Encouragement

Christian, the Government Isn’t Going to Save Us

8 Comments / September 1, 2020

It’s been such a strange year. For those of us who are Americans, much of what we’ve held dear seems to be hanging in the balance. Many of us are clinging to the fragile hope that somehow everything will turn out okay after the November election. That somehow all will go back to normal if we just elect the right President.

Even this has divided Christians (or at least those who call themselves Christians). I am deeply, deeply troubled by the amount of Christians who give no value to moral issues and only focus on social justice issues. Something is very, very wrong when the focus is on something that was never even taught in the Bible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Social justice is a communist term. It is not from the Bible nor is it promoted in the Bible. (I beg of you to look for yourself if you don’t believe me.)

What is in the Bible is God’s hatred for murder (abortion) and sexual sin. We must think about this as we consider the upcoming election.

But no matter the outcome in November, we must remember that our salvation does not come from any earthly government.

In I Peter 2:11, we are called sojourners and pilgrims. A sojourner is someone who resides temporarily. A pilgrim is one who travels in a foreign land.

If we are a believer, then this earth is not our true home. We are just passing through.

However, many of us have made ourselves very comfortable here and we are in no hurry to leave this foreign land. We have set down deep roots and this is causing many of us to focus on what we can do to keep things the way they have always been. We are deeply concerned and perhaps even distraught at the thought of so many changes.

While this is only natural, it is important that we think through what we know from the Bible.

As we watch the world setting up for Revelation 13 (in a way that I honestly never thought I’d see in my lifetime), how do we even pray? We know that America can’t be strong in the last days or globalism would never be possible. And we know from our study of Revelation that globalism does happen eventually. So America must be weakened and broken at some point.

When this will happen in its finality, we can not know. Sometimes these things take time. Sometimes they happen fast. But we must remember we are pilgrims traveling in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

This is why we can’t put our hope in America. Or the government. Or a presidential candidate.

Our hope should be in Christ alone. He alone is our Savior.

He has saved us, not from temporary earthly pain and torment, but from eternal damnation. We must keep a proper perspective in the midst of all of this confusion and chaos.

All of the stability and security we felt with our normal way of life has been swept away within a few short months. But God has not changed. He is still the same–yesterday, today, and forever the same. Isn’t that an incredible thought in light of all that is going on in America and across the entire world? Everything may be different right now, but God is not. He is still our Rock and Refuge. He is our security.

And not only does God never change, but He is controlling everything that is happening (Proverbs 21:1; Psalm 22:28). He is fully sovereign and none of this is taking Him by surprise.

It may be His will that America grows strong again. Or it may be time for her to weaken beyond repair in order to start the process of creating the one world government prophesied in the book of Revelation. Whatever time it is, we need to be yielded to His will. Whatever time it is, we can rest firmly in the knowledge that this country and the whole world is in God’s hands and we can trust Him.

No matter what lies ahead for America and the rest of the world, we know we have a wonderfully safe and secure home waiting for us after this journey is over. And that’s something we can count on!

 

Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’

Isaiah 12:2

 

 

The Faithful Few

6 Comments / July 14, 2020

Have you noticed the faithful growing fewer and fewer? With every trend, every heresy, every twisted Gospel message, more and more go. It is like we “Christians” are standing on the seashore and every wave takes a few (and, many times, much more than a few) from our midst and out to the sea of the world. Some were just standing too close to the shore, but many dive right in in their quest to better their life here on earth.

I use quotes because, obviously, most of these were never saved at all (according to scripture), but simply used the name of “Christian”. Many of these cling to the term “Christian” so that Christianity, as the world knows it, has become a hodge podge of social justice*, mysticism, ritualism, and selfish greed.

Thankfully, all is not lost if an unexpected wave tosses us into deception for a month or a year or five years. God continues to save His own from the ocean of spiritual chaos and confusion and return them safely to shore. Just as the Good Shepherd saves the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14) so, too, does God rescue His own.

In the midst of all the wickedness and deception, there remains a remnant who still cling to God’s Word and desire to live out biblical Christianity. However, have you taken a look around recently? Those who choose to submit to God and believe in His literal Word are few. The shore, once overflowing with professing Christians, grows more and more sparse with each passing day.

We’d best stand back from the water as far as we can. Deception is growing increasingly stronger and more and more subtle. We knew this would happen because Paul told us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in 2 Timothy 3:13.

Along with this defection comes an immense increase in sin and worldliness. Let me explain.

The Bible is an amazing book. Even if you aren’t saved but choose to live by its principles, you will be spared much heartache and grief. Those who choose to live according to the ten commandments and the other laws found in this book lead much more successful, peaceful, and happy lives, as a rule. But as they jump into the waves of apostasy, they toss away the Book. And when that happens, an explosion of sin and worldly living isn’t far behind.

America is a great example of this. While it was never a Christian nation, per se, there was, historically, a large portion of the people who lived by the Bible. This has been eroding for many years now and we are currently watching the results of this erosion.

Think about this nation and what is happening. Not only is sin and worldliness abounding, but so-called Christians are participating and condoning it!

As I have been thinking about this a bit recently, I was remembering the exiles of Israel. The northern kingdom (Israel) was exiled to Assyria and then, later, the southern kingdom (Judah) to Babylon. Their lives were completely upended. Whether they went or were one of the few that stayed in the land, life was never the same for these Jews again. They were experiencing the wrath of God for their disobedience.

And we know that this also included the faithful few.

Israel was not without a few faithful followers of God. And, yet, they were exiled along with everybody else.

I have really been convicted recently of my “American” way of thinking. Sometimes things seep into our brains and we don’t even realize it is happening**.

We (I) have become so self-focused. I quickly fall into the thought pattern that this life is about me and my experience. Even though I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is not true and what my duty is here on earth, I find myself in a battle with myself almost daily.

Many of us can see what is coming. Without a change in direction, and soon, things are going to get bad. And our flesh cries “NO”. Please God, spare us. We deserve to be spared. We have been faithful! Oh, God, please remember this.

And, yet, when we look at scripture and then at history, we see that the faithful are rarely spared. In fact, they are often singled out and persecuted and even martyred. Oftentimes, this brings about a tremendous growth in the true church because this persecution and a true Christian’s reaction to it show the world that Jesus Christ is real!

One of our best examples of this is Paul. He is an amazing inspiration to me as I read his epistles. He wrote with such love, joy, and hope from prison! He knew that he would probably die for his faith and yet he continued to be faithful, encouraging, and inspiring to Christians. Instead of complaining or caving into despair, he rose above his circumstances.

This is no clearer than in Philippians 4:11-13, where we read–

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to [d]be abased, and I know how to [e]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through [f]Christ who strengthens me.

Dear readers, most of us have learned how to abound and how to be full. We have lived lives that, heretofore, were unheard of in their access to medical care, the peace and safety in our communities, and the abundance of material wealth. Even the poorest of the poor in America are many times richer than the richest poor person in other nations.

While I can’t know what’s ahead, I do wonder–and perhaps even expect–that we are all going to be learning how to be abased, to be hungry, and to suffer need. This world is changing and it is changing quickly.

We are reeling from the shock of it all and many of us (at least myself) are in deep mourning over what is happening. We realize that our lives are probably never going to be the same again.

Now is the time for us to grower deeper and stronger roots of faith. Now is the time to turn to God, which is the place we should have been turned to all along. Now is the time to examine our hearts for wrong motives, wrong places of trust, wrong desires. Now is the time to look to Jesus Christ and to reflect on eternal things.

I cannot predict what is in the future, for it is overwhelmingly uncertain right now. However, this can –and should– be a time of tremendous spiritual growth for us all.

God is not silent and we must remember that He loves us deeply. His hand is directing every minute of every day. We dare not grow discouraged. No matter what is ahead (and only God knows), may this time be one of looking to God for all we need. May it be a time of grounding us in the Faith. May it be a time of faithful study of the Word. And may it be a time of shining brighter and brighter, beckoning to  people who are drowning in the ocean of deception to swim ashore while they still can.

I will close with this familiar and comforting passage from Romans 8 (verses 31f). No matter what is ahead we are deeply loved and we are more than conquerors in Christ–

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

*Social Justice is a communist term. It is nowhere in scripture. Search it out for yourself. The social gospel is a false gospel. I could provide lots and lots of verses and articles, but why not search this one out for yourself? It would be a great exercise.

**I am sharing my own personal journey here on the blog during this strange time. While I often know how I should act or what God says in His Word, I have a much more difficult time living it. I just want to be up front about that. This has been a time of great struggle and discouragement for me. I continue on the path, but, when I take my eyes off the Lord for even a second, a deep-seated trepidation overtakes my soul. As we navigate this time together, as siblings in Christ, I hope that these posts are an encouragement to you. I just wanted to be clear that I, too, am struggling to live out what I write. May we together be victorious and join with Paul in saying “To live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

 

Christian, How Are You Responding?

6 Comments / July 7, 2020

I have a hard time pretending like all is normal right now. Because, let’s face it, it’s just not. I don’t think I can count the amount of times I’ve used the word “insanity” in the last four months. I am sure it is more times than I’ve used it in my entire life. I also can’t count the times I’ve said that I can’t imagine going through this without God and His Word. I would feel like a ship without a captain on a churning, angry sea.

After today, I am going to try to move to other subjects to write about (barring unforeseen circumstances). I know we are all tired of thinking about the world and its woes. We are ready for a different focus. We want to be encouraged, not reminded. But last night, as I was thinking, yet again, about the changes that have taken place, I was struck by the different ways this is processed by people. Please keep reading, because I do think you will be encouraged by the time you are done reading this.

At one time or another, all of us have our worlds upended. An unexpected death, a cancer diagnosis, a child that wanders from the Lord, a lost job, etc. We’ve all experienced something that has changed our world. But this is the first thing–at least for those of us under 60–that has changed all our worlds. I am talking about changing our day to day. Sure, there have been unsettling things in the past. But what is going on now has literally changed the daily life of almost every single person on this planet in some way. And it’s so strange, isn’t it? No matter where you go (not that many of us are going very many places these days), you have something to talk about with people. We are all experiencing the same thing. It is honestly hard to grasp how different the world is now than it was four months ago.

And, as we process this, I think we all respond differently. But there is only one way to respond that is the right way. Eventually, all Christians should arrive at this response, even if it takes awhile to get there (and for many of us it has. And is.)

So here are the five ways. The fifth is the right way, according to scripture. (Don’t take my word for it. My word means absolutely nothing. Study this for yourself in the Bible.)

First, many people respond by being in DENIAL.  If we just pretend like the world is the same maybe things will just go back to normal. If we don’t know there are bad men plotting our destruction, then maybe it won’t happen. Ignorance is bliss to this person. They’d just rather not know.

And, honestly, I get it. Some things we don’t have to know and not everyone has a passion to know the truth about what’s going on. That’s okay. That’s not what this is about.

Someone who is in denial is afraid to face reality. And, as believers, we should never be afraid to face the truth. We must dig our heads out of the sand and start looking around. This makes us much more effective witnesses for Christ. This shows the world that a true believer can face reality and still be okay. Anyone can dig their head in the sand. It takes someone strong and courageous to look around, admit the truth as they survey the state of things, and face it with serenity.

Second, many people are DECEIVED. So so many people are deceived. Few people are willing to actually search out facts for themselves. They take everything they hear at face value and never do any digging. If the government mandates it, then it must be right. If the media proclaims it, then it must be true. If social media says this is false information, well, then, it must be false. BUT when you start to dig beyond that, you will find a massive deception taking place. This is backed up by facts. Not speculation.

As Christians, we make ourselves vulnerable when we live in a state of deception. We become tools in the hands of those who seek to deceive us. How important it is to think for ourselves, rather than allow ourselves be spoon-fed a narrative.

Third, many people end up DEPRESSED. If you refuse to be in denial or to be deceived, this is where you can quickly find yourself. The outlook of this world is grim. We look upon increasing anarchy and violence. We see tyranny coming. We know God can change the course of this but we also know that, even if He does, it is only temporarily. World tyranny is coming. The timing remains unknown. But what has happened over the past four months has brought that truth ever closer.

Fourth, many respond in DEFIANCE. They believe they can stand up and fight against all that is taking place. They believe certain outcomes (such as elections) will change the course of things. And, while this is not necessarily wrong, their focus is on the fight. Rather than focusing on God and His Word and what it teaches us, they try to make things turn out the way they desire by doing certain things. As we work our way through the minefield of obeying the government vs. defiance against unbiblical mandates, we must always do so with an attitude of submission to God and His Will. We must remember our first priority is as a servant to God. We are just sojourners in a foreign land. This world is not our home.

But denial, deception, depression, and defiance are not our only options! We have one more. And it’s so much better!

We can respond with DEFERENCE. Deference to God and His Will. (I Peter 5:6; Matthew 6:9-10; James 4:7)

According to dictionary.com, deference is: respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.

When we defer our agendas to God’s agenda, our will to His will, our desires to His desires, then life takes on a whole new outlook.

Instead of the temporal, we focus on the eternal. Instead of the here and now, we remember that there is a there and then. Instead of mourning the loss of this world, we look forward to the promised new world.

Of course, this is much more easier said than done. And, if you are like me, you will bounce back and forth between different responses. Most of us know the right response. We must just make a choice.

And when we make that choice He fills our hearts with peace (Isaiah 26:3; Philippians 4:6-7). You don’t believe in miracles? Well, God works a small miracle in the heart of a believer that yields to Him. I know because I’ve experienced this!

Here’s the thing…

The more we pray, spend time in the Word, and memorize passages of scripture, the easier this is to do. I have been writing about the power of God’s Word for ten years now and, yet, I am still in awe of this! The truth of this has become even more real to many of us as we face these unprecedented circumstances full of uncertainty. God’s Word is so powerful and yet so often we just ignore it.

We cannot respond in the right way to what is going on without it. Oh, fill yourself with it. Make time for it. Don’t let other things get in the way.

From my own personal experience, this is when fear and depression try to make their way in through the cracks in my soul. I have to keep this a priority. You do, too. At least, if we want to respond to all of this in a godly way. God has given us His Word for a reason. I am realizing that even more fully now.

We do not know the details of the future. But we do know a few things–

1. We know that we are on this earth at this specific time in world history for a reason. God has placed us here for such a time as this. As the world grows darker, our passion to share the Gospel should be increasing. Our passion to encourage other believers in the things of the Lord should be growing. The temporal things should be lessening in importance.

2. We know what we are supposed to be doing. God has given no disclaimer in His Word that we can let our guards down, stop growing spiritually, or lock ourselves in our own little worlds, when our world starts falling apart. We must continue to live a Christian life full of faith, hope, and love.

3. We know how this is going to end. God has been so kind to show us how this is all going to end. We know that God and His Kingdom will be gloriously victorious over all of this evil! We are on the winning side, and we dare not forget it! It may look like we are losing the battle now, but we will win the war!

So, my dear readers, don’t be discouraged. Pull your heads from the sand, search out the truth, refuse to be depressed, and be sure to temper the fight in you with God’s Word! God is still working all things for His glory and our good! (Psalm 72:19; Romans 8:28) and we have an absolutely amazing future ahead of us!

Be encouraged by these words from Revelation 22:1-5. This is what lies ahead for believers! Isn’t that exciting??—

And he showed me a [a]pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

 

 

Christian, Will You Let This Crush Your Spirit?

4 Comments / June 30, 2020

During the months of March and April, most of us were in shock. Life as we knew it came screeching to a halt and we found ourselves on house arrest. TVs blared “stay home stay safe” commercials. Empty grocery store shelves confirmed our panic. What in the world was going on?

In May, things started to loosen a bit. It wasn’t like before and we started wondering–would it ever be like before? But we could get out and about a bit and store shelves started filling up. We were still uneasy but most of us were trying to accept things at face value and resume a more normal way of life.

But then, at the end of May, there was the Floyd incident. And, at that time, all of us should have recognized that something fishy was going on with the virus narrative. I say this because, suddenly, social distancing and masks didn’t matter. The protests overrode these mandates and even our governor here in Pennsylvania walked in the protests and disobeyed his own mandate.

Other things started coming to light, as well: Things such as several states sending Covid patients back into nursing homes; skewed data practices; the encouragement of snitching. I have heard dozens of stories, both personal and through other avenues, that show the inconsistencies and outright lying of the press.

And then, as if to confirm all we were starting to wonder, social media started censoring anything it didn’t deem “appropriate”, which was any voice that was dissenting against the virus narrative.

At this point, most of us realized that it wasn’t about a virus at all. Oh, we knew there was a virus, but the lockdown itself had a far broader and deeper agenda.

During these last four months, we’ve been on a roller coaster ride of hopes and dashed hopes. We wonder what the future holds and, those of us who hold to a literal Revelation, wonder how this all will play into the end. It is very clear that it will. We are just not exactly sure how.

In the midst of our world changing so much, in the midst of losing a lot of the freedom that we thought we had, in the midst of uncertainty hanging over our heads, we simply can not allow our spirits to be crushed.

Isn’t that the temptation for many of us?

A crushed spirit feels unmotivated. It wonders “why bother?”

A crushed spirit feels disheartened and lacks joy.

A crushed spirit doesn’t look people in the eye and rarely smiles in public.

A crushed spirit focuses on self.

A crushed spirit worries and frets about the future.

A crushed spirit quietly succumbs and gives in.

The powers-that-be want to crush our spirits. People with crushed spirits are much easier to control. I have been reading a book about the Soviet Union during the Revolution and the years following and the similarities are eerily similar. You can almost see communism snaking its way into this once strong nation. You can see the crushing of the spirit of not only individuals but of a nation.

But here’s the thing– as Christians, our spirits should be uncrushable.

Of course, this is all a learning process for many of us, isn’t it? How do we, as believers, keep our spirits alive and hopeful? How do we guard against dejection and despair?

Well, the Bible has a thing or two to say about that. I won’t touch on it all, but I thought I’d mention a few things that I’ve been considering recently.

1. Keep our eyes focused in the right direction.

First, we must keep our mind on God. Isaiah 26:3 puts it like this–

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Second, we must stay focused on eternity, rather than temporal things. Colossians 3:1-2 makes this very clear–

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

When our minds are on God and what He has promised us in the future, the things of this present time will fade in their significance. It doesn’t take away problems but rather lessens their importance, in light of Who God is and what awaits us in eternity.

2. Submit to God and resist the devil.

I have been thinking a lot about this. I can’t think of a better time that Satan and his minions would want to crush the spirits of Christians. There are a lot of people questioning what’s going on. There are so many in despair. Many are desperately hurting. If Satan can keep Christians looking the same way as the rest of the world, he has done his job. If we are also in despair, then we have nothing to offer to someone who is lost, do we? We are rendered utterly ineffective for God when we allow ourselves to be controlled by worry, fear, and despair.

And we are so susceptible to Satan’s spiritual attacks. He roars about like a lion, seeking to devour us (I Peter 5:8). This is in the Bible and not some made-up gobbledygook.

But James gives us our best defense against Satanic attacks in a short verse in chapter 4 (vs. 7)–

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

We have the capability to make Satan flee from us.

But it’s only through submitting to God first and then actively resisting the devil.

So let’s unpack that a bit. How do we do this exactly? It’s actually simpler than you may think.

First, we must submit to God’s will in all situations. Including the one that we all are currently in. We must accept it joyfully and choose contentment. This is the first step.

The second step is that we must evaluate our lives for sin. Have we left habitual sin creep into a corner of our lives and given Satan a right to be there?

When I feel under spiritual attack, I ask God these two questions–

Would you please show me any area I have not submitted to You?

Would you please show me any sin in my life that needs to be eradicated?

If I long to cling to my rebellion or sin, I ask Him to help me to want to give these things up. It’s not always instant but God works in a heart that longs to please Him. A great cause for gladness to any believer!

3. Abhor Evil, Love Others, and Serve the Lord.

Romans 12, beginning in verse 9, is a great description of the Christian life. If we follow Paul’s instructions here, we will not have time to be fretting and caught up in despair. We will be busy living a godly life, no matter what our circumstances–

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient[c] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[d] to hospitality.

Read that paragraph again and reflect on all that we are instructed to do in the verses. Keep in mind that it gives no caveat for when things aren’t going as we want them to or life turns upside down. It gives no exception clause for when we just don’t feel like doing these things.

4. Remember What Matters.

If you are a believer, then you have been saved from eternal hell through faith in Jesus Christ. When we consider eternity in hell and the greatness of God’s sacrifice, we inevitably turn towards the cross with a heart full of gratitude. We are saved! In the midst of all the uncertainty and discouragement, let’s not forget the greatest miracle of all: WE ARE SAVED!

________________________________________

So there are four fairly simple things we can do to keep our spirit from being crushed. Please note that I didn’t use the word “easy.”

Some of you don’t need this post today. Probably many of you don’t. But for those of you who have struggled (and I know there are some of you because you’ve told me), I write this for you. This post reflects some of the process I’ve been working out in my own life over these past few months and I hope that it is an encouragement to you.

Of all people, we should be the most jubilant and joyful! May we remember this, in spite of all that is going on in the world around us!

 

Swimming Up a Waterfall

2 Comments / May 27, 2020

The other morning I was sitting out on my second-story porch for my quiet time. It is one of my favorite spots in the whole world. Below the porch is our little fish pond where both fish and frogs make their home. This provides much entertainment for our grandchildren.

That particular morning, as I sat on the porch alone, I took a moment to watch the fish, as they were doing something very curious. You can see from the photo below (which is a snapshot I took that morning), that the fish has its head into the waterfall. It looked like it was trying to go up the waterfall and then, discouraged, he would swim away. Only to come back again a few seconds later. This went on for quite some time.

I found out later from my knowledgeable husband that there is something about the oxygen at the bottom of the waterfall that the fish like and so they will congregate there. But, from my vantage point on the porch it really did look like the fish was trying to swim up the waterfall and failing every time.

It reminded me of my life as a Christian. We are all called to “swim up a waterfall” –or, in other words–do the impossible. We are to die to self and crucify the flesh and live only for Christ. This is as impossible–perhaps even more impossible–than swimming up a waterfall. And, yet, this is our calling as believers.

Mark 8:34 — And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Romans 6:6 — We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Ephesians 5:8 — or at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Galatians 5:16-17– But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

I Peter 2:11 —  Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

So, we know that we are to leave our flesh and swim up the waterfall to holiness. This goes against our innately selfish nature which demands to be pleased and coddled. Our hearts demand we listen to our feelings and our minds work in creative ways to make excuses and to develop logical reasons why we can do what our flesh is demanding to do and still be guilt-free and “godly”.

But the Bible is very clear that we cannot do both. We cannot please self and God. We cannot love God and love the world. We cannot be obsessed with fulfilling our personal dreams of glory and fame while furthering God’s Kingdom. These things are mutually exclusive. They cannot be done at the same time.

There are only two kingdoms.

There is the Kingdom of Light. God is the light (I John 1:5) Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12) We have been rescued from darkness to light! (Colossians 1:13) Being rescued, we are now children of light (I Thessalonians 5:5). We are to walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:8).

AND…

There is the Kingdom of Darkness. Satan is the head of this kingdom and the whole world lies in his power (I John 5:19). Natural man loves this kingdom (I John 3:19-21). Natural man is blind to the the light (Acts 26:18). As children of the light, we are to turn away from the darkness (Ephesians 5:11) and to never partner or commune with darkness and its children (2 Corinthians 6:14). This kingdom of darkness is represented by both the flesh and the world, which Satan uses to war against our souls and to keep mankind in darkness.

Every choice we make, every action we take, every thought we think, and every word we say furthers one of these kingdoms.

Now, with this in mind, let’s go back to our adventure of swimming up the waterfall. As children of light, swimming up the waterfall becomes possible. It is possible to live a righteous and holy life that is pleasing to God. Notice I didn’t say easy. It’s not easy.

But here are a few things to keep in mind as we strive to swim up the waterfall to holiness–

1. We must first make our way to the bottom of the waterfall.

We can’t be righteous without salvation. We can’t even get to the bottom of the waterfall without it. If we are not saved, we are unaware that the waterfall even exists. It is only when our eyes our opened, that we recognize which direction we are to go. And this direction is in complete opposition to the direction of the rest of the world. We will be mocked, viewed as odd, and may lose our reputation by going this direction. Remember, we can’t have the world and Jesus, too.

The old hymn puts it like this: Take the world but give me Jesus.

Too often, modern-day Christians would prefer to sing: Give the world and give me Jesus.

But it is simply not possible according to James 4:4. Swimming to the bottom of the waterfall means turning our backs on the world.

2. Not making efforts to swim up the waterfall indicates a serious problem.

Many are those who’ve said a prayer for salvation as fire insurance and they aren’t even making their way to the bottom of the waterfall. They are still swimming in the opposite direction with their worldly friends. They haven’t given up the things of this world and they are still focused on furthering their own kingdom. They are people who are living solely for themselves but think they are saved because they said a prayer. This person may very well be–and probably is– a false convert! (Matthew 7:21-23) I hate even saying this, because I know that describes so many that we all know and love. But we can’t mince words because their eternity is literally at stake. If you know someone who thinks they are a Christian but who is still swimming out in the pond, pray for them. Really pray for them.

3. We can’t do it alone.

As I watched the fish turn away again and again, I assumed he was just discouraged and tired. I found out later that he wasn’t, of course, but it was a great analogy for our own efforts to get up that waterfall. We try and try, using our methods and our self-discipline but we just don’t make it. That’s because we are trying to attempt it without the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to live a godly life without the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This is the only way to make possible a holy life that is pleasing to God.

4. We must discard distractions and secret sins.

So often, we get so frustrated that we aren’t making progress up that waterfall. But if we really examine our lives, we may understand just why that is…

We have either crowded our lives so full that we have no time at all to give any effort or intention to this calling of living a pure and holy life.

Or we are holding on to secret sins that we just aren’t willing to turn away from. It may be an unwillingness to give up a grudge against someone or a love for the world’s entertainment or style that causes us to compromise our purity. It may be laziness or gossip. But, oftentimes, if we are really struggling to make progress in our Christian life, there is some sin that we are nurturing and feeding and unwilling to give up.

Or, perhaps, we haven’t yielded to God’s sovereignty in the happenings of our lives. We try to live a godly life, but, inside, we are angry and discontent and upset about how things are going. This makes it almost impossible to get up that waterfall because we don’t trust God. Instead, we are wary and disbelieving. This lack of faith stymies our Christian growth severely.

5. We will never reach perfection on this side of Heaven.

One of the things that makes this such a hard thing is that we will never reach perfection. We, like that fish, are always trying, always trying, but we will never arrive at the top. This can be discouraging and sometimes we may think: Why even try? So let’s unpack that a bit. Why is it important to keep trying to get up that waterfall?

First, we keep trying because we are told to do this (I Peter 1:15). To live a life of obedience to our wonderful Savior, we strive to live holy and pure lives.

Second, we keep trying because we do grow and change and bear much fruit, through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Psalm 92:12-14). If we have been a Christian for more than a year, we can look back and see how we have grown and changed. This is very encouraging as we face new challenges and sins that discourage us. God is growing us to be more like Christ, be it ever so slowly.

Third, we keep trying because God uses our efforts to build His Heavenly Kingdom (Colossians 1:24-29). Our efforts to live a holy and pure life shine as a bright light in this dark world. We should look different in every way when compared with those around us. Remember, there are only two kingdoms: Light and Darkness. Children of light should never resemble children of darkness. This includes being loving and kind, but it also includes what we watch, how we dress, what we talk about, and every other little and big choice we make in our lives.

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So, my dear readers, keep swimming up that waterfall. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t try to do it alone because we are not alone! We have the Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort, and guide us. May we cast off the things that distract and tempt us. May we intentionally live as children of the light, because that’s exactly what we are if we have been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ alone!

 

The Nature of the Promises of God

2 Comments / May 19, 2020

When we consider the promises of God, we often go to the book of Psalms or consider the words of Jesus, Paul, and other biblical authors that provide strength and comfort to us. These are a balm to our soul during trials and uncertain days.

These days, so many false teachers rip verses out of context when it comes to God’s promises. I thought it might be helpful to take a brief look at what we know is true and what is not true as we consider God’s promises, no matter how big or small.

1. God’s promises are not physical in nature.

God’s promises do not have anything to do with our physical pleasure or ease of life.

When it says in Matthew 21:22–

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.

or in John 14:13–

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

we must realize that this cannot be implying that we will receive perfect health, material wealth, or a trouble-free life. While this is a popular false teaching, how can we know that this is not what these passages mean? Without digging too deep into theological waters, I’d say two things easily stand out–

First, we know this because of context. When these words are spoken by Jesus in Matthew they are referring to the spiritual realm. It has nothing to do with physical blessing. In John, Jesus is talking about having the strength and power to continue on as His witnesses after He leaves the earth. Context is always crucial but perhaps especially so when claiming a promise of God.

Second, we can know this because of what we read about godly men and women throughout scripture. Joseph was betrayed by family, Noah stood utterly alone, Jeremiah was mocked and persecuted, Stephen and John the Baptist were martyred, Paul was imprisoned, and John was exiled. We can move on into history where we see terrible persecution of Christians under Nero and the Catholic Church. And we can talk about the here and now, where we see people dedicated to serving Christ and building His spiritual Kingdom suffer innumerable physical hardships. We can and must conclude from this that God’s promises are not about our physical well-being.

In contract, God’s promises are spiritual in nature.

They are about our spiritual health, our wealth in heaven, and being effective witnesses for God here on earth.

2. God’s promises are not temporal in nature.

Temporal means relating to life in the world, as opposed to eternal life. While many of God’s promises do give us hope and peace right now, we can see that much of this hope and peace comes from us setting our eyes on the right thing. Colossians 3:1-2 says–

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

So when we read the promises of God, we must do so with an eternal perspective. We must view them through the filter of a mind set on things above. When we do this, so much of the concerns and worries of this life fall away. Richard Baxter, a Puritan author, talks about this better than I ever could. I’d like to share a portion of his writing here–

Unbelievers seek their happiness in the things of the world. Believers find their happiness in God. It is contrary to the nature of faith for a believer to seek peace in his earthly enjoyments. Our present pilgrimage is a prison, yet alas, we too commonly do this. By this we kill our comforts and then complain they are missing. It is folly to expect any stable peace or solid joy that does not come from Christ as the fountain. O that Christians would learn to live with one eye on Christ crucified and the other on His coming in glory! If everlasting joys were more in your thoughts, spiritual joys would abound more in your hearts. No wonder you are comfortless when heaven is forgotten. When Christians let fall their heavenly expectations but heighten their earthly desires, they are preparing themselves for fear and trouble. Who has met with a distressed, complaining soul, where either a low expectation of heavenly blessings, or too high a hope for joy on earth is not present? What keeps us under trouble is either we do not expect what God has promised, or we expect what He did not promise. We are grieved at crosses, losses, wrongs of our enemies, unkind dealings of our friends, sickness, or for contempt and scorn in the world. But who encouraged you to expect any better? Was it prosperity, riches, credit, and friends that God called for you to believe? Do you have any promises for these things in His Word? If you make a promise for yourself, and then your own promise deceives you, whom should you blame for that? We have less comfort in earthly things because we have too high an expectation from them. Alas, when will we learn from Scripture and providence to seek far more from God, and far less from the earth?

God’s promises are not rooted in earthly hope but in eternal hope. If we have our eyes set on temporal things, then we will be most disappointed and believe that God has let us down. But if we recognize that God’s promises are not of this world, we will see miraculous answers to prayer and experience the peace and comfort we are promised.

3. God’s promises are not generally instant in nature.

In this current world where we want everything instantly, God’s promises take some hard work to mine from the scriptures. They are like special treasures that we find throughout the Word as we give our time to study it. Understanding and greater comfort come the more we dedicate ourselves to this study. It is only through personal prayer and Bible study that we are able to more fully understand.

The thing that is most tempting when we are faced with a trial or uncertainty is to turn to other, much less satisfying, ways to deal with all of the emotion and feelings that well up within us. We watch more TV, we shop, we eat more, or we immerse ourselves in a book or hobby. Anything to dull the pain and discomfort of our current circumstances.

And, while there is nothing intrinsically wrong with doing any of these things, it is important that we don’t do them in place of mining God’s Word for the rich promises He has given us in His Word.

It is easy to cast prayer and Bible study aside during trying times because we feel distracted and unfocused and it’s extra hard. But we must persevere. God is waiting patiently for us to turn to Him and will reward us mightily if we but just turn our eyes upon Him.

Another way God’s promises are not instant is in the timeline of how we experience them. When something happens that is terrible, most of us respond in shock. We question God, we question our faith. We are filled with doubts of God’s goodness and we wonder if we really believe all we said we believe.

It often takes time to sort through these feelings. We often fall into a ditch beside the proverbial narrow road and it takes some work (study of the Word) and time to pull ourselves up and out of that ditch. The more we practice, the quicker this will happen but we must give ourselves time to process and work through things. God will not let us down but our journey from fear and doubt back to the solid, narrow path rarely happens instantly. Trials give us precious insight into where our affections lie and what sins still beset us. We can’t be comforted until we have a true understanding of why we need comforted.

I also want to add that sometimes God provides instant comfort that is an incredible balm to our souls. Small mercies and unexpected tiny miracles dot our lives in such a way that we, His children, know without a doubt, He is real.

But, generally, God’s promises, rather than being instant, are uncovered as we give effort and time to study the Word, humbly and willingly examine our lives for sin and worldly affections, and then wait calmly on God to work in and through us.

Isaiah 40:31 says it so beautifully–

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

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And, so, as you look for God’s promises throughout the Word, I hope that you will remember these three things. They may not be what our flesh desires, but they are all we need to live a holy life that pleases God.

Perhaps this can all be summed up in this verse from Philippians 1:21–

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

May we filter all of God’s promises through this point of view that Paul expressed while writing this letter to the Philippians from his prison cell in Rome.

My dear friends, God’s promises are real. But we must view them as scripture teaches us to view them, rather than how a worldly, false church teaches us to view them.

God’s promises are far deeper and wider than simply life on this earth. They encompass all of eternity. He is with us, He will never forsake us, and He will protect us. And that you can count on!

 

 

What to Do When Things Are Outside of Our Control

4 Comments / April 30, 2020

Earlier this year, my father-in-law recommended a book to me I had never heard of before called The Crook in the Lot: God’s Sovereignty in Afflictions (In Modern English). While this version is written in modern English, the original manuscript was written by Thomas Boston, a Scottish church leader who lived during the 1600s.

Little did I know when I started reading it what comfort, conviction, and biblical encouragement it would be to me during the next few months. It is a timeless book with much to offer. I would recommend this if you are struggling with God’s Sovereignty in the current events. Whatever the struggle or the frustration caused by this “pandemic”, from high school and college students all the way up to senior citizens, this provides much needed biblical counsel on bearing under it.

In fact, this counsel is for anyone who is struggling under any crook at all. If you are disappointed in a diagnosis or a relationship or anything else that is completely outside of your control, I know you will find this helpful.

Be sure you read the last paragraph of this excerpt. While I don’t think the pandemic is necessarily the event he is referring to, I thought it was extremely ironic that he refers to a “public crook” to come. Do you realize that there has never been a worldwide event such as this since the Tower of Babel? Perhaps it is the beginning of the end? Only God knows.

Now on to these encouraging words from Thomas Boston–

Therefore, let us set ourselves rightly to bear and walk under the crook in our lot, while God sees fit to continue it. What we cannot mend, let us bear in a Christlike manner. Do not fight against God and thereby kick against the pricks. Instead, bear it:

1. Patiently. Avoid anger, worry, and murmuring (Ps 37:7).30 Though you lose your comfort in the world through the crook in your lot, do not lose the possession of yourself (Luke 21:19).31 The crook in our lot makes us like one who has only a meager fire to warm ourselves at; but impatience scatters it and sets the house on fire around us, exposing us. “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Prov 25:28).

2. With Christian fortitude. Do not sink under discouragement, “nor be weary when reproved by him” (Heb 12:5). Satan’s plan is to use the crook to either bend or break our spirits, often bending them in order to break them. Our work is to continue evenly under it, steering a middle course and guarding against crashing into the rocks on either side. Our happiness does not lie in any earthly comfort, nor will the lack of any of them render us miserable (Hab 3:17-18).32 So, we are to hold to our way resolutely with a holy mindset, regardless of the hardships. “Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger” (Job 17:9).

But you might ask, ‘When are we considered to have fallen into a sinking discouragement from the crook in our lot?’ When it prevails to the extent that you are unfit for your duties—either your particular or Christian calling. We can be sure it has carried us beyond the bounds of moderate grief when it unfits us for the common affairs of life, which the Lord calls us to manage (1 Cor 7:24).33 Such were the practical actions of Abraham recorded for his commendation (Gen 23:3-4).34 At other times, our grief unfits us for religious duties, hindering them altogether (1 Pet 3:7),35 which, in the Greek, means to cut off or cut up, like a tree from the roots. Or, it makes us quite hopeless in them (Mal 2:13).36

3. Profitably. Look to gain some advantage from the crook. “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Ps 119:71). In this way, it becomes our advantage (Rom 5:3-5).37 And it is certainly an ill-managed crook in our lot when we get no spiritual benefit from it. The crook is a kind of spiritual medicine, but medicine is pointless when it alleviates no symptoms; its unpleasant taste and side-effects are endured in vain. So also, the crook is wasted when it is bitterly endured without bettering us. “Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces” (Isa 27:9).

–Motivations–

Also, consider the following motivations to bear the crook in your lot in this way:

1. There will be no evening of it while God sees fit to continue it. Let us walk under it as we will and make what attempts we want in our case, but it will continue immovable as if fixed with bands of iron and brass. “But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind” (Job 23:13-14). Is it not wise then to make the best out of what we cannot mend? Make a virtue of necessity. What is not to be cured must be endured with a Christian submission.

2. Resisting makes it worse. A resistant mindset under the crook substantially increases the pain of it. What makes the yoke chafe our necks but that we struggle so much against it? We cannot let it comfortably sit on us (Jer 31:18).38 How often are we like a man who is dashing his head against a rock to remove it! The rock stands unmoved, but he is wounded and exceedingly spent by the struggle. Impatience under the crook lays additional weight on our burden. It makes it heavier and at the same time weakens us and makes us less able to bear it.

3. God uses the crook in your lot to test you. It is the special trial that God has chosen for your assessment (1 Pet 6-7).39 It is God’s fire that He tests what metal men are made of; it is heaven’s touchstone for discovering true and counterfeit Christians. Some may go through a variety of trials and bear them, but the crook in the lot will uncover their disbelief, because by no means can they bear that.40 Therefore, think to yourself, ‘Now, here the is the trial of my state, and by this, I must be proven either as sincere or as a hypocrite.’ Can we be an amiable subject of Christ without being able to submit our lot to Him? Do not all who sincerely come to Christ put a blank check in His hand (Acts 9:6)?41 And does He not tell us that without that mindset we are not His disciples? “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Perhaps you find that you can submit to anything but that, but will not that one thing taint everything (Mark 10:21)?42 Did you ever hear of a sincere commitment to Christ with a condition or exception of one thing where they request to be their own lords?

Question: “Is this disposition a qualification that is required before we believe? And, if so, are we required to obtain it? Can we work it out of our natural abilities?”

Answer: No, this is not the case, but it necessarily accompanies and goes along with believing. It flows from the same saving illumination in the knowledge of Christ, where the soul is brought to believe in Him. Here the soul sees Him as a capable Savior and trusts on Him for salvation. It sees Him as the rightful Lord, the infinitely wise Ruler, and, therefore, submits the lot to Him (Matt 13:45-46).43 In taking Him for a Savior, the soul also takes Him for a Head and a Ruler. It is Christ’s giving Himself to us and our receiving Him that causes us to leave other things for Him, because it is the light that dispels the darkness.

Case: “Alas! I cannot get my heart to freely submit my lot to Him in that point.”

Answer 1: Your submission will not be accomplished without a struggle—the old man will never submit. And when the new man of grace is submitting his lot to Christ, the old man will still be resisting. “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Gal 5:17). But do you sincerely desire and habitually aim to submit your lot to Christ? Do you look away from the difficult struggle with the crook, and turn to the struggle within your own heart to bring it to submission? Do you believe the promise and use the proper means for this task? Are you grieved from the heart with yourself that you cannot submit your lot perfectly? If so, this is actually submitting your lot in the gracious design of the gospel (Rom 7:17,20).44 If you had your choice, would you rather have your heart brought to submit to the crook rather than the crook resolved to your heart’s desire (Rom 7:22-23)?45 And do you not sincerely endeavor to submit your lot despite the reluctance of your flesh?

Answer 2: Where is your Christian self-denial, your taking up of the cross, without submitting to the crook? This is the first lesson Christ puts in the hands of His disciples: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24). Self-denial would achieve a reconciliation with the crook and an acceptance of the cross. But when we cannot bear for our corrupt self to be denied any of its cravings—particularly those which God has seen fit to deny—we cannot bear the crook in our lot; instead, we fight against it in favor of self.

Answer 3: Where is our conformity to Christ when we cannot submit to the crook? We cannot give evidence that we are Christians without conformity to Christ.  “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). There was a continued crook in Christ’s lot, but He submitted to it. “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). “For Christ did not please himself,” (Rom 15:3), and so must we, if we will prove ourselves to be Christians (2 Tim 2:12).46

Answer 4: How will we prove ourselves to be the genuine children of God if we are still struggling against our crook? We cannot pray to the Father, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). No, instead our actions proclaim that we must have our own will because God’s will cannot satisfy us.

4. The trial will not last long here. Although the work is hard, it can be better endured when you know that it will not be long. A few days or years at the most will put an end to it, and you will leave all your trials. Do not say, ‘I will never be eased of it,’ because if you are not eased before, you will be eased of it at death. A serious view of death and eternity might help us to commit to walking well under our crook while it lasts.

5. A Christian mindset eases the burdens. If you decide to bear your crook in a Christian manner, you would find it easier than you imagine. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt 11:29-30). Satan has no better way to achieve his goal than to persuade you that it is impossible that your mind should ever comply with the crook—that it is a burden that is entirely unbearable. As long as you believe this, rest assured you will never be able to bear it. But the Lord does not make a crook in the lot of anyone unless they can acceptably bear it, though not perfectly and not without sin. For there is strength available for this effort that is secured in the covenant (2 Cor 3:5,47 Phil 4:1348), and when we seek it by faith, it will surely come (Ps 28:7).49

6. Your labor is not in vain. If you persevere faithfully under your crook here, your labor is not in vain. But you will get a full reward of grace in the other world through Christ (1 Cor 15:58).50 James pronounces a blessing on the one who endures on this very ground; “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Heaven is the place that receives the approved upon the trial of the crook; “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). When you go there, no remnants of the crook will remain in your lot, neither will you have even the smallest uneasy memory of it. Instead, it will accent your praises and heighten your joy.

7. A failure to persevere has eternal consequences. If you do not persevere faithfully under your crook here, you will lose your soul in the next world. Those who are at war with God in their lot here, God will have war with them forever. If they will not submit to His yoke here and go quietly under it, He will wreathe His yoke about their neck forever with everlasting bonds that will never be loosed (Job 9:4).51

Finally, whatever crook is in the lot of anyone, it is very likely that there will be a public crook in that generation that will be even more trying. This is a day of sinning beyond the days of our fathers. God makes great crooks in the lot of those He loves most, but these seem to foreshadow a general public crook that will affect that entire generation. This will make our private trials seem small in comparison (1 Pet 4:17-18).52 Therefore, commit to walking rightly under the crook in your lot.

Boston, Thomas. The Crook in the Lot: God’s Sovereignty in Afflictions: In Modern English (pp. 68-76). Christian Classics for the Modern Reader. Kindle Edition.

Changed Lives: Becky

6 Comments / November 18, 2024

About a year and a half ago, my dear friend, Becky, messaged me that she had been taken to the ER with stomach pain. By the time all the tests were run, she was given the news that she had stage 4 colon cancer. There was no cure. They would simply be working to prolong her life. As you can imagine–this rocked her world. This was not the only thing going on in her life and was simply added to another heavy, heavy burden that she was already bearing.

And, yet, every time I would stop for a visit to cheer her up…well, she’d end up cheering me up! Here she was–going through all of these things– and she was not only smiling (anyone can fake a smile) but she was full of that deep, abiding joy and amazing peace that is a true gift of God to those who have surrendered and submitted their lives to His holy will.

Becky could write a whole book about her life (in fact, I told her she should and that I’ll help her!). It is full of fascinating and interesting adventures. It is also full of the love and care of her Heavenly Father. She has spent a lifetime loving and serving God and He has been there for her time and time again. But a stage 4 cancer diagnosis will tend to test all you have said that you believe, and Becky was no different.

The last couple of times I was there to visit, I asked her how she could have so much joy amidst such dark times? I told her that if she’d ever want to write about it to encourage others, I’d love to post it here on the blog. Smiling, she’d be noncommital but did say she’d think about it.

And then one day, there it was in my email box. She couldn’t sleep the night before so she had written a bit about her cancer and her journey to joy.

I know you will appreciate this and that it will encourage you greatly as you seek to find joy in your own circumstances. Now here are Becky’s own words about her experience–

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It is easy to be happy and have joy when things in life are falling into place the way we want them to. But what happens when things go “wrong” in our perspective? Can we still have joy? What do we do with the verse in Philippians 4:4 that says, “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS; and again I say, Rejoice.” When I say joy, I am talking about the deep joy in our hearts that is there, no matter what comes our way.

So often we like to think that we can handle the turmoils of life when they come our way; but when it does happen, we find out otherwise. What happens when we are going through the major throes of life finding out we have cancer, a child has rejected what you have taught him/her and walked away from the faith, you are having major financial difficulty, or you have lost some one dear to your heart?

That time came for me when I had to do some intense soul searching a little over a year ago when I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The doctors said that there wasn’t much they could do except try to prolong my life some. This really threw us into shock, and all plans and goals came to a screeching halt. I did not ask God why but how. How was I going to get through this? How was I supposed to deal with this and have the right attitude? How could I glorify the Lord and not fail Him?

Then one day while pondering all this, I started asking myself, “Do I really believe God is Who He says He is”? I grew up in a Christian home singing the hymns of the faith, hearing the Word preached, memorizing Scripture, and hearing of other fellow believers’ experiences of God working in their lives and carrying them through life’s storms. But now that I was put into this position, what was going to be my anchor? Do I really believe God about His character, His promises?

Then and there is when I made up my mind that I do believe God, and Who He claims to be in His Word. That is when I found peace, His peace the passes all our understanding! And along with that came the deep seated joy! Satan wants to steal our joy and make us ineffectual as followers of Christ. If we start concentrating on the “What if’s”, it is easy to fall into depression or get angry. God, in His perfect will and wisdom, has a plan for each one of us, and it’s up to us to accept it with the right attitudes and allow Him to work in our lives and through us, to draw us to Him and show us Who He is and what He can do! In trying to be an encouragement, many say that God will not give us more than we can handle. However, many times He does give us more than we can handle so that we can get to know Him and experience that peace and joy from Him.

Since my diagnosis, my Heavenly Father has been by my side, holding my hand and helping me to learn of Him. My days are not always perfect. There are times when I have to ask God just to hold me in His arms as a child and show me He is there. I have been learning so much and, although I wouldn’t have chosen to go through these hardships, I am thankful for the opportunities. He is my steady anchor and the reason I can have joy no matter what He deems necessary to allow into my life. A favorite verse of mine that is a great picture of our help and safety in God’s character is in Proverbs 18:10 –

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe!”

Changed Lives: Cathy

4 Comments / November 18, 2024

Two or three years ago, I received an email from a reader named Cathy. She introduced herself as the pastor’s wife of a small church and wondered if I would consider speaking at their upcoming ladies’ retreat. While I was among the ladies at her church, I felt like I was among family (and I guess I was, spiritually speaking!) When they asked me to come back again this past fall, I gladly accepted. As we sat around the table, Cathy starting sharing just a bit of her testimony with me. As I listened to her, I knew I had to ask her if she would share this with my readers.

It’s been just over a year since I shared the story of a fellow Christian as part of the Changed Lives series. This ongoing series is here to serve as a reminder that God is working! He is changing and transforming lives–even through the most tragic of circumstances. Cathy’s testimony is a shining example of God transforming a life.

It is my hope that, from this particular testimony, some of you may be encouraged to know that you can be healed from horrible abuse if you go to the true Healer. I hope that you will learn that someone’s antagonistic, hostile response when you share the Gospel is not always a reflection of what’s going on in their heart. The other thing I hope you will reflect upon as you read this is that just because a family looks perfect does not necessarily mean it is. The post-war era of the 50s was a happy time–but it wasn’t a happy time for everyone. Not even for the perfect-looking family living in the cookie-cutter house on the tree-lined street.

And, finally, I hope you will consider the Christian who caught Cathy’s eye and that you will take a moment to examine yourself in light of her witness in Cathy’s life. Are you standing out like she did? Do co-workers, store clerks, parents at your kids’ school, etc see a difference when they view you in light of their worldly counterparts? Would the way you live your life give someone pause to consider the Gospel? This really made me think and I hope it will you, too.

So without further comment from me, I present to you Cathy’s testimony–

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I was born not long after the end of WWII. I was born into a prosperous America, a time of peace. My mother, father, older sister and I lived in a classic, Norman Rockwell suburban neighborhood. Tree lined streets, lots of “baby boomer” kids to play with, being able to stay outside until “the street lights” came on, a dog to “love on”, a stay at home mom, home cooked meals…it was a good time to be a child in America. My father was agnostic, and my mother was Catholic, although not very observant. God was never discussed in our home. The only time I heard His name was when it was being blasphemed.

From the outside looking in, it all looked like a “Leave It to Beaver” life. But behind closed doors, things were VERY different. My earliest memory is of being restrained by my mother while my sister was abused by my father. The abuse, emotional, physical and sexual continued until I left home at 18 to get married. God blessed me with two wonderful children, but I continued to be haunted by the events of the past.

I continued over the next decade or so to be a very angry young woman. I never felt at peace, or even remotely content. My anger would bubble over and my mood swings were extreme. I did everything to the extreme.

Sadly, that marriage ended in divorce. My children and I went on to live in a small apartment. One night a man broke in and attempted to rape me. Blessedly, he was unsuccessful and was arrested and found guilty of his crime. Still, I ran from God and my past.

I joined the early feminist movement. I left that because, even as a lost woman, I recognized that abortion was murder and they asked me to support abortion or leave. God moved me off that destructive path.

One day I realized people were coming into my life and sharing the Gospel. (At the time, I didn’t know it was the Gospel). I would laugh at them and off-handedly dismiss them and their message. I continued to be angry. I made a promise to myself that I would be the one to break the cycle of abuse with my children and because I was successful, I became very prideful over what I perceived as “being a strong woman”. I continued to define myself and excuse my sin because I was a “victim”. I held strongly onto that “victim” identity. Without it, and my anger, I didn’t know who I was.

I went to nursing school and began my career as an RN. People continued to witness to me. I still scoffed at them (now I praise God for them). One day a Christian nurse joined our team. I watched her at work because she was SO different than all the other employees, including me. She had unbelievable compassion for the patients and other workers, she had a peace and a calm that I had never seen before. She was not embarrassed or ashamed of her love for Christ. She NEVER complained, even when we had to work Christmas. I didn’t know what it was, but I wanted what she had.

One day we had to go on an errand together. When we got in her car, I asked her to put on music. Her reply took me aback. She told me that all she had was “Christian music” and she didn’t think I “would like it”. That was the day that I really started to look at myself compared to her. God was beginning to humble me.

Our Lord continued to send people into my life who boldly shared what Christ had done for sinners. I remember the day like it was yesterday, I realized that I was a sinner, that I was separated from God, that I was headed for hell. I fell on my knees and sobbing, I begged God to forgive me of my sins and received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior! I couldn’t wait to tell the Christian nurse. She responded in a way that God would use many times over the years…she stated, “I have been praying that God would send a Christian nurse to work with me, I never thought it would be you!” 

Time and time again this simple statement has reminded me to pray for those who seem “very lost” and not responsive to the Gospel. It has reminded me to be bold in my faith and it has reminded me that living my faith out in front of people is one of the most important things that God has commanded me to do.

My life since my real “birthday” has been a wonderful testimony to our Lord’s grace. Immediately, my desires changed. I couldn’t learn enough or be around God’s people enough. Our home changed dramatically; the world was no longer welcomed there. My children repented and received Christ when they were pre-teens. I was blessed to be able to attend Bible college (with my Christian nurse friend who was diligent in discipling me).

Then the most amazing thing occurred, God sent a godly man into my life. He was a pastor and I found myself a pastor’s wife with four more wonderful children to love. As I grew in the Lord, I understood that God in His wonderful sovereignty allowed things in my life to prepare me to minister to other women who have experienced similar things. Over the years, my life before I was saved, my sweet friend’s words at the time of my conversion and all of the faithful who shared the Gospel with an angry, seemingly hopeless young woman have been used by God to serve the brethren and reach out to the lost.

I no longer was angry; I was able to forgive my parents and was able to have a relationship with them. My sister remained angry all her life. Praise God that I was able to share the Gospel with them. Sadly, my father, mother and sister all died lost; but I know that that too is under God’s sovereign control. I am at peace.

I pray my testimony will encourage those who read it to never give up on loved ones, co-workers, or others that may seem “too lost”, or will “never be saved”.  Live your lives boldly and totally for our Lord and Savior. Live to give Him glory and honor. Live to magnify Christ. I want to be able to say, as the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7 and to the Philippians, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” Philippians 1:21

Our wonderful Lord saves and uses the most broken vessels in magnificent ways for His glory. I am undeserving and blessed!

How We Are Like the Moon

2 Comments / August 27, 2019

Isn’t a full moon so incredible? Of course, most of the month, the moon is not near so bright. And some nights it is simply an unimpressive sliver up in the sky.

Even though early astronomers didn’t realize it, we now understand that the moon is simply a reflection of the sun’s glory. The moon itself does not have light, but it reflects the light of the sun.

A reader recently brought to my attention how much we believers are like the moon–

Our light is not our own, but is merely a reflection of God’s glory.

Our reflective light is easily dimmed by the dark shadows of sin and worldliness, just as the moon’s is dimmed by the shadow of the earth.

Our light, if we are a true reflection of Jesus Christ, lights up the dark night just like a full moon does.

And we know that some love that light. And some hate it.

Some love the moonlight and the way it helps them see. And others, with things to hide, hate it. They want the cover of darkness to hide their evil deeds.

While I know that sin does serious damage to our reflective light, I want to write a bit about worldiness and the damage it does. I have been writing a series on worldliness (which you can find here) and so this seems to be very relevant to that series.

As my reader pointed out, just as the world comes between the sun and the moon and blots out the light, so, too, does this same thing happen with us. The world gets between us and the Father and we grow dim because of it.

You see, when we allow worldly thinking to enter our minds, whether it be through entertainment, education, or careers or through social media, our circle of friends, or family–and any other way it finds its way into our hearts and brains–our lights start to dim.

Think about it.

Let’s say you spent the last two hours watching a movie full of violence or immorality. Is that an accurate reflection of God? Are we doing what He would do? Are we making a choice that makes us look more like Him?

Or are we purposely taking a step away in order to satisfy our own selfish desires?

Or how about how we choose to raise our kids, live out our marriages, or treat the boss or co-workers at our jobs? We have a choice to be a reflection of God and His desires or to follow after the world and look like everyone else, causing us to melt into the blackness that surrounds us.

Christian marriages, parenting, and relationships with unbelievers should look very different than that of unbelievers. But, so often, because of our desire to follow so closely after the world, we end up simply looking like everyone else.

Our lives become unremarkable and we end up casting just a dim reflection of light in the inky blackness that surrounds us.

Now this is so devastating for a few reasons–

First, we cannot be used by God. He has chosen to use us but in order to do that we must be pure and holy vessels. When we choose to live in sin or to look and act like the world, we are not fit for service.

Second, we lose opportunities to share Christ. No Christian can honestly say that they would feel comfortable sharing Jesus with a friend after partying for the whole night alongside them. And if someone says they do, there is little to commend any religious message they may spout off. We are automatically discounted when we join in the sinful activities of the world around us. If we look just like the world, they have no need to have what we have. They don’t need it. If our children look like everyone else’s children, if our attitudes are like everyone else’s attitudes, if our friendships, our marriages, and our families mirror the world, what use do they have with us?

Anyone can travel the path of least resistance. In order to stand out we need to stand on the Word. In order to fully reflect God’s light we need to do things His way.

Third, we lose opportunities to testify to the difference God can make in our lives. When we continue to be the best reflection of God’s light that we can be, we show the world that not only is God almighty and able to change us but that His love and grace is all that we need. We show them that being transformed is not about rules but about our deep love for God.

Knowing God is the only eternal light. While earthly things may flicker up briefly, only God gives us a new life that gives us a permanent reflection of light.

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Perhaps this would be a good time to remember that pure and holy are not synonymous with perfect. We do not have to–in fact we cannot--live perfect lives. Never forget that our Christian lives are not about perfection but about direction.

All believers, whether young or old, are a reflection. The question is this: Are we a teeny sliver of light in the darkness or a full moon lighting up the night?

 

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