witness Archives

Live and leave a legacy of faith

In 1988, Jim was a professor at the seminary and was asked to become the interim preacher for First Baptist Midland. He flew out each weekend to preach on Sundays.

Eventually, the kids and I traveled to Midland with him. My oldest son, Ryan, was two at the time and Craig was three months old. Each Friday, I would pack up our stuff and we would pick Jim up in Fort Worth to make the six-hour road trip to West Texas.

Our drive to Midland this past weekend brought back a lot of memories.

We talked about those earlier weekend trips with babies and realized that, to many people, it might have seemed like a crazy thing to do. But we enjoyed being together, even in the car. The speed limit was 55 mph back in those days, and I sure would have enjoyed today’s faster limits!

The first time I saw Midland I was kind of shocked. At first glance, West Texas looks like God grew weary while creating the world and decided to just leave that part of the state simple. I remember when we came over a hill and could spot the tallest buildings of Midland seemingly rising out of the barren dust.

I asked Jim, “Who would choose to live here?”

About a year later, we did.

A strong city and a strong people

Midland sits in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by land with a LOT of oil. The church we served is in the middle of town and has always been a blessing to that city. In many ways, FBC Midland is the strongest church we ever served.

The church is like the city: diverse in every way, yet unified by their faith.

It was our joy to be with people we admired thirty-six years ago and still admire today. Our friends look the same, just older. We were there to speak at a senior adult conference. Even as I was speaking, I saw the faces of people who had blessed us as a young couple and continue to bless us today. In many ways, that church helped me grow in my faith and in the right direction for ministry.

As I sit here typing today, I wonder who will say I helped them do the same.

I’m in or close to the “final quarter” of my life. As I looked at the faces of so many people I admire, I wanted to finish my life as well as they are finishing theirs.

A psalm of legacy

I used a verse from Psalm 71 in my message at the retreat. I’m sure I’ve read this psalm before, but it meant a lot to me this time. I hope you will take a moment to read the entire psalm. It is rich, especially as you consider what kind of legacy you want to live and, one day, leave.

The psalm was likely written by King Solomon for and about his dad, King David. David’s life was difficult in his latter years. His children fought him for his throne. David wasn’t perfect, but he deserved their honor rather than their prideful opposition.

David is described in Scripture as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). With all of David’s great accomplishments, he is remembered as a person who sought to know, love, and serve God.

What if each of us made King David’s legacy our goal as well?

Why was David a man after God’s own heart?

The answer could be in the words of Psalm 71. Verse 3 describes the relationship he had with the Lord: “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress” (Psalm 71:3).

David had a kingdom that was called to serve him. Yet David’s trust was in the Lord, not his earthly power.

If we consider all the things that give us our sense of security, is God at the top of the list?

A legacy of trusting God and investing in others

As I studied the faces and the lives of so many friends in our Midland congregation, I was left with a strong impression of what I want for my own life.

They are older, wiser, and remain people who have led a consistent faith walk with their Lord. They are still the same people we knew thirty-six years ago. They blessed me then as a young pastor’s wife and they blessed me last weekend. I am grateful to God for giving my family such a strong example of faith, and I hope I will be to others what they have been for me.

In my message I used Psalm 71:18: “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”

We will all leave a legacy of some kind. Shouldn’t we consider what we want that legacy to be?

We will be remembered for who we eventually became or for who we chose to become.

David chose his legacy. He had a plan. He wanted to live a consistent faith throughout his life. In addition to being a man of faith, he wanted to help the next generation know his God as well. He wanted to “proclaim” God’s might to the next generation.

The need for wisdom

I am currently working on a project that will launch in January. Our ministry studies the culture and tries to help people respond biblically.

The internet has changed the world and that change will be even more dramatic in the days ahead. It is rare to go anywhere and not view people absorbed by their phones or other technology. We do not lack information and influence from all directions. I often say, “In a sea of information, wisdom matters.”

Wisdom is knowing what to do with what we know. Without that important step, all we have is information. We cannot know the power of God if we only “know” God has power. We have to rely on God’s power to truly understand his might. King David learned to trust God’s strength early in his life. That’s why he could face a giant with just a slingshot and stones.

David’s legacy began with his trusting submission to the power of God. His failures in life happened when he was influenced by other things. I would say the same of my own life, wouldn’t you?

Proclaim his might to the next generation

We all have a calling from God. We need to put feet to our faith and words to our wisdom. Most wisdom is born of experience, and God’s wisdom is a gift to those who will ask him for it (James 1:5–6).

We are called to invest in the coming generations. As I studied the faces of all those people who invested in a young pastor and his wife, I was filled with gratitude to them and God. I wondered who I might have become without their help. I had a LOT of growing to do when I arrived at that church, and they helped point me in the right directions.

I want to leave that legacy of faith with others, don’t you?

What would our witness to others be like if we made King David’s commitment our own? “Even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”

Let’s live to carry on the legacy we have learned from the godly people we have known.

No matter how old you are, that is a worthy goal.

Amen?

Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash

The GOATS in Scripture

On Sunday night, there was a lot of discussion about which quarterback was the GOAT, i.e., the greatest of all time. The contest was between Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Tom Brady, currently of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

You can probably tell who I like by the order I mentioned them! I’ve never been able to get past “Deflategate.”

You might be asking, “Why is she starting her blog post with a football illustration?”

The answer: Because the whole GOAT thing ought to be about more than stats.

What makes a person the greatest?

I was able to attend the Masters golf tournament the first year Tiger Woods won his green jacket. Is he the greatest golfer? I thought so until his wife attacked his car with a golf club. The sportscasters were talking about her attempt to free him from his car. Meanwhile, I looked at my husband and said, “Nope. She is really angry at him!” They divorced shortly after because of his marital affair.

I thought the Williams sisters were amazing tennis players. I stopped cheering for Serena after I watched her U.S. Open final against Naomi Osaka. Serena was hoping to get a record win that day, except Osaka played a better match. Let’s just say Serena didn’t handle the loss well and, as a result, Osaka was in tears after the match. It wasn’t a great day for Serena fans, on many levels.

Tom Brady was suspended by the NFL after it was discovered the Patriots were playing with slightly deflated footballs. Brady denied it was his fault, and the controversy was never completely resolved. That said, one thing was made clear. Brady preferred throwing a softer football, and the footballs he was throwing did not meet the inflation regulations. Most people didn’t really blame the equipment guys for taking it upon themselves to let the air out of the balls.

Who are the GOATS in sports? Why did I even write about sports in my blog post today?

I watched the Sunday night football game and listened to the commentators discuss who they considered the “greatest” quarterback, Mahomes or Brady, and why. No one ever mentioned anything about their character or personal qualities, only their stats.

Granted, it was game day, but should that be all we consider when assigning the title “GOAT” to a person?

Our culture tends to elevate a person’s abilities as a more esteemed quality than their character.

God, however, has higher standards.

What did Jesus say about the goats?

Jesus was on the Mount of Olives when he spoke about the sheep and the “goats.” He said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:31–34).

Jesus then told his disciples that the reason some people were considered sheep while others were labeled goats is because of the kindness they had shown to others, an indication that they were acting in a righteous manner. Scripture makes it clear that our salvation doesn’t depend on our works. But that truth shouldn’t cause us to think our works are insignificant.

Jesus makes it very clear that our salvation should cause change in our character. Our standard for the way we treat others is the same standard for the way we treat Christ. He said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40).

Why is God’s standard the only one that matters?

God’s people are called to live with his standards because living with the world’s standards could cost someone their eternal life. Most people believe there is a heaven and trust they will get there. Very few believe they need to worry about going to hell.

Jesus made certain his disciples understood that on the day of judgment the sheep will be separated from the goats. Jesus taught the reality of heaven but also the reality of hell. We like to spend time thinking about all that heaven will mean, but our thoughts of hell are usually rare and brief.

If we thought about everyone as sheep and goats the way Jesus taught, how would that change our thoughts and, therefore, our actions?

Jesus made it very clear to his disciples. Those who will be considered GOATS in heaven are his sheep.

God’s standards for “GOAT”

In our world, goats can be great and sheep can be lost. Most labels have limited truth. But there is one label that is profoundly important. Paul wrote, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Every Christian started out as a goat and was born again as a sheep. None of us can live perfect lives, but all of us can try to live according to God’s word.

Paul instructed Titus about God’s standards for “great.” He told Titus, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us” (Titus 2:7–8).

God’s standards for “GOAT” have a much different set of “stats” than those our culture values.

The truth about great

The world usually labels “great” much differently than God does. One of the best ways to change someone’s life is to help them redefine greatness. Everyone wants to be a “GOAT” until they realize what it means to become a sheep.

There is a reason I root for Patrick Mahomes. He has often used his ability as a football player to glorify his God. In one interview, Mahomes said, “If someone looks up to a person and they are a Christian and, say the person looking up to them is not a Christian, I think there’s great impact in that. Maybe it will lead them to find out who Christ is. . . . I understand that he’s given me a lot of blessings in my life, and I’m trying to maximize them and glorify him.”

Which quarterback is the GOAT?

We should allow God to provide our answer to that question, not a set of stats. Then, we should apply that standard to our own lives. GOATS in Scripture are actually God’s sheep.

If I could say one thing to Patrick Mahomes (besides “GREAT game Sunday night!”), I would say, “Keep living as a sheep and you will be a GOAT. The most important trophy in life isn’t received during this life.”

If the game Sunday night is a preview of this year’s Super Bowl, you KNOW which team I will be rooting for!

I believe in cheering for the sheep.

Salted conversations

Do you ever feel bombarded by words in our culture today?

That probably seems like an odd thing to say, given that I make a living with my words. Recent news has certainly sent word bombs flying throughout all the media sources.

As Christians, how do we make certain our words are landing in the right places?

I have listened to a lot of the rhetoric surrounding the Supreme Court and other issues. I’m not going to debate the issue of abortion because there is no need. I have always liked the simple message I read on yard signs back in the eighties that said “It’s a baby y’all.” Truth isn’t as complicated as fiction.

I’m glad people are thinking again about the truth of the abortion issue, in addition to the politics the issue creates. But, in all the conversations I have listened to, no one seems to be discussing the deepest concern. There is a profound truth that has been lost to our culture today and to our conversations.

Why aren’t we speaking about the reason unwanted babies are being created?

The truth about consequences

There are millions of statements being made about personal freedom. Where are the statements about personal responsibility? I’m not unaware that the issue is complicated by the fact that some babies are created as the result of an attack. But the complete truth about abortion is shaded by that fact.

Last year, more than one million babies were aborted. Only 1.5 percent of those abortions were attributed to an attack. That means, if the numbers are correct, last year 985,000 babies lost their lives because their moms and dads didn’t want to take the responsibility or live with the consequences of creating them.

There is a reason that God wanted the most personal relationship a person can have to belong to a husband and wife, who would keep that relationship sacred and holy. Christians need to be salting their conversations with the complete truth of God’s word on this subject.

Any time we break God’s laws, there are consequences. Are we leaving a generation of God’s children in the dark because we don’t want to hurt their feelings? Be judgmental? Do we just quietly feel badly about the lack of truth, or do we choose to salt our conversations with truth?

The truth about consequences is that there are consequences for speaking truth, for speaking partial truth, for lies, and for staying silent when truth is needed.

The truth about salty words

Don’t you hate getting salt on a cut finger?

It stings and often we don’t realize there is a problem until we feel the burn.

I was curious: Why does salt sting? Google to the rescue!

I found an article that explained the sensation. Salt stings for the same reason antiseptic stings: both activate the nerve “receptors.” I couldn’t help but see the metaphor.

Sometimes “truth hurts.” We shouldn’t throw our truth around, hoping it will cause pain. That is using our words as weapons. At the same time, we can’t help the fact that when salt hits a wound people feel it. The sting alerts them that something is wrong. It is a natural response of our “receptors.”

God created all things, including us. It would seem he wanted us to feel truth sometimes, especially when it is applied to something that is wrong in our lives.

Why did Jesus call his disciples “the salt of the world”?

I just finished recording six Bible studies from the Sermon on the Mount. (They will be available on the website later this summer.) Jesus was teaching his disciples when he said, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13).

Disciples are the salt of the earth. Our words may be the only Scripture, or message from God, that people will hear on a subject. Have we allowed the culture to remove the “saltiness” from our conversations? Is that why our culture has been “trampling” God’s word with their rhetoric?

Our unsalted words may not sting people quite as much, but that’s because they are no longer as good. People can throw them away and walk on them. Truth will sting, but that is because pure, salty truth hits a receptor.

God wants us to notice when something is wrong.

Will you live a salty life?

Peter Marshall was an American preacher in Washington D.C. who later served as a Senate Chaplain. He was known for his wisdom as well as his preaching talent. Peter Marshall said, “Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for—because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”

Have Christians fallen for Satan’s messages of partial truth?

If so, we have lost our saltiness. If our words don’t “burn” some wrong opinions these days, our words have lost their saltiness.

If we don’t stand for biblical truth, we will fall for something less. Jesus taught his disciples that an unsalted life and witness won’t be good for anything. Jesus also taught his disciples to speak the truth in love. In other words, don’t rub salt into wounds but, at the same time, don’t hesitate to let God allow the truth to “burn” just a bit, even when you speak it with love. Be encouraged that when people “receive it” they might become aware of a wrong in their lives and know to fix it.

“Unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.” Peter Marshall was right to encourage us to live with a clear vision and the strength to stand for God’s truth. May our words be salted with his truth, by his Spirit, for the sake of his purpose. If our words burn just a bit, it is just the truth about consequences.

Disciples are the salt of the earth. Our salted conversations bring the flavor of truth to our words and to our world. Our culture deserves the chance to know God’s word and hopefully live a life he will bless.

Wear your crown over clean hair

All of us wear a lot of “hats” in this lifetime. Hats are a good metaphor for our various roles because most are easily exchanged for another. All of us are many things to different people.

There is one hat, however, that Christians should wear all the time.

The apostle Paul told us, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14). The love of Christ should be the first impression we make as we enter a room.

An iconic hat

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is my favorite movie in the series. Sean Connery plays Indiana’s dad. During one classic scene, the audience grew quiet when it looked like Indiana Jones had just gone over a cliff in a Nazi tank as he fought to protect his dad. A few moments later, Indiana Jones surprises his grieving dad and is wrapped up in a big hug.

But, the best moment of that scene occurs when a gust of wind blows the famous suede hat over to Indie’s feet. When he put that hat on his head, the audience cheered.

Who is Indiana Jones without that hat?

But, let’s be honest. If you or I had the chance to wear Indiana Jones’ iconic hat, would we? We love seeing it as a prop on the big screen, but would we want to wear it on our heads?

In reality, that hat would be filthy dirty and stink like yesterday’s raw chicken left in the warm trash.

We wear a lot of hats in our lifetime, but some of our hats are more of a prop too. We occasionally wear a hat to cover our heads, not crown them.

A crown on dirty hair

It’s hard to imagine a king or queen showing up to their coronation with dirty hair. Yet, our hats are worn today to serve that purpose. When we have to run an errand or jump on a Zoom meeting, we just cover the “bad hair” with a cap.

We often try to do the same thing with our witness.

We hope our words will speak louder than our works, but that’s like wearing a crown with dirty hair. Scripture teaches that we should clean up our lives in order to share our witness. God’s truth is a crown, not a cap.

Grow food, not weeds

People in the first century didn’t plant gardens as a hobby; they grew food in order to survive. Jesus used a parable to illustrate that, in order for our Christian witness to thrive, the first thing we need to do is treat sin like unwanted weeds that need to be pulled out of the garden (Matthew 13:24–30).

The first-century Christians planted gardens so they and their families could survive the winter months. Weeds weren’t just annoyances; they were a threat. And Paul said we should think of our sin natures like they did their weeds.

We shouldn’t serve cake on a dirty plate

Have the biblical lessons lost some power in our culture today? Americans have grocery stores. Our gardens are more often a hobby than our hope. What illustration would Jesus have used if he were teaching about our witness today?

Would Jesus or Paul say: Treat sin like a virus? Treat sin like a poison? Treat sin like a cancer? Treat sin like a smelly hat?

Their point would be the same. We need to get rid of anything that harms our witness and do whatever it takes to separate it from our lives. After that, we can “put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14).

If Paul were writing today, he might have written, “Don’t put your muddy feet into your new shoes.” Or “Don’t put the velvet dress over the sweaty tracksuit.” Or maybe “Don’t cook today’s meal in yesterday’s unwashed, germ-filled pan.” Paul might just be blunt and say, “Even a beautiful cake looks inedible when it’s served on yesterday’s unwashed plate.”

The world won’t notice or appreciate the love of Christ until Christians pull the weeds out of our witness.

The world won’t consume our words unless we serve them on a clean plate.

Put on love, but put it on clean hair

Love will be our theme for the February blog posts, but it should also be the theme of our lives. We don’t think of Indiana Jones without his iconic hat. A Christian should be known by their crown, reminding people we are the adopted child of a King.

Maybe the first thing we should consider, however, is how we present our love of Christ to others. If our faith is our crown, the role people most associate with who we are, shouldn’t we be sure we aren’t using that crown over dirty hair?

If faith is to produce the spiritual fruit of our lives, shouldn’t we make certain the weeds aren’t taking over the garden?

Gossip said it well

Imagine being a preacher with the last name of Gossip!

Arthur John Gossip held the title of Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology, and he was licensed as a minister of the church in Scotland in 1898.

When I found one of his quotes, I had to look him up. I could tell by the language the words were “old,” but the message seemed so new. I want to close this blog post with Gossip’s words from a century ago that speak to our subject today.

Arthur John Gossip said, “At the very moment when the pulpit has fallen strangely silent about sin, fiction can talk of little except evil, not indeed viewed as sin, but apparently as the invariable ways of a peculiarly repulsive insect, which it can’t help, poor thing; and there is no manner of use expecting anything from it, except the nastiness natural to it.”

That quote takes a couple of reads to even begin the process of thinking about it. His words are even more powerful when we realize we are reading them almost one century after they were written.

What would Gossip say about our view of sin today?

Put on love—but consider it a crown

How do we “put on” our Christian love? Is it a crown or a cap? Is it used to say who we are or to cover up what we don’t want others to see? Those are the first questions we need to address if we truly want to live as a witness for Christ.

According to Jesus, we shouldn’t try to “put on love” until we pull out the weeds. According to Gossip, we shouldn’t view sin like a bug we just can’t get rid of. According to me, we can’t wear a smelly hat as a prop, even if it’s a popular prop worn by a movie hero.

What do we need to weed out of our witness so people can see the love of Christ as more than a hat we wear over our dirty hair?

We are children of the King.

We should choose to wear our crowns.

But, let’s make sure we are wearing those crowns over clean hair.

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

A simple yet profound witness

I was preparing to teach when I ran across some powerful quotes from Mother Teresa. Her words prompted this post.

I am spending the month of January with a focus on our witness to the world. I’ve always appreciated a strong biblical sermon or lesson that teaches God’s word. But, I’ve also heard a lot of sermons and lessons that never used words at all.

I teach the Bible because I believe that God’s word is pure and perfect truth. Our world is full of information and opinions, all of which need to be examined by the pure light of God’s word.

I had the privilege of hearing Mother Teresa at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. Her message was clear, her delivery was straightforward, and it was filled with the truth of Scripture. I remember watching Bill Clinton’s face as she turned to him and said, “Give me the babies.” She had no problem addressing the topic of abortion with a president who condoned it.

Mother Teresa lived with a simple, profound witness that was grounded and guided by God’s word. I thought her words could teach us today.

What is an extraordinary witness?

Mother Teresa had an extraordinary witness to the world. If you take the time to read my blog, I assume you are interested in living with a strong witness for Christ too. I hope Mother Teresa’s words will impress your heart as they did mine. She said:

“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

Our culture tends to look for those who have a “big” witness. Maybe they lead a large congregation or hold popular events in a convention hall or arena or write best-selling books. But, for most of us, God considers our witness to be the accumulation of one small act of love after another. Spiritual strength is like physical exercise: it is the small things we do, the repetitions, that truly build our spiritual muscle and expand our witness.

Paul told the church in Galatia, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

How would it change your day if you lived as Paul and Mother Teresa encouraged?

How many “small things” can your genuine faith and love accomplish today?

What will your witness and influence accomplish by the end of the week? Month? Year?

In my experience, it is the small things, accumulated over time, that bring about the most permanent change. We need to love consistently without getting tired and be continually faithful in the small things.

The famine in America

There is a lot in the news right now about the higher prices, the smaller workforce, and the increased spending from our leadership. It is difficult to watch the news and avoid feeling overburdened in some way. It’s easy to want to withdraw from the culture and just spend time with the people who think like we do.

Mother Teresa helped feed people who were dying of malnutrition, disease, and starvation. We well remember the pictures of the children who were literally skin and bones. That is rarely the picture of our “poor.” Prosperity and poverty have many definitions.

I did my best to find the setting of this quote from Mother Teresa. She said words like this when she received a Nobel Peace Prize and in her book, A Simple Path. But, at some point she spoke about the poverty of America’s culture when she said:

“There is a famine in America. Not a famine of food, but of love, of truth, of life.”

I have mentioned before that Hosea 4:6 is what motivates my teaching. In many ways, I feel like God’s words to Hosea should remind all of us, especially those of us in ministry, why Jesus told us to “go and make disciples” in this world.

God told Hosea, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

I’ve been hearing a lot of people complaining about the directions in our culture. One of those voices has been my own. But we have the answer. When people do not know God, when they reject God’s biblical truth, then he cannot have an influence in their lives. And God has said he will have to reject those people who reject his Son.

Mother Teresa was right to say “there is a famine in America.” Our famine is about spiritual “food.” Our people are destroyed for lack of knowledge too. Those of us who own God’s word and don’t share it with love are fueling the famine.

A simple place to begin

Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed one hundred people, feed one.”

All of us have a witness, and all of us can go and make disciples. The Holy Spirit is our guide, our voice, and our strength. God’s word and his genuine love indwell every Christian. We can go and make disciples.

I want to share one last quote from Mother Teresa because none of us should ever feel unable to be a witness for Christ. None of us should ever feel like we have an excuse either! Mother Teresa said:

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

As I type these words, I am praying that the “ripple effects” of this blog post might be felt around our country. Will you pray with me to that end? Mother Teresa’s witness has been “endless,” and there is no reason why ours should be any different.

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). May all of us be shining examples of those who walk with Christ and therefore make him known to others.

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Same God, new year

It felt good to put the last box of Christmas decorations in the attic and shut the door. I love the newness of January. Every year God hands us a winter reset and we need it. Almost all of my plans for the Christmas holiday blew up and we had to make quick adjustments. I couldn’t help but think about the Janet Denison version of Jeremiah 29:11: “I know the plans I have for you,” says your mother.

Plans, especially plans that include lots of people, should be held loosely. Something will always change! But, as I sit under my new soft throw, enjoying a newly clean and organized house, and writing my first blog post of the new year, I am enjoying some new thoughts.

Same God, new year

We have a God who makes all things new, including this new year. I was thinking about last January when we were looking forward to a world with no more COVID-19. This January, we know that COVID just keeps reinventing itself. But, this new COVID doesn’t appear to be too bad. The “new thing” might actually be a “good thing” in the long run.

I love that we have an unchanging God who can change anything. God makes all things “new.”

God told the prophet Isaiah, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). As I’ve listened and read what various people are saying about this coming year, I’m sensing a lack of hope and optimism. I’ve felt down and discouraged at times too.

This is my go-to reminder: God is not the author of discouragement.

So then, why should discouragement drive our thoughts or attitudes?

The next time you feel your hope or optimism sinking, remember what God has said: “Behold, I am doing a new thing.” He would ask the same question of us he asked of Isaiah: “Do you not perceive it?”

We need to look for God in everything. He is either the motivator or the redeemer of all that we see and experience. God is making a way for us to journey through the wilderness. He is providing for us in the desert times. And God is leading us forward to our new life, the life Jesus has prepared for us.

It’s a new year, but we still serve the same God who spoke to Isaiah. God’s message to the prophet is his message for us today: “Do you not perceive it?”

New year, same calling

God is doing a new thing and it will spring forth. But, there is an important thought for the new year. We have a culture that is increasingly unsettled with some new ideas that actually aren’t new at all. Why did God allow a virus to impact the entire world? Why has the world responded in so many different ways? Why is there so much confusion and dissatisfaction? Why do people look to politicians to fix the world instead of God?

The angst in our culture should stand in sharp contrast to the peace of God’s people. But, do we perceive “peace” in God’s people?

We have a new year, but Christians have the same calling. Peter said it this way: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

New year, same goals

January is a perfect month to hit the reset button in our lives. It’s kind of like resetting our phones to the manufacturer’s settings. What does that mean spiritually?

According to Peter, these are our goals for every new year:

In our hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy.
Always be prepared to explain and defend our Christian faith and values.
Always speak to others with gentleness and respect.

Which one of those statements stomps just a bit?

All of us who are reading Peter’s words probably have some work to do in at least one of those areas. Why does this matter?

Our unchanging God has an ever-changing family. If we live as Peter encouraged, God will have a larger family by next Christmas.

Christianity works when Christians allow God to work through their lives.

God makes all things new

God wants to reset our thoughts, our attitudes, our optimism, and our hearts. I could fumble around all day with my phone and never figure out how to do a reset. On the other hand, I can give it to an expert and watch what happens in his hands.

God makes all things new. We need to ask him, then allow him, to make us new. We need revival and restoration. We need hearts that honor Christ as holy. We need to be ready and able to offer the world an explanation for the joy, hope, and peace in our lives. We need to speak to everyone with gentleness and respect, as one sinner to another.

I want God to do a new thing in all of us so that he can do a new thing through all of us. Our culture deserves his answers, his love, and, most importantly, his eternal salvation.

God is doing a new thing.

Do we perceive it?

If we start looking around prayerfully, we will.

With joy and gratitude

My thanks to all of you who generously responded to my end of the year “ask.” We are a donor-based ministry and your offerings serve God, who makes everything possible. Thank you for caring and wanting to help. God will do “new things” through what you have given.

Praying that 2022 will be a wonderful year, with our God who continues to make all things new.

The Key to Having it All

Have you ever noticed the people who have it all are the people who don’t need it? Jesus explained that spiritual truth in his Sermon on the Mount.

The Lord’s basic principle for great success is found in Matthew 5:5 He said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT ALL?

Jesus taught that the meek would inherit the whole world. Who then are the meek? And, what exactly are they inheriting?

There was an article written in Forbes Magazine in 2016 that in retrospect seems almost prophetic. The author wrote about the eight things people want but can’t seem to get. She listed those things in this order:

Happiness
Money
Freedom
Peace
Joy
Balance
Fulfillment
Confidence

The conclusion to her article is what I found most interesting. She explained how a person can attain all of those things above and wrote, “For that, we need an abundance of self-love, and also support from others who don’t want to tell us what to do, but instead, want to help us follow our own internal value system and beliefs.” She went on to say we can “soar” if we believe in ourselves. I wonder if she would have written this article four years later, after the virus. Does “self-love” provide the best things in this life?

SUCCESS, ACCORDING TO JESUS

Jesus taught people how to find their best life too. He said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

Who are the people who “have it all” according to Jesus? They are the people who know how much they need God and mourn those things that damage their relationship with him. The people who inherit the best things in this life are those who humbly submit their strength to God’s authority and want to be right with him more than they want anything else.

The best things in life come from following God, and not following our own “internal value system.” Why would we want to follow what is “lost”? The people who have it all are the people who live each day with the perspective of all things eternal.

YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THE BEST THINGS NOW

Jesus also told us the “meek” inherit the earth. If you look back at the list of those eight things people want the most, you can understand why the “meek” inherit them.

In Scripture the word “meek” is a counter-cultural term. Meek means to take our entire sense of “self” – all of our strengths, abilities, possessions and energies – and submit all of that to God’s perfect will.

Those are the people who “inherit the earth.” Those are the people who have everything in this lifetime and eternally as well. They literally “have it all.”

BEING MEEK IS WISE

James was the half-brother of Jesus. He was likely with his brothers when they wanted to stop Jesus from preaching and come home, believing he was out of his mind (Mark 3:20-21). I imagine that was not one of James favorite memories. Or maybe, it was.

James was able to look back and remember the moment he thought he knew what was best, instead of Jesus, God’s holy Son. I wonder if that prompted this lesson he gave the church:

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom . . . the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:13-18).

Wise people are those who are willing to accept the fact that God’s ideas are always a better solution for this life than their own. Wise people are humbled by the greatness of God’s truth compared to their own ideas or the world’s. They “inherit the earth” because they took God at his word.

“EVERYTHING” NEEDS AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

The people who have the best things in this lifetime are those who live rightly with God. He made this world and he wants the best for those he made it for. His laws weren’t designed for his sake; they were designed for ours. He is our perfect Father.

When it seems like God isn’t giving you everything he promised, there is a perspective to consider. God has numbered the hairs on your head. He has planned our steps and cares about today. But God’s highest priority is your eternal life.

The single greatest challenge for any believer is to constantly submit our own ideas to God’s. We don’t have his eternal perspective unless we do.

Who is wise and understanding? The person who knows that wisdom and understanding aren’t about self-love—at least not the way the world is teaching it. Instead, it is about realizing that you are loved by the one who made you. We choose to be our “best self” when we humbly choose God’s wisdom over our own.

Glance again at the list of the eight things people most want in this world. Now, consider the list of the fruit produced from God’s wisdom. That fruit is, “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).

That verse describes a life that leads to a harvest of righteousness. The first step toward that life on earth is to remember Jesus said it belonged to the “meek.” The best way to love yourself is to love God most.

Who is wise and understanding among you? It’s the one who understands the word “meek.”

Top 8 Things People Desperately Desire But Can’t Seem To Attain

God loves a humble heart

I watched two men in politics defend their policies on the morning news. One was honest about his struggles to govern during this past year. The other spoke of his awards and successes, refusing to discuss the problems in the streets of his city. I was struck by the difference between the two.

I think most people still recognize the power of genuine faith when it is a product of humility, but it’s equally important to recognize the power that is produced by a strong sense of “self.”

Jesus wanted his disciples to look for the power of God in people, but that would mean they needed to look at people with a godly perspective.

THE POWER OF HUMBLE FAITH

Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). Most commentaries teach that Jesus addressed this parable to a group of Jewish leaders, probably the Pharisees themselves.

The Pharisees were respected as leaders, and their job caused them to closely follow the rules of their faith and teach others to do the same. The tax collector worked for the Roman government and often cheated his Jewish brothers in the process of doing his job. On the surface, it would appear an easy decision about who was most pleasing to God. But, Jesus’ parable taught God’s perspective.

Both the Pharisee and the tax collector went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee’s prayer was simply a long list of his accomplishments that made him appear to be more spiritual than most. The tax collector would not even look up to heaven. With a humble heart, he prayed to God, honestly begging for mercy. The Pharisee was proud of his life, and the tax collector recognized he was a sinner.

The parable makes it clear that the tax collector left the temple that day “justified” and the Pharisee did not. Why does that matter to us today?

Both men entered the temple, seeking to pray and be right with God. Only one left the temple that day “justified.” The tax collector was forgiven of his sins; the Pharisee wasn’t. The Pharisee didn’t see himself as a sinner; the other man did.

Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Humility was the reason the tax collector was justified.

THE PHARISEES AND TAX COLLECTORS TODAY

The parable will simply be a story Jesus directed at people in the first century if we don’t ask ourselves whom the two men represent today. But, if we begin to label those people in our own culture, we have missed the point.

Every Christian is both a Pharisee and a tax collector. The point isn’t the position we have earned in this world; it is the position we take before God.

Are we proud of ourselves when we address God, or are we humbled by his greatness?

Do we think we are better than others, or do we realize that we have our own set of sins?

The best-behaved people in the world were the Pharisees, according to their rules. But, according to God, the tax collector was justified. The tax collector left the temple with his sins forgiven.

How did we walk out of worship this past week?

IF YOU WANT TO BE JUSTIFIED

All of us who have received Christ as our Savior have been justified eternally because of our salvation. Jesus provided for every sin that day on the cross. But, sometimes our salvation gives us confidence apart from humility.

Our salvation means we are eternally justified, but we aren’t yet “purified.” We still need to pray to God like the tax collector, head bowed and humbled. We still sin. We are saved, but we aren’t perfected. We still need God’s grace, God’s forgiveness, and God’s cleansing in our lives.

Did you enter into worship last week knowing you desperately needed God’s grace—or proud that you have it?

That’s the difference between today’s Pharisees and tax collectors.

The humble person is justified and exalted by God. The person who thinks they are already “good enough” will be humbled.

AN EXALTED WITNESS

We can’t be a witness to others until we realize we aren’t any better than they are. We are still sinners because we are still breathing earth’s air. We are still tax collectors in need of God’s grace.

It might be easy to look around and be grateful that we don’t walk in some of the world’s sins. But, we aren’t justified until we acknowledge the sins we do commit—especially the “secret sins” we don’t think anyone else even knows about.

Our “justification” isn’t about the opinions of others. We are justified by God.

If you are speaking with a person caught up in sin, speak to them as someone who is caught up in your own sins. We are saved, but we are not yet purified.

Our witness will be exalted by God’s work in our lives, not our works. People need to understand that we aren’t perfected yet. They can bring their imperfections to God, just like we do. That is an exalted witness to the world because it is the humble truth of who we are before God.

GOD LOVES A HUMBLE HEART

James wrote, “Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10).

The prophet Micah wrote, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

If you want to please God and others today, seek humility before God and others. God has always loved a humble heart because that is the person he is able to exalt.

When we bow our heads before God today, let’s stop and consider our thoughts. We all have Pharisee potential. Let’s make sure that when we lift our heads, we leave our time of worship justified and therefore exalted by God.

He has told us “what is good.”

God loves a humble heart because it belongs to a person who walks with him.

Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash

Why don’t oil and water mix?

We were recently in Hawaii and revisited the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. To this day, oil seeps from the wreckage of the USS Arizona and floats on the water above. It is profoundly moving because so many American soldiers remain buried below.

It’s important to honor those who sacrificed their lives for this nation. We should. But, it’s even more important to honor the One who sacrificed himself for every human soul in the world.

I love my country, but I am called to worship the Lord.

A PARABLE FOR TODAY

I stood above the sunken USS Arizona, moved by the memorial message from the guide. I looked at the oil stains on the surface of the water and thought it was a parable for our Christian faith. Thirty or forty years ago, pastors were encouraged to make their churches more “seeker-friendly.” Churches changed their priorities by changing the music, the dress codes, and often the sermon topics.

Now, thirty years later, has the culture benefitted from those changes?

Did the changes make it easier for non-Christians to enter, or make it easier for Christians to leave unchanged?

Often, we try to mix faith with our culture. But oil and water naturally separate. The word holy literally means “to be separate, set apart.” Do your values seem increasingly different from the world’s? Good! Then you are likely obeying Christ’s command to be in the world but not of it.

Oil floats above the memorial, but, even after all of these years, it remains separate from the surrounding waters.

THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS

Our culture is good about lauding those who entertain us. I watched some of the Kennedy Center Honors on television. I only watched a small portion of the program. I like Garth Brooks, and I enjoyed watching those who honored him.

But, there was a LOT of the program I found distasteful. I can’t honor a lot of what is happening in our culture today. It seems like our culture is increasingly drawn to appreciate and accept thoughts and ideas the Bible rejects. But, I also have to remember what Jesus taught. Jesus said that if you love him, you will “feed my sheep” (John 21:17).

How do we honor the Lord’s sacrifice in a culture that labels our faith narrow-minded or prejudiced?

The answer: we feed his sheep.

OUR PRIORITY IS GOD’S PROMISE

I’ve not enjoyed June very much and it’s not because of all the rain. In fact, I’ve thought several times that the clouds are like God’s commentary on what our culture is honoring this month. I’m getting very tired of the little rainbow symbols that are attached to the different emails in my inbox. I just hit delete and move on.

For me, the rainbow will always be a symbol of God’s promise to redeem the world. I’m saddened it is now used as a symbol for perverse behaviors. I can’t encourage people to think a lifestyle the Bible calls “detestable” is acceptable. I don’t “hate” them as some might accuse. In fact, it’s the opposite. I truly want God’s best for them. I want their lives to have his eternal blessings.

All of us sin, and all of us try to explain, justify, or describe our sins as “normal.” But, we should be very careful not to “honor” sin or teach it as acceptable. Our sins cost God an unspeakable sacrifice: Jesus. If we say sin is “okay,” then we’ve just said, “Jesus didn’t really need to die.” I think most of the time we accept sin because we don’t care, not because we do.

I’ve heard people say things like, “It’s my life,” “I’m free to be who I want to be,” or “You can’t tell me what to believe.” And those people are right. It is their life; God gave it to them. They are free to make their choices because God created them with the freedom to choose. And, I shouldn’t force anyone to agree with my preferences; God has always made certain we could know his. And God’s preferences for our lives should be our highest priorities.

God didn’t leave us alone to make random, personal choices. He gave us guidance, answers, solutions, forgiveness, grace, and his “one and only Son” (John 3:16). Our priority isn’t to help people enjoy their earthly lives, living any way they choose. Our priority is to love God and honor his word, by walking in the truth. We are called to live with biblical priorities.

Jesus said, if you love him, “feed my sheep” (John 21:17). The question for today is this: What are we feeding those around us?

SPEAKING TRUTH IN LOVE

How do we honor the Lord’s sacrifice in a culture that increasingly ignores the Savior?

The answer is for God’s people to love others so much that we want them to live sanctified, eternal lives.

Love people enough to want their salvation.
Value their eternal lives more than their temporary lives on earth.
Teach God’s truth with love. We aren’t imposing our personal truth; we are offering God’s perfect truth.
Live with bold, compassionate confidence that Jesus is Lord.
Refuse to accept a sinful choice as a “personal preference.” People deserve to know how to be right with God and others. If necessary, love them enough to let them hate you. That is the sacrifice Christ made for each of us.

OIL AND LIVING WATER

Oil has been floating to the water above the USS Arizona for many years. If it was going to mix with the water, it would have by now. But, we know it never will. The stain serves as a strong reminder that people died in that place, sacrificing themselves for our country.

Let the “rainbow” messages in your inbox this month remind you that Christ died for everyone. Sin and faith don’t mix eternally and can’t mix now. Thankfully, the biblical meaning of the rainbow still holds. God provided redemption for sin. But, people need to choose their redemption in Christ. Our job is to teach them how.

OUR PRIORITIES ARE OUR CHOICES

Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, a woman living in sexual sin. He offered her the chance to drink from the living water and never thirst again. She was saved that day and changed. She chose to believe Christ, and she chose to go back to her home and live differently.

The Samaritan woman went back to her village and told others how to find Jesus. Scripture says, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word” (John 4:39–41).

Our Christian priority isn’t to accept sin; it is to help people separate from it. We can offer them a better way to live on earth and the promise of eternity. But knowing that is a priority isn’t the same thing as living with that priority.

Will we love people enough to let them hate us?

Will we care enough to offer them truth?

Everyone has choices.

Our priority is to be in the world but not of it.

Oil and water naturally separate. God made them to do just that.

Let the dogma live loudly in you

I watched a lot of the confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

Whatever a person might believe about the politics, it isn’t difficult to believe in the person. I often say that “the loudest sermon a person will ever preach is heard through his or her life.”

Last week during the confirmation hearings, the world witnessed the presence and power of Christ in a person’s life.

What I found most interesting was the fact that many people were concerned about her convictions rather than impressed by them. Amy Coney Barrett is unashamedly Christian, and people continuously said they found her convictions troubling.

If I were Judge Barrett, I would have been reminded often of Jesus’ words to his disciples: “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20).

You can be confident

The entire world knew that Judge Barrett would field a lot of questions because of her faith. No one was surprised when she was hammered with questions about abortion, same-sex marriage, and other hot-button issues.

I wonder when being a person of great faith became something people considered a weakness in our culture.

If you are like me, you tend to focus on the part of John 15:20 when Jesus said, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” Christians know that some persecution for our faith is to be expected. We like a little bit of trouble because it reassures us that we are walking in the example of Christ.

But, the statement that follows is equally important to our faith.

In fact, persecution might not have been the most significant point Jesus was making. Jesus told his disciples, “If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” That statement shouts and illustrates God’s plan for our lives.

We expect to be persecuted for our Christian witness because Jesus promised persecution. We have heard a lot of sermons about how to handle persecution in ways that honor Christ. But, do we also expect people to be saved and to keep God’s laws because of our witness?

Jesus said, “If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

Are we as confident in Jesus’ promise of a successful witness as we are of our promised persecution?

I hope Judge Barrett hears from a lot of people who tell her they were strengthened in their faith because they watched her faith at work during the hearings.

Our friendship with Christ

Sometimes we forget that Jesus called his disciples “friends.” Jesus told them, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). Judge Barrett has been in church her entire life and was raised in the faith. Jesus has been her friend for a long time.

I think Jesus sat at the table with his friend during her days of questioning. She just functioned with a strength that was more than her own. Judge Barrett drew comfort from the presence of her family behind her, but I think she drew strength from her friendship with Christ.

Are you more comfortable thinking of yourselves as a servant rather than a “friend” of Christ?

Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Jesus told his disciples: when you know what I would do and do it, you have befriended me.

I had a new thought with this familiar passage. Servants serve because it is their job and they are required to work at whatever the master might request. Consider the phone call from the boss who asks you to get something done for him. Now, compare those words to the phone call from a friend who says, “I need your help.”

Jesus has befriended us.

We are to serve Christ with the same attitude we would serve our best friends.

When is a perfect friendship with Christ possible?

I don’t imagine very many of us would be able to match the intellectual abilities of Judge Barrett. She is unequivocally brilliant.

On the other hand, any of us who have received the Holy Spirit of Christ have been filled with the exact same nature we saw displayed during those long days of questioning.

I wanted to write about that because I believe one of the greatest problems we have in the church today is that God’s people limit what the Lord can do in and through their lives.

You might not be able to match the judge’s intellect, but you do have the ability to be an excellent friend of Christ. Anything the Holy Spirit accomplishes through your life is perfection. The Holy Spirit isn’t able to be less than perfect—ever.

Have you limited your life to what you are capable of or do you accomplish what Jesus is able to do through you?

Does the dogma live loudly in you?

Senator Dianne Feinstein was quoted often this week. She was part of the Senate confirmation hearing when Judge Barrett was nominated for a position on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. At the hearing, Sen. Feinstein said, “I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you.”

Dogma is defined as “a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.” Judge Amy Coney Barrett believes that God’s word has authority in her life and that bothers a lot of people. Interestingly, all of the persecution she will endure for her beliefs will also lead people to consider the existence and authority of God.

I want that “dogma” to live loudly in me as well.

I carefully watched Senator Feinstein question Judge Barrett. They are very different women in their beliefs, but I can honestly say that I saw mutual respect. It will be interesting to see if Senator Feinstein votes her heart or her politics. I hopefully expect the first possibility from her.

“Integrity, dignity, and sound speech”

The apostle Paul told Titus, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us” (Titus 2:7–8). Paul called Titus, a Gentile convert of Christ, his “true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4).

How many people will discover faith in Christ because the “dogma” lives loudly in the life of Amy Coney Barrett?

How many will enter heaven because we allow the word of God to dwell abundantly and “loudly” in our lives?

Those words aren’t slanderous when they are true. The dogma lives loudly in a person who chooses friendship with Christ.

Embrace the friendship.

If we keep God’s word, if the dogma lives loudly in us, others will follow that word too.

Jesus promised.

P.S. Have you signed up for my bible study, Foundations of Faith, yet? It’s not too late, we just released lesson 6!

Visit https://www.janetdenisonbiblestudy.com/ to sign up for this study, if you’ve already signed up you can login and access the newest video too.