us today using that same metaphor. The witness we choose to offer is often a much better performance than our genuine lives.

Jesus spoke to that tendency when he told the Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27–28).

If we were famous, what would the tabloids report about our lives?

Each of us should offer grace to others because we know we need grace ourselves. We don’t want to be a Pharisee because, according to Jesus, they were lousy witnesses in their culture. Pharisees kept people from knowing God because they kept people from understanding that everyone needs, and has been offered, grace.

We always have a shepherd

Wynonna sings about leaning on Psalm 23. That Psalm begins, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Notice it doesn’t say, “The Lord is our shepherd.”

The decision to follow God is individual. Every person you know has either chosen God as their shepherd, or they are without his guiding presence.

The metaphor of a “good shepherd” is found throughout Scripture to describe the work of both God and Jesus in our lives. That description requires another. If God is a shepherd, that makes us sheep. But Jesus offered these encouraging words to his disciples saying, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14–15).

God genuinely and completely knows who we are. So does Jesus. And our Creator thought we were worth the sacrifice we reverence and hear about each Easter season. How is that kind of love possible?

Easter means we always have a shepherd who will redeem our failures and bring us back to a place of safety.

Wynonna’s “new song”

My friend told me about the testimony that Wynonna offered the crowd before she sang “These Are the Things That I Lean On.” I imagine it was similar to her concert testimony I found online. I hope you will take the time to watch that video as well. I believe it is a clip of Wynonna Judd Ciminella, the person behind the fame.

I hope each of us will use this blog post and Wynonna’s songs to examine our own lives.

Easter is coming soon. Whom will we meet that needs to understand and accept that Easter was necessary because of who we genuinely are as human beings?

But Easter was our amazing gift from God because he has always loved his sheep, genuinely.

I hope that all of us will sing “a new song” as we consider Easter and share the truth of this holy season with others.

The Big Picture

A NOTE FROM JANET: Before I begin this post, I want to thank each of you who donated through this website to help me provide the Jesus: Got Questions? gospel to children.

Your gifts will enable the Pocket Testament League to give more than fifteen thousand copies to children, free of charge. You have blessed a lot of kids you will never know this side of heaven but will one day know in heaven.

I’m grateful for your compassionate help with this important, life-changing project. The gospels will be sent out shortly to all who have ordered. Pray that the Lord will bless our efforts and use those gospels to help children understand and receive salvation in Christ.

You helped make this Easter special for a lot of kids. We will keep the donation button on the janetdenison.org website dedicated to this project through the rest of this week.

And, again, thank you for wanting to help.

Is it odd to say I enjoyed two funerals?

This past week, I attended two funerals.

It seems strange to say this, but I enjoyed both of those services. Heaven gained two godly women last week. They each left a legacy of faith, love, and grace to their family and friends. I left both services saddened by the losses their families will feel and reminded of the potential every life can make in our world. I start this week encouraged to live with the priorities those women shared.

Those two women were incredibly popular with the people they knew. Proverbs 31 is about a godly woman, and Proverbs 31 passages were quoted by their grandkids during both services. I hope my grandkids will feel that way about me one day. And I wish I had counted the number of times words like grace, love, integrity, and godliness were used for each of them. Funerals are good reminders of how we want to be remembered.

Both of these women would probably roll their eyes and be uncomfortable with the words people said at their funerals. Let’s face it: memorials don’t usually talk about our bad days and character flaws. We all have some. But, when our earthly lives are over, people will probably remember our strengths more than our weaknesses.

Thankfully, that’s what people usually want to remember.

We live our legacy

I hope you all saw the movie Unplanned this past weekend.

You probably won’t hear this on the news, but the film made more than $7 million on its opening weekend. A lot of people saw this film and I’m glad. It will be almost impossible for people to view abortion in the same way.

Abby Johnson changed Planned Parenthood forever. This movie will probably impact more lives than she will ever know this side of heaven. Abby Johnson had no idea that God would use her life like he did. She just knew the right thing to do—and did it.

Her funeral sermon will include the story the movie portrays. Interestingly, Abby Johnson would wish it wouldn’t.

Is our legacy about fame or favor?

All of us have “movies” made about our lives.

Yours will probably not be measured by box office sales, but it will be measured. Remember to evaluate your success and significance like God does.

He redeemed Abby Johnson’s choices for a greater good, but she would be the first to admit she would rather have made different choices from the beginning. She would trade her moments of fame for a legacy of favor. She shared her story of redemption with the world, but she would rather have chosen a different story.

The key is in the before and after

All of us would like to think we are going to leave a godly legacy, but we tend to evaluate that legacy like the world does. We tend to measure our moments, but God measures our lives. It’s probably a better goal to want a good funeral sermon than a hit movie.

I imagine you have quoted Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” But do you know what comes before and after those favorite verses? It’s interesting!

Proverbs 3:3–4 says, “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.”

I think sometimes we shoot for the “straight path” but aim for it only in the moment. God’s word teaches us to be “steadfast” in our love and faithfulness. We are to wear those qualities on the inside and the outside and then we find favor with God and man.

Maybe we are aiming too low. We tend to strive for faithful moments, but God has told us to lead a faithful life.

The key to a faithful life is found in Proverbs 3:7: “Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.”

How do we learn to trust God? To not lean on our own understanding? To submit to God and walk straight paths?

We need to realize that there is a higher wisdom than our own. We need to adore and revere our Holy God. And, when we see evil, we can choose to get rid of it rather than tolerate or just complain about it.

Proverbs 3:5–6 can’t be fully understood or obeyed without those verses that come before and after.

Our legacy is about the big picture

Your legacy will be a summary of all your days.

So, I suggest one simple change in our thinking. Instead of thinking about, praying about, and evaluating our “moments,” maybe we should look at the larger picture more often.

Let’s not put so much energy and focus into writing an interesting screenplay. Instead, think about writing your funeral sermon.

That’s the big picture that matters most.

One Word That Makes All the Difference

The word is “whatever.”  Interestingly, that word was labeled one of the top five annoying words in 2016. The meaning of the word depends a lot on the attitude behind the person using it. The Bible uses the word whatever about 173 times, depending on your translation and, when the word is used biblically, it makes all the difference.

God used the word whatever in the very beginning to show us the difference between human beings and the rest of creation. People were created in the image of God and he honored us with the power of choice.  He had just finished creating all the living things on earth and he brought them to Adam. Scripture says, “Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19).

Imagine if God had presented those animals for Adam to name, but Adam felt he had something better to do. Adam could have glanced at all those animals and flippantly tossed his hand saying “whatever” and a trip to the zoo would be a much different experience.

Almost every time the word “whatever” is used, it’s because we have a choice to make. God created everything, but only human beings were created in his image, with the ability to choose. Whatever happens today, we can choose to look and act like God’s unique and powerful children or something less. The whatever verses in Scripture will help us choose what is best.

God instructed Moses to consecrate the altar saying, “Whatever touches the altar shall become holy” (Exodus 29:37). Those words give added meaning to the moment when the veil of the temple was torn, from top to bottom. Only God could have done that and only the death of Christ could make that holy altar available to everyone.  Whatever touches the altar of God is made holy, and Jesus gave everyone access to the altar. What do you need to bring to his altar today?

Later the Apostle Paul taught one of the most important things we can bring to God’s altar is our thoughts. If our thoughts are made holy, our actions will follow. Philippians 4:8 is possibly the best use of the word whatever in the Bible. The verse says, “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.”

When we take our thoughts to the altar of God, He will make them holy. What are holy thoughts?

  • God will make our thoughts true and separate them from the lies we might have believed.
  • Our thoughts will honor God and his purpose
  • Our thoughts will be just and we can see things with God’s perfect judgment
  • God can remove whatever is making our thoughts dark and purify them with his holiness
  • God can change our ugly thoughts to ideas and opinions that are lovely
  • Our thoughts can often condemn us and others. God can make them commendable instead.
  • God can make every thought excellent and worthy of praise.

So, whatever plans you have made for the day, remember that God created you with the ability to choose his holiness and Jesus provided everything you need to attain it. The altar is right in front of you, and the curtain is wide open. Whatever will you choose to do?

New Covenant Greatness

Last week, I wrote about the movie I Can Only Imagine. My mom hadn’t seen it, and I wanted to see it again. I always get something new the second time I watch a movie or reread a book. I Can Only Imagine is about redemption, but it is also about greatness. Bart’s dad wanted to be a great football player, and, when he wasn’t, he wanted his son to become a great one. Bart wanted to be a great musician, and, when he was told he wasn’t, he wanted to quit. God wanted those two men to be great by his standards. Both men had to adjust their definitions of greatness before they could receive God’s definition.

Jim and I also saw the new movie about the apostle Paul. The most memorable moment for me was Paul awaking from nightmares in his prison cell. He had been dreaming about the Christians he had persecuted and killed. When he awoke from his nightmare, he quietly repeated the words, “Your grace is sufficient, your grace is sufficient, your grace is sufficient.” I think of Paul as one of the greatest disciples of Christ. I tend to forget he had also been a great enemy.

On Sunday night, I watched the new production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I had seen the original cast perform in the 1970s at an outdoor theater in California, and I understand now why Christians stood at the theater entrances to pass out literature and try to convince us not to go inside. My theology was young in those days. I felt sad as I watched it again on Easter Sunday and saw Hollywood “act” like they knew Jesus and what he taught. I grieved the misconceptions those watching might receive.

But I also remembered that night when my teenage self sat in that outdoor theater and watched God “show up.” That evening, when the actor portraying Jesus was hung on the cross, a thick fog moved in and the cross was almost obscured by the way the lights were reflecting off the cloud. As a young girl, I saw God’s story that evening, not Hollywood’s. I hope that happened for some people last night as well.

Sometimes in life, a lot of moments finally add up to a lesson God has been working in your life to teach. It seems God rarely teaches an important lesson in one sitting. And when God finally says, “This is what I want you to know,” we have a choice to make.

I’m finishing up the Bible study this year with a series of lessons from the Sermon on the Mount. One commentary called it Jesus’ inaugural address. This time, as I’ve studied those passages again, I’ve come to think of them as the lessons Jesus would teach and re-teach for the rest of his life. Finally, on the Mount of Ascension, Jesus concluded his earthly ministry saying, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). Every disciple who witnessed the ascension chose to do what Jesus had asked.

The lesson for Easter week came from the passage when Jesus finished teaching new commandments, the Beatitudes. He told his disciples they were to “be” salt and light in the world. Jesus said, “Anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19). I had never really considered the Sermon on the Mount as the new covenant lesson for greatness.

The crowd gathered by the Sea of Galilee consisted of apostles, disciples, the curious, and those who would soon become Jesus’ enemies. Pharisees and Sadducees listened to Jesus preach that day. They heard him tell his disciples, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Jesus would be hung on a cross two years after saying that because he redefined what it meant for a person to be “great” in God’s eyes.

What lesson did all the moments of my Easter week add up to teach?

The thought I woke up with this morning and felt led to write about is this: Jesus taught his disciples a new definition for greatness. Then Jesus lived that picture of greatness every day after. During Easter week, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and died for their sins. Later, he told them that through the power of his Holy Spirit they would become his disciples and teach others to be great as well.

God is perfect greatness. Jesus is God’s greatness in the flesh. Disciples are God’s greatness in practice. The challenge is that we have to understand and accept his definition for greatness. Jesus said, “Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Let’s take a few moments to reread Matthew 5. Then, let’s go out and have a “great” day.

I Can Only Imagine: The Movie of the Year – A Must-See for Christians

I’ve been looking at the blinking cursor and realize my words are inadequate. What do I say to convince all of you that this movie is essential for your soul too? It is like the song—anointed. And trust me, I am careful about using that word. If you have heard the song, you know it is special—it was the first time you heard it. Now, having seen the movie, I understand why.

The song is a celebration of the redemption Bart Millard saw in the life of a man he thought of as a monster: his father. But don’t think the movie is too sad or too sappy. This might be the best faith-based movie I have ever seen. It is an honest, genuine story about real people and the amazing power of God to redeem anyone. You will find yourself somewhere in the cast. All of us are imperfect, even if we aren’t evil. So is everyone God uses in the movie and in life.

This movie is about God and all he is capable of doing through the prayers and compassion of regular people like you and me. It is also a challenge to all of us to get involved in the lives of other people so we can share in the joy of their redemption. Most Christians are a product of the “ministry of many.” But, in each of our lives, there is likely a handful who made us one of their sheep for a time, and God called them to strengthen and invest in our journey.

One of the things I loved the most about this movie is that no one person is responsible for leading Bart to a place of redemption and no one person is responsible for his dad’s journey either—unless that one person is Christ, using many people as his witness.

The song title is “I Can Only Imagine.” Imagine entering heaven and seeing Jesus face-to-face. How do you think you will react? At that moment, the hope you have carried through this life becomes reality. The song asks, “Will you fall on your knees or will you dance?” I imagine doing both—over and over again.

Imagine looking around and seeing people you have known in this lifetime. There are family, friends, Bible teachers, pastors, neighbors, and some you realize you lost track of over time. There will also be some you never thought would choose Christ as their Savior. All of us will be amazed, awed, gladdened, and overwhelmed with the goodness and glory that surrounds us.

Imagine never being afraid, never being sick, never being sad, and never being sinful. And no one else you see is either. I can only imagine.

Bart Millard is the product of a mom who loved him but left him. He is the son of a man who loved him and stayed in Bart’s life, but as a terrible abuser. But Bart is also the product of a grandma who loved him, a teacher who invested in him, friends who gave him Christian love and a place to belong, and a God who adopted him as his child.

Redemption is a journey, not a moment. Redemption isn’t finished even though it’s final. Redemption is enough for this life even though it isn’t fully received until the next one. Redemption means joy for our journey.

I imagine the little boy who was abused by his dad but loved by the church will go down in history as one of the finest and most successful Christian songwriters. But Bart Millard knows that Jesus is the real author of his story and his talent. The movie works hard to make sure the audience understands that truth as well.

I love the song, I love the movie, and I love Jesus for writing this story for us—through a boy from Greenville, Texas. Take as many people as you can and see this movie. I promise you will leave with a full heart and a stronger conviction about the way Christian life is supposed to work.

How good is this movie? Well, I stared at the blinking cursor for a while and then started typing. Twenty minutes later, I’m ready to type amen.

For more information about I Can Only Imagine, visit their website or Facebook page.