Do You Love Jesus?

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But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.       

1 Peter 3:15

A few days ago, a friend of mine shared a story with me about her visit to her son’s elementary school for parent visitation day. This particular day, a little girl in his class had the privilege of being selected as the “star of the day.” She was given the opportunity to share some things about herself with the other students. After telling some stories about a few fun adventures she’d experienced, she finished by adding, “And I love Jesus.”

Caught off-guard by this bold declaration, my friend rejoiced inwardly that this child had been able to proclaim love for Jesus in the public school! Anxious to see what would happen next, she watched as the little girl selected three students from the class who could each ask her one additional question.

One child wanted to hear more about her trip to Disney World. A young boy asked about the NFL game she’d mentioned. And then the last little girl surprised my friend by raising the startling question, “Why do you love Jesus?”

All eyes rested on the star of the day. Why, indeed? A hush fell over the room as both the children and the visiting parents waited to hear her answer.

The hush grew to a tense silence, her unanswered question hanging in the air on pins and needles. No reply followed. The star could find no words to speak in response. Minutes passed before the teacher finally redirected the conversation and brought her time of sharing to a close.

And what of the little girl who wondered why this Jesus was worth loving? She never got her answer.

My heart goes out to the star of the day. I probably would have sat there dumbfounded as well if someone had asked me that question at her age. If I had found the courage to muster up a reply, I’m quite sure my answer would’ve disappointed—at least if the words that came out accurately reflected what was in my heart. “My parents told me I should.”

I spent years fearfully dreading the reality that Christians are supposed to witness to others and share the hope of the Gospel. I never wanted to tell anyone about Jesus. More than two decades would pass before I realized why it frightened me so much. The truth is, I didn’t have anything to say.

I had no real testimony to share. I had lots of knowledge about who Jesus was, and I had learned to respond with the “right” answers early on in Sunday School. But I missed knowing the most important piece of all: Jesus Himself.

I was 26 before I even realized there was a difference. How did I discover it? Jesus showed up one day when I was working through a Bible study.

It was business as usual, filling in the blanks in my workbook so I wouldn’t be embarrassed by empty spaces on the page at our next small group meeting. And then one question—four little words—changed my life forever. “Do you love Jesus?”

I lifted my pen to answer “yes” without even thinking. I knew the right answer: of course! But that day Jesus decided we were going to get real. I’d been pretending long enough, and He had determined to let me see the truth about myself.

Conviction fell over me like a shroud, drowning out any pretense. In that moment, I saw what He saw. I didn’t love Him. I never had. I’d been saying it all my life—at least within church circles—but they were just words on my lips that didn’t match the reality of what lived within my heart.

I remember my hand trembling as I struggled to answer the question. I couldn’t put down the answer I’d started to write, and through the blur of tears, I managed to scratch out two letters on the page. No.

In that moment, I was changed. You see, I encountered the Living God, and I heard what He was speaking to me. I chose to see what He revealed about the darkness in my heart as I stepped into His marvelous light. But what changed everything was my response to the encounter. I wanted to remain there. I wanted to love Him. I wanted to offer Him my heart and trust Him to teach me about Himself. I wanted relationship.

And so the little girl who had grown up in church, attended Christian school, prayed the sinner’s prayer, and married a Christian man, finally got saved at 26.

I began a relationship with Jesus, where I invited Him to lead and I would follow. This time, love shaped the foundation instead of knowledge, and He began to heal my broken places. He started to transform my heart, and the more I discovered about Him, the more I realized I wanted more of Him.

Today, if you were to ask me, “Why do you love Jesus?” you would find I have no loss for words. Instead of Christian platitudes about the cross and salvation, I would tell you sincerely that I love Him because He rescued me out of my emptiness and taught me the way of love.

He is the source of every good thing in my life. He whispers encouragement to my soul when I’m fearful. He assures me of His love when I’m broken and losing my way. He meets me in His Word every time I give Him the opportunity. He has given me purpose. He empowers me to be what I can’t be without Him. He rejoices with me in gladness, and He catches my tears so He can redeem them and bring beauty out of my pain.

Beloved, I love Jesus with everything that I am. He is worth every moment I give Him, every battle I fight for Him, every prayer I utter to Him. I pray you will not settle for knowledge about your Savior. Press your way past the crowds “doing church” and enter the inner sanctuary where His Presence dwells. There He waits to reveal Himself to your seeking heart.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29:13-14

Drowning in Doubt

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Okay, Lord. I’m ready to step. I think. I just need you to confirm this is your will.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dialogued with God over the issue of doubting His will. In fact, the words above just appeared in my journal this morning.

I don’t believe I’m alone in that struggle. I’m pretty certain if you’ve sought to follow the Lord at all, at some point your heart has wrestled over that same question. We struggle in our ability to discern whether the desires prompting us to action stem from God’s will or flow from our own. Sometimes we get it right. Sometimes we don’t. Either way, God honors those who at least try.

That brings us back to our friend, Peter. Last week we looked at how his bold faith sent him over the edge of a boat and out onto the water. We also uncovered an important step he took beforehand that we often miss: he checked with Jesus for permission before he got out of the boat.

Unfortunately, Peter didn’t remain on the miraculous heights where he began. At Jesus’ Word, “Come,” Peter stepped out on the water and began to walk toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31

My heart goes out to Peter, perhaps because God has been showing me so much of myself within his story. Maybe you can relate too.

I desperately want to experience everything God has for me. Don’t you? If I can help it, I don’t want to leave anything on the table that Jesus meant for me. I don’t want to be one of the disciples left standing in the boat wondering if that blessing could’ve been mine if only I’d had the courage Peter did.

Like, Peter, I expect great things of God, and when I believe I’ve heard His instruction, I will leap from the boat with both feet and start walking straight toward Jesus.

Unfortunately, our similarities don’t end there. Invariably, as I begin to step, waves start breaking at my feet and I grow unsteady. Wind rises up against me, and I find I have to fight to keep moving forward. My thoughts move from His promise to my view of my circumstances, and the doubt sets in. I begin to wonder if I heard Him right in the first place.

And with that shift in focus, I start to sink. What began as a bold adventure of faith marked by God’s miraculous provision transitions to a rescue mission. I find myself thrashing about, trying to keep my head above the surface of the water. And once again, Jesus must reach out his hand to catch me and lift me onto dry ground.

I’ve decided I’m tired of repeating the cycle. I’m tired of allowing doubt to rob me of the completion of Jesus’ blessings in my life.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for Jesus’ mercy and His faithfulness to lift me out of the muck and head me back in the right direction, but why keep stopping our forward progress to back peddle because of my doubt?

Once again, I hear Jesus calling me out onto the water. I’m ready to step, and I know that He’ll be right there with me. But this time, I’m asking God to keep my eyes on Him and keep my ears tuned His promise.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

I am weak, but He is strong. I am fearful, but He is certain. I am broken, but He heals. I cannot keep myself above water, but Jesus can keep me so I do not sink.

God offers a promise in Jude 1:1 . . .

To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ . . .

And in verse 24 . . .

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—

Jesus is able to keep me from falling. I don’t need to keep stumbling backward. I just need to keep my eyes on Him, lifting the shield of faith against the doubt the enemy sends. With my focus securely on Jesus, I will not fall. He who promised is faithful.

Out on the Water

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"Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29

I love Peter. He wasn’t one who played it safe, except, of course, for that fateful night when he heard the rooster crow. 

With the exception of denying our Lord at His arrest, Peter is probably most known for his brief trek upon the surface of the water. He alone held the privilege of experiencing that miracle. But then again, no one else got out of the boat.

Peter’s stroll on the lake has ignited many faith-filled believers into action over the centuries. Citing his example, eager disciples leap from their safe circumstances and plunge into the water to trust God for their miracle just like Peter did. Sometimes they get it. Sometimes they don’t.

Have you ever taken a leap of faith that didn’t result in the outcome you expected? Has it left you doubting God’s faithfulness?

We often miss a vital part of Peter’s story, an action he took that we commonly overlook. Before Peter took one step out on that water, he asked Jesus to command him to.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28

Jesus responded with one word, “Come,” signaling to Peter that his journey upon the water was within His will.

Peter didn’t just leap in faith hoping Christ would catch him. He first sought the Lord’s permission. Then he stepped out in faith in direct obedience to Jesus’ command.

We would be wise to follow Peter’s example. Many times, we just jump out on the water without ever bothering to ask God if He’d like us to. Instead of witnessing God’s miraculous provision, we end up in over our heads.

God’s promises flow into our lives when we position ourselves within His will. We express true faith when we walk in obedience to His direction, not when we author our own plans and assume He’ll join us in them.

Do you recall Jesus words from John 10:27?

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

Peter knew Jesus would meet him on the water because He gave him His consent to proceed. Supernatural power flows at the Word of the Lord, not just because we desire it to. We must seek our Lord’s direction and follow Him into His will if we want to experience His power.

Perhaps that raises an unsettling question for you. If you have sought God’s will and stepped out in faith but didn’t get the outcome you expected, does that mean your actions were not within His will?

Consider Jesus’ words to the disciples of John the Baptist in Matthew 11:6,

“Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

Jesus’ words came in response to a question John posed from a prison cell, “Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3)

These are surprising words considering John was the one who announced Jesus to be the Messiah.

. . . John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

I guess prison walls have a way of obstructing our view. He had been so certain God had spoken (John 1:32-34) and had freely yielded himself to His service, yet he found himself in circumstances he couldn’t explain. They didn’t make sense if Jesus was really all He claimed to be, and so his certainty faded to doubt. And Jesus responded,

Blessed is the one who does not fall away when I don’t act in the way he expects.

When you have sought God’s will and stepped out full of faith in obedience to His call, you needn’t fear. Even if, for a time, things don’t look like you expected them to, He is still exactly who He claims to be. One day, all will be revealed. Until then, your job is to trust. And according to Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:6, that trust will find its way to a blessing.

Don’t allow fear to keep you watching from the sidelines. Choose to live like Peter. Seek the Lord’s direction and step out of the boat in obedience to His call. But if the outcome of your faith falls short of your expectations, heed Jesus’ words and don’t fall away. Eventually, your faith will result in blessing.

The Secrets of the Heart

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Last week Bethany shared how God led her down the path of forgiveness after a devastating betrayal. Her willingness to submit to God’s will brought about dramatic restoration and allowed God to work His wonderful good out of her pain (Romans 8:28). Today, she shares some of what God revealed to her about herself that helped to bring about her transformation. May her transparency allow God to work restoration in you.

 

The Secrets of the Heart by Bethany Johnson

Many say that one of Satan’s most favorite sins is pride.  I never thought of myself as a prideful person (especially because I had such a low self esteem), but God used my painful betrayal experience to bring to light how I often let pride govern me.

Several days after the incident I was approached by a stranger that had been involved in what happened. He proceeded to tell me that I was to blame.  His words devastated me; quite frankly, I had always viewed myself as the victim. 

Now the reasons that this individual used to validate his claim were unfounded, but there was some truth in what he said to me that day.  The actions taken by my offender were ultimately a choice I did not make. He was responsible for his own actions, and I could not be held accountable for his choices. However, when I allowed God to search my heart, I saw that I had played a huge role in the circumstances leading up to those decisions. 

I had been trying to change this person for 9 years through my own abilities.  Never once during that period did I stop and pray for God to work in his heart. I was convinced that if I wanted something done, I needed to take care of it myself. I didn’t want to wait for God.  God was making it clear to me that I do not have the power to change anyone—only He does, and He does it in His perfect timing. 

If only I had put 1 Corinthians 1:30 to memory,

It is because of Him [not the efforts of Bethany Johnson] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

I needed to be less of a stumbling block for my offender and more of a surrendered vessel for the Holy Spirit.  My next step in this process was to take ownership of my personal guilt and seek repentance.

Scripture revels to us what a true repentant heart looks like in many places, but over the last 6 years these have become two of my favorites:

  • Matthew 3:8 (NLT) – Prove by the way you LIVE that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
  • Acts 26:20 (NIV) – First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and DEMONSTRATE their repentance by their deeds.

In these verses, God gave me a standard by which I could tangibly see Him working through the both of us.  I saw changes that lasted longer than a few weeks or even months; they were permanent.  We didn’t just change the wrong behaviors; we completely changed the way we “LIVE.” That kind of transformation can never be accomplished through the works of man, but only through the power of the Lord Almighty when we honestly come to Him with a heart seeking repentance. 

Then God revealed the next step in my journey: trust in Him and Him alone.

God showed me that while I professed to have faith in Him, I didn’t really trust Him. Instead, I relied solely on myself and this other person—and look where it got the two of us.  Biblically speaking, my offender had been an idol in my life. I had placed him in a position God was meant to fill. I was giving Satan the victory by placing all my trust in something that was clearly not trustworthy and would continually fail me.  And boy does it hurt when your idols let you down! Thankfully, Jesus never will.

I can’t tell you how many times I was told that I should end my relationship with this person because “people do not change.”  That’s true. People don’t change on their own, and people don’t change other people.  We are all sinful by nature. We need to submit to the power of God’s Spirit.

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants.  And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.  These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:17 (NLT)

My response to that statement quickly became, “You’re right. GOD changes people, and until you can trust in Him to do so, people will never change.”  The day I began saying this was the day I was no longer in control of my own life. He was.  I may have claimed to be saved when I was 7 years old, but I believe now that I did not completely invite the Lord into my heart and give my life to Him until this moment. 

This realization opened my eyes to one of the reasons why the pain of the betrayal was so deep: I had found my identity in that person instead of Christ.

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.  Deuteronomy 7:6

I know that God has chosen me and that I am so very treasured!  He loves and accepts me just how I am because he “knit me in my mother’s womb”.  He will never leave or forsake me because the Holy Spirit dwells in the depths of my heart.  When I identify myself as a child of God then it does not matter what the sinful world throws my way. I am still His.

 

Begin your own journey to healing! Ladies local to Hanover, PA . . . Beginning October 17, Bethany will be offering an eight-week Bible study in her home entitled "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter. Fellowship over a meal and then prepare to dig into Truth. Contact Bethany at bjjohnson1014@gmail.com for more details.

Surviving Betrayal

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Bethany Johnson

This week, I’m excited to introduce you to Bethany Johnson. She recently shared her story at a Girl’s Night Out event at my home church (Hanover First Church of God), and I asked her if she would be willing to share it with you on my blog. I pray you will be blessed by her two-week series on surviving betrayal, demonstrating how God uses the trials in our lives to change who we are. Join us again next week for the rest of her story!

 

Surviving Betrayal by Bethany Johnson

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Have you ever read a verse and allowed your flesh to only hear a part of it? I first learned Romans 8:28 as a child, and like most little girls, I loved the “happily ever after” of this Scripture. I understood it to mean that it did not matter what I did or what others did, God would make it work for MY good. Come on—who wouldn’t like that message!

Growing up, this misconception shaped my decision-making. I never sought God’s opinion on how to handle anything. If I couldn’t figure it out myself, then I would find another person in my life that could, trusting that God would come in at the end to make it all happy! Operating in this mindset left everything ultimately in MY control, and I felt comfortable there.

A wise man of the faith once told me that being comfortable is never a good place to be. I soon discovered he was right.

Several years ago I received devastating news while driving home from work. I had been deeply betrayed by someone intimately close to me, and the result of this betrayal would be life altering, not just for me, but also for my whole family. My Band-Aid verse did not seem big enough for this wound.

I had no idea how to respond to such pain and quite frankly, was too embarrassed to ask for anyone’s help. I did not understand how God could make anything good come of this mess that I was being forced to call my new life.

That was the only day I was thankful for my two-hour commute. God spoke to my heart in that car, and I realized for the first time that I could not fix this . . . only He could. The Holy Spirit also made me aware that He could not begin to work in this situation until I invited and allowed Him to work in me.

I never understood what it meant to be completely broken before God until that moment. All the anger and resentment toward the person who hurt me was suddenly forgotten, and I just felt lost. For the first time in my life, I had nothing to say. All I could do was listen, and boy did God have a lot to tell me!

My mind filled with all the times in my life that I had sinned against God and He had forgiven me. I thought of the ultimate sacrifice that was made for me, the one I had claimed to receive when I was seven but hadn’t fully understood. I saw Jesus stretched out the cross and remembered how as He hung there, He stared into the faces of his accusers and said:

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

My healing began as I humbled myself before my Savior and opened my heart to His leading. Offering Him a quiet spirit that was ready to listen allowed Him to speak His truth into the depths of my soul. He reminded me that He wanted the forgiveness I had accepted from Christ to be poured out on others.

It was a pretty humbling experience. I honestly believe that there is no one you can’t forgive if you have been broken before God in this way. This is the Holy Spirit at work—not YOU! He equips us to do what we don't have the strength to do on our own.

I did not go home that day. I went straight to meet with the person many would have called their new enemy. Through the power of Christ, I was able to look him in the eyes. Instead of having hatred in my heart, I felt compassion. I saw the same brokenness I had felt just 45 minutes earlier. The two of us were like blank canvases awaiting an artist’s paintbrush.

It was then that I realized what God had in store for me. This was going to be the beginning of a long journey. God did not want to merely demonstrate forgiveness through this awful situation. He wanted to bring restoration and revival. He was going to make both of us new.

Through the work of Christ, this experience became a part of the salvation story of two people. I look at that verse I first clung to in a whole new light. Both of us are now people who "love Him and are called according to His purpose.” My, has he worked such a horrible, sinful thing for the good!

Never in my wildest dreams would I have wished this betrayal on myself—or anyone for that matter! But today I can honestly thank God for putting me through it. I no longer have to wear a mask of happiness because I have allowed God to transform my heart from the inside out. I guess He did work it for my good after all.

 

Begin your own journey to healing! Ladies local to Hanover, PA . . . Beginning October 17, Bethany will be offering an eight-week Bible study in her home entitled "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter. Fellowship over a meal and then prepare to dig into Truth. Contact Bethany at bjjohnson1014@gmail.com for more details.

My Prince on a White Horse

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I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True . . . Revelation 19:11

I was at work one day in the summer of 1994 when one of my co-workers approached me with a rose and a note. The message on the folded page read, “Your prince is waiting for you outside with his white horse.”

Smiles adorned the faces of the staff as they watched me exit the store in pursuit of the messenger. When I stepped into the sunlight, my eyes rested on my fiancé leaning against a white Mustang convertible with another rose in his hand. He had driven 8 hours from Pennsylvania to surprise me. I truly thought I was living the fairy tale.

On Monday, my husband and I will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. Like most couples, those 18 years have held both ups and downs. Thankfully, we’re still here.

One thing remains certain. What began amid a swirl of romance and butterflies has grown into a deep love and companionship that far surpasses the intoxicating newness of budding love. I can’t express the comfort it brings. I can hardly remember life before “us.”

My family

Now “us” has grown to include two amazing sons and our sweet Aussie, Annie. (You may have met her in one of my recent posts!) Happiness dwells within our home. Far more frequently than anger and tears, joy and laughter filter through its walls. I’m grateful.

You see, I know what could have been, had God not intervened. I know who I used to be before I allowed Jesus to begin His transforming work within my heart.

Early in my marriage, I looked to my husband to fill my empty places. I carried many wounds from past rejection, and I thought Steve would rescue me from my hurt and make everything better. You know—the stuff of fairy tales.

You’ve probably discovered as I have that fairy tales are just that. Life rarely measures up to the dream.

But most of what I wrestled with didn’t come from anything my husband did to me. It came from within. I couldn’t get free of the fear that he would stop loving me. My insecurity and self-doubt drove me to desperately need his assurance—and his attention. Without realizing it, I pushed him to perpetually demonstrate his feelings so that I could be at peace. I never was. No matter how much he poured in, I never felt full.

I’m certain my insecurity wearied the man who adored me, whose love never seemed to be enough.

Jeremiah 2:13 explains the reason for my unhappiness.

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

My husband is a broken cistern. So am I. An imperfect man in an imperfect world, he can never hold enough to fill me up. But that’s okay; he wasn’t made to.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

Thankfully, after the birth of my first son, I learned to drink in the Living Water. I encountered a Savior I trusted was worth loving and surrendered my heart and life to His care.

I discovered something marvelous. He never empties.

He always has enough, and He never withholds it. He never tires of my insecurities or becomes impatient with my imperfections. He just loves, perfectly. And that kind of love can do what no other kind can. It fills.

And as it fills, it heals.

That did something wonderful in my marriage. I stopped pressuring my husband to meet my needs. I could just enjoy who he is instead of demanding what he couldn’t give me. And once I stopped taking, I was able to give.

That’s the beauty of loving Jesus. Loving Him doesn’t take away from our ability to love anyone else. It enables us to love better.

I’m so grateful Jesus has taught me how to love. I’m still learning. So is my husband. But Jesus is the cord that binds us together. He is the true Savior. Riding to our rescue on His white horse, He saves us from ourselves.

Life on this earth may not be a fairy tale, but in Jesus you can discover a capacity for joy you’ve never known. And one day, when He returns to claim His throne, you’ll get your happily ever after.

The Will of the People

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Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

My life took a little detour this week. I was summoned to jury duty. As I write, I sit with at least 100 other prospective jurors amid rows of less than generously cushioned gray chairs in the jury selection room.

The King’s Speech plays on a screen in the front of the room, an attempt to entertain our thoughts away from the wearying reality that we’re still waiting. Most of us have yet to serve. It’s now day three.

Our first morning, however, a different film graced the screen. An educational video designed to enlighten us to the inner workings of our court system encouraged us to enthusiastically embrace the great privilege of serving as jurors. We were told our presence here is a great honor. I’m not sure how many bought it. I don’t think “enthusiastic” aptly describes most of the people joining me in this room.

Enthusiasm aside, their video did offer some compelling thoughts. One particular statement captured my attention and prompted me to write today.

The court serves at the will of the people.

This isn’t news to me. I doubt it’s news to you. From early childhood we’re taught to be grateful for the wonderful principles of democracy on which our great nation was founded: Government by the people, for the people, of the people.

The people hold the power.

And so we fight to see that our desires and goals receive the merit they deserve. We push to ensure that our own will becomes the one the governent serves. We are, after all, “right” about what we believe. So we war with one another, even within the body of Christ.

That’s a troubling observation, considering Jesus words in John 17:22-23.

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus prayed for complete unity within His body, that we would be one in the same way that He and the Father are one—same thoughts, same heart, same desires. That unity will be evident to the world, and the world will understand it as an expression of God’s love.

That’s a pretty tall order. It seems impossible to conceive that every believer could unite completely, sharing common desires and serving to establish one common purpose.

But it will happen. One day. Jesus always prays within the Father’s will, so He always gets what He prays for. The question is, will you and I be a part of that glorious day, or will it wait for another generation?

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it . . .  James 4:1-2

Our quarrels find their root in our own selfish desires. We allow our flesh to govern our wills, often without even realizing it. We feel our convictions so strongly, we just assume they come from God. The problem is, we will always believe that we are right, even when we’re wrong.

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes . . . Proverbs 21:2 (NKJV)

Before a life-changing encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, a Pharisee named Saul murdered Christians. He knew God’s Word. He was a devout defender of his faith. He believed with everything in him that God wanted him to stop people from moving away from religion as he knew it to follow the teachings of Jesus.

He was wrong.

And once he withdrew to allow God to reveal His truth to his seeking heart, he emerged the Apostle Paul. Still a fervent defender of his faith, but now serving in line with God’s true desires. Paul lived Jesus teachings from Luke 9:23. He denied himself, took up the cross of his Christ, and carried the true Gospel message throughout the known world.

Oh, what God can do with one yielded heart! Imagine what He could do with thousands. Beloved, will you offer him yours?

 

 

The Grace of Listening

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 “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

James 1:19-20

Most of us get this one wrong. We habitually rattle off whatever comes to mind and often don’t bother to listen. We already know we’re right; we just need to convince the other guy. Of course, the other guy is usually thinking the same thing.

Perhaps you recognize this scenario.

You’re having a discussion or a disagreement, and you’ve paused long enough to give your opponent a moment to respond to your enlightening wisdom. He’s now speaking, but you’re not listening. You’re far too busy contemplating your next argument. Before he’s able to put the period on his sentence, you let loose again, hoping to seal the deal.

Discussions like that usually don’t resolve anything. You end up right where you began. Except now the stubborn refusal to agree has left both sides fuming.

Have you ever been caught in that destructive cycle? I have. It’s one of the pitfalls of having a perfectionist personality. Those of us chained to that particular stronghold can be driven by a compulsive need to prove ourselves right. So we try.

Unfortunately, our behavior has consequences. Galatians 6:7 teaches,

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Apparently, so does a woman. On a number of occasions when I’ve tried to talk to my sons about something they don’t really agree with, I’ve realized they’re not tuning in. Instead of listening, they’re working on their own arguments. They’ve already made up their minds. Their retort to my advice offers the proof. Instead of hearing my point, they just justify theirs. Our chains have a way of winding themselves around the next generation.

Here’s the good news: there is One who sets captives free!

In Christ we’ve been given the power to live differently. We don’t need to keep repeating our same damaging patterns. Consider some of His promises.

  • Romans 8:37  . . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
  • Philippians 4:13  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
  • 1 Corinthians 2:16  . . . But we have the mind of Christ.

God has given us so much more than we realize or utilize! We have been given the very mind of our Lord and Savior. He is always patient, always kind, always loving, always forgiving. What’s more, He’s a great listener.

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.

Psalm 10:17

Jesus desires to demonstrate His character through us. What if we allowed Him to teach us to listen like He does? It starts with learning to listen to Him.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Our problem isn’t actually that we don’t know how to listen; our problem is that we consistently listen to the wrong voice. We’re so tuned in to the cries of our own selfish desires that we often refuse to consider anything else.

We must learn to quiet ourselves and listen for the voice of our Shepherd. His motives are always to heal, to encourage, to restore. Rather than simply rattling off our own personal thoughts, we need to seek His.

When we take a moment to listen for His guidance, He will stir us toward restoration. He will convict us of our own selfish motives and reveal our deceptions. He will lead us on the path of encouragement when we listen for His words instead of spouting our own.

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. Psalm 12:6

When we speak with His words, we don’t ever have to worry that we’ll say the wrong thing. His words create life where it didn’t exist.

And as we learn to let Jesus guide us through our difficult conversations, we will notice something else. We become changed. His presence reveals the fleshly attitudes of our hearts and sifts them. As a result, we become more like Him. We will naturally become better listeners and find ourselves compassionately moved to hear and consider the needs of others.

I’m so thankful that Jesus releases chains. He’s changed my heart, and I’ve learned to respond to people differently. Sometimes. But when I stumble, He’s always there to pick me back up and direct me toward forgiveness. Healing follows.

His love is better than life.

Unbridled Power

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“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37

Careless words. We’re all guilty of speaking them. We offer flippant answers, easily express thoughtless putdowns, and freely release angry outbursts without a second thought. When Christ returns, He will hold us accountable for all of them.

Words may seem an odd thing for Jesus to base His judgment on. We might expect righteous works to be listed there or sins of immorality, but careless words?

Scripture reveals at least 2 reasons why God would place such high importance on the words we speak. We find the first tucked right before our opening verse in Matthew 12.

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. (verses 34-35)

What we say flows from what resides within our hearts. The words we speak will either reflect the oppressive chains of sin or the life-giving presence of Jesus.

2 Peter 1:3 assures us that once we put our faith in Jesus, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him . . .”

According to Scripture, we lack nothing necessary to live a godly life, but we often neglect to draw on His power to enable us to live differently. Instead of taking on Christ’s nature, we choose to look and sound like the world He died to overcome. He does not take that kind of misrepresentation lightly.

Ezekiel 36:26 reveals God’s desires to give us a new heart and a new Spirit. He plans to transform our hearts of stone into loving hearts of flesh that beat in communion with His. Our words indicate whether we’re cooperating to allow that change to take place. Instead of careless words, the mouth of the believer ought to build others up in keeping with Jesus’ character and presence.

That brings us to the second reason our words hold such importance. Consider the nature of God’s words.

  • And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Genesis 1:3
  • And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. Genesis 1:9
  • He [Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39

Do you notice anything significant about what happens when God speaks? In case you missed it, I’ll let God describe it for you.

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

God’s words achieve whatever He speaks. Each word that God utters produces a result. His words never fall carelessly or without effect. When the Creator speaks, that which He spoke is called into being.

Dear one, you were created in the image of God.

Contemplate the implications of that statement. We were created in the image of a God who speaks things into being. No wonder Proverbs 18:21 teaches,

“The tongue has the power of life and death . . .”

Please don’t misunderstand me. We don’t share God’s power to call our desires into existence simply by speaking them forth. He alone is the almighty, omnipotent, Creator God. But as vessels made in His image, our words are also powerful and shouldn’t be tossed about without thought. They hold considerable potential to build up or destroy.

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4

I can’t help but think of the times my own careless words have hurt the people I love. The times I chose to be right instead of silent. The times I’ve thoughtlessly undermined my husband’s leadership. The times I’ve watched my sons’ countenance crumble as a result of carelessly chosen words.

Then I consider the words of my Savior. I know firsthand how His encouraging whispers lift my soul, how they fill and never empty. They breathe life into my wounded places. They offer hope.

No wonder Jesus harbors concern over the words we speak. Our words reflect who governs our hearts. They reveal who’s really in charge.

As we speak the words that flood our thoughts, we have an opportunity. We can say whatever comes to mind and hope we don’t do too much damage, or we can deliberately choose to surrender our thoughts and words to Jesus.

With Jesus speaking through us, we may just get to participate in the miraculous.

What’s in a Name?

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“To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

I used to hate my name as a child. I’m not sure whether it was really the name or the fact that there wasn’t much I liked about myself in those days, but I always wanted to change it. I spent a lot of time pretending; in my imagination, I could be whomever I wanted. I could choose any name—something more popular or that I thought sounded prettier—anyone but who I really was.

Have you ever wanted to change your name? That happens to be one of God’s specialties.

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,  “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.  No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. Genesis 17:3-5

God added one syllable to Abram’s name: ha. This is the equivalent to the Hebrew letter “h” which is also the word ruah. Its translation means breath or spirit. God demonstrated His ownership of Abraham by placing His Spirit within his name.

Abraham’s wife received the same privilege in Genesis 17:15-16.

God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.  I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

Their new names reflected both the presence of God with them and the roles that they would fulfill through Him. What a glorious God who “calls things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17), and that’s what they become!

Sarah and Abraham aren’t the only people in Scripture to receive the blessing of a new name. One particular Disciple experienced the transforming power of discovering his new name in Christ. At Peter’s very first encounter with Jesus, Jesus looked at him and said,

“You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter). John 1:42

At their very first meeting, before they had any history together, Jesus told Simon he would be called Peter. Do you know what Peter means, dear one? Rock. Consider what that represents . . . strong . . . immovable . . . firm.

Rock is an interesting choice for the Disciple who would boldly pronounce Jesus to be the Christ and then turn around and deny Him.

Yet Jesus did not define Peter by his shortcomings or his failures. He spoke into his life what He desired him to be, and that’s what Peter eventually became.

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18

Jesus called Peter a rock knowing full well he would soon deny Him. But after Jesus’ death on the cross and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter did become that rock. God’s presence within him empowered him to become the new creation Jesus saw He could be.

By what name does Jesus call you, beloved? Who has He ordained for you to be?

I recently discovered that my name means Mighty Warrior. The revelation brings a smile to my lips. I think of those early years, how I wanted to reject my name. I was anything but a warrior. Instead I cowered behind masks.

Then the Spirit of the living God came to dwell inside me when I gave my heart to Jesus, and everything changed. The desire to hide diminished as an urgency rose within me to proclaim my Lord’ s Truth. A boldness I had never known empowered me to stand for Him.

Last February, I had the privilege of speaking at a women’s conference in Florida. During a time of prayer, one of the other speakers placed her hand on me and began to pray for me, “We need you. You are a mighty warrior.”

I can’t recall what else she prayed. Her words collapsed me to my knees. I thought of my God who calls things that are not as though they are, and I wondered if that’s what I’d become. I do not see myself as a mighty warrior. I know my frailties, my weaknesses, every shortcoming. But I have to wonder, who does God see?

Long before she was ever ready to have a child, my mother selected my name. She was only a teen herself when she decided that one day if she had a daughter, she would call her Kelley. She couldn’t even really explain what drew her to that name; she just knew that’s who her daughter would be.

So when God gave her the daughter she had hoped for, she looked at the tiny baby she held and spoke the name that had been whispered into her heart.

It would be 26 years before I would begin to embrace my name, 26 years before I would receive the Spirit and begin my transformation. But all the while, mighty warrior was spoken over me each and every day.  

Have you allowed God to give you your kingdom name? Is your life a testament to His transforming power? Trust Him to lead you to who you’re meant to be. Become the overcomer. There’s a white stone in heaven waiting with your name on it.