Reading through Ephesians 2 this week, this phrase caught my attention: “not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (2:9 ESV).

God made our relationship with Him, our salvation, rest on HIS work alone. We didn’t do anything except accept it. Like other places in the New Testament, we learn that our lives after salvation continue this concept.

Galatians 3:3 asks: “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” Anything good that I am involved in as a Christian is also set up in such a way that I cannot boast. Paul talks about how Christians compare or judge each other (1 Corinthians 4:6-7). He says he doesn’t want the believers in Corinth to “be puffed up in favor of one against another . . . What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”

This convicts me at this point in my life — as I search for something to validate who I’ve been all these years. What do I have to show for my life? I want to be proud of my accomplishments! I want to make a name for myself (though I don’t like to say it exactly like that!). This desire is not from God! Yet it colors how I spend my time, what my priorities are, and what I value.

Please, Lord, help me be satisfied in walking with You day by day. Let me leave my “praise” in Your hands, not seeking to please myself and others. Let me make You happy and bring honor to YOU. You alone are worthy. Forgive me for taking credit for Your doing. Forgive me for seeking approval and accolades from other sources than from You. Amen.

Some people search for God in nature. Others visit a shrine or temple or church building. Others look within themselves. But, according to God’s Word, when we accept Jesus, God’s only Son, as our Savior from sin, we become His child. He gives us His very own Spirit to live within us. Where is God? As a born again child of God, He lives within us! We don’t have to go someplace to find Him. He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

Having Jesus as my Savior is a wonderful truth that radically changed my life. But recently I realized that I also need my Savior every day! Yes, I need Him to make my relationship with God the Father whole again. I need His forgiveness and righteousness. But that’s not all I need! That’s not all He offers.

I need a Savior when I’m frustrated with someone. I need a Savior when I’m hot, sticky, and irritable. I need a Savior when my day looks overwhelming and not fun. I need a Savior to guard my heart from sin, temptation, and accepting the world’s solutions. I need a Savior to give me peace, moment-by-moment grace, hope, purpose, and mercy. I need His wisdom, direction, solutions, and power.

Why do I need Him? If I want to become more like Christ, I cannot live in the way that comes naturally to me. I must live super-naturally, according to His path and purposes. For His glory, not mine. To be holy, not necessarily happy.

Let’s look to Jesus as our Savior every day!

(idea credit: How People Change, by Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp)

Discipleship is such a broad topic. It involves a wide array of factors, methods, and studies. Yet, practically, I am learning little by little how to disciple others. A lot of it involves how I think about people, how I approach them, what I expect from our relationship. It’s not as simple as it might seem!

For instance, I’m learning that there’s a fine line between my responsibility to be involved in someone’s spiritual journey and that person’s own responsibility to follow Christ herself. I suppose it’s similar to Galatians 6 where it says we are to bear one another’s burdens, but each should bear his own load. As a disciple-maker, I need to be aware of the spiritual needs around me — not only the needs of those who are lost, but also of those anywhere on the journey to Christlikeness. I’ve noticed recently in my attempt at learning how to do this, that I’ve allowed myself to focus too much on the needs of people and have taken my eyes off Christ Himself. I grow frustrated or discouraged when the people I try to help, continue to make poor choices, don’t respond, or don’t change as quickly as I wish.

Norman has been my discipler for many years now. I’m so grateful for him as he talks me through my misunderstandings of what God expects and how to view ministry and discipling others. One thing we talked of this week is how we cannot change anyone. That is God’s work. It’s not my job to change anyone! God hasn’t given me that authority. He is in control of the spiritual growth of each Christian. He is perfectly capable of changing each one to become more like Jesus day by day. He invites me to be a tool He can use in some people’s lives, but I’m not the key figure in the scenario. Christ is the key! It’s rather freeing to realize this! I can’t mess up God’s work! No one can thwart what He’s doing! (Psalm 33:8-11)

I haven’t arrived yet as a disciple-maker, but I desire to be a useful tool in the hand of God.

Lord, keep my eyes on You as I reach out to others. I don’t have all the answers, but You ARE the answer to every question! Help me point others to You. You’ve reminded me lately how You are not only my Savior from sin, but You’re also my Savior every day. I need Your rescuing moment by moment in order to be free from the clutches of sin, selfishness, and worldly desires. Change me, please! In Jesus’ powerful name, Amen!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

More and more in today’s world, we hear these terms —  anxiety, stress, panic attacks, overwhelmed, pressure, tension, fear, struggling, nervous, uneasy, falling apart.

As a born-again believer, these words do not have to describe you. We have a free pass to unbelievable peace from God! Why would we ever entertain such health-breaking thoughts? Of course, we are fallen humans, prone to try to fix things on our own. We are also forgetful. We allow the voice of fear to penetrate our calm. Ever since Covid-19 hit, a flurry of panicked (and many times, fake) news articles, opinions, and voices have sought entrance into our minds and hearts, attacking our faith, our theology, and even our good sense.

One night, struggling to shut my brain down in order to sleep, I realized that my thoughts were unproductive and leading me toward the path of unrest and fear. These two verses from Philippians came to mind, and I focused on them phrase by phrase. Four wonderful, life-changing truths emerged from my meditation.

1.DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING

That’s a command! If God commands something, He expects that we obey it. That means it’s not impossible to tell yourself, “Quit thinking about this!” Consider what is causing you to feel anxious. Then view it in light of God being present and available to help you. Sometimes, pinpointing the cause of your anxiety can lead you to making a few, simple decisions to remove the entire cause of your fear. For instance, sometimes it’s a health concern that causes me worry. When I realize how much it is obviously bothering me, I can decide to go have it checked out at the doctor’s office. Once I do that and face whatever is wrong, that matter can no longer affect me the same way.

2. PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING

No matter what you’re facing, you CAN find things for which to be thankful! It’s amazing! However, if you don’t make a point of searching for those things, you can easily miss them. Being thankful puts your heart in a better position to view life the way God sees it. Are you having a difficulty in a relationship? How can you thank God for the other person? If nothing else, our trials cause us to turn to God. We can be grateful for that!

3. LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN TO GOD

Sounds simple, right? But I have noticed that when my mind is whirling with fear and angst, many times my prayers are just complaints or observations, not requests. When I am forced to voice an actual request, it helps me pin down the problem. It cuts out the mushy mumblings and moanings, and boils it down to this: What do I really want God to do in this situation? When God answers my requests (though not always as I envisioned!), I can understand that it was Him who did it. That’s one more cause to thank Him.

4. THE PEACE OF GOD IS AVAILABLE TO ME

When my heart is full of anxiety, concern, worry, and stress, it has no room for God’s peace. But it’s my choice! I can boot out these unwelcome thoughts and accept God’s counter-intuitive peace. How can a person have peace in the midst of upheaval? Is that possible? Why do we assume that bad news, a sudden death, or a huge change of plans require me to fall apart? If you know Jesus as your personal Savior, you can always turn immediately to Him for strength and peace. Christ in you shines so much more brilliantly when you have peace during a time of real difficulty.

Memorize these two verses from Philippians if you haven’t already. Then you can draw from them the next time life’s curveball hits you! Amidst all the turmoil of today’s fear and anxiety, you will stand out like the light Jesus wants you to be. You’ll be much happier, too! And a whole lot less stressed.

I don’t know about you, but hearing news of the United States presidential election can drag me down and fill me with despair. I see the sides people take, the unkind verbiage thrown back and forth, and the way the country I love seems to be heading in an ungodly way.

But several Bible passages have lifted me up recently.

First, I’ve been reading through the books of history in the Old Testament. Second Samuel 15 describes the time King David’s son Absalom decided he would be king. He craftily manipulated popular opinion, made broad promises about making people’s lives better, and cozied up to the crowd. He planned a huge celebration for his coronation, inviting crowds of people without telling them his intent. When David was told of this treasonous act, he simply ran the other way, weeping. He did pray and make some efforts to counteract Absalom’s administration, but it was God who put an end to Absalom’s reign. God directed through conflicting advice given to Absalom. In fact, He used a forest to defeat the enemy army!

From this account, I understand that God is fully capable of taking down any ruler that grabs the reins for himself. If God doesn’t want a person in power, He can and will remove him if that best serves His purposes. It reminds me of Proverbs 21:30-31: “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.”

Secondly, the Bible is clear that God uses even ungodly rulers to perform His purposes. Look at Pharaoh during the time of Moses. God also used the Assyrians and Chaldeans to discipline His chosen people. In Proverbs 21:1, we read, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” Not only can God remove the leader He doesn’t want, God can also use any and every leader to fulfill the purpose He has for them.

Even if I don’t look forward to certain leaders coming into power, I can rest assured that God has set limits for them. He will allow them to be in power as it suits His plan.

When I remember these two concepts, when I focus on the power of God, when I recognize that nothing is too difficult for our all-powerful God, my heart knows a sense of peace like nothing else can bring. Will the world continue to get worse? Yes. God has already promised us this. Will the USA continue to be a world power forever? Not sure. God hasn’t promised that!

But what can I do? I can pray for my leaders, I can pray for Christians to keep making disciples and sharing the gospel, and I can focus on what God is doing in the world – not demanding what I prefer to happen.

God is in control! Nothing slips past His notice. No one is outside of His control. He has a master plan, and I can trust that He knows what He’s doing!

        “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. . . . Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” – Psalm 33:8-11, 20-22)

Fall’s blessings — bountiful crops!

I came across Psalm 67:1-2 recently. It says:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your way may be made known on earth, your saving power among all nations.”

It’s basically saying, “May God bless me, so I can share His mercy, salvation, and goodness with all nations across the globe!”

I know I’ve been blessed! I grew up in a Christian family, with two loving parents, with the truth of the gospel available to me from early on; I lived in the USA, in this century, in a middle-class home. So many blessings!

But why? Why would God shower all of this on me? So many in the world don’t have all these things. As the verse reminds me, I am blessed to be able to bless others. To lead them to the same knowledge of God that I have is part of the responsibility and privilege that comes with the blessing.

Part of reaching out includes meeting new people. This week, my two daughters and I joined a community sign language class. We were surprised and thrilled to meet some relatives of one of our friends. Another lady used to live in our neighborhood and knows all our current neighbors. The teacher is the same age as Chloe! All in all, it was a positive experience. (Though it was a stretch for Melodie to have to introduce herself in Japanese!) We pray God opens a door with some of these new friends.

How has God blessed you? How will you use what you have to bless someone else?

I’ve recently discovered Psalm 36. It has become my new go-to passage when my attitude needs work! I find it easy to twist what is real about my situation, and make it seem so much worse. I entertain lies, really. For instance, even though I know people love me, I can feel unloved. What I allow to stay in my thoughts and mind is my choice.

Psalm 36 shows me a real picture of what I am, as well as a glimpse of what I could be. . .  what is available to me. This psalm reminds me who I am, deep down: I’m a sinful, wicked person, who doesn’t naturally fear God, who flatters herself and excuses her own sin; who causes trouble, stops acting wisely, stops doing good, plots up trouble, doesn’t reject evil, and sets myself up in a way that’s not good.

BUT . . . Jehovah God steadfastly loves me and is faithful to me in spite of all this! He is righteous, and He alone is the Judge of all. Salvation comes from Him. His love is precious! I can take refuge under the shadow of His wings, and feast on the ABUNDANCE of His house. He has the fountain of life! He is light . . . and He can help me see what’s right, real, and true. I need to be warned against arrogance and see where persisting in wickedness leads me — to a fall from which I cannot rise.

It’s up to me. Which will I choose?

I’m nearing the mid-century mark, and I still need someone to disciple me. We typically think of “being discipled” as an event in a new Christian’s life, but I’m beginning to realize that we all need it at every age!

I’ve rediscovered the wonderful letter to the Corinthians. Even just the first 6 chapters of 1 Corinthians have so much in it to chew on, digest, and live out in everyday life! Paul told the believers that they’d had “countless guides in Christ” but not many fathers (4:15). I understand that to mean that Paul “fathered” their faith — he was the one to lead them to a saving knowledge of Christ. But others had come along after that to guide them into greater knowledge and understanding, as well as increased obedience and personal application.

I’m here to say I am thankful for my husband’s discipling influence in my life. This past week, I was thinking deeply about my life, particularly in how I “do ministry” with my personality. It’s a spot where some could grow discouraged (when we compare ourselves to others), become apathetic, or even give up. But he pointed out some biblical truths to me in my specific situation and filled in the blanks I had been staring at. As he spoke to me, it felt like refreshing water filling all my thirsty spots. It was wonderful! He helped me make sense of my life, clarify my purpose, and refocus on what God expects from me in this stage of my life.

So, no matter how many birthdays we’ve had, I hope we can all find those people to speak truth to us in specific areas of our lives and ministry. On the flip side, we can BE that voice to those Christians around us, too. When someone asks why your kids are so well-behaved, it’s a chance to disciple. When a friend unloads her problem to you, is there something you could share from God’s Word that speaks to her need? To help her see reality more clearly?

As Norman likes to say in illustration, as disciplers, we are reaching forward toward Christlikeness ourselves, but at the same time, we’re reaching out to those alongside us or behind us and inviting them to grow right along with us. We should continue growing and learning until God takes us home to be with Him.

Join me on the journey to truly learn Christ!

You’ve probably read Psalm 23 many times. So have I. But when I read through it last week, something new stood out to me. Perhaps it’s because I’m copying the book of Psalms by hand into a notebook. The process of physically writing word for word forces me to slow down my intake of Scriptures.

Verse one caused me to stop and ponder afresh. I’ve heard it a million times:

“The Lord is my shepherd.”

But just now I didn’t type it exactly right. I never realized before that the word for “Lord” is in all caps, meaning it refers to God’s name Jehovah. With that in mind, we could say, “Jehovah is my shepherd.” Wow! Is that not amazing?!

Consider who Jehovah is. We’re talking about the God who created the universe with mere words. The King of kings who has existed for all eternity and has no end. This Lord of lords is omniscient, all-powerful, and all-knowing. Such a high, almighty, divine Person would stoop to be my shepherd?

What exactly does a shepherd do? He’s the provider for his sheep. He is their doctor. He protects them — from their poor choices, from enemies that would harm them, and from the forces of nature. He knows them by name. They recognize his voice. Sounds like John 10, doesn’t it? But it’s true. Jesus said He’s the Good Shepherd. Jehovah and Jesus are one (John 10:30).

Praise the Lord for how He protects, guides, provides, and cares for us. For me. Why would I ever doubt such a One to lead me faithfully through life? We can trust Him 100% with our health, our family members, and our lives. He is worthy of our love, our obedience, and our faithful devotion. Oh, that the lost sheep around me could come to know Him, too! May I be faithful to introduce them to my wonderful Shepherd.