Believe Your Beliefs

Today is Easter Monday. As I read through some of the emails I missed last week, I came across one that piqued my interest, not because of content rich material, but how the author assumed everyone reading understood his bolded points. You know how it happens…you look through your email and see a bolded statement so you click on the newsletter. This is what I read today.

“The innocent and perfect Jesus took the punishment you and I deserve on himself, so that we could be forgiven of our moral wrongs and be reconciled to God.”

While this statement is absolutely, positively, 100% scripturally true, and I firmly believe every word, what does our culture think of sayings like this? Do you think they would understand what the writer was saying? Going a little further, would you speak this way to a stranger in the checkout line at WalMart or to the stocker at the grocery store? To be honest, I probably wouldn’t. Why is that?

Recently, I began watching a Netflix reality show called Love is Blind. The idea behind the show is to see if it is possible for people to fall in love before physically seeing them. The contestants were put in separate rooms called pods and encouraged to “date” someone in another room by asking all kinds of questions to make a connection without seeing them. (Disclaimer: I got hooked on the show in a cooking frenzy one afternoon and kept watching little by little over the next few days to see how things worked out.)

On one “hometown” date where a guy met his fiancée’s parents, I noticed a Christianese comment the girl’s mother made. She asked him, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” and the fiancée had no idea what she meant. My heart sunk. As an atheist, this guy was clueless to the premise of Christianity nor was he offered the chance to find out. His girlfriend/fiancée didn’t ask if he’d be willing to speak with her pastor or to go to classes to learn about her religion. She assumed it was a lost cause and later broke it off with him because he didn’t believe like she did. She knew her beliefs but did not know how to make them known to the person she committed to marry.

This sort of judgment to someone who does not believe in the Christian religion is heartbreaking. The optimistic guy not only had his heart broken, but there is surely potential for him to have a chip on his shoulder about the truth of the Gospel.

This brings me back to the original article I read this morning about Easter. The writer somewhat redeemed himself with a further bolded statement:

“Without God as the moral standard, every behavior would just be a matter of opinion — even murder, rape and child abuse.”  

This is the reason for the first statement! This is why our lives needed the innocent, perfect Jesus to take on our punishment and to be forgiven: we need a Savior. Without the morality of God, we would be left to our own judgment about what is good or bad and oh how we would fall hard and fast.

In my world of late, I’ve been looking for places that I can become a defender of my Christian beliefs. Places where I might not make sense to those who are not Christians or to those who are struggling in their faith. What do my words and actions speak to others?

I challenge you to take a look at what you say and to be aware of where you need to hold back a Christianese statement by being quiet or by being prepared to ask your question differently. You’ll make others think if you ask questions like Jesus did that make others think. If you know what you believe, you have thought deeply about it. Being able to deftly describe your beliefs to others is exactly what God calls us to do. Live and believe your beliefs, my friend.

I’ve read Exodus 13 & 14 time and time again, but today I noticed a detail that I have never seen before.

The story is about Israel after Pharaoh let them go–just before they were about to cross the Red Sea. Pharaoh changed his mind deciding to chase God’s chosen nation, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” (14:5). Soon thereafter, he followed Israel into the Red Sea only to drown while God’s chosen nation narrowly escaped his clutches. Israel had the beautiful victory of freedom after being in slavery for 430 years to the Egyptians. [If you wrestle with the number of 430 years, there have been many discussions about it. The number comes from the time when Isaac, Abraham’s son, was mocked by Ishmael, his half-brother, when he was 5 years old.]

The interesting fact I discovered comes from Exodus 13:17-18.

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

Notice the last sentence of verse 18: “The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.” The beginning of verse 17 tells us a little more about them, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” The interesting twist: even though they were ready for battle, if they faced it, they might change their mind…and do what? Return to slavery in Egypt.

There are many times we are prepared for battle. God has equipped us to show up and face a situation. And He is leading us. There are also times when things seem uncertain and yet we have been groomed for that very situation. And there are times when the future is cloudy and we feel we need clarity. But God has prepared us. He has equipped us. He has our future written ahead of us.

How often do we not evangelize because someone might ask us a question that we might not know the answer to? Or, are there times where we do not press GO in a situation due to apprehension because we “feel” we are not ready for what the future might hold? What if we are asked to help in some way and feel inadequate?

Israel suffered from this mindset. God tackled their enemies head-on. He delivered them from Pharaoh’s clenches, set them off to greener pastures, and they still could have changed their minds. The thoughts of abandonment were not gone…they still believed they could turn back if they had to. Pharaoh would accept them. He would provide for them in their slavery and they forgot what freedom was or what it could be.

Take the leap of faith into freedom. You are equipped. You are enough. You are beyond the reach of the Pharaohs in your life. God’s got you. Don’t let them stop you–don’t even let them stymie you. Don’t allow your mind to go back to the old ways of thinking. Approach God and His plan with fervor and excitement. He will meet you there and you’ll find that He has never left.

I write this piece just as much to myself as much as I write it for others. Thank God for Exodus 13.

Notice where Israel is starting: Goshen (in the top left).

Many people make New Year’s resolutions. And then there are some people like me who do not. According to a study from the University of Scranton, only 8% of people who make resolutions actually keep them. To foresee an entire year is not feasible for most people including myself, and to change something without setting up parameters or making big adjustments ahead of time would be a fantastical wish. And then there is faith. Changing even the smallest part of oneself seems impossible and yet, Christians often proclaim that with the power of the Holy Spirit, any Christ follower can be an overcomer.

Believing in the power of Christ to change me has been a mountain ever so huge to climb. Granted, I’ll put the work into a positive change, but where do faith and will intersect? Will faith automatically pop into my world when I am tempted simply because I have prayed? Honestly, I think many who attend programs such as AA and GA would not agree. I dare say many of them prayed hard for God to keep them from drinking or gambling and yet they fell to the vice of their own will.

My prayer life has always contained a part that asks God to change in me what needs to be changed and usually I’m not vague. I name names and I am open with Him about what is bothering me and I ask for a change of MY heart. Many times He does change my heart and I see the situation through different eyes. But what happens when I cannot or do not see things differently? What possesses me when I don’t control my emotions or adjust my thinking and why am I at times more vulnerable to fail? God and I have been in close communion over this and I believe He has revealed a truth that I have needed to hear.

Quoting scripture has been a big help to overcome bad behavior. Pastors, teachers and theologians have written extensively about it. Searching the Bible for truths that meet our present needs and committing them to memory is a practice I’d encourage every Christian to do.

Outside of this, though, I believe we are responsible to delve into the dark places, patterns or emotions that need change and to proactively seek methods to modify, reverse or wipe them out. Reformation is showing not only God, but ourselves, that we are not going to continue in a certain situation or bad habit or exhibit poor behavior. Breaking free from dark “things” is an emancipation proclamation that we are not going to remain slaves to them. And isn’t this the sort of thing a genuine Christian does? Detecting personal faults, confessing them and change.

One if the biggest parts of change is to see where we fall short and along with scripture, find ways to adjust our actions and thinking.  For me, it has been detecting areas where I need to be more self-aware and setting up positive ways to talk differently mostly to myself and also to others.  And it’s work!  Stepping back, taking a deep breath and seeing another with eyes of compassion is not easy, or counting to ten and looking at a situation with different eyes, Christlike eyes, has been essential for my personal growth that allows the fruit of the Spirit to shine through in my life.

So, what’s bothering you?  What are you struggling with?  First, pray.  Ask God to reveal the root of the issue.  Next, search scripture with full-blown effort and try to memorize helpful verses.  If you don’t memorize well, write scripture on some small cards and put them on a ring to carry with you to look at and review when facing difficulties.  But also, seek out good advice by talking to others, reading books, searching websites and make up a plan—set up parameters! It is nearly impossible to want to change and do nothing to make that change except to whine or complain about it. Be proactive…think about your plan and work it. Use is fastidiously. Pray over it and pray while working it. And don’t be afraid to adjust it.

God is with his children. He holds many hands through change and will direct you through yours. Be aware of His presence. He is there helping you change…not for 2020…but forever. 

P.S.-A very helpful book for me has been Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves. I recommend their book to make a plan to be more aware of yourself and others.

” God can’t use us profoundly unless we hurt deeply.”

scott hamilton

Listening to the radio the other day, I came across an interview with Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic ice skating gold medalist.  He talked about his skating career, a bit about the loneliness he felt from singleness, and cancer…the big “C” word that changes the lives of so many.  Each blow in his life was a different type of letdown.  But, each time within the downward spiral of disappointment, mediocrity, shame and even self-abatement, he retrospectively saw victory.  His ability to look at adversity and glean the good from such obstacles became a trademark of who Scott Hamilton is. 

At times in my own life, I have marked disasters as setbacks not stepping stones.  The difference between someone who succeeds and one who doesn’t is perspective.  Seeing failure as an end cannot result in growth because the buck stops there. 

When a muscle is strained or a bone broken, advice and treatment is sought from a doctor.  Proper measures are taken to heal the area that has been affected.  Using this analogy from life, when a situation or relationship is strained, broken or considered a loss, it needs attention not abandonment.  Hamilton said, “The greatest strength is a lack of weakness.  Find your weaknesses and knock them out one at a time.”  He saw failure as feedback and cancer as “probably the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”    

Failure is feedback.

scott hamilton

Failure should wake us up.  It should liven our senses to areas within that need attention.  Failure is not the end, it more than likely the beginning of a tough, hard climb up a very steep hill with many obstacles.  Seeing failure as such shows great tenacity and prepares us for what God has next for us.  In a recipe, failure is the single most important ingredient according to Hamilton, but it doesn’t have to be the main ingredient!

Christian theologian, A.W. Tozer once said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”  In the words of Hamilton, “God can’t use us profoundly unless we hurt deeply.”  Do you want to be used by God?  Take inventory of your weaknesses, failures and disappointments. Consider them feedback, a response or an observation.  Learn from your so-called failures; don’t live under them. 

Stay away from negative people,

they have a problem for every solution.

unknown

Do you know someone who lives in a seemingly colorless world that breeds gloom? It’s downright depressing. Expressions of “why me?” fill the thick air of a room they’re in–scarcely evidenced by oxygen. You can’t take a deep breath into your lungs when you’re around them for fear of looking like you have life within you.

When tackling a life-problem, it’s tough to ask advice from such people. Their dismal outlook on life takes you down to the mat, shoulders plastered to the ground, leaving you wondering if there is any hope. And what is it like to live with someone like this? Your bottom lip would be raw from biting it and you’d need to take stock in an aspirin company from a chronic headache caused by gritting your teeth…as advice would frequently roll off their sharp tongue.

Do not be misled: “bad company corrupts good character.”

I Corinthians 15:33

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 19:6

Being a part of a group of good friends, I’ve learned that MY bad company has the potential to corrupt the good character of the group of friends I hang out with. If I cannot love over an offense of one of my “sisters” then I will put a wedge in our group and we’ll split up. Is our group of friends worth it? Of course! The lesson: don’t be bad company and corrupt not only your good character but those around you as well.

How easy is it to complain about how you have been wronged somewhere? Pretty easy, I’d say. How many times do you take that coffee or fast food receipt and threaten to blow the employee away on the survey? But what about the inverse? How many times have you sent in a survey stating the good deed or simple smile of an employee that unexpectedly made your day? Probably not near as often as a bad report.

Take the time to respond to others in love rather than making more problems. It is just not worth it to be a “Negative Nelly Know-It-All” type of person. Find solutions to problems by acting in love, not problems for solutions by being a dark, cheerless pessimist.

It’s fall in the Midwest and yes, the weather is hot then cool, dry then wet and humidity looms somewhere between the stages of the thermometer. Predictable is not found here. And yet, things aren’t always unpredictable either.

As I strolled outside this morning near the barn, I noticed my husband’s John Deere. He faithfully uses this hard working piece of machinery every week. Barely getting a break all spring, summer and early fall this mower keeps up with the grass as it grows at a rate faster than a smooth move of a teenage boy. The hum of this machine is getting louder as it grows older; the paint is chipping and rusty red spots appear here and there. As break downs become more common, it may sit for a few days waiting to be fixed. But, one little spot caught my eye as I gazed at the big, bad boy.

A tuft of tender grass peeked through an angled area atop the mower blades. The flat housing was laden with dead grass from months of cuttings, but amidst all that death was fresh, green life. Nothing should grow there, it was not meant for growth. It was meant for protection from the whirring blades as they spin underneath. But despite what the housing was meant to do, there was a little spot of lush, tender life.

And what if the dash of a forest could speak? What would it say? “Darn the world” for being placed in such a precarious position. Angry, it would stomp and snort how life wasn’t fair because it grew in a restricted, unattractive, unwanted place–only to be swept way by a spray from the hose or the swish of a handbroom. Or, why would such tragedy befall the little jungle when it was peacefully minding it’s own business? The petty little nuisance of a clump was doing it’s own thing, but someday soon the dead grass underneath would dry out again and the plot of turf would lose the base it took root upon. The destiny of the happy and healthy green cluster was doomed. The clump would soon die one way or another.

If asked if it was worth it, would the tiny forest complain of its existence? I think not. Would the happy splotch of green blades wilt if pushed to think of the future it faced? I think not again. I dare say the collection of germinated seeds would be thrilled that they were able to make it in such dire circumstances. The clod would lean over in the wind thanking it for the afternoon stretch, and life given to the fledgling blades would be a life well lived as long as it suited the purpose it was intended to fulfill.

And what about us? What about me? Sometimes it seems like my little cluster of life is wilting and getting smaller and smaller and my existence is not of value. Why do hardships and drama fill some of my days robbing me of the joyous moments meant to pepper my God-given identity? Am I the inverse of those simple blades of grass growing to whatever they were meant to grow?

Psalm 90;12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” In numbering our days, seeing the beauty of the moments we have, we gain wisdom into our hearts. At times I can hear myself moan about a situation and the brevity of pleasure I will receive from it. I do not realize the pleasure afforded to me, in whatever measure it is given, is still pleasure…even if I desire more. By counting the days I have on this earth to bless others and to make a difference for Christ, it gives me a greater, God-centric perspective of the whole of the breadth of my life.

Pretend you own a beautiful box. It’s all yours and no one is allowed to dip into it except you. It’s very private because you place beautiful things inside that only you can know. Nothing can be placed inside by anyone else. Only you deposit. So, this box is incredibly special.

Inside, the things are worth protecting and you do just that. You see, if what you place inside is all of your own doing and the things you have in there have value, of course you’ll want to protect them. Not with insurance or a guard dog, but you yourself protect it innately.

Let’s call your box “The Desire Box.” All the things you desire go straight into it–not one thing you desire sits outside the box. And there is no comparison to its size. Your box could be very small and simple. But someone else’s may be as large as an American state or even larger because everyone is different.

Remember, though, desire is not a want or a need. Confusion will ensue if you jumble them up. Desires are things you will pursue with a penchant. For this reason your ‘wants’ quite possibly are not. The two can seem very alike but upon careful examination, desires have deeper roots. You can want a horse or a dog or a car but to really desire those things, you would make work of having them. It becomes the fiber of you.

Then there are needs. Not much can be said there. Needs are just needs. Of course needs certainly need to be kept in check (as the line between wants and needs is close), but if you don’t get a need, you could die or suffer serious harm or wither away.

Now, in your Desire Box, take a look at what you have in there. What is it that you really desire? What is the you within yourself that you pursue day after day and focus on?

Some may say they desire God or Jesus, but in order to give honor to that desire, the desire in and of itself changes the person. Desiring makes one’s world smaller in some ways because it focuses on the desire so laser-like that if the desire is taken away, the person would miss it—like an unknowing of what to do.

In Psalm 42:1 David said,

As a deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you.

David compares his desire to a deer panting for fresh water to quench his thirst. The deer wanted water, yes. Of course he did, beacause water was a need, in a physical sense. It’s almost as if the life of the deer depended on his finding water. He just had to have it. Likewise, David compares his soul panting for God. He had to find God and quench his desire for Him—it was his focus and goal. Notice: Desire.

Your Desire Box pushes you to seek and pursue and focus at all costs. Outside influences will not crowd your box trying to distract you. They aren’t allowed in there…remember, this is YOUR box and only you deposit into it. You won’t suffer distractions if your desire is driving you.

Keeping your box well protected is paramount. If you are a God follower, line your box with scripture. Let it be filled to the brim with godly influences—so much so that the lid has a hard time fitting on top.

And check the contents of your box carefully all the time. Be sure your desires are wrapped carefully with prayer and protected—they are fragile and worth the extra effort to keep them safe.

As you open your precious Desire Box, may you say,

“As I [insert your name] pant for water, my soul, O Lord, pants for you.”

Satan has a way of sneaking into our lives. He hides in the thickets and bushes of our world waiting until we are unaware and then he strikes. Attacks come as a surprise and we’re left wondering how we had been so vulnerable.

The lioness, despite her beauty, is a shrewd hunter hiding in bushes when she’s hungry. She finds what she has a taste for and waits. She’ll sit in a bush for hours waiting for an unexpecting zebra to pass by and there she goes—pouncing on her prey suffocating it until she has dinner.

Zebras are an amazing animal as well. They have an innocent way about them as they graze and stop for water, minding their own business on the plain. But when a predator like the lion is spotted, they face her, staring intently, watching her every move—always knowing where she is.

You’d think, though, the zebra would have immediately run away when the lioness was spotted, but no. Zebras watch their prowler. Every zebra is on the lionesses radar to become the next guest to join her for dinner. And zebras know the lion scans the herd lunging on the injured or faint or unaware.

Awareness of our enemy is crucial in our life. Knowing where the enemy is and watching for an attack is a wise practice. If we are not constantly watching, waiting for movement, we could get caught and dragged into something that we may not be able to get out of without serious harm–harm that could maim or even destroy us.

Once a lion has her prey in sight she focuses intently on her target. She will not kill something that is too much for her needs, and she also won’t waste any part of the tragedy. Her prey is unaware, weak enough, easily distracted, the right size for her need and conquerable.

Likewise, Satan has his focus on those who are not wary and haphazard. He won’t attack someone who is aware of him, he sneaks in and takes over. He knows your weaknesses and capitalizes on them. His imperfect plan distracts you from your Christian walk filling his need to find just the right person to fill a dirty job and he knows he can conquer you. If he knows you’re going to beat him at his own game, he won’t waste his time…he will just scare you.

I Peter 5:8 says: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” We even get a warning from the Bible…Satan is like that lion looking for dinner–aka YOU!

Friends often pour warnings into our lives. They may see danger in our Christian walk that we ourselves do not see. Be open to the life giving advice of other Christians who warn about situations that may be dangerous and could lead us into something or somewhere we shouldn’t be. A wise woman, when she speaks, her words are wise and she instructs with kindness (Proverbs 31:26). Listen to those wise women God has placed in your life.

And be watchful of the enemy. As beautiful as the enemy looks, hiding is his game plan and being aware of the tactics of his game is a command from our Lord. Check out I Thessalonians 5:6: “…be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.”

Keep your enemies close by being alert–aware of where the enemy is, listen intently to the advice of others you trust and be watchful, thinking things through. Have a gameplan in mind when an attack comes so you can overcome your enemy!