Should I Expect to Understand Everything?

4 Comments / January 21, 2020

The other morning we were talking in Bible Study about how there are just some things we can’t understand. I mean can we really wrap our brains around how we are chosen by God (Ephesians 1; John 6:44) and yet we have a free will to choose Christ? (John 1:12-13). Or can we comprehend how God moved men to write the Holy Bible–using their own styles and personalities–and yet every word written by each of those fallible authors was and is the timeless, infallible, and inspired word of God (2 Peter 1:20-21)? And then there is prayer. I am supposed to pray (Philippians 4:6) and yet God has already ordained what will happen (Daniel 4:35; Acts 2:23)? How can this be?

I am here to tell you that I have no idea. I can’t fully understand quite a few things that I believe scripture teaches.

And, honestly, I am okay with that. Now, in writing that I am okay, it may lead you to believe that I am simple-minded and too easily satisfied. But, before you set your opinion, let me try to explain exactly why I am okay.

The other day my daughter told my three-year-old grandson that they were going to go vote. Here’s a bit of the conversation–

As she was explaining that mommy and daddy were choosing between two men who would help make decisions for our state, he asked a very wise question:

“Is one red and one blue?”

Amazed that he actually chose the right colors that signify the two political parties, she said “Well, yes, something like that.”

“Can we vote for the red man since that is my favorite color?”

She laughed and responded “yes, because the red man believes a lot of the same things we do.”

So far, so good.

However, she realized how little he really understood when he asked this question after they were done voting: “Now that we are done ‘boating’, can we bring the red man home with us?”

(Our family all had a good laugh over this story.)

Now we can see that he really didn’t understand. And, actually, there was really no possible way for him to understand. As my daughter said, he doesn’t even know what a state is yet. He is absolutely incapable of understanding the voting process.

Of course, we’d never expect a three year old to fully understand this process, would we?

SO why then do we expect to understand everything God understands? If there is such a large gap between the comprehension of a three-year-old and an adult, then how much bigger of a gap must exist between the comprehension of a created human and the God of the universe?

Consider Deuteronomy 29:29–

The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

You see, there are secret things that we can’t understand. There are questions we can’t answer. And there are doctrines that are totally beyond our comprehension.

At some point, we need to accept this.

It is pride and arrogance that demands understanding. It is the idolatry of intellectualism that pushes man to insist he can make sense of it all.

This pride and idolatry has led to broken relationships, messed-up families, and split churches. Scripture gets twisted to mold God and His ways into something that makes sense to our human brain. How important that we take scripture literally and at face value–even if it doesn’t make sense or seem fair.

While the Bible does contain some puzzling things, oh, how much we can understand. God has revealed what He wants us to know. What we need to know, we know.

The world and even many in the church will call us foolish for not insisting on knowing every single detail. But who cares? Just like a three year old can’t understand voting, so a human brain can’t fully understand how God works. We must bow humbly before our King and realize that God is way bigger than us and His ways are much higher than ours.

 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

 

 

There Are Only Two Roads

4 Comments / January 14, 2020

Let’s say you live in Arkansas and you are headed to California for a nice long beach vacation. You load your suitcase in the car trunk, you grab a travel mug full of hot coffee and get behind the wheel. You turn on your car and take a moment to plug your destination’s address in your vehicle or phone GPS. Soon you are on your way.

You are ten or twelve hours into your trip when you get a phone call. Your mom is deathly ill in Florida and needs you right away. There is a rest stop a few more miles up the road and you pull in to reset your GPS. Instead of going west, you are now going to go east. You have a total change of direction.

Unfortunately, all of the major highways going east are closed. You turn on to a dirt back road that is hard to travel. But you have to go home. That is your destination and you have to get there. Nothing will deter you.

Now think about this in light of our spiritual journey.

There are so many people who say with their mouths that they are headed home to heaven. And yet they appear, by all accounts, to be on the major highway that is headed in the opposite direction.

So here’s the thing: We can’t be on both roads.

It’s comforting and easier to think we can be on both roads. After all, there are many who have died that made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as a child and yet lived very unholy impure lives. If they can travel on both roads at the same time it will mean they are safely in heaven–a very comforting thought to a grieving spouse, parent, or friend. And, too, if we can be on both roads at the same time, then how we live matters not at all. We can live to please self, doing whatever want, and still end up in heaven. How easy is that? Heaven becomes like a fire insurance policy that we have tucked away in a safe somewhere.

Of course, we know, both from experience and from scripture, that this can’t be. Just as we can’t set our gps for California and expect to end up in Florida, so we can’t travel on the broad road and expect to end up in heaven. Just as we can tell someone we are headed west when we are headed east, so we can say with our mouths that we are headed to heaven when our gps is actually set for hell.

When we are genuinely saved, the Holy Spirit stamps a new address on the gps of our heart. We immediately turn off that broad road and onto a rocky, difficult road that is going the other way.

There really are no exceptions for this.

We know this because of what God has said in His Word–

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and [d]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

There are two different roads. And if we are a true Christian we are on the narrow one.

I say “true Christian” because, quite honestly, I tremble to think how many have been fooled into thinking that they have guaranteed a place in heaven because of a prayer they said in fifth grade (or at camp or at VBS). Genuine conversion is always evidenced by a changed life. The saved person always changes their direction (read I John and James to get a better understanding of this).

So if we realize there are two roads and we can only be on one of them, let’s think for a moment about what these roads look like, practically-speaking:

The broad road is quite full of people. It’s an easy path and it’s very comfortable. Many church members are on this path, as it encompasses not only the blatant sinners but the moral, self-righteous ones, as well. Anyone who has not repented of their sins and trusted Christ alone for their salvation is on this road, whether they be atheists or the very religious. There are generally few, if any, battles with self or with the enemy because both are very happy with the direction that is being taken. Oh, there is the occasional battle due to a sense of duty or perhaps the external rules of man, but no major battles with self or the enemy occur on this road.

The narrow road, on the other hand, is rugged and difficult. On this road we can expect the antagonism and jeers from those on the broad road. There are many skirmishes with our flesh and battles with the enemy because they are trying, often desperately, to turn us back to that broad road. We get so exhausted but God is so faithful and gives us strength for another day. It is on this road that we find such sweet fellowship and support. Because it is not a road well-traveled, we truly treasure the others we find traveling on this same road and often quickly count them as true friends. Not that there aren’t issues because the travelers are, after all, sinners. But love is the rule of this road. Even though the road can be extremely hard to travel, we travel with confidence. We have an incomparable Guide and we know our destination.

 

So which road are you on? Which road are those you love on?

Of course we can’t know about anyone else and it is important that we don’t make any judgments about this. We can’t know, for sure, if someone is on the broad road or the narrow road. But thinking through this honestly and according to scripture will lead us to pray differently and also change how we converse and discuss when given the opportunity.

This is scary stuff. Most of us have grown up in a world of easy-believism (where a prayer guarantees salvation and needs not be evidenced by a changed life). The ramifications of this insidious lie of Satan’s are horrible and so far-reaching.

For, after all, truth is truth, no matter what someone “believes”. As Christians, we must make sure that our beliefs line up with the truth of God’s Word! We must always ask: What does the Bible teach?

Even if it makes us uncomfortable and we don’t like it, we have to face the truth. And one truth that is not popular today but is still true nonetheless is this:

There are only two roads. And they are going opposite directions. 

 

 

Making the Most of Time Spent in God’s Word

1 Comment / January 7, 2020

Have you ever talked to someone and found them to be unreasonable? They won’t listen to your side of the argument but are ready with their opinion before you even finish speaking? (Maybe we are that unreasonable person. It’s such a temptation for most of us). This can be so very frustrating, but never so frustrating as when we are discussing biblical matters.

I remember several conversations with Christians throughout the course of my life where there were such strong opinions that even when biblical evidence to counter it was presented, they ignored or dismissed it. They were people who claimed to be in the Word on a daily basis so I was befuddled, to say the least. The topics were clear from scripture and not gray areas.

But they wanted to believe what they wanted to believe.

As Christians, perhaps we all may do this at times. We come to the Bible with everything that makes up who we are: The spiritual environment of our homes growing up; the opinions of the teachers, professors, and preachers of our lives; the doctrine and rules of all of our past churches and denominations; the voices of the authors we’ve read; the beliefs of our spouses, parents, siblings, friends, and other people we may love dearly. We also come to the Bible with our personalities–optimistic, pessimistic, realistic, etc.

This means that, without careful and deliberate intention, our Bible study will be tainted by our experiences and with worldly wisdom.

The Bible is the only certain truth we have in this world. It is our only anchor. Since the inception of Christianity and throughout the following centuries, this has been central to the faith. The Bible is God’s Inspired, Inerrant, and Authoritative Word. Any branch of Christianity that dismissed and negated the authority, inerrancy, and veracity of scripture was considered a false religion.

Oh, how things have changed.

God’s Word has been relegated to the backseat in favor of experience. Many people no longer even take a Bible with them to church. The worldly church hungers for entertainment and excitement, always craving bigger and better.

How did the church get here? How did we end up in a world where what is called “Christianity” is nothing like biblical Christianity?

I believe Biblical illiteracy has much to do with this. People stopped reading their Bibles and so they were easily distracted and deceived.

Hopefully, you are here because you want to make sure that doesn’t happen to you. The main purpose of this blog is to point you towards God’s Word and to encourage you to know it and to study it.

But, even as I noted above, there are many who claim to read God’s Word who don’t seem to be transformed by it. How is that? They claim to read the Scriptures, and yet they cling to unscriptural principles and doctrines.

How can we make sure this does not happen to us? What can we do to make sure that we are not tainted by our past and our personalities when we come to God’s Word? How do we ready our hearts and minds, in order to be transformed?

There are five things that will maximize the work of God’s Word in our lives. Without them, the Bible will be just another book to read.

As we study God’s Word, let’s make sure that we are bringing these five things to our study–

1. FAITH. Faith, according to dictionary.com, is confidence or trust in a person or thing. Faith, in the biblical sense, is complete and utter trust in God. We trust in Him to save us from our sins and we also trust His Word. We have complete confidence that what He says is true.

There are many, many people who read the Bible. They read it for educational purposes. For its history. Out of a sense of duty. But this does not mean they are saved. Without true faith the Bible is just a book full of myths. Without the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scriptures, the Bible is just another religious book.

2. SUBMISSION. There can be no transformation without a willingness to yield to God’s Sovereignty. This can be hard and lies at the heart of every complaint and every heart-rending question of “why”. It lies at the heart of many physical illnesses and most cases of depression and anxiety. When we aren’t willing to submit to God’s Will for our lives, we rob ourselves of peace and joy. And, like a tiny ant shaking its fist, we demand our own way.

When we aren’t willing to submit, our will becomes the primary focus. Our desires and our dreams become the centerpiece of our religion and the heart of our Bible study is utterly self-centered.

This will completely render our study ineffective and useless. The Bible is not about us. It is about God. He is the Creator and we are the creature (Genesis 1-3). He is the potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 29:16). Oh, how important to understand this as we approach God’s Word.

3. HUMILITY. So often we have an agenda when we come to God’s Word. We want to believe certain things about God or mankind and so we focus in on the verses we like and skip over the ones we don’t like. But true humility takes God’s Word at face value. Instead of trying to pridefully turn and twist it to say what we want it to say, we humble ourselves before God and accept the Word literally and in its entirety.

Humility also recognizes that there are many things that can’t be understood. For example, we cannot understand how God draws and man chooses at the same time. These are parallel truths that our human minds can’t comprehend.

Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us that we don’t know everything and that’s okay–

 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

We must release our pride, our selfish agendas, and our need to understand everything in order to make the most out of our time in God’s Word.

4. WILLINGNESS to OBEY. If we aren’t willing to obey what we read, then we will never be transformed. I will take it a step further–if we aren’t willing to obey what we read, we probably aren’t saved. I John 2:3-4 makes this abundantly clear–

3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Obedience isn’t just something God would like us to do. Obedience is the sure evidence that we are Christ’s!

5. TIME and FOCUS. These two things are scarce, aren’t they? In a culture that demands busyness, we can quickly become over-committed.  In a world that is full of distractions, it is hard to focus. We must intentionally change this or we will greatly impair our Bible Study time. It must become a priority. When we recognize the importance of God’s Word in our Christian walk, we must then deliberately take steps to be in the Word and to protect that time.

How do we do this?

It won’t be easy. But there are some steps we can take. I am working on these in my own life, so I am right there with you on this!

First, we must set a specific time, that is rarely altered. If we work, it may be setting our alarm clock earlier (which usually means turning the TV off and going to bed earlier); if we have infants or toddlers, it may mean taking that first half hour of naptime and dedicating it to God’s Word. Carve out a time that becomes regular. Don’t let a few days derail you from your plan. Illness happens. Teething babies happen. Other things sometimes get in the way. But let’s make a commitment to get back to our regular time when it is possible.

Second, we must eliminate the distractions. Oh, this is hard! But we can make a few little changes that will be immensely helpful. First, get a real Bible. A Bible app on your iPad or phone can be helpful, but it’s best not to use it for your quiet time in God’s Word unless you put it in airplane mode. Second, put all tech temptations in a different room as you read and study God’s Word. Intentionally give your undivided attention to the Bible for an hour. A half hour. Whatever time you have designated. Any time is better than none!

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As we dedicate ourselves to the reading and study of God’s Word may we bring to it a right heart attitude. May we pray about these things. Let’s ask God to fill us with faith and humility. Ask Him to help us to yield to His will and to be obedient to His commands. And let’s pray that He would open up a way for us to spend undistracted time in prayer and in His Word. We know this is His will so we can pray with confidence!

 

 

Twelve Things I’d Change if I Could Live my Life Over

4 Comments / December 31, 2019

Oftentimes, we evaluate our lives as we approach the end of the year. We examine our life in regards to health, career, education. We consider our bank accounts and we reflect on our relationships. We ask: What could we do better next year?

The most important questions we can ever ask ourselves as we evaluate our past year are: Do I look more like Christ? and Did I learn any spiritual lessons? After all, these are the only things of lasting and eternal value.

Education, good jobs, making money, and beautiful homes are nice, but they aren’t the heart of a Christian’s life. Popularity, fame, and 100,000 Instagram or Facebook followers may be very gratifying but it’s not what really matters in life.

So now is a good time to ask: What are my top priorities for the new year?

As you consider this, I compiled a list of a few things that I’d love to go back and change if I could live my life over. Some are major and some are not-so-major. Other than the first two (which I consider, by far, the most important), they are not in any particular order. As I evaluate my life, these are the things I’d love to do differently. This list is not exhaustive and I know that there are some that are just not coming to mind right now.

If we have a priority to walk with God and to teach our families to walk with God in the upcoming year, then I hope this list encourages you and gives you some practical ideas of how to get started–

1. Be more faithful in reading and studying Bible; memorize passages. God’s Word is transforming. We need the Bible in order to know and love God. It is our guidebook, showing us how to live. It is our mirror, convicting us of sin. And yet, I hindered my walk for years by being satisfied with shallow devotionals instead of actually reading the Bible. And yes! Memorize! I just started this last year and I can’t even begin to tell you the difference this has made in my walk with the Lord. Oh, why didn’t I do this earlier….??

2. Be much more diligent to have my kids learn and study and memorize God’s Word. God’s Word was always the authority in our home, but, oh, how I wish I would have been so much more faithful in having my kids in the Word and memorizing it in a much more systematic way. This is the only thing that will carry them through the trials that come to us all and the only way they can stand under the persecution they can expect to receive as Christians.

3. Put my distractions aside and play more with my kids. The laundry, the dishes, the household work, the phone call, the tv show–they could have waited. Not that I never played with them. But, looking back now, I realize now just how fast the time goes and I wish I would have spent even more time with them.

I am so very glad I didn’t have the temptation of looking at my phone when I had kids. I feel rather bad for those of you who have smartphones and tablets at your fingertips, tempting you to check on them and then pulling you in at all moments of the day. I encourage you to put them in a room far away and focus on your kids! Trust me, you will regret it if you don’t.

4. Be more diligent to keep an eternal perspective in all things but especially when it pertained to raising my kids When we are in the midst of parenting, we are often concerned about two things–will my kid still like me if I do or don’t allow this? And will their friends still like them if we don’t allow this? But neither of those matter. It’s so much more important that our children love and serve the Lord than that they fit in with the in-crowd–this one fact changes so many decisions we make as parents! Sure, they may be mad at us or even scream at us, but standing firm pays off in the long run. For the most part we stood firm on God’s Word in our family and we were often ostracized because of it, but as I reflect on our parenting years, I do regret some of the decisions we made based on peer pressure. (Let me add here, that there is also the opposite–where we make far too many {unnecessary} rules that have nothing to do with scripture. Please don’t do that. It breeds rebellion. If you have a rule, make sure it has a scriptural principle behind it and that your kids know what that principle is.)

5. Be much more careful in what I set before my eyes and listen to with my ears; I was always fairly careful, but even things I would have considered “innocent” I can see now were promoting infidelity or bad language or lying. They were full of human wisdom or showing an ungodly model of a family (just how many sitcoms can make Dad look like a complete idiot?!?). I would work harder earlier in my life to eliminate all forms of entertainment that do not glorify God. I know some of you may think I am “over the top” but entertainment changes us. We are fooled into thinking it doesn’t matter but it most certainly does. I still have so far to go in this area, but I do feel like a different person since I have eliminated quite a bit of what is worldly entertainment from my life. But that’s a topic for another day…

6. Be kinder to my husband; I think I am especially cognizant of this because of losing my sister-in-law this past year. I’m sure my brother would only love to have her there, irritating him in whatever way she may have done so. It is always hardest to be kind and loving with the ones that we live with. I really want to be more intentional in nurturing my marriage this coming year.

7. Have far more grace for others; I didn’t have a lot of grace for others as a young person. I am so very thankful that God has brought situations and people into my life that have wrought a great change in this area. But I sure do wish I would have recognized way earlier in life that “but for the grace of God, go I”.

8. Let the minor offenses go; This is another change God has made in my life due to people and situations. I had to intentionally forgive and choose not to hold a grudge–many times without the other person even knowing that they hurt me. Eventually it became natural (at least much of the time), but it took me too long. Life is so much more enjoyable if we stop being so easily offended.

9. Speak the truth of God’s Word with lots of love and kindness. I never had too much trouble speaking the truth, but the love and kindness part would sometimes take a backseat. I hope that I have made progress in this, although I am sure I sometimes still fail. Those of us who passionately love and defend the truth can often struggle with the love side of things. Would I have done more for God’s Kingdom if I would have changed my tone or said things differently as a younger person? Only God knows. In this, I am so very thankful for God’s forgiveness and mercy.

10. Think of others more often. I was SO selfish as a young person. Looking back, I am dismayed and distraught seeing it. I still can tend to be that way and I have to literally fight against my flesh and do what is right. Sometimes I win that battle and sometimes I don’t. But I truly want to be a blessing by thoughtful words and kind deeds–rather than a burden through sarcasm, human opinions about things that are not scriptural, and selfish acts. This is certainly an area in progress and I sure do wish I was much further along in this one!

Along with this, I wish I would have shared the Gospel so much more freely, without worrying what people think! I am so self-centered that I am {still} often more concerned with what people think about me than I am with someone’s eternal destiny!

11. Recognize that my parents are people who have feelings and need support. I am so dismayed when I consider how selfish I was as a teen and twenty-something. When I was getting married, my grandma was in the hospital. And then she passed away two weeks before I had my first child. I was so wrapped up in my life that I was not there for my mom. Oh, how I regret this! If you are blessed to have parents, realize now that they are people, too. That their life is not solely comprised of you and your world. Oh, how I wish I would have understood this sooner.

12. Waste far less time worrying about what “could happen”. Worry and anxiety are a prison. They destroy the present and do nothing to change the future. And yet, how many of us find ourselves in that prison, held tightly by their chains? This is a battle in many of our lives but we must fight it instead of cave into it. We are, in essence, saying we do not trust in God. And therein lies the issue. Oh, how I wish I would have wasted far less time in this useless and faith-sapping activity.

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So there’s the list. Not that I have arrived. Some of these continue to be quite the challenge for me. One of them I thought I conquered and then, years later, it came back with a vengeance (#12, if you want to know!)

Most, if not all, of these things are changed by intentional choices with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit. I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to this over the course of the past few months.

Some of the things above have changed over the course of my lifetime, simply from growing in Christ. It has sometimes been two steps forward and one step back, but, gradually, over time, they got so much better. Not perfect but better. But even these things came from changing a small habit or behavior. Making a conscientious choice to sit down with God’s Word in the morning or to mentally turn away from the negative thoughts when someone says something hurtful or to choose to offer grace when someone does something I just can’t understand. Although sometimes still a challenge, it is far more natural now to respond correctly. But it wasn’t always the case. I had to intentionally make a choice.

It is hard to improve anything without intentionally choosing to do so. Before you think I am all caught up in man’s wisdom and the “I can do anything I set my mind to”, I want to stop right here.

I am not saying that lasting change can be had without the Holy Spirit. What I am saying is that becoming more Christ-like isn’t just going to happen one day without any work from us at all.

Galatians 5:24-25 says this:

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

We have to crucify our flesh. It’s an action on our part. In this verse and earlier in that chapter we can also see that we are to walk in the Spirit (v. 16) Again, it’s intentional action on our part.

Life is like a quickly fading flower. Those of you who are young will blink and find yourselves where I am. You, too, will look back over your life and wonder how in the world you ever got here so incredibly fast. Live intentionally now so that your “things I’d change” list is shorter than mine!

(For those of you who have lived as long or longer than I have–what would you change? Your comments on this may help a younger reader. We are all different and have different struggles, so I’d love for you to share your thoughts on this.)

 

 

The Christmas Ornaments (Part 5)

8 Comments / December 24, 2019

Today is the final installment of this year’s Christmas story. If you have enjoyed this short break from my normal type of post, I’d appreciate if you’d let me know. Your response helps me to decide if I should continue the Christmas Story tradition here at Growing4Life. If you’d like to read the rest of the story, you can find it here. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

The kids were growing. Max was now a sturdy five year old and the triplets were three. Life had settled into a routine, albeit a very busy routine. Julie continued to receive the special ornaments along with the gift of a thousand dollars each December.
Each gift was welcome and needed, as money was always tight. Jack worked hard but with four kids to support, it was tough. There seemed to be an endless amount of things needing fixed in their 1970s suburban home; their minivan, with over 180,000 miles on it, was constantly in need of repair; and the kids were always growing out of their clothing. Jack’s paychecks were often spent before they had been received, despite their careful budgeting.
Although the Bible Study had ended upon the birth of the triplets, Julie had stayed in touch with Mrs. Bailey. She didn’t go many places with the four kids because it was just so much work, but knowing that Mrs. Bailey didn’t have any family to visit her, she’s take the kids over to visit the widow almost weekly to bring a little cheer into her life. The kids would create colored pictures to hang on her refrigerator and Julie would make homemade treats for her to munch on. The family brought much comfort and joy to the childless lady who lived all alone in her tiny apartment in the city.
One day, when Julie and the children stopped by to see her, a neighbor told her that Mrs. Bailey was gravely ill.
Julie dropped the kids off at Maggie’s and then headed to the hospital. When she arrived, she found her sleeping peacefully.
She slid the room chair over by her bedside and sat down. Funny how God brought people into your life that you never expected. The Baileys had been a tremendous blessing in her life. Not only had they been so warm and friendly and opened up their small home to a lonely young girl, but since Mrs. Bailey became a believer, their relationship had grown deeper and more meaningful. They had become family.
All of this came back to Julie, as she watched Mrs. Bailey’s labored breathing. She thanked the Lord for her and reached out to hold her cold hand. She stirred and her eyes fluttered open.
“Julie? Is that you, dear?”
“It is, Mrs. Bailey.”
“Thank you for coming to see me. It won’t be long now until I see Harold.”
“Oh, don’t say that quite yet.” Julie squeezed the old woman’s hand.
“It’s okay, my dear. I am ready to go, thanks to you. Harold knew the Lord and now we will be together in heaven because of Jesus. Only because of Him.” She stopped to take a few labored breaths and then continued, “thank you, my dear Julie, for sharing the truth of God’s Word with me. God was so good to bring you into my life. You are a dear girl.”
Julie gave a wry smile at her use of the word “girl”. She didn’t feel much like a girl anymore but she supposed in Mrs. Bailey’s eyes she would always be a girl.
Within a few minutes, Mrs. Bailey was sleeping peacefully again. A nurse told Julie that they didn’t expect her to live much longer and so Julie called Jack to let him know that she’d be staying with Mrs. Bailey for awhile.
She didn’t want her to die without someone who loved her by her side. It just seemed important.
A few hours later, Mrs. Bailey had breathed her last and Julie had lovingly squeezed her hand one last time, as the tears freely flowed.

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      The weeks passed by and soon it was time to take down the Christmas tree. Jack was keeping the triplets busy with a craft and Max was playing with trucks by the fireplace, giving Julie some time to reflect as she lovingly held each mysterious ornament for a moment before carefully wrapping it for next year. There was the mini-globe, the wooden cross, and a “Baby’s First Christmas”. There was the miniature woodland couple, a tiny manger scene, the porcelain triplets, a glass cottage, and a beautifully crafted miniature bell that actually rang. Each one was special in its own way.
There had been no ornament this year and, to be honest, this had filled Julie with more sadness than even not getting the expected gift of money. The ornaments were so special and not getting one had made her Christmas feel incomplete.
She always hated taking down the tree. It seemed especially hard this year, with Mrs. Bailey’s recent passing. Jack sensed her mood and brought her a cup of steaming coffee and told her to sit down for a few minutes. He rubbed her shoulders while she closed her eyes.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Max ran to the door and opened it to find the postman.
“I have a registered letter for your mama, young man. Is she here to sign it?”
Julie had soon signed for the letter and was sitting back on the sofa, looking at the mysterious letter.
Inside the envelope was a short note from a solicitor:

I have been instructed to send this letter to you upon the death of Mrs. Martha Bailey. I will be in touch with future instructions at a later date.

It was signed by a Mr. Brown, of Brown and Slade, a law firm from the city. She pulled out the short handwritten letter that accompanied the note.
Julie looked at the signature and saw that it was from Mrs. Bailey. She sat down on the nearby sofa to read it. Sensing that it was important, Jack took Max with him to check on the triplets so that she would have a few minutes alone to read it.

Julie smiled as she thought of dear Mrs. Bailey. So she was her secret Santa all of these years. She should have figured it out. But she was glad she hadn’t. It had made it all the more special. So no more anonymous gifts or special ornaments. Her eyes brightened with unshed tears as she remembered how their gifts had blessed her.

_______________________

      A few months later, the estate had been settled and Julie had given a third of it, about a million dollars, away to charities that she knew had the Gospel at the heart of their ministry. And then she put some of the money into savings for her children’s college education and for whatever other needs came along. She and Jack loved their home and made the decision to stay there, despite having the means to move somewhere else. They did purchase a used SUV with less miles.
But Julie kept a good portion of it to start her own secret Santa fund. And each year she’d carefully pick a special Christmas ornament and send it on its way to its owner, along with a gift of a thousand dollars.
It was in this way that Julie kept the spirit of Mrs. Bailey’s generosity alive.

The Christmas Ornaments (Part 4)

Leave a Comment / December 16, 2019

Can you believe it is mid-December already? Christmas is next week! Today is Part 4 of this year’s story. So I hope you will grab a cup of steaming coffee or hot tea and sit and read for just a little while. The conclusion will be posted next Tuesday, the morning of Christmas Eve.  (Find the rest of the story here.)

      Five years had passed. Each December brought with it a special ornament. There was the little snow-covered cottage when Jack and Julie had moved from the condo to their craftsman-style home in the suburbs. And then there was a Baby’s First Christmas ornament when Max had joined their family. Each year, the ornament was specially chosen to reflect some event or happening in her life. Other than that one exception the year of her wedding, the amount of money that came with the ornaments was always ten crisp $100 bills.
      Julie reflected on this as she awkwardly moved to hang the ornaments on the tree. It was the day after Thanksgiving and she felt as big as a house. She lay her hand on her belly and felt a little kick. Max would soon be up from his nap and, at two years old, he was into everything. She sighed with exhaustion.
      Over the past few years, life had brought much change. While she no longer worked at the restaurant, she was now holding a Bible Study there every Tuesday evening. It was so interesting how God had orchestrated its inception. She remembered it so clearly.
      It was about three years ago now and Mrs. Bailey and Mrs. Gunderson were animatedly discussing what happens to a person after death, while Julie sat and listened. Mrs. Bailey was saying that Harold had believed the Bible and “all that jazz” about Jesus but she had never really thought there was anything to that.
      Mrs. Gunderson laughed and said that Mr. Gunderson was sure nothing happened after you die and that that was the end. They went on for awhile about how you just can’t really know.
      Julie, her heart beating fast, had finally spoken up. She told the women about the Bible and why she believed it is true. She went on to explain how the only way to be reconciled to God was through Jesus Christ and she shyly offered to teach them more, if they were interested. She felt woefully inadequate to do this but she also realized that God had given her this special opportunity with these dear ladies. When they eagerly agreed, she asked Maggie to help her.
      Thankfully, Maggie had been happy to join Julie in her new endeavor. Ted and Jack had offered to watch the kids, leaving the two young women free to meet with the ladies on Tuesday nights to explain to them the truths of scripture.
      The small group had grown as Mrs. Bailey’s friend from her book club, Lucinda, asked if she could join them. Soon after, Mrs. Gunderson’s neighbor, Mrs. Littman, started coming. The group grew like this until there were about seven ladies who were committed to coming every week. Even Mrs. Zimmer, the little old Jewish lady who was a faithful customer at the restaurant, had expressed interest and had recently started to join them.
      In a year or so, Mrs. Bailey placed her faith in Christ. Mrs. Gunderson still held off and Julie was getting a little discouraged. But she kept coming to the meetings so Julie and Maggie just kept praying for her.
      Julie spotted her study Bible on the end table and the toys scattered on the floor. She smiled as she thought about how different her life was compared to seven years ago when she received that first mysterious package in the mail. A mommy and a Bible Study leader. Who would’ve guessed? And now twins. Twins! She wasn’t sure if she could handle this but God was giving them to her, so she guessed He would give her grace to survive this. She didn’t know if they were boys or girls or one of each. Together, she and Jack, had decided to leave that as a surprise, just as they had done with Max.
      She felt a sharp pain and sat down to rest. She wasn’t due for another five weeks but now she wondered if these little ones would wait. The doctor had told her that twins often came early.
      Julie grew increasingly uncomfortable until finally, a few days later, around midnight, they dropped a sleepy Max off at Ted and Maggie’s and headed to the hospital.
      Three weeks later found Julie and Jack back home with their arms full of babies. There had not been only two babies, but a third one hiding behind his sister. Two girls and a boy. Triplets! What a surprise! They had spent a few days in the NICU but they were all able to be home in time for Christmas.
      They named the girls Kate and Kara. They named their new son Carson. Max was unsure what to think of all of these babies.
      Life became a crazy carousel of feeding, changing, and rocking babies while still trying to make sure Max got the attention he needed. Thankfully, Martha McNally from the church had organized a schedule for church ladies to take shifts to help throughout most of the day and night.
      December came and went in a blur. Somewhere in there, a new ornament arrived—a delicate porcelain ornament of three smiling babies wrapped up in mint green blankets, with the word “triplets” below it. The customary cash was with it. They could sure use that thousand dollars this year. Babies were expensive!
      In a rare moment of silence with all the babies sleeping, Jack and Julie sat exhausted on the sofa by the twinkling tree. It was New Year’s Eve and the new year promised to be an interesting one, to say the least.
      Julie gazed one-by-one at each ornament from her anonymous benefactor. Her eyes landed on the latest one. The identity of the ornament-giver seemed almost irrelevant with all that was going on in her current life. Almost. Somehow it was rather comforting to know that, out there somewhere, was someone who cared just a little bit about a grown woman who was, in all senses of the words, an orphan.
      
      
      

The Christmas Ornaments (Part 3)

Leave a Comment / December 10, 2019

(Today is part 3 of this year’s Christmas Story. You can find parts one and two here. Hope you enjoy it!)

      A year later, Jack and Julie were engaged and excitedly planning their June wedding. It would be a small affair, with the majority of the wedding guests from their church family. Jack’s family would make up the rest of the guest list. Julie was an only child and had lost her parents in a car accident a few years ago. She would invite what little family she had left but she doubted they would come such a long way.
      The two worked extra hours to help pay for the wedding. Thankfully, Jack’s parents had generously offered to pay for their wedding reception and so that was a big weight off of their minds.
      As Christmas approached, Julie had started thinking about what wedding expenses she could cover with the $1000 gift she hoped to receive again. Would she get another ornament with the gift of money? She wondered. She’d try to remind herself that there was no guarantee it would show up again this year. But then her mind would take off again and she’d be dreamily thinking of what special thing could be purchased.
      However, as the weeks passed by, she had to start considering the fact that it might not be coming this year.
      Julie continued to take nursing classes, where she was doing very well. She also continued to work at the restaurant where Mrs. Gunderson’s son had surprisingly stepped up to be its manager. It seemed that he couldn’t bear to see the diner leave the family’s hands and so he had left his well-paying sales job and had moved his family from Dallas, TX, back to his hometown in the east.
      Julie found John to be a friendly and astute man in his mid-forties. He had brought back the stability that had disappeared upon his father’s death and things had steadily improved at the restaurant. Mrs. Gunderson still helped out but she was so much less stressed now that John was in control.
      Sadly, Mr. Bailey had passed away in March from complications of pneumonia. Mrs. Bailey became even more regular at the diner now that she was living all alone. Mrs. Gunderson and Mrs. Bailey became close friends and many times, after the evening rush, Julie and the other waitresses would take a much needed break with the ladies. They’d talk about how life used to be and offer the kind of advice that only comes with age and experience to their young friends as they navigated life’s problems and puzzles.
      But today, Julie had off from work. It was December 20 and no mysterious parcel had shown up yet. As she had always received it by now, her heart sank a bit. It wasn’t just because she wouldn’t have that extra money for the wedding, but, perhaps even more so, because she realized that she might never find out the identity of her generous benefactor.
      Ted and Jack had offered to watch Lucy and Ava so that Maggie could go with Julie to find a wedding gown. As Julie excitedly waited to be picked up, she looked around her tiny apartment in the Brownstone. The little tree stood merrily on the table by the window and lights twinkled from her mama’s homemade wreath on the wall. She loved this place and it was rather bittersweet to think about leaving it. In just six short months she would be moving into Jack’s condo. But life continually changes and even wonderful changes can bring hard moments.
      Julie’s phone dinged. A text from Maggie indicated she had arrived and so, grabbing her bright pink coat and her purse, she ran down the two flights of stairs. One thing I won’t miss when I leave this place is those stairs, she thought smiling.
      Julie and Maggie had a wonderful afternoon. Julie would try on a gown and Maggie, true friend that she was, would stand back carefully looking at every angle. And then she would give her honest opinion. Maggie had become like a sister to Julie and this was of immeasurable value since she had no mom or sister to walk through this special time with her.
      Julie had carefully tried on gowns that were in her $500 budget. And, while they were beautiful dresses, they just weren’t quite right. They were too princess-y or too decorative. A few were just too simple and two or three were far too immodest.
      At their last stop, a discount wedding shop, Julie’s eyes rested on a simple, lace gown with a beaded overlay. It was perfect. She held her breath as she looked at the tag.
      $1050.
      She went through her wedding expenses in her mind to see if she could afford to spend that much on a gown. Where could I cut costs so that I can buy this gown? she mused.
      As she was thinking about this, Maggie came up.
      “Oh, Julie, that gown is gorgeous! It looks just like you.”
      “It does, doesn’t it?” said Julie, longingly.
      “Try it on!”
      “But it’s too expensive.”
      “Oh, just try it on. Here, give it to me.” And she added it to the two or three she already held in her hand.
      Julie saved the special dress for last when she went to the fitting room.
      The first three were unimpressive. Finally, the satin and lace gown was pulled over head. Allowing the sales lady to button up the bodice in the back, Julie caught a glance of herself in the mirror. This was the dress. She just knew it.
      As she stepped out of the fitting room, Maggie’s eyes grew big.
      “That’s the dress.” Her simple words confirmed what Julie herself was already thinking.
      “That’s how I feel, too. But I am just not sure I can afford it.”
      “You know, I want to check something. We were going to mark a few dresses on sale tomorrow and I think this may be one of them. I’ll be right back,” the kind sales lady went to the front of the store to check with her manager.
      “Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful if it was?” breathed Maggie.
      “It would indeed. But I don’t want to get my hopes up,” said Julie, even though her hopes were already up.
      Soon the lady returned with a big smile on her face. “This is one of the dresses! Tomorrow we were going to knock $100 off of the price. Would that help?”
      Okay, so $100 was better than nothing. But that still made it close to $1000. Twice what her budget was.
      “Would it be possible to hold this for me until tomorrow?” she asked. She just didn’t want to spend that kind of money without talking to Jack first.
      “Sure. I will hold it in the back. I will just need some information from you.”
      They went up to the front to fill out a form and then Julie and Maggie were on their way home.
      “I just wish I had the money to give to you, Jules, but with the kids in preschool and the furnace needing replaced, we just don’t have it,” said Maggie.
      “Oh, I would never expect that. I may be able to change my budget around a bit. Or maybe my anonymous Christmas gift will still show up this year,” she said it jokingly.
      “Well, you never know…” said Maggie hopefully.
      “True. But it is always here by the beginning of December and here we are at December 20. It’s okay. It was such a needed, life-changing blessing these past two years. God knew I needed that money at just that time. It helped me pay my living expenses when I had no idea where I would turn. And just think—I would never have met Ted on the street if I wouldn’t have gone shopping that day which means I would never have met you. And even my nursing classes are because of my kind, anonymous friend. God has been so good to me and supplied my needs. And, let’s face it, the wedding gown really isn’t a need,” Julie laughed.
      Maggie smiled and then soon their conversation turned to the upcoming annual gingerbread house contest and other Christmas activities.
      After grabbing a bite to eat, Maggie dropped Julie at her apartment.
      Julie stopped in the brownstone’s foyer to check her mail. A familiar brown package lay there in all its glory. She blinked. Was she seeing things?
      She carefully grabbed it and then delightedly ran up the stairs. Her heart sang as she thought about the beautiful gown that she could now afford. Closing the door behind her, she breathlessly sat down to open it.
      Tearing away the paper, she carefully opened the red and green plaid box that lay underneath the brown wrapping. There, in a bed of sparkly tissue paper, lay a small woodland couple holding an “engaged” sign. It was a special ornament to celebrate her recent engagement. Along with it came a cashier’s check for $5000 dollars and a small typed note:

            Dear Julie,

            I hope this gift will help with wedding expenses. I will be praying for you and your fiance as             you plan your big day and will continue to pray for you both as you start your new life             together. Best wishes!

      Julie stood there absolutely stunned. She stared long and hard at the note, as if somehow it would reveal to her the answer she was looking for. But it was just a nondescript note. Black letters on plain white paper. There wouldn’t be any answers there.
            
            
            

How Important is Your Stuff?

Leave a Comment / December 6, 2019

I had lunch with a dear friend this week and, as always, the conversation easily flowed as we talked about the Lord, life, family, and whatever else that came up.

During our time together, we started talking about her childhood as an MK (missionary kid). It all started with a string of gold beads. You know–the kind you get for your tree at Christmas. She glanced at them and said that when she was living on the mission field, she remembered her family having a string of brightly colored beads that went missing one day. The next day they started seeing the ladies wearing them in the form of earrings. They had been stolen and turned into earrings!

Now you may think–what’s the big deal? Who cares about a string of cheap beads?

True.

But as we talked further, I started to get just a little feel for the culture in which she lived. She went on to say that in that native culture, stealing wasn’t considered wrong unless someone “caught you”. With this being the case, everything they owned was at risk. Especially if it was outside. Even clothing hanging on a wash-line was apt to be stolen. Any servant brought into the house to help with the hard task of daily living would bring the risk of losing more of your personal stuff.

Since they were hours and hours away from the closest city, there would be no opportunity to get more stuff anytime soon. There was no running to the local Walmart or Target to replace something when you live in the jungle.

As she told me this story, she shared how her father had told her that he had learned not to care so much about his possessions on the mission field. What wasn’t stolen was often ruined by the awful heat and humidity.

As I listened to her talk, I was challenged. How much we all value “stuff”. Right?

Oh, some of us don’t have a struggle with any of this. But a good many of us do. And it goes way beyond just wanting the latest and greatest…

Some people just buy a lot. They are “stuff-aholics”. Others value stuff so highly that they get angry or depressed if some of their “stuff” is ruined or goes missing. And, of course, there are those who just like feeling like they are better than others because of their accumulation or brand of “stuff”.

But, after all is said and done, it’s just that: Stuff. We can take none of it with us to heaven. Whether we like it or not, it will all end up in the junk heap. And our value is certainly not determined by how much or what kind of stuff we own.

So why do so many of us wind up loving our stuff so much? How in the world do we get so off-kilter when it comes to this matter of buying, keeping, and valuing our stuff?

I am sure our materialistic culture is to blame, to some extent. Everywhere we turn we hear “BUY MORE STUFF!” It is the main marketing message that hits our ears [what feels like] a million times a day.

But that’s really no excuse for a Christian, right?

As I think on this, Colossians 3:1-2 comes to mind. It is here that I think we can find a principle related to how we view our stuff–

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

The more fixed our eyes are on heaven, the less important our earthly stuff becomes.

You see, there isn’t anything innately wrong with owning stuff. There are many examples in scripture of wealthy men and women who followed God whole-heartedly.

The trouble comes in when we don’t view it with the right heart and a godly attitude. And I’ve noticed that this attitude is not dependent on how much money one has. There are greedy, miserly people who are living paycheck to paycheck. And there are godly, generous people who make millions of dollars each year. The greedy, uncharitable, or discontent heart appears to be completely unrelated to income.

In my friend’s case, her father’s hands were pried loose from his stuff because, in a foreign land, it became a most uncertain commodity. At any moment it could be gone and he was forced to recognize his stuff wasn’t his own but God’s. And, in turn, he was forced to rely on God when his possessions would disappear.

Here in the western world we live in, we rarely get to such a point. Instead, we need to be much more intentional on learning the godly approach to stuff.

This can only be done by diving into the Word and learning there what kind of attitude we should have. God has blessed us immensely here in the west in regards to material things. But, with that, comes its own special challenges, as well as a grave responsibility.

So may we strive to hold our “stuff” with a content heart and an open hand. After all, it really isn’t ours, anyway. We need to be godly, generous stewards of what God has allowed us to have for this time.

 

The Christmas Ornaments (Part 2)

Leave a Comment / December 3, 2019

Each December, I take a break from my normal style of writing and write a Christmas story. Today you will find the second installment of this year’s story. If you missed part one, you can find it here. If you’d like to read the Christmas stories from previous years, you can find them all here. And now, here is Part 2–

      The following December found Julie at a much different place. Oh, she was still in the old brownstone struggling to make ends meet, but life had sure changed in other ways. It really all began with the tiny snow globe from the anonymous sender. As Julie pulled it out of its careful wrapping, she reflected on this.
      A couple of weeks after she had met Ted and Maggie at the restaurant, she had been true to her word and she had gone to their church. They had greeted her kindly and invited her to sit with them. Their genuine kindness met a need deep inside her. But the pastor’s message met a spiritual need that she didn’t even know she had. As she had listened to the pastor speak about sin and how no human can do anything to merit salvation on their own, she grew slightly uncomfortable. This was unlike any other message she had ever heard.
      She thought back to her own childhood, where she attended a church that taught that the only way to be saved was to be morally good. And, while she did try to be a good person, she grew tired of the hopelessness and eternal striving to be perfect. She walked away from that church and never looked back.
      But now here was this preacher telling her that it wasn’t even about works. This lit a fire in Julie’s heart and the Lord was surely drawing her to Himself. She went home and started reading her Bible—something she had never done before. She asked questions to Ted and Maggie, who patiently answered and never made her feel foolish. Within a few months, she had come to the understanding that Christ alone was her salvation. He had died for her sins and covered them with His blood. A newfound peace filled her heart and a deep love for her Savior grew.
      Over the course of that winter, Ted and Maggie “adopted” Julie into their family. She became Auntie Julie to their two girls, three-year-old Lucy and one-year-old Ava. She started spending each Tuesday evening with them, eating and talking and helping with the girls. As Julie’s only remaining family lived a thousand miles away in another state, she grew to consider them as her family.
      When springtime arrived, it was with a newfound enthusiasm for life. With a spring in her step and a brighter smile on her face, she had served the customers at Gunderson’s Diner. Suddenly her life, which had seemed so hopeless a few months before, was full of hope and joy.
      Of course, her money troubles didn’t go away just because she was now saved and, sometime in the summer, she started thinking about changing jobs. Mrs. Gunderson had started talking about selling the Diner and Julie finally felt like she could leave. But to where? To do what?
      She thought about the money she had tucked away in savings last Christmas. Quite suddenly, a thought came to her: Perhaps she could start taking classes? The thought grew like a flower within her and soon it was fully blossomed. Yes! That is exactly what she would do.
      She had poured over the catalog of the local community college and finally settled on nursing. Perhaps she could get her degree in nursing, one class at a time. She met with an advisor and was soon scheduled for two classes during the fall semester—both paid for by the generous Christmas benefactor.
      Sometime in October, Jack had entered her life. Thinking of Jack made Julie pause in her reflection temporarily as she glanced down at her watch. He was picking her up for a Christmas concert in a few minutes and she wanted to be ready. The watch indicated she had ten more minutes, so she let her mind wander back to when she first met him.
      Jack was the younger brother of Ted. He had grown tired of city life and longed to be closer to his family. And so he had found a job in their town, packed his bags, and moved into a condo a short distance from Ted and Maggie’s neighborhood.
      With Jack came fun and laughter and yet he had a serious side, too. When Ted and Maggie had introduced them, they quickly realized they were kindred spirits. They became good friends immediately and, within a few weeks, they started dating. Julie lingered on her thoughts of Jack. She never dreamed that she would meet someone like him. He was kind and generous and, most important of all, he loved the Lord. God had been so good to bring Jack into her life. It was hard to imagine life without him already, although it had only been two short months.
      Suddenly, she heard a knock at her door. She opened it to Jack’s smiling face.
      “Look what I found in your mailbox,” he enthusiastically tossed a package to her. Julie had enjoyed a long, lazy Saturday in her apartment decorating for Christmas and had asked Jack to get her mail on his way up.
      “This looks very similar to the one from last year,” she mused as she began to open it.
      A few moments later she was pulling out a beautiful hand-made wooden cross ornament along with a thick wad of cash.
      Jack’s eyes widened as he whistled long and low, “well, look at that.”
      Julie carefully hung the beautiful little cross on her tree and then counted out exactly one thousand dollars. A little note accompanied it: Merry Christmas! I continue to pray for you.
      After the concert, as Jack and Julie lingered over coffee, they talked about who could have sent the package. Not just once–but two years in a row. But not even one of their ideas seemed plausible.
      “Maybe it’s a rich relative,” said Jack.
      Julie furled her brow. She remembered that she did have a great aunt in Boston. And she thought there may be a couple of great uncles down south somewhere. But she couldn’t imagine them sending money or –even more strangely–praying for a girl they hadn’t seen since she was five. But she supposed stranger things had happened.
      Julie discussed it with Ted and Maggie, her adoptive family, Mrs. Gunderson, her boss, and Mrs. Bailey, her favorite customer. They all offered helpful suggestions but to no avail.
      The sender remained a mystery.

      
      
      

Will You Join Me?

6 Comments / November 29, 2019

When I began this blog in 2010, I really had no idea what my purpose was. I loved to write and I thought this would be an easy way to do something I loved to do. In a few years, I started recognizing the incredible need for Christians to discern in our current age, and that became a frequent topic. But, sometime, over the past few years, I have realized that the true need for all Christians is to know their Bibles. So few of us do. Many of us have never even read it through.

I called myself a Christian for almost 40 years before I ever read the Bible through or made Bible memory a regular part of my life. But here’s the thing I learned: Once you get into the Word, the discernment kind of takes care of itself. Our thoughts on other issues, such as worldliness and Christian liberty, also change completely as we learn the Word. When we study the Bible, we begin to understand God’s love and grace, His hatred for sin, and His demand for pure and holy worship. We also begin to understand the battle going on in the spiritual realm and the agenda that Satan has for this world. Getting in the Word teaches us the truth about the things of religion and philosophy so that when some false but pleasant message comes along, we recognize it for what it is.

And so, while I still write about discernment and worldliness and other topics that are important, my overarching purpose for Growing4Life has become simply this: Encourage Christians to get in the Word. Read it. Study it. Memorize it. Know it.

This is life-changing, as I can attest.

It is with this purpose in mind, that for the past several years, I have started to offer the Growing4Life Bible Reading Challenge each year. I thought it would be a way to keep us all accountable to be in the Word. I create a Facebook group each year (see details in link below) where I post reminders, encourage discussion, and provide biblical resources and articles that go along with what we are reading.

This year I am trying something different. I have been wanting to try this for several years now. We are going to read the same book (or passage) for a month. In this way, we will become extremely familiar with each book. We will naturally learn its message and its themes. This idea comes from John MacArthur and I will share a little about what he says about this on a post entitled How to Study Your Bible—

When I was in seminary, I decided to read 1 John every day for thirty days. That’s a good place for you to start, too. The first day—the beginning of the month—simply read all five chapters of 1 John. It will take you only twenty to thirty minutes. Do the same thing the next dayand the next. About the seventh or eighth day you will say to yourself, “This is getting old. I think I understand 1 John by now.” That’s the hard part. But if you push through and stick with your reading for the rest of the month, you’ll have a tremendous comprehension of 1 John.

That is the method I use to prepare my messages. I read through the passage I’m studying over and over again until it fills my mind. I suggest that as you read, you jot down the major themes of each chapter on a three-by-five card. Every day as you read the book, look at the card and read through your list. You will soon know by heart the main points of each chapter.

This is a really helpful article, so I definitely suggest you read the whole thing (link is above). But this is what we are going to do. We are going to start with I John and we are going to read it all through January.

You can find all the details for this year’s challenge on the 2020 Growing4Life Bible Reading Challenge Page. I hope you will consider joining me!

I know that some of you have other ways and methods for studying the Bible. You already have a plan for next year and you can’t join me. That’s totally fine! I just want to encourage you to set aside your devotionals (at least until after you read your Bible) and pick up your Bibles. Whatever your plan is for the new year, I hope you will make sure it includes a healthy daily dose of reading the actual Bible.

For, as I have learned from my own experience, this is the heart of the Christian life. Anything else, whether it’s devotionals or experiences or rituals, is just a poor substitute that has no power to transform.

 

Do you want victory over sin?

Read your Bible!

Do you want to know right from wrong?

Read your Bible!

Do you want to be able to discern true from false?

Read your Bible!

Do you want comfort during hard times?

Read your Bible!

Do you want to look more like Christ?

Read your Bible!

 

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