Some people (wrongly) think that Grease 2 is better than the original. While I could write an entire blog post to help them see the error of their ways, that is not what this post is about. This time I'm focusing on God's never failing devotion to us and our all-to-often failing devotion to Him.
In high school, I was part of a weekly Bible study with our Life Teen youth group. I loved it! I loved learning scripture, learning more about God, and growing closer to others who were in the same place as me. As I've gotten older, I've gotten more introverted and both busier & lazier at the same time. But a few months ago, a dear friend of mine asked me to do a devotional with her. While I was excited (because I had been looking for exactly that...a devotional and an opportunity to grow in my faith), I was hesitant because I hadn't been vocal in sharing my faith with others (besides my family) since High School. I followed God's nudge and accepted my friend's sweet offer, and I'm so glad I did. It was exactly what I needed. It is an app called You Version Bible, and I know a lot of you have probably been hip to this jive for a long time. But if you're like me and you weren't in the know, now you are. I highly recommend it. You can customize it for which version of the Bible you want, it has a verse of the day, and you can search for devotionals on a variety of topics: parenting, work, faith, illness, hope, humor, hearing God's voice, etc. You can do the devotionals by yourself (which is what I do most of the time), but you can also do them with others that are "friends" in the app (which is a great way to grow closer to others as you grow closer to God).
I'm done with plugging the app. There's more than one way to crack an egg, after all. But I am going to share some pieces that have spoken to me over the last month:
"Is the Holy Spirit working in your life today?
We have learned that the Holy Spirit is God indwelling us. He affects and empowers every dimension of our lives. He directs every step and decision of our days. He is the Lord who gives us significance and purpose, life and a future.
We discussed what it means to be “filled with the Spirit,” which leads us to the end of this devotional series and a key question you need to ask yourself: Would those who know you best say they see the Spirit at work in your life today?
We can measure the degree to which we are surrendered to the Spirit by the "fruit," or results, that manifest themselves in our lives: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22).
In other words, ask yourself: “Would my friends say that I am loving? Do they think I exercise patience? Do they experience kindness and gentleness from me?”
"If Jesus is your Lord
One of my favorite stories concerns a father arriving home from work one day. His two little girls ran to meet him.
The five-year-old got to him first, throwing her arms around his legs.
Hedges on either side of the sidewalk kept the three-year-old from going around her big sister to her father. Standing on the sidewalk, she began to cry.
So her father reached down and picked her up.
The big sister then taunted her little sister, "Ha, ha, ha—I've got all of Daddy there is."
The little sister replied, "Ha, ha, ha—Daddy's got all of me there is."
If Jesus is your Lord, you have all of God there is.
Does he have all of you?"
"Dear Christians, Please Stop Being Lame
We are part of a largely unchurched community that I love. Our community is so secular, I am detached from the homogeneous Christian pack and attuned to the outsiders’ perspective. (Outsiders is a misleading term, as our country is roughly 65 percent unchurched. A better phrase is “most people.”) We are in urgent times here.
The way of Jesus is not holding, and to assume otherwise is a dangerous lullaby that will rock us to sleep while our communities flounder and struggle. Only determined denial could assess our Christian subculture as healthy.
Because all is not actually well, it is time to become humble—loving neighbors and the world that fears and rejects us. This is not about being liked or popular, nor is it some soft gospel that prefers harmony over redemption. Here is the truth: If we are inhibiting others from finding Jesus, this constitutes a full-blown crisis. Ultimately, the rejection of Christians predicates the rejection of Jesus, and if that doesn’t grieve us, we have missed the whole point. Jesus tried to impress this upon us. I mean, He was obsessed.
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23, emphasis added).
The woman at the well.
The Good Samaritan.
Blind Bartimaeus.
The poor widow.
Zacchaeus.
The Good Samaritan.
Blind Bartimaeus.
The poor widow.
Zacchaeus.
There is a clear correlation between how we treat each other and how a watching world will feel about Jesus. What should our neighbors deduce from our loving-kindness toward one another? One, that we obviously belong to Jesus, because what other explanation exists for such beautiful community?
It should be so compelling that others interpret it as otherworldly—these people must belong to God. And according to Jesus, God’s calling card is love. If folks don’t recognize God is good by watching His people, then we have tragically derailed.
May the world see a thankful, committed family who loves their God, adores their Savior, and can’t get enough of one another. This is a story that saves, a story that heals, and the right story to tell."
A couple of days ago, another friend on facebook shared that the struggles she has parenting her children are the same struggles that God has with her. I thought that was so poignant. As we are all children of God, I pray that we all: hear His voice, heed His words, walk in His path, and shine His light to the world around us.
