Windows of the Soul

Evidence of God's Grace

tiny graces...
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When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith …(Acts 11:23,24a)

Stephen had been stoned to death and the young church was on the run. They scattered to Phoenicia, Cypress and Antioch. And in Antioch, in particular, believers began telling the Greeks about the good news of Jesus Christ. The news spread to the believers in Jerusalem and they sent their ambassador, Barnabas, to them. Barnabas was a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. He encouraged the church in their faithfulness in sharing the good news of the gospel to the Greeks. Many were being saved daily.

What strikes me is the way the Scriptures describe what Barnabas saw when he arrived. He saw the evidence of the grace of God.

So, what is that specifically? Well, for one, the gospel was being boldly preached to gentiles in a new land. They were believing the gospel message and were being saved. Out of hardship – being scattered in connection with the persecution of Stephen – the church was growing and thriving.

Grace. The new church was exercising love, kindness, and mercy to serve one another. The Greeks were accepting the gospel, they were finding favor with God. And Barnabas, too, was sharing God’s grace with the new church by encouraging them to remain true to their faith. In this way, Barnabas dignified the church and honored God.

Is there evidence of God’s grace in your life?

Lord, may we find ourselves true to you in every way. May our actions be faithful, and our words be seasoned with salt, sharing with others your light and love. Amen.

Doing Versus Being

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." (Matthew 19:16-17)

These verses struck me today, but especially verse 17. Jesus’ response caught my eye.  Why do you ask me about what is good? 

There is only One who is good.

What verses who. What is good would likely produce for us a laundry list of characteristics of what resembles righteousness. What is good may be doing particular things, having certain things, or qualities that fall in the goodness category.  However, the ONE who is good refers to God.  Per the verses above only God is good.  He embodies goodness.  He is the ONE who is good.  And good describes only ONE being, and that is God. 

The doing verses being struck me. We can do good things all day long, kind of like penance for sins. But our heart, while doing good things, may actually harbor evil. Things like greed, idolatry, sexual immorality, abuse, and more.  We can behave on the outside and hide a sin-filled heart on the inside.  But, we can keep up the cover for only so long. That’s because what is in the heart eventually spills over into the life….where it can be seen by everyone.  

The being is more about what is in our hearts. It’s the essence of who we are. We may see good actions as a result.  In fact, we most likely will.  But, the heart can only be measured by the Creator.  And Jesus maintains only God is good.  So being – the state of our hearts – if they belong to God, develop the quality of goodness …(or godliness)...the quality that belongs to God. 

So, if we obey God’s commandments, we will enter eternal life – per Jesus. There’s just one caveat. It is impossible to obey them perfectly.  Because as humans we have a problem with sin. 

The answer: Ask God into your heart to make you new. Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be made new in your being….and God (goodness) will begin to take over your life. 

Pretty Cool.

LORD, thank you that You are the ONE who is good. May your goodness be found in the essence of our being. Because You live in our hearts.   

Call Upon Him (God)

14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." (Psalm 50)

Today this just struck me. In the Old Testament times, the children of Israel sacrificed thank offerings to God. They took an animal, slaughtered it and placed it on an alter.  It was burnt, leaving a pleasing aroma to the LORD.  We don’t do this today – not in this way.  Yet the idea of sacrifice is also found in the New Testament.  In Romans 12:1, we are told: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.

So what is this? What is offering our bodies as a living sacrifice?  What is this spiritual act of worship?  The very next verse offers us the answer: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We renew our minds. We are not going with the flow of this world, but rather swimming upstream, allowing the Word of God to permeate our minds, hearts, souls – our very lives. When we are transformed in our thinking, we can discern God’s perfect and pleasing will.  And when we offer our lives to God, we are sacrificing and offering thank offerings to God – for what he has already done for us – in Christ. 

We are urged to fulfill our vows to the Most High. How do we do this? By communing with him and living a life pleasing to God.  We are admonished to call upon God when we have trouble – and Christ also warns us – we will have trouble in this world.  God promises to deliver us – and we will honor him. 

LORD, as we live our lives here on earth, may we please You by dwelling in Your Word. By allowing our minds, hearts, souls, and very lives to be transformed, this is our spiritual worship. LORD, then as you have promised, You will deliver us.  And we will honor you.   

Admonition

13Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 14Do everything in love. (I Corinthians 16)

 

 So, what's an admonition?  Well, according to the American Heritage dictionary it is a noun.  It means:

• Mild, kind, yet earnest reproof.
• Cautionary advice or warning.
• Counsel or advice; gentle reproof; instruction in duties; caution; direction.

Admonition can sting a little, yet help us immeasurably from taking the wrong path, attitude or action.  Scriptural or Biblical admonishment is different than what the world things of this word.  It's meant to help and not harm.  To encourage the right path. 

There was a time in my life when I did not want admonition - I wanted to find out myself, based on my own experiences and learning.  I take quite a different view these days.  I learned relatively quickly that I could learn a lot from others' warnings, advice and life experiences, rather rack up mistakes on my own. So, admonition is a good thing.  More like encouragement.  

In today's verses, Paul is talking via letter to the church at Corinth. His admonition, or encouragement, is still good for us today. Be on your guard – remember the devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  Stand firm in the faith.  This is where Satan will make us question – did God really say….?  Be courageous.  Even if you don’t feel courageous.  Be strong.  You have Christ in you.  You and God make a majority.  Yet still do all things in love.  As God has loved you.  Good admonition for the church then, and the church today.

A reminder…. Encouragement. Similar to the many encouragements both in the old and new testaments. And the reminder to do all things in love.   Why is this important?  Why then, why now? 

Simply because these are the areas where we find ourselves under attack. When we let our guard down. When we are not watchful.  When we doubt our faith.  And then we fear.  And feel weak.  And somehow get off track.  Yet if we remember these things, then the devil cannot make any inroads into our lives.  It is precisely in our faith, and in our feelings that we often fall under attack.  These are the places where Satan will find a crack in our armor. 

So, something to remember for today and every day. Be on guard. Be alert and watchful.  Know your surroundings.  Stand firm in what you believe regardless of what you see.  Hold on to your faith.  Be courageous.  God is with you.  Be strong.  You have God’s strength – He will fight for you.  And do all things in love.  As Christ did.  As Paul did.  As your Christian brothers and sisters do.  Keep on. 

LORD, may we remember these things. When we do these things nothing can stop us. And when we do these things, we are imitating and reflecting You to a watching world.  

Perspective

18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. (Acts 25)

The entire Jewish community wanted to see Paul dead. And they were willing to ambush him, which is why they pleaded with Felix to send Paul to Jerusalem. Paul, however, appealed to Caesar.  This put the authorities in a bind.  Here he was a prisoner, and as the above verses point out, the dispute was about their religion, and about a dead man named Jesus, who Paul claimed was alive. 

So, Felix had a visitor, King Agrippa. And King Agrippa was listening to Felix’s dilemma concerning what to do about Paul. King Agrippa decided he wanted to hear Paul.

Things from a strictly human perspective seemed to go from bad to worse for Paul. And he had done nothing wrong. But, if we step back and look at things from a godly point of view, the Jews looked really petty, and Paul is getting an audience with a king, and will get one with Caesar himself. 

So, what’s the take away? Maybe to take a step back and look. Take a moment and evaluate, or reevaluate, our circumstances according to how God views them. 

So many of the day-to-day things we are concerned about, are not the things God is concerned about. God does not seem to be moved by our inconveniences, by our sense of time and timing. He does not seem to be concerned about our comfort – creature comforts. 

God is primarily concerned about the heart. About our relationship with him. He is concerned that others come to know Christ.   He is concerned that we become not only seekers, but followers.  He is concerned that His Word accomplishes His purposes.

LORD, may we be obedient to your precepts.  May we be the people you have called us to be.  May we honor you with our lives, and be instruments of your love and peace.  Selah.

Purging Evil (Sin)

You must purge the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 22:21)

The LORD hovered over the camp of the children of Israel as they traveled through the desert those forty years. The law was given and presented to God’s people by Moses.

As we see from the verse above, there was an emphasis to purge the evil among them. It would defile them – make them unclean – and unfit for God’s holy presence. Evil was delineated in the law, and specific situations were given as examples.  Evil - was then and is still - the major factor in keeping us from God.  God cannot tolerate evil.  And it is our sin that separates us from God. 

So, routinely, the Israelites were told to purge the evil. It meant put it to death. Bury it.  Stone it.  Kill it.  Sometimes that meant the lives of those committing the sin.  Sometimes it meant the lives of those surrounding and threatening them.  The bottom line, however, was that the LORD did not want his people defiled.    Worshipping other gods.  And these were the practices of the pagan nations around God’s people. 

There were rules and regulations they were to live by – the Law. Sin they were to avoid. Things that were forbidden.  Situations that were intolerable.  Practices they were not to engage and indulge in.  It was that simple. 

Yet, every time we turn around, the children of Israel were giving themselves over to pagan practices, indulging in revelry, sinning against God, and worshipping idols. God would get angry, discipline his people, and they would return.

Aren’t we much the same? Think about your life. Think about modern day America.  That would be an affirmative. 

So, what are we to do about it? Well, the lesson for today is pretty straightforward: purge the evil among us. That means, in short, to examine your life in light of God’s Word, and decide if you are doing the right things or not.  There is a lot of junk this world offers, a lot of junk this world passes off as the real thing.  But it’s not. 

So, in a word, take stock. Look at yourself soberly. And determine where you are and where the path you are on is going.  If you are about to crash, you may want to examine your life, get on your knees, and make some changes. 

Before the train runs off the track. Before the ravages of sin control you with addiction. Before it’s too late. 

Purge the evil among you. Within you. Around you.  And seek God’ s forgiveness and His plan for your life.  After all, He came to seek and save that which is lost.  He’ll help you find your way back … to life. 

LORD, each one of us gets off track from time to time. May we take stock of our lives. May we find forgiveness and the way back to You. 

God's Purposes

8 “Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. (Isaiah 46:8-10b,11;8-11 in context)

But this is what the LORD says: “Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:25b; 25-26 in context)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (I Peter 5:5b-7 in context)

God’s Word is something we can depend on. The verses above stood out to me, at times in my life when I needed to hear these admonishments in order to hang on, hang in there.

I was reminded then, just as I am reminded now to keep God’s promises in mind, and to take to heart just Who God is. Who God is – well, He is actually bigger than any one of us can truly fathom. He is a bit of an enigma, but as we seek Him we begin to understand His awesomeness, His eternal qualities and His power and sovereignty: I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.

During difficult and trying times in our lives (and who, by the way doesn’t have at least a few areas of life that are not where we ‘d like them to be) we can count on God, His purposes and His plans. So, if there is an area of your life where you have sensed God has said one thing, but you do not see it yet, you can still count on God keeping His word: What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. To trust God in those moments, (even hours, days, weeks, months, even years) when we struggle with difficulties, heartache, trying circumstances, or even waiting for God, that is faith.  And it is precisely our faith that God is developing, along with Christlikeness in you (and me).  God has plans for each one of us, and in those plans, he also has specific purposes for us, and for those we come in contact with, for our development as Christ followers, and the specific things we are called to do. 

As we follow Christ, we will have those who oppose us. We are in the midst of a great spiritual battle. And, while this battle is ultimately taking place in the spiritual realm, we may experience difficulties in the physical realm as well.  God says, I will contend with those who contend with you. God has got your back.  He is your defender and your friend, as well as your God and Creator. 

In light of all this, know the promises of God. And, as you learn and grow in the Word, you may certainly remind God of the promises He has made - to each one of us. Then, as you fulfill your vows to God, know that He will also fulfill the promises in His Word to you.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Selah. 

Link-sis

Only connect.
Originally uploaded by only-connect

Connectedness. We all need it. Some even crave it. We feel approved, validated and supported when we are connected to others. Recently I had a long conversation with an acquaintance who was feeling rather boxed in. Trapped, if you will. Disconnected. Unappreciated. Alone. Even in the midst of others.

Sometimes all it takes is a listening ear, and a willingness to learn that we really aren’t so alone. That other like-minded individuals are much closer than we think. That others are going through similar circumstances. That others have been where we find ourselves. And then, we feel human again. Connected. That we matter. A part of something bigger than ourselves. And that we can identify with others who are part of this bigger picture we call life.

When we become part of the family of God, we become connected to others with similar beliefs, those who are now related to us through Christ. And Christ is the head of the church. Yet the church is not a building. It is the people belonging to God through a common faith in Jesus Christ. The church building is merely a space to gather. Together, as believers, we share a common faith, hope, love, scripture, and purpose.

We are better together than we are apart. Now admittedly we all need time alone, and every believer needs time alone with God. But together in fellowship, we can share our faith, experiences, worship, and encourage one another.

Someone once related it to me this way: the church is like many coals that keep a fire burning. Together they burn hotter, and keep the fire going. A single piece of coal singled out, will not keep the embers going and will soon fade out and grow cold.

So whether you have been missing out on regular worship or fellowship with other believers, or just haven’t figured out who in your every day world is like-minded; be encouraged and get connected with and to other believers. Together, we are the church (and I don’t mean a building or denomination), and we are part of something much bigger and better than we can imagine.

Brothers and Sisters: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25).

Brotherly Love

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. (Romans 12:10)

 

The other day I found this picture and the quote below from Fred Rogers on an internet site, Linked In.  It struck me, and inspired me and made me really stop and think.

“If only you could sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to people you may never even dream of.  There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” ~ Fred Rogers

Take a minute and read that again.  I stopped and thought about it, too.  My response to this article was that we rarely get those glimpses of how we are impacting others.  We oftentimes don’t know, because we don’t see the fruit of our labors in the immediate. I work in the field of education, so this is particularly true for teachers, counselors and administrators. 

About a year ago, I was at a conference and was in line to speak with the author of a book. I stepped out of line to get a copy for her signature, and unfortunately, they had just run out.  I decided to return to the line to chat with the author and let her know how much her speech had impacted me anyway – book or no book.  I mentioned this to the person in front of me in line.  Suddenly, the person in front of me gushed!  She recognized me from at least 15 years prior, when I was her high school counselor.  For the remainder of the conference we ate together, chatted and caught up.  And she continued to remind me of all the things I did for her that impacted her and made her the person she is today.  She is  a very successful business woman.

The take away – I got to see the impact I had on a teenager so many years ago; how important the things I said were to that person.  I had no idea. The interaction we had that day had a profound impact on me, offering me a glimpse of how important I was to her then and even now.

All this to say, I believe the scriptures and the quote from Fred Rogers underscores many facets of human interaction. Perspective is the first take away for me. Many times we don’t “see” the impact we are making on others in real time.  When we do catch these glimpses, it is important to note them.  Moreover, it is important to have faith that we are having an impact, because if we could “see” in real time the impact we are having, we would be amazed, humbled and even shocked.

This highlights my second take away, the fact that each and every human interaction is holy, in a way. The photo that I have posted with this blog, is so impactful because oftentimes it is hard to put into words what we sense, what we feel - or even the intangible, unreachable or inexpressible things that are evoked when we read and ponder these words. There is a little bit of God in each one of us, which I believe recognizes God in others. 

In addition, it’s so important to be fully present in each human interaction, and to do no harm to others. And more importantly, conveying brotherly love to both self and others – God’s love - in every interaction becomes key.  After all, as born again Christians we are Ambassadors for Christ in this world, are we not?

Finally, the above scripture and quote remind me how important we are to God. I believe it is God in us that recognizes this holiness, the importance of love being primary in every human contact. God would not be within us if we had not invited Him there.  And He is there because He first loved us.  He knocked on the door of our hearts, telling us how important we are to Him – who we are to Him - even before we were saved.  (Romans 5:8)

So pass it on. Move into human encounters in a way that recognizes, sees, believes and understands the sanctity and beauty in the other human being.  And do so with kindness and affection that conveys brotherly love. 

Love really does make the world go ‘round.  

In Favor

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)

Jesus was growing up as a boy, and we are told he grew not only in stature in the physical realm, but in wisdom. He also grew in favor with God and men. So, how can we do the same? How do we grow in wisdom, and favor with God and man?

Let’s look at how wisdom may be acquired. According to the internet, wisdom can only be acquired through experience, reflecting on that experience, learning as much as you can, analyzing your experiences and putting your knowledge to the test. This seems so much like a recipe that you really can’t measure.

What is wisdom, exactly? Merriam Webster says wisdom is experience, knowledge, and good judgment. According to the Psalms and Proverbs, wisdom comes from the Lord. It has to do with knowledge and understanding about what we do, and what others do; of God and having a godly perspective; it is something we can pray and ask God for in any and every circumstance of our lives.

So, what is favor? Favor is liking, showing approval, preference or kindness towards another. So, in this case, Jesus grew in wisdom and approval not only by God, but also man. Similar to wisdom we can pray for favor, and we can know that we are blessed and highly favored by the Lord.

I believe we grow in wisdom and favor by walking in relationship with God and by praying for wisdom and favor. I believe we can find limited wisdom on our own; but with God, He can reveal so much more to us through prayer and the Holy Spirit. As far as favor goes, we walk in favor and will find favor, again, by asking God for it.

Praying for wisdom and favor in any and every circumstance can and will make a big difference in your life and in everything you do. As you pray daily for wisdom and favor, you will see over and over how the God of the universe reveals Himself and His wisdom to you and grants you favor in your life and circumstances.  In no time, you will not want to go even a moment without His wisdom and favor in all things.

To grow in wisdom and favor, all we really need to do is ask, seek and knock. God will provide the answers. Selah.

Mission: Possible

For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

Read this verse again. And again, and again.

Do you believe it? I mean, do you really believe it?

It is true, there is nothing that God cannot do. He is the creator of our world, our universe, and nothing is to difficult for Him.  This is one of those verses, like so many others that you must believe by faith. I believe God has put some things in place that make it a little easier to believe that nothing is impossible with God.

First, nature itself points to an Eternal Maker with unending power, might, majesty and creativity. Just look at the world around you. The sky, sun, moon, stars, clouds, rivers, trees, rocks, the sea all point to a God of infinite proportions to have spoken all of these things into existence. The abundance of creativity in the animal world, on land and in sea and sky. They silently point us to a Creator God who has no limits.

Then look at people. The wonder of the human body, emotions, thought, birth, the cycle of life, and the spirit within. Our bodies, procreation, beauty, love, mental toughness, inspirational thoughts, birth, life, death; all point to a God in whose image we are made.

Finally look at your relationships. The power of love, friendship, goodness, kindness, the ability to change, grow, mature, and belong. All of these things are possible due to the love God bestows on each one of us.

I have often said, I don’t know how anyone can look at the majesty of the clouds, the vastness and beauty of the earth, sky, our galaxy, and not believe in God. It is simply incomprehensible to me.

The point of this verse, however, is not only to recognize God as Creator, but also as Sustainer. When we intentionally place our concerns, problems, difficulties, weakness, sin and injury before Him, God can make a way. We must believe that. And often times we are fortunate enough to see God work. When God does not fix our issues, we cannot blame Him, or think He is not up to the task. The answer is perhaps, “wait”, “no”, or “I have other plans for you.” He is our maker, and truthfully, knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. We are wise to follow His lead.

When we truly believe God’s ability, and know in every cell of our being that NOTHING is impossible for Him, we can not only live abundantly, as we are intended to do, but we can also relax, because God is in control. Take all your cares to Him, because He cares for you, and know in your heart, mind and spirit that nothing is impossible for God. Selah.