Month: August 2020

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”(Nehemiah 1:4 NIV) 

Grieve the circumstances, fast and pray to God.

Nehemiah worked for King Artaxerxes as his cupbearer.  He served the king his wine.  His crisis is the remnants of Israel and their predicament:

“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3 NIV)

His immediate response: grieving for his people, while fasting and praying to God.  Four verses in, we see the type of man Nehemiah was: a man of prayer.  Because He started with God, He gave Nehemiah direction.  The king gave him his blessing to go to Jerusalem and finish the wall. They worked with weapons in one hand, tools in the other.  Nehemiah’s journey was not easy, nor short, but it was victorious. 

Fasting and Prayer paves the way to victory.

Crises in life are a given.   We all have them, we all endure them.  We have a choice of how we travel through them: with God or without Him. Fasting and prayer invites God into the situation.  God’s involvement causes  miracles to happen.

My mother, in the last years of her life, battled pancreatic cancer.  At one point, early in the fight, I was at odds with my family about her care.  We weren’t speaking to each other, it wasn’t a good time for us. For ten days I fasted and prayed to God.  On the seventh day, I felt victory in my spirit.  I didn’t know what God had done, but I knew He had done something.  The thought that ran through my head, “I don’t have to fast and pray anymore.”  But then, just as quickly, I heard, “Do you want a partial victory or a full victory?”  Without a doubt, I had to finish what I had started.  I wanted the full victory.

Just like Nehemiah, the changes weren’t evident immediately.  God didn’t change my family with my fasting and prayer, He changed me.  God gave me opportunities to reconcile with my family.  He gave me direction, just like He did Nehemiah.  In time, we found peace, our relationships restored with each other as God worked in our lives.

Fasting is abstaining from food or anything that hinders your relationship with God. The purpose is to deepen your relationship with God.  When you’re hungry for what you’ve given up, it’s a reminder to pray and seek God.  Fasting is a powerful tool that invites God into your crisis.  When you do, He’ll give you direction in the midst of despair.

Fast and pray, God will answer.

Question of the Day:

Have you tried fasting and prayer as an answer to your crisis?

Further Reading: Nehemiah 1:1-3:14 NIV, 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 NIV, Psalm 31:19-24 NIV, Proverbs 21:4 NIV

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Cor. 6:12 NIV)

Whoever God has given you to do life with daily are the relationships that take the most work.  Words matter in relationships.  Not everything needs said, not everything needs done.

For me, the relationship that takes the most work is with my husband.  He is the one I live with daily.  Today is our 8th wedding anniversary.  I have grown more as a person since I married my husband than any other time.  Marriage has taught me life isn’t all about me.

Early in our marriage, we were getting ready for bed.  My husband was still in the bathroom, I was in bed writing in my journal.  As he pulls back the covers to crawl in bed, he jostles me.  Yes, the brat I am, said: “Can’t you see I’m writing?  You jostled the bed. Be more careful”  At that point, my husband broke my selfish bubble.  He looked at me and said these words:

“This is not the Beth show.  If I do everything you want it’s the Beth show.  That show ended.  It’s now the Ron and Beth show, we’re in this together.  I can’t get in bed without “jostling” it.”

Happy Anniversary Honey!  I love you more today than ever.

My husband uses words well.  He knows when to say something, when not too.  He also knows moderation.  He teaches me every day. Relationships require moderation.  In any relationship, we have the right to do or say anything, but that doesn’t mean we should.

When my husband reminded me the world didn’t revolve around me, he did it with the right words, at the right time.  We are responsible for the words we say, the things we do:

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” (Matthew 12:36 NIV)

We are all accountable to God.  In His grace and mercy, we learn moderation.  

Ron was right, the Beth show had ended.  Life wasn’t about me, it was about us.  The life God gave us when He brought us together.  God is the managing partner in our marriage. In Him we trust all things.  Every day He gives us is a blessing.  As we learn to trust Him more, moderation becomes a way of life for us.

Not everything needs said today.  Not everything needs done today.  Some things never need said or done.  Each day with God, we learn moderation.  As we follow His leading, we’ll know when to speak or do, when not too.

Live fully in moderation.

Question of the Day:

Are you living life in moderation?

Further Reading: Ezra 10 NIV,  1 Corinthians 6:1-20 NIV, Psalm 31:9-18 NIV, Proverbs 21:3 NIV

“Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” (1 Cor. 5:6 NIV)

You can inflate a situation with boasting, just as yeast raises bread.

“Yeast is a living microscopic single-cell organism that, as it grows, converts its food (through a process known as fermentation) into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This trait is what endears yeast to winemakers, brewmasters and bread bakers. … Baker’s yeast, as the name implies, is used as a leavener.”  Food Network

Yeast is small, round balls.  Baking bread requires very little yeast, yet it infects all of the dough.  As time goes by, the dough begins to rise.  My mother made yeast rolls.  The vision of the stainless steel bowl, covered with a dish towel meant warm rolls were in my future.  The yeast needs time to work itself through the dough, it doesn’t happen immediately.  The same thing happens when we boast about ourselves.

Boasting inflates the situation.

Boasting is “talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions, or abilities.”   We boast about everything: family and friends, sports, money, pets.  You name it, people boast about it.   Nothing is more irritating than listening to someone boast about someone or something that’s not worthy of praise. 

Boasting creates disunity.  When someone brags about something, it creates distance in the relationship.  Just like yeast causes bread to inflate, boasting inflates the space in the relationships.  Instead of drawing closer together, we do the opposite.  No one wants to listen to someone tell you how great they are, it only makes them focus on their faults.

“Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth–a stranger, not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2 NIV)

My mother always said, “If your kids are worth bragging about, someone else will do it.” If we’re worthy of praise, someone else will praise us.  My mother was strict.  She had high expectations of her children.  She set the bar and then helped us achieve it.  But she was not quick to brag about us.  She knew, pride goes before a fall (Prov. 16:18 NIV).

Boasting is verbal pride.   

Pride: Inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one’s own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.

No one likes a braggart.  When we boast, we’re the braggart.  We are overestimating our abilities.  We’re saying we’re better than others, which goes against Jesus words:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.’ (Phil. 2:3 NIV)

Boasting indicates we’ve taken our eyes off of Jesus.  He didn’t boast about anything but God.  When we keep the Son in our eyes, we keep pride out of our speech.

Question of the Day:

Have you boasted lately?

Further Reading: Ezra 8:21-9:15 NIV, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 NIV, Psalm 31:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 21:1-2 NIV

“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Cor. 4:4 NIV)

God gives us a clear conscience.

The reason God creates a clear conscience in us is because He’s objective. Just because you think you did the right thing, doesn’t mean you did.  What we judge as right, God may judge as wrong.    We are selfish beings.  Our own self-interest conflicts with making the best choice.  We attempt objectivity, but inevitably we fail.  We’re human.  Selfishness is part of the human condition.  God isn’t battling the human condition.  He created us.  He understands us.  He loves us. 

In front of our house are two parking spaces.  The asphalt has no name written on it.  I feel like the spot is “mine” because it’s in front of “my” house. When I come home and find someone parked in “my” spot, I get angry.  I justify my anger.  Whoever should know, that’s “my” spot.  The parking space is a heart issue with me.  God is using this situation to work out my self-righteousness.  I’m not objective about the situation, God is.

God is objective.

God reminds me each time, it’s not your personal parking space.  Whoever has done nothing wrong.  They don’t owe me anything.  The problem isn’t theirs, it’s mine.  I’m the one with the heart issue.  My conscience is not clear.  God’s presence in my life nudges me the moment my anger appears.  God’s reminder is simple: life doesn’t revolve around you, it revolves around Me.

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Eccl. 12:13 ESV)

God has a purpose for our lives.  We aren’t innocent, even if we can justify our actions. When my husband leaves dirty dishes in the sink AGAIN, my anger towards him feels justified.  But that doesn’t mean I’m right.  God has a different perspective.  Life isn’t about who is right or wrong.  Life is about loving God and others to the best of our ability.  Instead of resenting my husband for not doing the dishes immediately, I can use it as an opportunity to show love to him.  When I do his dishes for him, I’m showing him love.  Often, he doesn’t even notice I’ve done them, but God does.

“So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:4 NIV)

God knows whether our actions are selfish or not.  He is the one who judges our conscience.  When we follow His promptings, we’ll do the right thing.  We may think we’re right, but we’re not.  God is our objective judge whose promptings give us a clear conscience.

Question of the Day:

Has God given you a clear conscience?

Further Reading: Ezra 7:1-8:20 NIV, 1 Corinthians 4:1-21 NIV, Psalm 30:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 20:28-30 NIV

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.” (1 Cor. 3:10 NIV)

Strong foundation equals strong life.

When building a home, the first thing done is the foundation. A house can’t exist without a foundation.  If the foundation isn’t strong, the house won’t survive the storms of life.  A friend who owned a home in Florida experienced this reality.  After purchasing the home, she learned the house sat on a sinkhole.   Literally, the middle of her living room was falling into the earth.  She had few options of what she could do.  The cost to fix the house was extensive.  She ended up selling the house, losing money in the deal.

Building our lives requires a firm foundation. If we don’t know what our foundation is, we can’t apply it to the world. When we build our lives on Jesus, He is the rock.  His foundation does not move.  We know this because thousands of years later, His word still stands the test of time.  

Jesus is a firm foundation.

When I was younger, the only thing I cared about was my career.  Jesus was in the back seat of my life, possibly even the trunk.  Everything I did centered around one purpose: building my resume. Every decision was from this perspective.  My life was spent working long hours to add new titles to my list of jobs.  Each one a building block from the other one: Store Manager then Area Manager, then District Manager, then Merchandise Coordinator.  Each step was a building block on the path to success.

The only problem, I didn’t have a firm foundation.  When I started working for New York, I realized quickly, I was only a number on the page.  If my numbers didn’t perform, I no longer had a job.  All of the hard work could vanish in the span of a phone call.  Eventually, that is exactly what happened.  On a January afternoon, just before 5:00 p.m. I received a call informing me I no longer had a job.  Poof, just like that, a career ended.

With Jesus, nothing can shake your foundation. Because Jesus is my foundation, the phone call did not shake me. The truth found in His words helps us weather the storms of life.  When we put our hope in Jesus, we’re not putting our hope in the things of this world.

 “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.” (1 Peter 2:10 NIV)

Solid foundation in Jesus, solid life.

Question of the Day:

What is your foundation?

Further Reading: Ezra 4:24-6:22 NIV,  1 Corinthians 3:5-23 NIV, Psalm 29:1-11 NIV,  Proverbs 20:26-27 NIV

“A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.  How then can anyone understand their own way?” (Proverbs 20:24 NIV)

No one understands the way they are going in life.

We may have a plan.  We might have a general idea of where we’re heading, but none of us knows.  We don’t know because we’re not God.  God is sovereign:

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17 NIV)

Think about your day so far.  When you woke up this morning, you had a general idea of what you were going to do.  Have things gone 100% according to plan?  Or have some things happened you could never have predicted?  Those things are God’s sovereignty in your life.

God’s steps equal our steps.

God’s steps are those moments in our lives we didn’t predict.  On the way to work, you get stuck in traffic because of an accident; God step. You’re running late and a parking spot opens up right in front, God step.  An unexpected death of a loved one; God step.  The moment when new life forms in the womb; God step.

God steps in our lives every day.  Some times they are small steps, other times they are large steps.  Sometimes the steps are joyous, sometimes they are painful.  None of them are predictable.  All of them leave us with a choice.  We can either trust God and step with Him, or we can not.

If we choose not to step with God, we get stuck in the moment.  Instead of trusting God’s sovereignty in our lives, we struggle to find meaning in something that doesn’t make sense.  We assume the world is either plotting against us or for us, depending on whether the situation is good or bad.  We make everything about us and nothing about God.

When my nephew died, it was a huge God step in my life.  Did I trust God in my heartache or not?  My nephew sat in my car and gave his life to Jesus.  God imprinted that moment solidly in my mind.  Now years later, do I trust the prayer was real?  Do I trust God’s word that I will one day see my nephew again?  Or don’t I?

The truth is, we’re going to step forward in life.  One way or another, life doesn’t give us a choice.  But God does.  God gives us the option of stepping with Him or stepping without Him.  Every morning when we start our day, we choose again.

God’s steps equal our steps.  Each day He has new steps for us to follow.

Question of the Day:

What is a step God has taken in your life?

Further Reading: Ezra 3:1-4:23 NIV, 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 NIV, Psalm 28 NIV,  Proverbs 20:24-25 NIV

“Do not hide your face from me,  do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.  Do not reject me or forsake me,  God my Savior.” (Psalm 27:9 NIV)

David Kennedy is a pastor in Laurens, SC who fights life’s battles with prayer.  His remarkable story is told in the movie Burden.  In 1996, the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) opened a museum in town.  Reverend Kennedy formed a peaceful protest, fueled by prayer.  His example of putting God’s word into practice is one that will impact the rest of my life.

The movie centers around the life of Mike Burden, an orphan raised in the KKK.  He was Grand Dragon, a high ranking position in the organization, when Reverend Kennedy met him.  Burden helped open the museum.  His loyalty to the KKK earned him the deed to the building.

Reverend Kennedy fought the KKK with love:

“The weapons we use to fight fear, they are not brutality.  They are not wrath. They are not hate.  They are and will always be, love.”

Prayer is an act of love.

Reverend Kennedy started his battle with prayer.  He won his battle with prayer.  In one of the most pivotal moments in the movie, he prays.  All hope has been lost.  The KKK looks like they are winning the fight.  When his wife asks the reverend what he’s going to do, his answer was simple.  “I’m going to pray.”  God’s answer was one no one expected.

Burden had met a woman named Judy.  Her influence on his life caused him to leave the KKK.  When he left the organization, people closed their doors to him. He couldn’t get a job.  They ended up homeless, living on the street, begging for food.  When he asks the reverend for change to buy a meal, the pastor took the opportunity to love.  Not only did he buy them a meal, he took them into his home.  He gave them a place to stay until they could get back on their feet.  The reverend saw Burden’s request as an answer to prayer.  God gave him the opportunity to love.

Jesus tells us we are to love and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44 NIV).   God doesn’t answer the way we expect.  He answers with an opportunity to act.  If you pray for patience, God will give you an opportunity to practice patience.  In the case of Reverend Kennedy, he had the opportunity to practice love. He had prayed for the people in the KKK.  Now he had the opportunity to love one of them like Jesus. His answered prayer was the opportunity to love his enemy. Taking his cue from the Good Samaritan, he went above and beyond in his act of love.

Because Reverend Kennedy didn’t miss the opportunity to love, his church now owns the KKK museum.  The Echo Project is now a rehab for hate.  The church is currently raising money to turn the facility into a community and diversity center.  

Prayer is an act of love.  God answers with opportunities to love.  Don’t miss the opportunity.

Question of the Day:

Who can you love through prayer today?

Further Reading: Ezra 1-2 NIV,  1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 NIV,  Psalm 27:7-14 NIV,  Proverbs 20:22-23 NIV

“For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—” (1 Corinthians 1:5 NIV)

God has given you everything you need.  

When I was younger, I thought I needed more.  When a friend got a new toy, I wanted a new toy.  In sixth grade, all my friends seemed to get glasses.  Wouldn’t you know it, all of a sudden I couldn’t see.  When my Mom took me to the eye doctor, I remember her words.  “She doesn’t have a sight problem, she has a jealousy problem.  Everyone in her class is getting glasses.”  She wasn’t wrong.  I didn’t need glasses, I was sent home with exercises to “cure” my sight issues.

In today’s world, a common phrase describes what I was feeling: FOMO,  Fear Of Missing Out.

We all have experienced this in one way or another.  What we fear we’re missing out on is different, but we’ve all felt this way.  Social media has helped feed this fear.  We see someone on our Facebook feed at the beach, or the mountains, having a grand time, FOMO occurs.  Happy couples enjoying each other’s company can spark FOMO.  A group photo of friends having fun without you can cause FOMO.

Know God, No FOMO

Embracing God’s life fully means enjoying the moment.  When we place our trust in God completely, He guides our paths:

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

Where God guides, He provides.  He gives us everything we need to do what He wants us to do.  The problem isn’t God’s provision, it’s our vision.  What we focus our eyes on gets our attention.  If we’re consumed with Facebook and what others are doing, we’ll have FOMO.  But if we place our eyes on Jesus, we’ll live in the moment.  

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’…your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:31-34 ESV)

Live for today.  Enjoy the people God has placed in your lives.  Pray for the people in your life.  No one knows them like you do.  Pray specifically for God to intervene in their lives.  Watch what He does when you give Him control.  

Whether we realize it or not, we’ve all tried to run the world.  That job is not one we were ever meant to have.  God is in control.  Let Him take the lead in your life today. He knows what He is doing.

Question of the Day:

Are you experiencing FOMO in your life?

Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23 NIV, 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 NIV, Psalm 27:1-6 NIV, Proverbs 20:20-21 NIV

“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.” (Prov. 20:19 NIV)

Gossips aren’t trustworthy.

Unfortunately, we are all guilty of gossip at some time or another.  Webster defines gossip as: One who runs from house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler.  In other words, as soon as a gossip learns a bit of news, good or bad, they are quick to spread it around.  A major problem with gossip, it’s usually not true.  

When I was in elementary school, I remember learning this lesson.  The teacher lined us up.  She whispered something in the ear of the first person, who then told the next, and so on. When the message reached the last person, it had changed completely.  What the teacher said and what the last person heard weren’t the same.   The reasons why this happens are many.  Someone didn’t hear correctly.  Or maybe someone didn’t listen at all and made something up.  Listening is a skill that develops over a lifetime.  We all “hear” what we want to “hear” at times, even though it’s not what is actually said.  Whatever the reason, truth and lies are entangled when we gossip.

God isn’t a gossip.

God’s word is truth.  His promises stand the test of time.  He doesn’t tell lies about people.  He doesn’t talk about them behind their back.  When you tell Him a secret, He keeps it. God isn’t waiting on His throne for a juicy morsel of news He can pass onto the angels.  As soon as He hears a prayer request, He’s not turning to archangel Michael and whispering: “Hey Mike, did you hear what Beth just prayed?”  God doesn’t betray our confidence.  God is completely trustworthy.

In the last decade, I’ve started telling God things in prayer that no one else knows.  My life has been hurt by gossip more times than I’d like to recall.  Trusting people is difficult for me.  The older I get, the less people I trust.  Everyone has their own agenda, with their own self interests.  Everyone but God, His interest is you.  He wants what is best for you in all situations.  When you pour your heart out to Him, He listens.  He understands. He knows what to do.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.” (Psalm 118:8 NIV)

Gossip is hurtful.  Whether you’re gossip’s topic or the one spreading it, the ending is never good.  Someone always gets hurt.  Whatever the story, it’s a mixture of truth and lies.  Discerning what is true is difficult. A rule of thumb I follow:  if I can’t say it to their face, I shouldn’t say it behind their back.  

With God, I let my guard down completely and tell Him everything.  I know, He won’t gossip about it.

Question of the Day: 

How has gossip affected your life?

Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 33-34 NIV,  Romans 16:10-27 NIV, Psalm 26:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 20:19 NIV

“Plans are established by seeking advice;  so if you wage war, obtain guidance.” (Proverbs 20:18 NIV)

Ask for advice.  

The best decisions are made when you ask for advice.  In today’s world, the internet connects us in ways we’ve never experienced.  We can seek advice from experts without ever leaving our home.  Sometimes, the ones with the best advice are not who you think.  

Recently I purchased an action camera for my tennis classes. First I asked the highschool students in the class, “Which camera should I buy?”  They immediately had a recommendation.  Kids know more about technology than most adults.  Their advice was good.  After researching their suggestions, I sought more advice for my final decision.  Watching YouTube videos of people who actually used my final choices helped.  As a result of seeking advice, I bought a great camera at a fraction of the cost because the next generation is about to emerge.

A good decision made by seeking advice from the people who know.

Consider the source.

When asking for advice, consider the source.  Who you go to for advice is as important as the advice you receive.  When I was single, I learned quickly, my single friends didn’t necessarily give the best advice for the type of relationship I hoped to find.  My married friends gave much better advice.  My desire was marriage, single women who have never been married don’t know what marriage is like.

Don’t ask a mechanic how to do heart surgery.  Don’t ask a heart surgeon how to fix a car.  Go to the right person to receive the right answer.  God always has the right answer:

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21 NIV)

God is always the best source for advice.  When we are making a decision, start with God.  Ask Him, “Which way should I go?”  He’ll tell you, either right or left.  He’ll nudge you in the right direction, towards the right person, who can help you make a good decision.

I have a personal “Board of Directors” in my life.  Friends I’ve met along this journey.  Some I’ve known a lifetime.  When I’m seeking advice, they are where I start.  The depth of our relationships results in a trust that only comes from time.  We’ve travelled the dusty road of life long enough to know, we have each other’s back.  Often, I don’t hear what I want to hear.  But I know whatever “it” is, I need to hear it.

Start with God.  Build a network of friends you can trust.  Seek advice, you’ll know the right decision to make.

Question of the Day:

What kind of advice do you need today?

Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 32-33 NIV, Romans 15:23-16:9 NIV, Psalm 25:16-22 NIV, Proverbs 20:16-18 NIV