Month: October 2020

Read time: 4 minutes

“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” (Proverbs 25:28 NIV)

God’s Spirit gives self-control.

 Defining self control, it is the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.  Examples of self-control: not saying what you’re really thinking, not eating the third piece of cake, not buying things you can’t afford.  Jesus gave us help for all of these:

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV)

God’s Spirit is power.

We lack self-control because we don’t seek God’s help.  Jesus knew we couldn’t do life without Him, which is why He sent a helper:

“I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me.” (John 15:26 NIV)

God’s Spirit reveals His truth to us as we seek Him.  Power is given to us to overcome the temptations of the world:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV)

Margin helps you avoid temptation.  When you create space in your life to keep you from doing something you don’t want to do, I call it margin.  For instance, when I was single, trying not to succumb to premarital sex, I made a practice to date publicly.  I didn’t place myself in compromising positions, like a hotel room with a man alone.  When I was getting to know someone, I did it in group settings with friends.  I trusted their opinion, not my feelings. The consensus on my husband was unanimous.

Now that we’re married, my husband and I protect our relationship.  We don’t spend time with someone of the opposit sex alone.  For instance, we met playing on a mixed doubles tennis team, guy and girl partners.  We have friends who played with a partner, not their spouse, regularly.  They ended up leaving their spouse for their tennis partner because of the relationship that developed.  Things they should reserve for their spouse, they talked about with someone outside the marriage, resulting in divorces.  Therefore, hubby and I don’t play mixed doubles with regular partners.  We protect our marriage by creating margin.

Whatever area you are struggling with self-control, spend time asking God to give you strength to resist.  Create a way out of the situation by making margin in your life.

Question of the Day:

Where do you need God’s Spirit to give you self-control today?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 37-38 NIV, 1 Timothy 6 NIV, Psalm 89:38-52 NIV, Proverbs 25:28 NIV

Read time: 4 minutes

“Like cold water to a weary soul  is good news from a distant land.” (Prov. 25:25 NIV)

Good news brings life to the soul.

The healthy birth of a long-awaited child, the announcement the cancer is in remission, or that the job you’ve always wanted is now yours, all good news.  Think of a moment when you heard good news like one of these, what did it do for you?

I remember where I was for the birth of all of my nieces and nephews.  In New York when my niece was born, I couldn’t wait to get home.  When my nephews were born, I was only minutes away from the hospital both times.  Each of their entries into the world highly anticipated, breathing new life into our family, literally.

Good news keeps you going.

In golf, we have a saying when we hit a good shot; “That will keep you coming back.”  As easy as the game may seem, hitting a small white ball with a long metal shaft is hard.  Even though the ball doesn’t move, our heads do.  Not keeping our eye on the ball, one of the many reasons golf is a frustrating game.  If you’re watching pros on tour, understand, they’ve hit an astronomical number of golf balls to reach that level of play.  So when you hit that one shot, just right, it keeps you coming back to the game.  If we never hit a good shot, we’d stop playing.

Life is the same; bad news is constant.  I learned of a Mom and a 5-year-old who were hit by a semi-truck, killing the child.  Mom was talking to Dad on the phone when the accident happened, he heard the scream, and then the phone went silent.  He’s who called 911.  Starting my day off with this tragic news, even though I didn’t know them, was challenging.  Unfortunately, in ministry, we hear more sad stories than happy ones.  Why?  Because people come to God when broken.  When life is good, God gets forgotten.

Good news keeps us coming back to the game of life.

Amid this tragedy, God’s people are His hands and feet for the family, supporting them through the dark days. The miracle of the mom’s survival is good news that spurs on the rest of the family.  The heartache of loss will never go away, but the hope of Jesus promises they will one day reunite.  Sometimes good news is hard to find, but it’s there.

Jesus is the good news we all need.  He is what paves the way for us to reunite with our loved ones in eternity.  Our days on earth are short, but our lives in eternity are infinite.  

Seek Jesus.  Let His good news breathe life into your dark days.

Question of the Day:

What good news has spurred you on lately?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32 NIV, 1 Timothy 5 NIV, Psalm 89:14-37 NIV, Proverbs 25:25-27 NIV

Read time: 4 minutes

“Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.” (Proverbs 25:23 NIV)

A sly tongue provokes a horrified look.

Our tongues have power.   One of Satan’s accomplishments is convincing people words don’t have meaning.  We use words carelessly. What you say affects the people around you.  Just because you don’t realize something doesn’t mean it’s not true.   Words my mother told me long ago still run through my mind.  Because she was my mother, I took her words to heart.  Harmless criticisms become lifelong battles as I decipher what she “really” meant.

Sly words have evil intent.

Webster’s defines sly as: artfully dextrous in performing things secretly…escaping observation or detection; usually implying some degree of meanness; artfully cunning.  In other words, they’re up to something, whatever it is, it ain’t right.  Part of the problem is how difficult detecting slyness is.  Sometimes, people are so artfully cunning; it’s hard to recognize.  Those are the ones who scare me the most.  Paul warns us about sly people.

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV) 

Deceptive people try to lead you away from the truth of Jesus.  

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve fallen for a scam, I could fix the current coin shortage in our country.  Case in point, when my husband and I were first married, a vacuum salesman came to our house.  The $3200 product he brought was incredible.  Only because of my husband, we didn’t buy it.  I was hook, line, and sinker willing to do whatever I had to do to get that vacuum.  My husband was wiser.  For the first time, I had to submit to him, not easy for an independent woman who always got what she wanted. But I did fall a little more in love with him as he quietly stood his ground.  I learned a lot of lessons that night; one was about deception.

Even in that evening long ago, Jesus’ truth is what prevailed.  The only reason I didn’t buy the vacuum anyway is because of this verse:

“Wives, submit to your husbands as you do the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22 NIV)

The truth I knew that evening, I was to submit, which exposed the cunning.  Husbands are to love their wives like Jesus (Eph. 5:25 NIV).  My husband loves me better than anyone in my life ever has.  He is easy for me to submit too.  In the years since then, I’ve learned, he protects me from sly words.

Jesus is truth.  In Him, sly words aren’t horrifying, just exposed.

Question of the Day:

Who uses sly words in your life?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 33-34 NIV, 1 Timothy 4:1-16 NIV, Psalm 89 NIV, Proverbs 25:23-24 NIV

Read time: 4 minutes

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;  if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,  and the Lord will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22 NIV)

If you want God to reward you, feed your enemies.

When someone hurts me, the last thing I want to do is feed them.  In fact, I prefer never to have to see my enemies again.  However, that isn’t what God wants.  When faced with evil, He wants us to give back good, replacing meanness with kindness, hate with love.  In no way can any of us accomplish this task without His divine intervention.  When we partner with God to deal with hurt feelings, we receive His reward.

Have you noticed, the ones who hurt you the most are the ones you love the most?  The reason is simple if you didn’t care, you wouldn’t get hurt. People take each other for granted the longer they are in each other’s lives.  Our enemies aren’t necessarily people, but complacency and neglect.  People assume you’re always available for them without making any effort in the relationship.  These “enemies” are the most difficult to love because the pain is deep, the history long.

God provides the food.

We can’t love people who hurt us without God’s provision.  When injured, the healing process starts by acknowledging your feelings.  Scream to God, give Him the pain, cry out in your torment, release it to Him.  Identify the emotions you are feeling, take time to understand them.  Ask God to reveal to you the truth of the situation, exposing lies you’ve believed.  Then allow God to renew your heart and mind as His Spirit renews within you.  Wait for His prompting; He’ll show you how to respond in love instead of hate.

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” (Matthew 5:46 NIV)

God’s rewards aren’t monetary:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

As we work to love our enemies, God’s fruit blossoms in our lives, taking our pain and turning it into a beautiful bouquet of love.  When God’s Spirit fills our lives, grace and mercy overflow from our hearts.  Instead of focusing on the pain we suffer, we recognize others suffering. 

People cause harm when they are hurting themselves.  Often, the pain inflicted is unintentional, a result of not dealing with their issues.  In cases like this one, prayer is the best way to respond.  Words and actions won’t help, only God.  Loving your enemies doesn’t mean allowing them to walk all over you.  Instead, let God show you the best way to love them.

Question of the Day:

What enemy do you need to love today?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44 NIV, 1 Timothy 3:1-16 NIV, Psalm 88 NIV, Proverbs 25:20-22 NIV

Read time: 4 minutes

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— “ (1 Timothy 2:1 NIV)

We are to pray for everyone.  Friends, family, co-workers, mere acquaintances, if they are human and in your life, you’re to pray for them.  The reason:

“that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:2 NIV)

With each year that passes, I appreciate a quiet life more and more.  When I was younger, I liked the turmoil that came with a fast-paced career and the energy to maintain it.  Now, a few years older, my capacity for drama is less.  Quiet evenings at home are preferable to wild nights on the town.  Each morning I have the capability of getting out of bed, making myself a cup of coffee, and enjoying the company of my husband is a blessing. 

Peace comes from prayer.

When we pray for the people in our lives, we gain a different perspective.  Settling our minds on God as we lift individuals up to Him helps us control our emotions.  We allow our Creator to reveal His truth to us.  In every relationship, we’re part of the problem.  As we lift our relational issues to God, He often reveals our responsibility in the conflict.  Working through the problem leads us to peace.

For me, allowing people to deal with life the way they want is challenging. When I said this to my husband, he said, “In other words, control people.”  He’s right, we can’t control people.  We have to let them live their lives the way they want too.  Maybe they want us as part of their lives, maybe they don’t.  We have no control over such things.  But we can love them when we have them.  And the best way to start is with prayer.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2 NIV)

If you don’t know what to pray for people, lift up what you know.  Whatever problem they are facing, pray about it.  Ask God to show you how you can love them in this situation.  Sometimes He will prompt you to do something, other times, He won’t.  He’ll help you identifiy your emotions, which helps gain a clear perspective.  Praying allows our view to change as we let God’s presence into it.

Talking to God about the people in your life will bring peace that surpasses all understanding:

“Do not be anxious… in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God… the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV)

Spend today praying for the people in your life.  See what God does.

Question of the Day:

Who needs prayer in your life today?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26 NIV, 1 Timothy 2:1-15 NIV, Psalm 87 NIV, Proverbs 25:18-19 NIV

WHAT DOES PURE HEART, GOOD CONSCIENCE, AND SINCERE FAITH GET YOU?

Read time: 4 minutes

“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5 NIV)

Love is the answer.  If we are to love, we must maintain three things: heart, conscience, and faith.  Only with God’s help will we find success.

Giving up control of our lives to God is a daily exercise.  Each day we must seek Him, allowing Him to search our hearts for iniquities.  In other words, the wickedness inside all of us.  When God’s light falls upon it, revealing it to us, our hearts become pure.   We clear our conscience as we confess our sin to Him, having faith He forgives us.

Life is demanding.  None of us know what the day ahead will bring.  Moments happen and change our lives forever.  COVID is one we all experienced.  One week, routine, the next week, we’re quarantined in our homes, everything closed.  The reality of the last several months is becoming a reality for all of us.  Clinging to God during difficult times is challenging.  But if we are to love, to Him we must look.

God’s love provides the way.

God sent Jesus to provide a way for us to love.  Because of His actions on the cross, God forgives our sins.  Jesus paid the price for us.  Believing in the resurrection requires faith in what God says is true.  When Jesus asked God to forgive us, minutes before taking His last breath, we must believe God did.  We can allow Him to reveal our iniquities to us because we know He’s already forgiven us.  As the knowledge of God’s love fills our hearts, we can’t help but share it with others.

Paul shows us how we can find the strength to let God penetrate our hearts:

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.  The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 1:12-14 NIV)

Just as Paul relied on Jesus for his strength, we can do the same.  Lean into Jesus’s example for us on how to cleanse our hearts and clear our conscience.  Lay our burdens at the foot of the Cross.  The price of sin paid, we live in the truth of the resurrection—God’s love is for all who accept it.  When we do, we give God access to our hearts.

In His love, He will purify our hearts, cleanse our conscious, and build our faith as we seek Him daily.

Question of the Day:

Have you allowed God access to your heart?

Further Reading:Jeremiah 28-29 NIV,  1 Timothy 1 NIV, Psalm 86 NIV,  Proverbs 25:17 NIV

“We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11 NIV)

Busybodies aren’t busy; they’re idle and disruptive.

My mom always used to say, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”  She wasn’t lying. The root word for “busybody” is periergos.  According to Vine’s Greek New Testament Dictionary: “some who are not busied in their own business, but are over busied in that of others.”  Focusing on other people’s lives means busybodies don’t have to focus on the truth of their own lives.  

Taking a meal to someone going through a difficult time is different from popping over with juicy gossip to stir up trouble.  Busybodies aren’t doing anything productive.  Instead, mayhem follows after them, simply because they create it. 

Busybodies requires boundaries.

Identifying who the busybodies are in your life protects you from their manipulations.  God help you if its a neighbor.  When we were first married, I had a busybody neighbor.  They start subtle, just a friendly, “Hello.”  Next thing you know, they think they live in your house.  Learning to set boundaries in that relationship was educational for me.  We are still good neighbors, but the limit is clear of what is “too much.”

Identifying the line in the sand is what boundary setting is.  As I’ve worked with people in different capacities, all different ages, everyone wants to know the limit.  When we started our fall tennis classes this year, the date coincided with the first day of school.  Every kid who came was wound up, ready to test limits.   Once they know what they are, the rest of the classes go well.  Establishing boundaries smooths the journey.

Jesus set boundaries.  He withdrew from crowds when He needed time with God:

“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16 NIV)

We need to know who the busybodies are in our lives so we can set the appropriate boundaries.  And we have to understand; sometimes we’re the busybodies.  Instead of focusing on the things in our own life that need work, we focus on other people’s faults.   Developing a relationship with God will help keep your focus on the right things.  No one’s marriage is more important than yours.  No one else’s family is more important than yours.  Prioritize your relationships to guard against becoming a busybody.

One common way people prioritize a Christ-follower’s relationships is with JOY:  Jesus, Others, You.   Husband, family, friends are how I prioritize “Others.” Not every relationship is the same; prioritizing helps keep perspective.

Don’t let people’s idleness and disruption distract you from your priorities.

Question of the Day:

What busybody do you need to set boundaries for today?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 26:1-27 NIV, 2 Thessalonians 3 NIV,  Psalm 85 NIV,  Proverbs 25:16 NIV

“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NIV) 

Everyone lies.  

In the middle of a Presidential election, deception is rampant.  Each candidate has stretched the truth more than once.  People cannot have conversations with each other if they disagree on the candidate of choice.  How is truth found?  Only Jesus reveals the truth to us in His time. If we want to see who is deceiving us in our lives, we must seek Jesus.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 NIV)

The person who deceives us the most is ourselves.  Self-deception is the hardest to identify.  God reveals the lies I believe, as I study and apply His word to my life.  Lately, I’ve recognized the deceit I’ve told myself for decades as His word penetrates my heart.  Digging deep takes effort and intentionality.  We have to want to know the truth to find the truth.

Finding the truth takes work.

The first step in finding the truth is placing your trust in Jesus.  Secondly, we have to allow God to search our hearts and lives, accepting what He brings to light:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV)

God gently reveals the truth.  For me, when I see something I’ve never seen in myself before, it’s an “Aha” moment.  For instance, Zoom has given me new insight into myself.  When having a video conference, I am more aware of my facial expressions than ever.  Up until now, I’ve never seen what I look like in conversation.  Now I do.  Through technology, God revealed truth to me I did not know.  My understanding of how people see me is more precise, which helps me communicate better.

Some people prefer living in a lie than dealing with the truth.  Recently, a woman in an abusive marriage sent me a picture.  When I saw the reality of the situation, I did the best I could to communicate in love;  they needed professional help.  She didn’t receive the response well and has cut off all communication with me.  My heart aches for her, but we can’t force people to face truths they don’t want to see.  However, I planted seeds of truth in her heart; God will take care of the rest as I continue to water them in prayer.

Deceivers don’t fool God; in Him, we find truth.

Question of the Day:

Have you asked God to reveal the lies in your life?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 23:21-25:38 NIV, 2 Thessalonians 2 NIV, Psalm 84 NIV,

Proverbs 25:15 NIV

“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 NIV)

God brings justice to all.

Amid a Presidential election, pandemic, and overall world crisis, truth is hard to find.  Watching the craziness of political candidates push forward their plan is not easy.  But we can rest well, knowing God is in charge.  Wrapping our minds around God’s sovereignty in a world of chaos brings sanity.  If we want truth and justice, we must seek Him in all things.

People don’t tell the whole story.  Typically, the part told is the one that makes them look best.  However, God doesn’t do half-truths.  His justice isn’t partial; it is full. We all fall under God’s scrutiny. He brings justice and hope to everyone.  No matter what position we hold, none of us escapes the watchful eye of God.

God’s justice applies to all.

One of our dear friends is a lawyer.  We were talking about life in the legal profession.  He told us a story about his mentor. When meeting with a new client, he asked the same question:  “How are they goin’ to lie on ya?”  Whatever that part of the story was, he knew it was closer to the whole truth. That technique is how he decided whether or not to take the case.  With a broader picture, we make better decisions.  God has the most comprehensive view of all.  God chooses who needs justice and who needs hope. He also decides when.

Nothing God does is ever on our timetable. Nor how we think.  Understanding God’s sovereignty means not having all of the answers.  Why some people appear to get justice, and others don’t is not an easy question.  Accepting the answer may not come this side of heaven is challenging.  Why do innocent people spend years in prison for crimes they didn’t commit?  Why is the sex slave trade so rampant in our world?  Where is the justice in people dying from an unseen virus?  I have no answers to these questions; only God does.

He brings justice and hope with Jesus.  When He climbed on the cross for our sins, justice happened.  All sins paid, once and for all.  When He rose again on the third day, He brought hope.  He gave us eternal life, so we know, this world isn’t all there is.  We have eternity to ask God the questions we can’t answer now.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29 NIV)

God brings justice and hope to all through Jesus.  His timing is never late.

Question of the Day:

What do you want from God today, justice, or hope?

Further Reading:Jeremiah 22:1-23:20 NIV, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 NIV, Psalm 83 NIV, Proverbs 25:11-14 NIV

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8 NIV)

Put faith, love, and hope on every day.

You already wear faith, whether you believe in God or not.  You have faith the sun will rise, the rain will fall, and the earth will rotate.  Scientists know the mechanics of each of those things, but they don’t control them.  Every breath you take is one of faith, believing air exists, allowing for you to live.  Faith is a part of everyone’s life, even if they don’t know it.

Love, however, is something we must work at each day. We have to choose to love, not hate.  Finding fault with people is easy; finding things to love, sometimes more challenging.  Putting on love means remembering what Jesus did for you.  Whoever is in your life that gets on your last nerve, remind yourself, Jesus died for them.  That thought helps us put on love every day.

Hope comes from faith and love.  As we have faith that God is working, obeying His commands to love, hope grows.  Each step taken, filling our hearts with anticipation of God’s good work in our lives, whether here on earth or in His Kingdom above. 

Primp with prayer.

Putting on the beautiful attire of faith, love, and hope starts best with prayer.  Just as we have routines for getting physically dressed, we can have one for our spiritual attire.  Primping with prayer doesn’t require a lot of time.  A simple, “God, renew Your Spirit within me,” packs a powerful punch.   Think of the simple mantra as dressing from within.  God’s spirit overflows from inside of us to the outside world.  Faith, love, and hope become standard attire.

In this time of COVID, my prayer for humanity is that people will seek Jesus in their time of distress.  When life knocks us flat on our back, it forces us to look up to heaven.   Focusing our eyes on things not of this world will give us the strength to stand:

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (Psalm 40:2 NIV)

Life comes in waves sometimes.  Things we never thought happen, changing our lives forever.  When my nephew died, that was one of those moments for me.  Life knocked me down; I didn’t have the strength to get up.  God picked me up in my darkest hour and put me back on solid ground.  He does the same thing for me every day.  He’ll do the same for you.

Primp with prayer.  Ask God to renew His Spirit within you.  Make faith, love, and hope standard attire in your life.

Question of the Day:

How can you make primping with prayer a regular part of your life?

Further Reading: Jeremiah 19-21 NIV, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28 NIV, Psalm 82:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 25:9-10 NIV