Being A Light Giver and Shining Like the Stars

I was on my way to Isaiah when I reached for my Bible and it randomly fell open to Daniel 12. It caught my eye, partly because our pastor preached from there on Sunday, and partly because of one phrase. "Those who have insight." 

"And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 nasb

Imagine this: The pastors who lead us to righteousness, and those who understand Scripture and teach us well, will be distinguishable in eternity. They will shine brightly. The word translated as "shine brightly" means to literally give off light. 

I know this is silly, but for a moment, I imagined having to wear sunglasses when I talk with Pastor Scooter in heaven. Our good pastors and teachers will shine that brightly. Their life's effort of understanding the Word of God and teaching it will be visible for all to see.

The sunglasses thought ricocheted my brain straight over to our Global missionaries. They literally spend their lives leading the many to righteousness, and they sacrifice mightily to do it. We, in this country, cannot begin to imagine the difficulty of their lives, nor the hardships they endure. One day, those sweet, sacrificing missionaries will "shine brightly like the stars forever and ever," and we will probably stand in awe at the light they emit.

What about us? If we want to be light-givers in eternity, we must be light-givers here on earth. We must share the light of Christ within us to those in darkness. We must study our Bibles in order to gain understanding and insight. We must be light-givers now. 

Today, let's make a fresh commitment to pursue understanding and insight in Scripture and to encourage others to walk in righteousness. Be a light-giver now.

"And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When God Whispers

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.

The Playful Pig and His Contemptuous Carelessness

Andy the Pig was cute, especially when he played with his big purple ball. He was smarter than I expected, too. Andy quickly learned a few skills that I wished he hadn't.

Before he arrived, my brother-in-law and nephew helped me build an automatic feeder from PVC pipe and a pan. Our construction team had to work fast because Andy was already on his way to the farm. In the interest of speed, we used baling string to secure the feeder to the 4x4 post. 

Yeah. I know. Bad idea.

In our defense, it looked good at the time. 

The PVC pipe had an open top for me to pour feed through and a cut-out at the bottom for the feed to fall into the pan. If the pipe was secure against the pan, the feed came out as the pig ate it, in a slow but steady stream.

Andy soon learned that he could fit his snout into the feed slot, lift up his head, and flip the pipe off the pan. Of course, all the feed (two days' worth) fell into the pan at once. 

As soon as Andy had the pipe off the pan, he learned to flip the pan out from under the pipe and use it like a frisbee. He tossed the pan all around his stall. Needless to say, he ran through a serious amount of pig feed in a very short time.

Nothing I did helped. He practiced his little trick every day. It was, apparently, great fun. 

The problem, however, was that Andy needed the nourishment of the feed to grow. Without it, he'd be hungry. Without it, he'd grow weak, lose weight, and die.

Andy treated the nourishment provided for him with casual contempt, as if there was an everlasting supply. 

When I looked in his stall and saw feed scattered in the mud, trampled by the feet of that pig, I did not have warm and fuzzy feelings from him. 

This morning, I opened my Bible, looking for spiritual nourishment, and wondered if I sometimes treat my spiritual food with the same contempt Andy showed for the feed I provided him. 

God's provided a steady supply of nourishment for our souls with His Word, as well as with godly teachers and helpful study aids. Our job is to ingest the word of God and allow it to nourish our souls, so that we can grow strong as disciples of Christ. 

In our resource-rich Christian culture, we should be the most rapidly growing, deeply muscled believers in the world. I'm afraid, however, we're more like Andy than we want to admit. Because there's so much available to us, we're careless with even what we need to survive, much less grow. 

In some places of the world, a single book of the Bible is treated as precious beyond words. It's cherished and protected. Studied and shared. It's used to grow strong, deeply muscled believers who use what they learn to follow our Lord the way He intended.

How many Bibles gather dust in our houses?

I wanted Andy to eat his food, not trample it under foot, so I cut off his supply of feed completely for most of a day. I let him get hungry enough to eat the food provided for him, rather than play with it. When his piggy stomach was grumbling again, I gave him enough food to satisfy his hunger, but not enough for careless contempt. 

He ate. 

Just as Andy's hunger drove him to ingest the food provided for him, there are times when God allows leanness into our lives so that our spiritual hunger will drive us back to Him and to His Word.  

Let's pause for a moment and consider how we treat the spiritual food God has provided for us. Do we treat it with careless contempt or does our hunger for God drive us to take in all He gives? Are we growing and strong, or does our carelessness leave us weak and ineffective.

The purpose of pig food is to grow a strong, well-muscled, healthy pig. The purpose of Soul-nourishment is much the same: to grow strong, well-muscled, healthy disciples. 

The banquet is spread. Let's step up to the table and partake of the bounty God has given. Let's open our Bibles. Do more than a causal glance at a single verse. Study the Word. Ingest it until it becomes a part of us and changes us in ways even the world can recognize.

"Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Choosing a Cyberstalker/Christ Collision 

If you feel led to partner with this ministry (US, Middle East, the digital world), here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 

Or you can mail your check or money order to: Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line

When Praying Becomes Cursing

The instructions were simple. "Use BLB to compare and contrast the words translated as “bless” and “curse” in James 3:9." I expected the answer to be simple and easy. After all, I'd written the question. 

This morning, I clicked on the link for "bless" and found exactly what I expected: "to celebrate with praises". 

When I clicked on the link for "curse," the Vine's definition stopped me in my tracks. "To pray against or wish evil against another person."(1)

Those words were like a dagger straight to my heart. I literally gasped. That's the way the Word of God is supposed to work. Sharper than a two-edged sword. Cutting straight to the evil in our hearts.

I hadn't wished evil against another person, but I had prayed against them. Just yesterday. I'd rehearsed the wrong they were doing and prayed that God would stop them in their tracks... A few more strong suggestions followed.

Not once did I pray for redemption.

"And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" James 3:10 NLT

I didn't use "curse words" and I certainly didn't intend to pray evil against them. Strictly speaking, however, my prayer was worded in such a way that I cursed the one whose behavior concerns me so.

I've repented.

I've prayed the biggest prayer I can think of this morning. Blessings, not curses. I still want to see God change the situation, to stop this wrong behavior, but I also want Him to bring good from evil and draw the wayward one to Himself. To bring redemption. 

I've prayed a very different prayer today. I hope it's one God wants to answer in a way that changes the situation so that it glorifies Him.

These days, there's more "tongue-trouble" than I've ever seen before. We speak with venom against anyone with whom we disagree. I suspect our prayers (not just my prayers) reflect the same attitudes. We end up praying curses instead of blessings.

This should not be.

I've repented. I hope you'll join me.

Whether we're speaking/praying about elected officials or the neighbor down the street, let's stop cursing them with words and prayers. Instead, begin to pray for blessings of conviction, repentance, deliverance, healing, wisdom. 
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This ministry of prayer and outreach (digital and in-person) is only possible because of the generosity of your support. If you'd like to help, here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When No More Proof is Needed

(1) "G2672 - kataraomai - Strong's Greek Lexicon (NASB)." Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 1 Feb, 2017. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2672&t=NASB 
#Jesus

James: Crucibles That Keep Coming

As you probably know, a crucible is a vessel designed to withstand high temperatures. It's used for refining precious metals like silver and gold. The metal is placed in the crucible, then heated to the point of liquefaction. All the dross rises to the top and is burned off, or removed.

That's what the crucible times of our lives are designed to do. Difficulties combine to produce positive change in us. 

I've had a few crucible times. I always emerged a better person than I was, but I've never emerged flawless and perfect in all my ways. 

The point of the crucible, however, is to get all the dross out. If you want pure gold, you continue the crucible-treatment until purity is achieved. 

This morning, I pondered the fact that I've had quite a few crucible times over the years, and I realized a hard truth. I've needed more than one dose of "crucible" because there's so much dross to remove. 

24K purity has not been achieved yet, so I can look forward to more time in the crucible.

That brings me to another hard truth. If I allowed God to remove my sin and purify my heart at the beginning, I wouldn't need so many trips through the crucible. If I abandoned my sin, He wouldn't have to burn it out of me.

I'm beginning to understand King David's plea, "Create in me a clean heart, O God..." 

Today, let's ask God to help us let go of the sin that mars our purify. The attitudes that don't reflect Him. The desires for the world instead of the things above. Let's ask Him to help us put them down, rather than burn them out. 

Let's ask for clean hearts.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me," Psalm 51:10 esv
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If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Trials, Endurance, and the James Bible Study
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802
#studyJames #Biblestudy #crucible 

James: The cause of Joy

I love James. I wasn't sure of that for a while, but now, I know I do.

Yesterday, I had a first. I began studying the James study I have just written. As a participant. It didn't seem odd, because the first day's assignment was to read through the book of James. It spoke to me again. 

Today's focus verse is James 1:2. "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials." 

I found something in my study that I didn't include in my writing. JOY. Thayer's Greek Lexicon clarifies the Greek word chara. In this verse, it means more than joy or delight. It means "the cause or occasion of joy."(1)  

It's not intuitive, that's for sure. When we encounter various trials (piercings that allow all the not-like-Jesus parts of us to ooze out during the trial), we are to consider it cause for rejoicing.

Just recently, the automatic waterer for my horses' water trough broke (or wore out). When the horses drank the water out, the trough rolled down the hill and the hose connected to the automatic waterer began to pour water onto the ground. I was out of town, and returned to find my pasture well-watered. (AKA flooded) 

I arrived just in time to unload my suitcase and get ready to leave again for Wed. night Bible study. Dealing with a farm crisis was not on my schedule. My first response to the water situation was not exactly joy, but James 1:2 was fresh in my mind. 

Here's what letting a trial be an occasion for joy looks like...

 I started with prayer. "Lord, I don't want to be late. I'm supposed to meet a visitor at church. I need you to help me deal with this." He did. "I need you to show me something positive about this." He did.

Turning something negative into something positive, at least for me, begins in a conversation with God. It's the right place to start.

I retrieved the barrel-turned-water-trough from the pasture, where it had rolled. Water was pouring out of the wide-open hose, so I washed the trough out. All the dead leaves that accumulated came out in a flash, and somehow I managed not to get wet. Two blessings right there.

My farm hand was already home, but returned just in time to help me turn off the water. The faucet is faulty, and we've taken this occasion to repair it. Two more good blessings.

He turned the water off and stopped the flooding. Another blessing. The pasture was well watered. Blessing #6. 

Right away, I had more blessings than I could imagine from something that seemed like a trial at the start.

When we encounter a trial, we can whine like an infidel or look for joy in the midst of it. If we're to live as disciples of Christ, we'll do what James says. Look for the cause of joy and celebrate it.

Scripture promises that, if we seek, we will find, so let's seek joy.

Today, let's look for the chara (occasions for joy) in every situation we encounter and watch God turn our trials into wonderful blessings. 

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(1) Thayer's Greek Lexicon Accessed 1/16/17

If you'd like to participate in the James study, here's how: More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living
If you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Trials, Endurance, and the James Bible Study
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802
#studyJames #Biblestudy #joy 

Trials, Endurance, and the James Bible Study

I'm not sure when I started writing the Bible study on James, but I began preparing to write it months ago. I read through James so many times that I started to memorize the words from the repetition. 

Finally, I actively memorized it because it was easier to have the words in my head. I didn't memorize it all, because there was writing to do, but I have a good start and I'm not quitting yet.

A pastor friend told me you're not ready to preach a sermon on a passage of Scripture until you've been through it forty times. It turns out you're not ready to write until you've been through it that many times, either.

I was up again this morning well before 4 am. I've been up that early for so long, trying to squeeze more writing time out of the day, that it's become a habit.

Writing this was hard. I worked eighty-plus hours a week, because the work of being a missionary doesn't stop while you're writing. I wept from conviction every day, despaired of getting through, cried over how hard the writing was, begged people to pray because I didn't think I could finish. 

God helped me. I made it to the end. Yesterday, when I wrote the last section, Praying Like a Prophet, I wept as I typed. I stood in my kitchen and cried like a baby. And typed.

When I typed the period at the end of the last sentence, I put my face in my hands and wept from pure joy. As I did, the words of James drifted through my head. "let endurance have its perfect result..."

I don't know that endurance has produced a perfect result in the Bible study, but it has done some serious refining in me. This was a kind of trial for me, and I counted it as joy while I did it, but I know it's a joy now.

This isn't the kind of trial most of us will have, but it was still hard, because trials are always hard. It seemed impossible to get through. Agonizing. Gut-wrenching. Intense soul-searching. Like all trials. 

I persevered and made it through.

And you can, too. No matter what you're facing, you take one step at a time, cry your way through if necessary, and keep going. You depend on God, who is the only One who can help, and you just keep going.

When you persevere, it produces endurance and refinement. It makes you more like Jesus, and that's the goal. You ask for wisdom and, in your desperation, you don't doubt, because what good would that be? You ask and receive, and it strengthens your faith.

Everything James wrote about how to live like his Big Brother is true. He grew up with Jesus. He knew him in a way few did. 

His words are not suggestions. They are rubber-meets-the-road truth about how the life of a disciple is to be lived. 

THIS is how our lives are supposed to look. Strong. Humble. Wise. Patient. Slow to anger. Generous. Respectful of all. In constant communication with our Lord. Demonstrating our faith with our good works. Bold. Brave. Kind.

Being a disciple of Christ is exciting, and hard, and gut-wrenching good. It's worth it.

If you put your whole heart and soul into this study, I believe you'll take a giant step toward being the disciple you were saved to be. I don't think you'll ever want to go back to the status quo.

I hope not.

So here it is. The refining fire that burned out so much sin in my heart. I hope it does the same for you.


Because I've completed the writing ahead of time with James, I'm giving you the entire file at the beginning. (and I'll be going through it with you as a participant.) The link below gives you view-only access to a dropbox file for the PDF. (That means you can download it, but you can't change my PDF.)

Don't forget about the Lessons in Discipleship closed Facebook page. If you're not my friend, friend me and ask to be added to the group. That's the place for discussion and questions.

When you click on the link, it will take you to the file. There's a download button at the upper right corner of the screen. If you click on it, it should download the file to your computer. Just check your downloads and you can open it as often as you want. 

There are links to click on in the James document that will take you directly to the reference mentioned in the text.

Here's the link to the study:

James/More than Enough: Living a Life Worth Living


As before, this book is free. If God leads, here's a link to make a small (tax-deductible) donation to cover some of the cost of producing it. You don't have to make a donation. It's free, no matter what. 

Click here if you feel led to make a donation. 

ps - the photo is of my granddaddy's rose. I have a cutting that's grown and endured for so many years that it's become a symbol of endurance to me.
#studyJames #Biblestudy 

Fighting with a Dead Writer and Conceding Defeat

I've been fighting with a dead writer for weeks. I'm not only worn out, I'm conceding defeat. Sorta.

I loved writing the Hosea study. Tons of history and centuries of political turmoil to explain. Lovely literary techniques to tease out. Beautiful allegory. Stunning truth. 

James is an entirely different kind of writer. As plain as cornbread. As tough as shoe leather.

I wanted the James study to be beautiful, too, but it's not that kind of book. 

I realized last night that the entire book of James can be boiled down to one sentence. "If you want your prayers answered, get over yourself and quit sinning."

There's no way to make that message beautiful. Beauty would be a distraction in the midst of this simple truth.

What I've written is lean. Clean. Different from my usual. It feels a little like I've gone "off brand." I haven't.

James demands that we look at our lives and deal with our sin. It's that simple. The study I've written is that simple, too. "Straightforward," one young man called it.

I've complained about James until I'm sick of myself. I've whined that I was struggling until every one around me is sick of me, too. I've rewritten so many sections that I can't tell if I've saved the best parts or not.

Finally, I'm surrendering to James. His words have defeated me, and I've needed the beating I've taken. He's hammered my pride, my self-righteousness, and my sense of entitlement, as well as all the other sins I have, until it's a wonder I have any sin left. But I do.

If I finish writing the last fifteen days of lessons before Sunday, it will go up as one entire document. If not, it will be two. It's that simple.

I've hated James most days of this writing cycle. Today, I'm choosing to love him, his plain truth, and his simple words. His clean lines are beautiful in the way of a well-constructed Shaker chest. 

The truth he shares is easy to understand. Too easy. 

James writes in such a simple style that there's no way to misunderstand what he means. Tame your tongue. Swoosh. Just do it. 

I've never had this many days in a row where what I've written has left me in tears, caused me to repent, broken my heart over my own sin. It's been good for me. It's a perfect way to start a new year.

Whether you participate with the James study or not, grab hold of the central truth and let it soak through you. Convict you. Change you.

"If you want your prayers answered, get over yourself and quit sinning."

It's the way we, as disciples, were meant to live. Focused on Christ. Loving God. Loving others. Done with sin. Praying prayers that are answered. Make the change that changes everything.

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The James study will be available January 15th at www.lessonsindiscipleship.blogspot.com

In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: The Day Heaven Opened
If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802

#James #sin

What to Do When You're Surrounded by Evil

One of my favorite books is the classic allegory, Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. If you haven't read it, Much-Afraid is crippled by her fear, but longs to go to the High Places with the Shepherd, who has befriended her. The book tells the story of her quest to have hinds feet like her the Shepherd, so that she can make the journey with Him.

The title comes from a verse in Habakkuk. "He has made my feet like hinds feet, and makes me walk on my high places." Habakkuk 3:19 nasb

Pastor Scooter announced a new sermon series in Habakkuk last night. "Be sure you read the first chapter before Sunday," he told us. Since there are only three chapters, I read the entire book this morning. Here's the Leanna paraphrase and summary:

Habakkuk was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom during the time of Jeremiah. He lived before Daniel and after Nahum. Josiah was king. 

He looked around him at the mess his country was in, and it frightened him. People called evil good. They did whatever they wanted to do. Justice and obedience to the law had flown right out the door. It seemed as if the few righteous people were surrounded by a horde of wicked people. 

Habakkuk couldn't take it anymore, so he went to God with his complaint.

"We're in a mess down here, God. Haven't you noticed? Aren't you going to do anything?"

God answered him with shocking news. "Yes, Habakkuk. I've seen it all. Haven't you noticed the Babylonians? They're terrible and I'm raising them up."

"What's up with that, God? They're worse than the people they're killing. That doesn't seem much like you. I'm waiting to hear what you have to say, because I must have misunderstood."

"No, Habakkuk. You didn't misunderstand. The vision I gave you is going to happen on my time schedule. I'm about to deal with all the wickedness, and I'll use the Babylonians to do it. But, Habakkuk, the righteous shall live by faith."

Habakkuk listened to everything God said and pondered His words. They were hard words. The vision was terrifying.

Finally, Habakkuk came to a beautiful truth.

No matter what happens, God will still be God. Circumstances don't matter. Relationship with our Lord does. 

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, 

and there be no fruit on the vines,

though the yield of the olive should fail, 

and the fields produce no food,

though the flock should be cut off from the fold, 

and there be no cattle in the stalls,

YET I will exult in the Lord,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds' feet,

And makes me walk on my high places."

Habakkuk 3:17-19 nasb

The righteous shall live by faith. Those are the words that brought such conviction to Martin Luther. They're the words that should ring in our hearts, as well.

Habakkuk's words could have been written about our times. We're in a mess. We live in a broken world, in the midst of broken people who act in broken ways. Evil abounds, and always will, until Jesus returns to call us home.

BUT God is still God. 

He's still on His throne. 

One day, He'll deal with it all. 

In the midst of turmoil, destruction, and agony, those who live by faith can have perfect peace and great joy. We can have the same abounding joy of our Redeemer and live as the disciples we've been called to be. How?

Two simple rules: Live by faith. Follow our Shepherd wherever He leads.

Habakkuk found the key to a successful hinds-feet-journey, and, thus, the key to living in the midst of an evil generation.

Take our eyes off the evil around us and focus on the Good Shepherd who will lead us home. 

It's that hard. It's that simple. We serve a risen Savior. He's in the world today. So let's keep our eyes on Jesus, and follow Him. 

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Wanting the Fire but Choosing the Cold
photo above is of Jerusalem, taken from the Mount of Olives

If you'd like to help support this ministry, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841 If you'd rather use a check or money order, make it out to Global Outreach. Remember to put "Account 4841" on the "for" line. Mail it to: Global Outreach, PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802

#disciple

If We Know Better, We Should Do Better

One of the details to which authors have to attend is their brand. If you've read many John Grisham books, you know he writes legal thrillers. Often, the underdog overcomes the "big guy" because of dogged determination. When he wrote "The Unpainted House," he went "off brand" and sales plummeted.

I have a "brand" for my novels, too. I write about ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the midst of crisis because of the power of Christ in them. Prayer plays a big part in every one of my stories. The three novels currently in edits all have that same theme. The story lines are vastly different, but the truth conveyed is the same. 

In a way, my brand is the "why" behind my writing. 

I realized this morning that John had a "why" behind his writing, too. In chapter 2 of 1 John, he uses the same phrase nine times. "I am writing to you because..." He has written to convey certain truths and spelled it out to be sure his readers didn't miss them. 

1) "I am writing... that you may not sin." (2:1)
2) "I am not writing a new commandment... but an old one..." (2:7)
3) "On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment..." (2:8)

(The old/new commandment is about loving your neighbor. If you don't love,    
you're in the dark. If you love, you're in the light.)

4) "I am writing... little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name' sake..." (2:12)
5) "I am writing... fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning... (2:13)
6) "I am writing... young men, because you have overcome the evil one." (2:14)
7) "I have written... fathers... because you know Him who has been from the beginning." (2:14)
8) "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong... the word of God abides in you... you have overcome the evil one." (2:14)
9) "I have not written... because you don't know the truth, but because you do know it..." (2:21)

It may seem like too much sugar for a nickel, but looking at all nine "I have written's" helps us see the point of John's writing. 

He goes on to say, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us..." (3:1) and "when He appears, we shall be like Him." (3:2)

John was writing to believers who were dispersed abroad. They understood that Jesus had given them forgiveness for their sins and power over the evil one so that they could resist temptation. The problem wasn't so much what they were doing, but what they weren't doing.

The problem was love. It was in short supply.

One day, John told them, we'll see God face-to-face and we'll understand about His great love for us. We'll become just like Him, and we will have a great love, too. In the meantime, we should cultivate love. We should actively work at loving others. In fact, if you don't love the brethren, John said, you need to reevaluate whether or not you belong to Christ.

Those are hard words to hear in these difficult times, but they are no less true. We are to love our neighbor as our self, and particularly to love our fellow believers, but we don't. Instead, we have a tendency to act just like the world... backbiting, gossiping, speaking ill of others, arguing. Where's the love of Christ in all that? No where.

Today, let's take a close look at our own lives. Are we loving as Jesus loved? We know better, but are we doing better? 

If we're honest, we all have room for improvement. For once, let's take a deep breath and make a fresh choice. Let's choose love. Hold our tongue, stifle our comments, and choose love.

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God; and such we are..." 1 John 3:1 nasb
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Living Like We Were Worth It
If you'd like to help support this ministry outreach, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841
#love #Jesus

Highlights from Hosea (part one of two)

In case you haven't heard the shouts of joy from my house, let me share my good news. After fifteen weeks of mostly twelve to fourteen hour days and 330 pages of text, I have written THE END on the Hosea study. In a way, those are my two favorite words because they mean I'm moving on to another project. In another way, they're my least favorite words because they mean the long process of edits will soon begin.

For today, I'm celebrating that the hard work has finally culminated in a completed project. As part of that celebration, I'm sharing a few of my favorite truths from the study. 

In case you don't remember, Hosea was a prophet toward the end of the Northern Kingdom. (The Ten Tribes/Israel) Israel was apostate during his ministry, with rampant idolatry and immorality. Their nation looked much like ours does now. 

There was so much sin mingled with the truth of their religion that it rendered it nothing more than a sham. The people twisted the things of God until their relationship with God was nonexistent, and the tenets of their faith were unrecognizable.

God warned the people through multiple prophets to repent or face judgment. At last, He sent Hosea, who lived his prophecy before the nation by marrying a woman who was a harlot. She behaved toward Hosea as the people of Israel behaved toward God. Hosea loved her, redeemed her, and reconciled with her as God had done with Israel. He was a picture of God's love in living color, but yet His people refused to see the truth lived out before their eyes. 

They chose sin and, by that choice, chose judgment and exile. Their sin cost more than they ever believed they'd pay, and ours will, too.

Here's a few key lessons from the first seven chapters of Hosea:
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God has loved us with an everlasting love, and that love cannot be denied.

If we are to forgive as God forgives, we must relinquish our rights to recall the wounds of others and to use their sin against them. We must let it go in the way we want God to let our sin go. Completely.

Forgiveness doesn't give us amnesia. It gives us a kind of spiritual anesthesia. It removes the power of the wound in our lives to continue to hurt us.

Nothing we can devise and nothing this world can devise will ever save us or gives us the righteousness of Christ Jesus. 

God's goal for us is not comfort. It's holiness.

We cannot be a wholehearted follower of Christ if part of our heart remains in love with the world.

Our breath is not our own. it is a divine gift from God and entrusted to us so that we might praise and honor Him.

Like it or not, we, the body of Christ serve as a kind of bridge to God for those who do not know Him. We live out our faith in front of them, and they draw inferences about God by the way we choose to behave. To love. To condemn. A world is watching for us to show them God by our lives.

Even when our leaders (both civil and religious) fail to lead us in a godly direction, we are still accountable for our own choices and our own sin. 

God's goal is not discipline, but correction. Repentance. Restoration.

We serve a God who is long-suffering, kind, and full of grace and mercy. He is not, however, a push-over. He is serious about sin and its price.

We don't sin because we are powerless to resist, but because we choose not to resist temptation.

Our Lord wants a relationship with us that has the fervor of newlyweds and the depth of a decades-long married couple.

We can take comfort from the enduring love of our Lord. His desire is to purify and restore. If we truly repent, He will  forgive. Every single time.

There'll be more from Hosea tomorrow, but for today, let's ask ourselves if our sin (secret or not) has impaired our relationship with the Lord. Do we have the intimacy God intended? If not, are we willing to let go of our sin to embrace the One who loves us most?

Now is the perfect time to be done with our idolatry and our sin and embrace the holiness and righteousness only Christ can give. A dark and perishing world waits for the body of Christ to purify itself and bring the light of Christ and the hope of our Savior to them before it's too late.
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If you're interested in learning more, it's not too late to do the Hosea study. There's a closed Facebook group (you can be added) for asking questions and receiving encouragement and news, but all you need to do is go to lessonsindiscipleship.blogspot.com and check the archives on the right hand side of the page. 

There's an introduction and fourteen chapters. Most people refer back to the first lesson repeatedly for instructions on accessing online links, but you can do the study without the links. Students tell me they've printed each chapter and used a notebook to write their answers. 

The study is designed for you to work in your place, at your pace. Some people have found the accountability of a weekly group to be helpful, but it's not required. 

I hope you can join us in learning from Hosea.
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In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Praying Elijah-like Prayer, part 2 and the link to part one: Praying Elijah-like Prayer

Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List
#Hosea #Biblestudy #indepthBiblestudy #lessonsindiscipleship

The Starvation Diet

If you've followed the Sam stories, you know that his much-loved wife, Jamie, died back in October. They were married sixty years, so life without her has been quite an adjustment. 

Learning to prepare nutritious meals has been hard for Sam, and, after a while, it was more trouble than it was worth to him. It was no surprise to me when he lost even more weight. It was no surprise to me that he suffered the effects of poor nutrition. He had almost quit eating. "More trouble than it was worth," he'd say.

After a while, to my experienced-physician eye, it was obvious that he was on a starvation diet, and equally obvious that it threatened to take his life. I cajoled. Helped him find easy meals. Sent food home with him.

Finally, I did the only thing that would help. I began to prepare his meals and watch him eat. When we started this latest chapter, Sam probably thought I was being a bully. He complained that I was forcing him to eat too much. He wasn't hungry. He felt too full. On and on.

Yesterday, however, made all the struggle worthwhile. Sam pulled into my driveway just after I returned home from the prayer vigil. We've progressed to the point that I had prepared meals and sent them home with him. He'd eaten every meal that was scheduled while I was away. Every bite. 

"I'm feeling so much better since you started making me eat like this. I didn't know food mattered so much. I thank you for what you're doing for me."

It was obvious he's better. He's gained nearly four pounds. His dizziness and weakness are better. Stamina is improving. Complaints are decreasing.

Sam understands now that a starvation diet will kill you, and it will make you feel awful before it does.

A starvation diet of spiritual food will hurt us just as much, but we often fail to realize it. If we deprive ourselves of the Word of God, sound Biblical teaching, fellowship with other believers, and service to those in need, it has an insidious, but steadily progressive effect.

If we want to be physically healthy, we must have a diet that includes protein, carbohydrates, and fat in balanced proportions. If we want to be spiritually healthy, we need a balanced diet, as well. Bible study. Teaching. Fellowship. Service. 

Bible study alone, without fellowship and service, is good, but it's not enough. To live as Jesus lived, we have to serve the people He served, as well. The sick. The lost. The worst sinners around. 

How's your diet going? Are you getting all you need for your spiritual health? If not, maybe you need to make some adjustments. Rearrange your schedule to allow more time for the things that matter most. Look outside yourself for those in need.

Let's aim to be healthy so we can live long and productive lives, not just physically, but spiritually as well. 

"For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice, have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Hebrews 5:13-14 nasb

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In case you missed it, here are links to the most recent series: 

All Life Matters/Every Life Matters

Your Life Matters to Me

The All-Important IF 

The Prayer Vigil

#starvation #healthydiet #Biblesudy #disciple