A Day-Dawning Fresh Start

I'm writing from midtown Atlanta, watching the sun rise over the city and listening to the tune playing in my head. "It's a new day dawning..." The sky has turned from black to dark blue and, as I'm typing, light has begun to pour into the room. I can just barely hear the street sounds as the city comes alive again.

Another day. A fresh start. A new beginning. 

A new creation.

That's how Paul described those who are in Christ. Old things passed away. New things have come. (2 Cor. 5:17) The sinful ways and habits of our old life are replaced by new, godly ways and habits. Faith replaces doubt. Love replaces hate. Hope replaces despair. Peace replaces anxiety. Power and love replace fear. Joy replaces sadness.

Because of Jesus, we can be made new, no matter how long we've searched or what we've done. We can have a day-dawning fresh start. 

Do we have sin? We can be forgiven.

Do we have hurt? We can be healed.

Do we have fears? We can be comforted and emboldened.

Do we have bondage? We can be released.

Whatever the need, Jesus can meet it. 

Today, why not begin this new day with a fresh heart? Let's spend time with the One who loves us most and allow Him to cleanse us and make us new.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 nasb

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: Living on Devil-Bread

For those who want to do the James study on your phone, here's the link: Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841

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Living on Devil Bread

Before His public ministry began, Jesus spent forty days in a wilderness prayer retreat. Satan thought He'd be weak after that much time fasting and praying, so he arrived on the scene with a bundle of temptations in hand, all uniquely designed to stop the plan of God in its tracks.

He clearly didn't understand the power of the presence of God.

After forty days without food, everyone would be hungry. "Turn this stone into bread," the devil said. Jesus was probably ravenous, but He wasn't hungry enough to eat devil-bread. 

"Man can't live by bread alone," He told the enemy. 

What He didn't say was the rest of that verse. "Man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Deut 8:3 nasb

That's how Jesus lived. He knew what God said, and He stuck to it. In case you've wondered, that's what we're supposed to do, too. 

I'd like to say we never eat devil-bread, but when we live by anything other than what God says, that's exactly what we do. 

When we go along with the world instead of making a stand against corruption, idolatry, and sin, we're living on devil bread.

When we disobey God, as if He doesn't care what we do, we're living on devil bread.

When we love anything or anyone more than God, we're living on devil bread.

When we love ourselves more than we love our neighbor, we're living on devil bread.

That's a hard word, isn't it? But it's true, and it makes me sad. I've spent far too much time eating stony devil food instead of the manna of righteousness. We probably all have.

There's good news, though. The words of Jesus are still true. What we eat is not the most important part of life. Whose we are determines the kind of lives we live. 

"Man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Deut 8:3 nasb

The word translated as "lives" comes from two ancient root words. One means "to declare" and one "to breath." In a very real sense, when we live as God has instructed, we declare to the world the truth of our Lord by the very breath of our lives.

I want to live so in tune with God that people can spend a few minutes with me and have a glimpse of Christ. That's what Jesus-followers do. We learn from Him and incorporate those lessons into our lives. 

When people look at us, they're supposed to see Jesus in us. But do they?

Today, let's take a closer look at the things with which we feed our hearts and lives. Are we feasting on the things of God or trying to satisfy ourselves with devil-bread? If we need to make a change, let's do it. 
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: The Head Markers and the Missing Sin-Grievers

For those who want to do the James study on your phone, here's the link: Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841

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The Head-Markers and the Missing Sin-Grievers

This morning, I was headed to James, but my Bible fell open to a passage that gripped my attention.

Ezekiel's vision of the marking of foreheads.

He was sitting in his house in Babylon, where he had been in captivity for years. Things had normalized a bit, and the elders of Judah were there, visiting. I imagine they were sitting around, drinking coffee, and telling tall tales. Doing what men do when they gather.

Ezekiel wasn't praying or doing a ritual or having particularly religious conversation. He was hanging out with the other guys. Out of the blue, the hand of God fell on him. In the midst of the men. 

Not one of the people in the room noticed. Everyone kept drinking coffee, telling tall tales, and sitting in their places.

Everyone except Ezekiel. 

His eyes were glued to the vision of a glowing fire-man before him. Suddenly, he felt himself snatched up by the hair and carried back home. 

"And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there..." (Ez 8:4)

I shudder when I realize that not one person even paused to take note of the presence of God. Would I? Would you?

In the vision, Ezekiel was taken through Jerusalem. He carried Ezekiel in through a hole in the wall of the temple, and what he saw broke his heart. Repeatedly, God pointed his attention to the terrible things happening in His house. 

In case you've wondered, there is no wall we build that's secure enough to keep God out. 

There is nowhere we can go to hide our sin from Him. He sees. He knows. 

Ezekiel saw that "every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around." Sin had found its way into the very walls of the temple. It had become an indelible part of the structure. 

Enclosed by evil-engraved walls, seventy elders stood with censers in their hands, offering incense to God as if the sin surrounding them didn't matter at all. 

But it did. It mattered to God, and the incense-offering in the sin-room wasn't the worst of it. People were indulging in horrible sin, as if God was blind, deaf, and dumb. He wasn't. He hadn't missed a thing.

Suddenly God shouted and six executioners and a man with a writing kit showed up. The Writer-Man was instructed to go throughout the city and mark the foreheads of all the men who mourned over the sin of the people. The executioners were instructed to kill all the rest.

This next part is horrible, but we need to know it. As a warning. 

The head-marking writer-man started at the temple, marking foreheads as he went. The executioners followed close behind, killing the ones who didn't care about the sin of the people.

Ezekiel watched in horror. 

No one was receiving a mark. 

People were dropping like flies all around him. The leaders in the temple. The people coming and going at the temple. The church people. 

The march to find the Sin-Grievers was relentless. They moved through the city and found no one. 

No one.

Ezekiel cried out in terror, "I'm the only one left standing." He was probably wondering if he would be next. 

God said a profound thing we'd do well to understand and heed. "I've held back on judgment so long, they think I don't care about their sin. But I do."

On that terrible day that's coming, the Head-Marker will not care who we are, what position we hold, how much money we have in the bank, nor how many good deeds we do. 

The only thing that will matter is how much sin matters to us. Do we have the righteousness that comes from the blood of Jesus or not?

This is important, so don't miss it. If we are truly God's people, we care about sin.

If we don't care about sin, we have a problem that needs serious attention. Now. It will be too late when the Head-Marker and the Executioners show up.

Today, as those who claim to be the people of God, we would do well to ask ourselves a few questions. 

Do I notice the presence of God when it enters my busy life?

Would the Head-Marker find enough evidence of righteousness in me to mark my forehead?

The answer to those questions might be sobering. Today, let's ask God to forgive us for our complacency toward sin and give us His heart for righteousness. A day is coming when the only ones left standing will be the Sin-Grievers. Let's be sure we're among them.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: The Twenty-Five Cent Tulips and The Crying Lady

For those who have had a hard time downloading the James study to their phones, I've divided it into separate blog posts, and you can access it that way. Links are embedded. You won't need the BLB app, but you will need the electronic copy to have the links, even if you print it. Go to Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841

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The 25 Cent Tulips and The Crying Lady

Going to the grocery store is usually a great way to connect with people. I met my friend, Tori, in Kroger last night. We had a lovely visit about the work God has given us to do, the friends for whom we were cooking, our menus, and our lifestyles now that we both live alone.

Tori had tulips in her basket that were beautiful. I commented on them. "They're on sale for 25 cents apiece. You should buy yourself some tulips."

I headed to the flower section and found buckets of tulips in multiple colors. I joined the other ladies selecting flowers and soon had a dozen not-yet-open tulips in my "bouquet bag".

At the checkout counter, a woman stepped into line behind me. She looked like she was about to dissolve into weeping. I watched her blink back tears. She caught me watching her, so I smiled and thought briefly about how to cheer her up. I should have considered my words just a few seconds longer.

This wasn't the most sensible thing I could've said, but I glanced toward my flowers and said what Tori had said. "They're on sale for 25 cents apiece. You should buy yourself some tulips."

She just stared at me, blinked back more tears, then lowered her head and looked away.

I felt terrible. I wished I'd said, "I've cried in the grocery store, too. But Jesus helped me." But I didn't, and the moment slipped away.

I've thought about her and her little basket with the food for one ever since. Wherever that crying lady is this morning, I hope she found The Comforter who will dry her tears.

Jesus would've handled that situation better. He'd have offered living water that will quench her thirst and never run dry. He'd have offered comfort, and healing for her hurt, and hope that, no matter what the problem she faced, He was bigger.

Today, let's look for the one who is hurting. The one blinking back tears. The one who is hopeless. Look for the one who needs Jesus and when you find them, offer them something better than flowers on sale. Offer them the only One who can heal everything they face. Give them Jesus.

"Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: The Kind of Protest I Choose

For those who have had a hard time downloading the James study to their phones, I've divided it into separate blog posts, and you can access it that way. Links are embedded. You won't need the BLB app, but you will need the electronic copy to have the links, even if you print it. Go to Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841

#Jesus 

The Kind of Protest I Choose

I've sat here for an hour, trying to find a topic for today's blog. The things echoing through my mind are the photo of one of the women's march participants shrouded in a vagina costume and the ones of the women in various stages of undress, slogans painted across their bare chests.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what do those pictures say?

I'll let you draw your own conclusions. 

There are all kinds of protests, but the one that I've never forgotten is the Poor People's Campaign, organized by Martin Luther King. 

I didn't understand what it meant, but I knew it was important. 

Protestors left Marks, Mississippi in mule-drawn wagons, headed toward Washington D.C. It was the spring of 1968, not long after Rev. King was assassinated. 

My mama carried my sister and me to see the protestors. We parked on the side of the road and stood beside the car. Silent. Watching. 

The mules, heads down, pulled the wagons. Protestors sat quietly as the mules walked, the wheels turned. It was slow progress, but it was real.

There was no doubt in my mind that something powerful was happening. I didn't understand it, but I knew, at the core of my being, that life would change. 

And it did.

No one dressed in vulgar costumes. No one shouted obscenities. No one waved blasphemous signs. 

They counted the cost and took a stand.

That one protest will always be the epitome of effective protest for me. Quiet. Peaceful. Intense. Powerful.

Not everything was rosy and beautiful when they reached Washington, but that moment in time, watching at the side of the road, stands out in my mind. It's a sharp contrast to protests like the recent Women's March on Washington. 

I recognize that there are inequalities. I'd like to see them corrected, and I've tried to accomplish that very thing. I went to college, then medical school, worked hard, made it through. 

There was sexual harassment. I took it for a while, then I counted the cost and took a stand. When I spoke up, it was clear I meant business. I didn't shout, carry a sign, or wear a costume.

When I stood up to the bullies, they stopped. Because that's what bullies do. They back down when confronted. 

I practiced medicine, worked hard, made it through. No one bullied me. No one treated me differently because of my gender. 

I know inequality still exists. I expect that, as long as there is evil in the world, inequality in some form will always exist. 

I know that most of the protestors probably dressed in regular clothes. The media has, as usual, shown us the most outrageous, because that's what draws views and makes money. 

I'm not opposed to peaceful assembly and I support the right to free speech. I'm not opposed to the recent march. I'm not even opposed to costumes that look outrageous to me. 

My grandmama taught me something, though, that we'd all do well to remember. Especially the people in the vagina costumes. 

Actions speak louder than words. 

"... let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18 niv.

We demonstrate who we are (and whose we are) by what we do, so we'd do well to choose our actions wisely. 

The most effective protestor of all time was Jesus Christ. He entered a world filled with violence, poverty, oppression, and cruelty, and He chose love. Every single time. He chose sacrifice. Open-handed giving. Equality. Peace.

In a male-dominated culture, women traveled with Jesus, and demonstrated, by their lives, the power of Christ to transform. 

After the resurrection, His followers chose love, as well, and that love was unstoppable. It changed the world and turned it right side up.

I doubt I'll ever protest with signs, slogans, costumes, or marches. I hope to spend the rest of my life protesting the evil in this world by choosing love. Demonstrating love. Giving it freely and without complaint. 

From helping at soup kitchens to collecting supplies for the homeless, to helping rebuild homes after disasters (and everything in between), I want to be a change-agent of love in this struggling world.

Today, look for the evil, inequality, and injustice around you and take a stand. Make a difference. Protest like Jesus did, and let your actions help change the world.  Pursue mercy and justice. Use words if you must, but protest with love. 

"And now remain faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." 1 Cor. 13:13 nasb

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: The Laundry Chute Pile-Up.

For those who have had a hard time downloading the James study to their phones, I've divided it into separate blog posts, and you can access it that way. Links are embedded. You won't need the BLB app, but you will need the electronic copy to have the links, even if you print it. Go to Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living

If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841
#Jesus 

The Laundry Chute Pile-Up

You might think, from the photo, that I'm writing about riding a camel. Sorry. I'm not. I used the camel picture because I was ashamed to put a photo up of today's topic.

Dirty laundry.

When I got home from church yesterday, I intended to change into something soft and comfy. To my surprise, there were no clean jeans in my closet. No leggings in the drawer. No sweatshirts. No socks. On and on.

I had a crisis of dirty laundry. On a Sunday.

I never do laundry on Sunday because I want to honor the Sabbath, and because I need the rest. Yesterday, however, I didn't have an ox in the ditch, but I did have a laundry chute that was shockingly full, and an empty sock drawer.

When I change clothes, I dump the soiled ones down the chute that goes from one of the upstairs bedrooms directly into a bin in the laundry room. It's behind a closed door, so I have to be intentional about checking it. 

I hate to admit this, but, when I opened the door yesterday, the laundry was nearly head high. That's not as big a pile as it seems, because its a very small chute, but it was still a lot of dirty clothes.

I loaded the washer with essentials.

I tell this because I sometimes treat sin this way. Let it pile up, instead of dealing with it right away. Before I realize it, I've accumulated a minor mountain of sin and it impacts my relationship with Christ. We probably all do this.

Instead, we're intended to keep short accounts with the Lord. Confess. Repent. Receive cleansing. It's a continuous process that keeps our hearts clean and allows communication to flow between us and our Heavenly Father.

Today, let's check our sin-chute. Have we allowed a pile-up to accumulate? Let's deal with it now, and start this week fresh. 

Confess. Repent. Receive cleansing. 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 nasb

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's blog: The Presentation of Splendor.

For those who have had a hard time downloading the James study to their phones, I've divided it into separate blog posts, and you can access it that way. Links are embedded. You won't need the BLB app, but you will need the electronic copy to have the links, even if you print it. Go to Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living

If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841

#Jesus

The Presentation of Splendor

When Judy offered to mentor the women in our office, I jumped at the chance. My first homework assignment was to study Colossians 3. 

Those who are accustomed to my study techniques, or have read my blog for a while, know that an entire chapter is a huge undertaking for me. I can stay in one verse for weeks on end. I once wrote more than 50 blogs on a single passage. 

It's taken a while, but I've made it to Colossians 3:4. The beauty of this verse has stopped me in my tracks. 

"When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:4 nasb

I'll spare you all the Greek words, but the "when" means that Christ will return, but we don't know the exact time yet. "Life" means life that's real and genuine, active and vigorous, devoted to God and blessed both in this life and the next. "Glory" indicates the condition of blessedness, splendor, and majesty.

Here's the Leanna paraphrase.

When Jesus comes back, wrapped in splendor and majesty, shining in all His glory, every eye will be turned to His magnificence. The most amazing thing will happen. He'll present us, His bride, the church, in His same splendor and magnificence, to the world. 

When God the Father shows off His Son, He'll show us off, too.

In a way, His bride is a kind of "trophy wife" because He bought her, cleansed her, changed her, transformed her and made her a beautiful trophy of grace and love. What's truly incredible is that we, His disciples, are the bride of Christ. We are the ones whom He will present. 

We won't be merely wrapped up in a fancy outfit that makes us look glorious. We'll be transformed from the inside out. 

How great is that?

We can look at the rest of this passage another day, but here's the quick summary. We are to get ready for Presentation Day (AKA Christ's Second Coming) now by getting rid of sin and embracing righteousness. 

Today, let's take a careful look at our hearts. Are we prepared for presentation? If not, let's renounce our sin and embrace the righteousness of Christ. He's coming back, and it might not be long. We need to be ready. 

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No blog yesterday because I was out of town and away from wifi, but here's the link to Friday's blog: The Lurking Serpent and the Biblical Application Challenge

For those who have had a hard time downloading the James study to their phones, I've divided it into separate blog posts, and you can access it that way. Links are embedded. You won't need the BLB app, but you will need the electronic copy to have the links, even if you print it. Go to Lessons in Discipleship
If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living

If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841
#Jesus