A leaders heart

His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 17:6

What is the difference between devotion and discipline? Is one more valuable than the other? Devotion is an overriding commitment to Christ and His way of doing things. It engages the heart, mind, and soul in learning the ways of the Lord and then applying them through our daily living. Devotion must be the driving force behind a disciple’s faith for them to persevere in Christ’s call on their life of being influential and impactful. Your devotion to God dictates how you will live your life.

Discipline, on the other hand, is the ability to stay focused on the task at hand. It finishes the assignment or completes the course. A disciplined person trains to improve their strength and self-control. They are religious at carrying out routines, fulfilling checklists, and getting things done. Discipline is designed to grow your faith, with regular readings from God’s Word, and engaging prayers of praise, thanksgiving, confession, and repentance.

However, we must make sure our discipline is driven by our devotion or we become judgmental, callous, and insensitive like a pharisee. Devotion to Christ first keeps our heart of faith full of grace, love, compassion, forgiveness, and truth. Discipline without devotion is like a billowing cloud that gives no refreshing rain. It can become so rigid in its rules that it causes decent and devoted people to flee. Disciplined leaders are wise to not substitute their warm devotion for cold discipline. So, apply devotion to both God and people. 

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10).

We need to be into practice directing our passionate devotion to focus on one thing. Like Paul, learn to channel all our energies into one endeavor, and see it through to the end. “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah” (Acts 18:5). It is better to complete one task than to start a dozen and leave them all incomplete. Indeed, our devotion to Christ determines our discipline over the long term. Keep this your motivation, and discipline will follow. A heart devoted to the Lord’s ways does not stray away.

Start at home

 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.  Joshua 24:15

What does it mean to be the spiritual leader of my home? Do I have to reach a certain level of spiritual maturity before I qualify? What if my wife is more spiritual than I am? Shouldn’t she be the spiritual leader? Spiritual leadership is determined by position, not knowledge. God places a man in the role of spiritual leader to lead his wife and children in faith. 

Our wife and children may know more of the Bible, but the Lord still holds us responsible for their spiritual well-being. So as husbands and fathers, we have to ask ourselves, “What are we doing to lead our family spiritually?” This non-optional assignment from Almighty God forces us into faith-based behavior. We want to model daily time in Bible reading and prayer. Spiritual leaders show the way in knowing God. 

“The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family” (Acts 16:34). 

Spiritual leadership does not require a graduate degree in theology, but it does require a degree of planning and preparation. Spiritual leaders create a prayerful plan of intentional actions that expose their family to faith opportunities. You spend time looking for houses of worship that meet the needs of your wife and child, much as you would seek out the right home or school that also meet their needs. Spiritual leadership seeks out a church. 

“Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool” (Psalm 132:7). 

Men who make it a big deal to lead their family spiritually make the most difference at home and in the community. Your investment in family Bible study, your example of faith under fire, and your Christlike character are living testaments to the truth of God. 

Talk about the Lord when you linger in traffic with your children, pray with them when they are fearful and upset, hold your wife’s hand and listen to her heart, sign up for the next marriage retreat, and serve others unselfishly. You can’t control the culture, but you and your house can serve the Lord. Spiritual leaders lead their family to love God. 

“For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything” (Ephesians 5:23-24). 

Silence is golden

 In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. Isaiah 30:15

A five-day silent retreat is not required if you want to hear from God or grow a disciplined walk with Christ. But if you can afford this investment of time beloved you will not be disappointed. Always remember, prayer saves us time by aligning our agendas and will with God’s agenda and will for the day and our lives. Prayer is what fuels our faith and empowers our work, and service unto the Lord and others. It is important that we creatively manage our routines around experiencing the Lord in prayer, meditation, praise, fellowship,  Bible study, reflection, and worship. As there is a universal language the Lord speaks, it is silence. Quietly read these next few sentences. Perhaps turn off your phone, tv, music and all distracting things. Listen: the Lord is speaking, and He is speaking to you.  Avail the ear of your soul.
 
“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it…Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:15,18).
 
Isaiah in this moment described the Sovereign Lord’s heart for His people to enjoy their salvation through repentance, rest, quietness, and trust. These attributes were the fuel for their strength. Though they initially resisted, the Lord remained compassionate to remind them of His justice. If they would wait for Him, He would fulfill His promises to His people. Blessings come when we wait for God’s hand and His best. When burdens beset us we don’t panic and act like we are alone, but quietly trust in the Lord. 
 
Silence is the soul’s remedy for spiritual fatigue. Be still, be quiet and listen to the voice of Love that comes from our Lord.
 
Are you becoming fluent in God’s language of silence? Are you able to comprehend what the Lord says to your heart through Holy Spirit inspired scripture, and through His creation? Be still and know He is God. Be still and know He is. Be still and know Him. Be still and know. Be still. Be. This is something to be learned, just like any new language. A linguist devotes their skill and energy to learn a new language, and in time is conversationally fluent. So, stay immersed in the process. Our heavenly Father is patient to work with us where we are. Also learn from others who speak the language of silence fluently. God’s language is not to be taken lightly. Let us take the time to silence our heart and we will grow into a disciples who finish well.

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
 
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:2-3).

Walk in freedom

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  2 Kings 6:17

When someone you love is struggling with sin or they are making choices you know won’t be good for them or others, it can really hurt. You grieve with the thought of them destroying their life because you love them so. 

So, you may try to step in. You speak truth to them. You try to stop them from doing what you know won’t go well for them. It’s good to gently point out someone’s sin to them in hopes of restoration (Galatians 6:1). But if they are unwilling to listen to what you, or others, have to say, it’s time to let go and give them to God. 

The Lord has recently reminded me that as much as I want to keep a loved one from the pain that will come from their sinful choices, it’s not my job. They are firmly in His hand. When a heart is hardened, and when eyes are blind, softness can only come through trouble and restored sight can only come through crushing.

For most of us, when we are caught in the snare of deception, a breakthrough only comes through a breaking.

“For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as a child” (Hebrews 12:6).

When I look back on my own journey, I am so grateful for the LORD’s discipline. Because He allowed me to feel the pain of my choices and sin, I am now on a straight path and will never go back to where I was before. No one could have lived my life for me back then or fixed my direction with a word. I had to learn difficult lessons that came from my sin on my own.

It’s so tough to see others walking into a situation that you know will burn them and hurt others. Today I am reminded I can’t fix anyone or their life, but I can pray, pray, pray.

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

I know it’s the Lord’s will that my loved one walk in freedom, so I can pray. I know it’s the Lord’s desire that they personally know Him, so I can pray. I know it’s His best for them that they be loosened from the snare of sin, so I can pray. And I know He loves them more than I do, so I can pray. I may not be able to change their heart, but I can pray that they come full circle to Christ, experience a humbling through their circumstances, and find Him once more. 

Be encouraged today. Those you love are held in His loving, mighty hand. 

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Pain relief

 Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5, NKJV

Pain hurts.

How many of us have multiple splinters embedded in our souls—forgotten, festering or fresh? Your hurt may be buried deep in the recesses of your memories, but on occasion it raises its ugly head and you discover your pain was buried alive. Forgotten from denial, but not dead because ongoing forgiveness in the power of the Spirit is the only remedy to remove the pain of past sins inflicted on your heart. You may never hear the words, “Will you forgive me?”, but you can still forgive and by God’s grace not be controlled by someone else’s past shaming. 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

A festering hurt like a physical wound lingers with infection just below the surface: puffy, red and swollen intently waiting for love’s lance to bring relief. The puss of pride infects the blood of our emotions as it flows through our hurting heart with venomous affect—only the antivenom of humility can counteract pride’s deadly outcome. Humility recognizes and admits that the struggle of unresolved conflict corrodes relationships and clouds our judgment. Only when we go to our offender or the one we have offended and seek reconciliation, can we clear our consciences. 

“If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

Or maybe your wound is fresh. Take courage and forgive fast so the hurt doesn’t fester and lie dormant in resentment ready to attack unaware. When you are hurt or offended the amount of time it takes you to thank God and forgive is an indicator of how close your walk is with Christ. Some die in bitterness, for others it takes years to forgive, fewer months, fewer weeks, even fewer days, the more mature in their faith hours, saints seconds and those who walk closest to Christ, their thanksgiving and forgiveness are simultaneous to the offense. By God’s grace keep no record of wrongs and you will be free to love others as your heavenly Father loves you. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Mathew 11:28-29).

Humility

 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word and my servant will be healed.” Matthew 8:8, NKJV

Far too often, our sense of humility is rooted in a distorted view of self, not an elevated view of God.

It is easy to see our shortcomings and failures, to know better than anyone else the ways in which we have failed to be the men and women God has called us to be. We should therefore be quick to seek the forgiveness and mercy of God, asking him to heal us and make us whole. However, sorrow over our failures is not the same thing as genuine humility. True humility sees not only our failures, but even our absolute best selves, the full potential of who we are made to be, yet is still quick to embrace and celebrate one’s identity as a servant under authority.

You and I will never be humble until we gain clarity on the exceeding worth and value of Christ. In the words of the centurion, “I am not worthy” can only be a statement of true humility when it is said in relation to Christ and his infinite worth. By human standards, a centurion was a person of great significance, a military leader with command over 100 soldiers. In fact, it would be untrue for him to say he has no worth or significance, for everyone around him would have seen that to be false. 

Similarly, many of us have been entrusted with positions of leadership or given resources or education that invite great respect or honor. Faith in Christ does not require that we deny these truths or ignore the opportunities for influence that we have been given. What it does ask of us is a daily reassessment of our worth in light of the worth of Jesus Christ.

This centurion of old gives an example for all ages of the way of humility. Humility is found when we see Jesus for who he truly is and learn daily to see ourselves and the world around us through his great light.  And while his words are right and true - “I am not worthy” - as we welcome the Lord into our homes and lives, in the mystery of his goodness he makes us worthy. By his grace, we are seated at the royal table, invited to dine with the King as his sons and daughters. 

And so, mindful of the areas of leadership or influence we have been given, let us always remember and live with this reality before us, Christ is the King, and we are his faithful servants who lead, love, and serve, in order to invite others to encounter and abide in his perfect love. 

Freedom

 I tell you the truth: everyone who commits sin surrenders his freedom to sin. He is a slave to sin’s power. Even a household slave does not live in the home like a member of the family, but a son belongs there forever. So think of it this way: if the Son comes to make you free, you will really be free.

John 8:34-36, The Voice

Freedom can be allusive to disciples of Jesus if sin is able to gain a foothold in a our life. Sin may manifest itself through addiction, fear, lack of love or lack of identity. Jesus is making the case that He has come to set the captives free from the slavery of sin. Faith in Him shifts from the household of hell to the household of heaven. A child of God is free not to sin.

Here are three ways disciples of Jesus have been set free from sin:

Free From Addiction “The beauty of your new situation is this: now that you are free from sin, you are free to serve a different master” (Romans 6:18, The Voice).

A good friend has been free from his addiction to alcohol for over 500 days. How? A loving intervention from two family members who loved him more than allowing him to stay stuck in his pain, challenged him to get help. Their love gave him permission to do what he wanted to do, but lacked the moral resolve. Once he received professional help and re-surrendered to Jesus, he was set free from sin to begin making healthy life choices. And now he is engaged to marry, by God’s grace, the woman of his dreams, beloved by the Lord and beautiful (inside and out). Freedom from addiction starts by recognizing it as sin and then humbly seeking help.

Free From Fear “You see, you have not received a spirit that returns you to slavery, so you have nothing to fear. The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God’s own family. That’s why we call out to Him, “Abba! Father!” as we would address a loving daddy” (Romans 8:15, The Voice).

Fear loses its voice and influence over your life when your spiritual ears become attuned to the truth of who you now serve as a follower of Jesus. The shackles of shame and guilt have been broken by the blood of Christ on the cross, purchasing you out of your old way of life. Your new Master, Father God, has a face of love not harshness, hands of comfort, a kind voice of wisdom and feet to show you the way. No need to look back on your slavery to sin, call out instead to your Abba, Father as you would address a loving daddy. Fear flees in the face of your loving Father. The Holy Spirit has adopted you into a heavenly home—full of peace, acceptance and love. Learn to be at home with the Lord’s love, resting in who you are: a beloved child of God. 

Free To Love “Brothers and sisters, God has called you to freedom! Hear the call, and do not spoil this gift by using your liberty to engage in what your flesh desires; instead, use it to serve each other as Jesus taught through love.” (Galatians 5:13, The Voice).

Love is relational currency! And, because you are free from the crushing debt of sin, you now have the riches of love to spend in service to others. A love without expectations of being paid back, a love that compounds with character dividends over time and a love that points people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Spread the seeds of generous love and reap a harvest of lives growing deeper in love with God and each other. Love guarantees relational success, because it looks out for what’s best for another. Use your freedom to love for the greater good of serving the least. Be an extravagant lover with a vulnerable heart, and watch others be set free from sin’s bondage! 

“God chose us to be in a relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him” (Ephesians 1:4, The Voice).

Bear it

 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The word, “bear” comes from a Greek word which means “to carry, to take up” or to take away or carry off. The word burden comes from a Greek word which means “a weight.”

When you put these two words together, “bear” and “weight”, it means to take away or carry off the weight someone else is experiencing. Essentially, it means to bring relief and comfort to someone else’s life. 

In “The Law of Christ”  John Piper writes: 

“If a Christian brother or sister is weighed down or menaced by some burden or threat, be alert to that and quickly do something to help. Don't let them be crushed. Don't let them be destroyed.”

This doesn’t seem too difficult when you bear someone’s financial burden . . . so you buy them groceries. And it doesn’t seem too difficult when you bear a physical burden by taking someone to the doctor.

But when someone is experiencing a burden you can’t in any way solve, such as mental illness, a midlife crisis, a broken heart, or an ailing marriage, what can you do to bear their burden when you can’t fix their problem? How can you bear their emotional burden without getting crushed under the weight of it yourself when your heart is hurting for them? 

This is what I have been wrestled with many a time in my life. I love the individual. They have no idea how seeing them struggle emotionally and spiritually is breaking my heart. I so want what is good for them. It deeply pains me to see them confused and hurting. 

I was reminded that I cannot force them to see truth. I cannot make them understand. I cannot make them seek help. But I can pray, and in this way I can bear their burden. 

But in praying, I’ve realized there is one thing I must do: I must give the burden I am carrying for them to Jesus. I must let Him have it, or I will get crushed under the weight of it, under the weight of its sadness. Bearing another’s burdens can be crushing if we don’t know what to do with the burdens. But if we know what to do with them, we can experience hope. 

Bearing someone’s burden takes deep courage, faith, and trust. It takes courage to pray, and when needed, to speak truth. It also takes faith and trust to put the one you pray for into God’s loving hands and trust Him for an outcome that you cannot control. It means trusting that the Lord loves them more than you do. 

He knows the needs of the one you cover in prayer. He sees their heartbreak. You are simply called to stand in the gap for them, seek God on their behalf, and ask Him to move for them. 

Bearing one another’s burdens can be difficult, but our load can be made lighter when we know Who to trust, and who to give the other person’s burden to so we are not crushed under it.

Good > Evil

 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 

1 Peter 5:10

People have been asking why God allows evil in the world since the beginning of time. Why does He allow bad things to happen? Why does He allow people to hurt one another? Why does He allow death, disease, and emotional and relational pain? Why do disasters happen? Why do nations battle? 

I imagine there are many reasons, some of which I do not understand. But one clear reason is so He can draw people to Himself. 

A great example of this truth is in Acts 7 where the story of Stephen’s stoning is recorded. When Stephen was testifying about Christ to the Jewish Sanhedrin, the council became so angry that they rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death (Acts 7:57-58).

If we look at what happened to Stephen with eyes that discount God’s presence, or with a perspective that ignores the Lord’s providence or love, it seems evil has won. There appears to be no reason for God to allow such persecution. 

But we must remember that God doesn’t see things the way we do. His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). And, what seems like evil without purpose is always allowed by the Lord for good.

Christ never allows a sifting, shattering, heartbreak, hurt, trial, tumult, persecution, or problem without reason. God uses all things in His Kingdom for redemption as well as reconciliation (Romans 5:3-5). Nothing is ever wasted in His economy. 

In Stephen’s case, his stoning set off a tidal wave of persecution that scattered the Lord’s followers, (with the exception of the apostles), throughout the provinces of Judea and Samaria. (Acts 8:1)

This meant more people could hear about Christ and learn of His love. Because of persecution, not in spite of persecution, the gospel spread. “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4).

This is a reminder that God uses evil for good. It’s a reminder that what brings temporary discomfort for us could mean eternal blessings for someone else. And it’s also a reminder that we do ourselves a mighty favor when we remember that He is the Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8) and that our lives are not our own (Jeremiah 10:23).

This is what the believers who were scattered experienced. But I wonder how they must have felt. They had experienced close fellowship with one another. Undoubtedly, they shared a profound fullness of joy in Jesus through their community.

And then. . . to have their normal lives ripped away, what pain. And also, what joy mingled in with sorrow too as they were scattered and were able to share Jesus’ love everywhere they went.  

During difficult times, we must remember that the Lord doesn’t waste anything, not even the worst things. We must remember that He works all things out according to His good and perfect will (Ephesians 1:11), for His good and glory (Romans 8:28).

We must also remember that life most often makes sense in the rearview mirror. Therefore, the hurt you experience now may not seem that it serves any purpose. But you will understand, either in the here and now or the then and there. 

“So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12).

Moving forward

 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 

Isaiah 48:17-18 (ESV)

As our world slowly recovers from a season of crisis and begins to return to some levels of what some would called normal. We as individuals are faced with a similar set of questions and decisions that lie before us. What does it look like for you to emerge from this extended season of winter? 

For some, this spring feels endless in possibility, bursting with life and pent up energy. For others, while the world may spring to life all around, you remain in the depths of a dark winter, overcome by the grief and loss brought upon you and those you love during this pandemic. Perhaps you find yourself somewhere in the middle, neither joyful nor despondent, but suffering from the general malaise of apathy and exhaustion. 

In times like these, we know that we are meant to move forward, yet it can be difficult to discern where exactly we are meant to go.

Life is a journey, and movement is an essential piece of the puzzle, but movement in and of itself is neither virtuous or the point. To be redemptive and life-giving, our movement needs an aim and a destination. And so, before any one of us launches out into this new season of life, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question: am I being led?

In our desire for change, renewal, and growth, we must never assume our desire for these things means we know where to go to find them! As the old country song says, we so often are “lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.” Our ability to see clearly is often hindered, and this is especially true in times of extended crisis, grief, or exhaustion. 

Just because you desire something, even your deepest desires and longings, does not mean they are for your good or the good of your neighbor. For example, coming out of a season of economic loss and uncertainty, it is easy to justify excessive spending in the name of self-care or self-improvement. Cancelled vacations or long-anticipated experiences may leave us feeling wronged or slighted, with a goal in the coming season to make up for what was lost. 

It seems to me our greatest temptation in this moment is and will continue to be a heightened move towards self-preservation and personal fulfillment. Understandable as this may be, our first impulse as followers of Christ should not be towards “getting what is ours” but towards humility and daily repentance. Let us have a heightened attentiveness to our own motivations and desires in this season. Realize that your exhaustion can become a daily temptation to shut yourself off from the needs of others. Pay attention to this, but more importantly, as Isaiah reminds us today, pay attention to the Lord, who loves us and leads us in the way we should go.

Cheerful generousity

 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NIV)

A generous spirit is a decision of the will, not a fleeting emotion of the heart. We give generously in times of plenty, and in times of great need. Each of us spends our days in countless different vocations and pursuits, but whether you are a stay-at-home mom or dad, a member of the armed forces serving far from home, CEO, retail worker, in ministry or anywhere and anyone in-between, the call upon your life is to unconditional generosity.

As the Apostle Paul reminds us, we give what we have decided to give. Not reluctantly or under compulsion, but cheerfully. Again, a cheerful disposition is not reserved for those with a naturally bubbly personality. Cheerfulness is a choice every single one of us can make. And so, wherever life may have you, whatever the joys or challenges of your situation and season, you are called to cheerfully give your life away as a blessing to others. 

Cheerful generosity is a calling that requires a response. You and I are entirely free to reject the call and ignore the invitation of the Lord. We are able to carry on with our own personal concerns and cares, ignoring the needs of those around us. And because God is patient and abounding in love for his children, he will continue to extend his goodness to us, even if we are closed off from him and others. However, until we learn to use our freedom to say yes to Christ, we will never truly know the joy of being human. 

The details of your life may give you plenty of reasons to not be cheerful or generous. You may be drowning in the deep end of parenting. Your work may keep you on the road or overseas for extended periods of time, leaving you vulnerable to isolation, loneliness, and depression. Perhaps relational conflict or the loss of a loved one has left you upside down, without any natural impulse towards generous and cheerful living. 

Though we may struggle to see it, these are the moments that lead us into a deep and abiding faith.

In Paul’s words, we must daily remember that God is able to bless us abundantly. So often we believe the blessing of the Lord to be conditional, based upon our suitedness to receive his blessing. This is entirely backwards! God is able to bless because he is himself a pure and perfect gift. The blessing of his life can be encountered in all things and at all times, even this very moment you find yourself in. 

Receive the gift of his grace, and set your heart, mind, and will upon a generous and cheerful life, abounding in every good work. 

Contagious

 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:2, NKJV

Are you contagious? That seems to be the talk still on everyone’s lips these days, even with a vaccine being distributed. So much so that the other day when I was reading my Bible, I actually saw the word “contagious” when it really said “courageous” LOL That really got me thinking…what am I contagious with? Am I contagious with courage and faith or am I contagious with skepticism, fear, and doubt?

I am blessed in my life to be surrounded by some pretty amazing people and friends. People who are seriously contagious. Like some who have lost loved ones this year or a year ago and yet is contagious with joy. You can’t help but feel well...more joyful from their witness…when around or having conversation with them. Or there’s some who are contagious with Truth. You walk away realizing that the lies you have been believing are just that…lies. Their contagious truth empowers me to be bold, confident, and full of faith in my good. Then there’s those who are absolutely contagious with encouragement. One afternoon with them and all the “feels” of “not being enough” get destroyed through the contagion of their encouragement. 

Just like the coronavirus, whatever is inside of you will affect the people around you in some way. Since fear has been so contagious, certainly reaching its own pandemic proportions, I feel like the Lord is calling us to rise up in the opposite spirit, the spirit of contagious courageousness and faith expressed regularly. 

But I want you to see what I saw that day when I saw the word “contagious” instead of “courageous”. I feel like it may open up a whole new meaning to you, almost like a window into the impact of how what The Lord has placed inside of you can impact others for the Kingdom, with the contagions of love, joy, peace, hope, and healing. 

“Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be contagious” (John 14:27)

“For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be contagious, for I have conquered the world” (John 16:33)

“Empower us, as your servants, to speak the word of God freely and contagiously” (Acts 4:29).

“And what I’m going through has actually caused many believers to become even more contagious in the Lord and to be bold and passionate to preach the Word of God…” (Philippians 1:14).

So just what do you want to cultivate in your life that makes you more contagious?  

Is it wholeness, peace, hope, joy, vision, wisdom, healing brokenness, trust, courage? The Lord is the giver of every good and perfect gift and He wants you to be contagious with it more than you do. Just ask, seek, knock… Trust Him. He loves to answer those kinds of prayers and make you a courageous-contagious carrier of His goodness and love.

Declare Today: I choose to be contagious for the Kingdom of God as His ambassador. I remind myself that I am seated next to God and have access to every good thing, unlimited peace, unhindered hope, unrestrained joy. Whatever I focus on grows and as I grow, I overflow to be a blessing to somebody else. Yes, I am absolutely contagious and that’s a good thing

Working out of debt

 When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.” 2 Kings 4:7

An unnamed mom in Scripture was moved to seek assistance for fear of losing to creditors her most prized possessions, her two sons. The God-fearing widow wisely went to the man of God, prophet Elisha, and asked for help. Her dead husband was the prophet’s ministry colleague and friend. Though she was still in a state of grief, he did not prey on her emotional condition by creating codependency, nor did he offer pious platitudes of prayer and ignore the desperate situation. 

Instead, he asked her to take a step of faith by being creative and innovative in what he knew she could do; make olive oil. She humbled herself to her friends and asked for their empty containers to fill. Resourcefully and in faith she did her part by gathering the jars, and God did His part by filling the jars. The humble, wise widow and her two boys were given the gift of paying off debt with leftover assets to live on. 

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20).

How can we give the gift of paying off debt to other worthy souls? We look for those who really desire assistance. They want help for the sake of something bigger than themselves:  their children, their community, their Savior Jesus Christ. They are the 20% who are willing to do the hard work, be creative, change habits and trust the Lord to work in ways that are not our ways. Be intentional to invest in humble, wise hearts willing to ask those in their network for resources to help them meet their debt free goals. God takes Spirit-led efforts and exceeds our expectations.

When the people of God serve the people of God with the gift of paying off debt, those outside the faith will clammer to learn of this elevated level of generous love. Owing only the debt of love frees our souls to inhale and exhale the rarified air of generous love. A love not encumbered by creditors attempting to confiscate our joy and replace it with resentment. A love that gives a willing heart a fresh start to follow God’s heart. Be grateful for those who helped pay off your debt, so now you can be generous and do the same for coachable friends in the faith. 

“Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love”

A good teacher

 You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. John 13:13

Recently I had been thinking about the teachers who poured into and had great impact on my life. Just think for a second that a portion of our success, and abilities in life are are result of  someone who was dedicated to teaching us to read, write, add and subtract. and was dedicated to it out of their passion to educate. Which leads me to this question. What would life be like if we hadn’t learned those things? I am so grateful for everyone who helped make me who I am today.”   

When I think about my many teachers, one stands out. Her name was Mrs. Graham. I  remember that she was kind and would not let me settle for anything but my best, and I will never forget how she forced me to do presentations before my peers to get me out of my shyness (which has blessed me since considering it is how to be a Pastor and shy).  I also remember she loved me and my classmates, as it showed in how she taught and pushed us beyond what we saw in ourselves. 

Just like I think of the impact of Mrs. Graham on my life as a teacher, I also think of another teacher of mine in Jesus. 

Matthew 4:23 shows how He teaches with power. 

Matthew 7:28 reveals how He teaches with authority. 

But in everything, Jesus always teaches with love. 

Of himself, Christ says in Matthew 11:29, “I am gentle and humble in heart.” This is His heart: gentle and humble. It’s who He is. So, even when Christ teaches with authority and power, He never stops being loving. Even when we sin and we need to be corrected, His love never fails. His loving heart motivates Him to show us the way and teach us how to navigate life’s problems, pitfalls, and even sin.   

One afternoon, I was thinking about a sin I had struggled with. In a quick moment, the Lord showed me a picture in my mind’s eye of three circles. One circle represented me. One circle represented my sin, and one circle represented Christ. He showed me by moving these circles around that I believed that when I am doing well and not being disobedient, that Christ is standing right next to me. Then, He showed me how I believed that when I sin, that He moves away from me and a black circle of sin is in-between the two of us. “This is not how it is,” He said. “I never move away from you. In fact, I am working to stand between you and your sin to deliver you.” 

He teaches with power. 

He teaches with authority. 

But He always teaches with love. Just like Mrs. Graham did. He is gentle and humble in heart. 

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). 

Sustainer

 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. 

Psalm 3:5

I write these words early in the morning, watching the day slowly come to life out my front window. In the calm of this moment, I am reminded of how little I contribute to the rhythms of life that surround me, not to mention my own existence and sustenance. Yes, our Lord invites us to partner with him in bringing forth life and beauty in our world, yet this life does not originate with me, and it is impossible for me to sustain myself independent of the love and mercy of God. 

We face a global moment in which the world longs for safety and security. After a brutal year of lockdowns and quarantines, social distancing and contact tracing, we are all eager to return to normalcy. But beyond a desire for indoor dining, live music, or sporting events, this moment has also alerted us to our own vulnerabilities and weaknesses, a truth that we spend most of our lives trying hard to ignore!

A return to normalcy does not bring with it the end of your dependence upon God for the very breath you take. Vaccines may protect you from a virus, yet they do not free you from the curse of sin and death. We still live in a world that longs for redemption, healing, and freedom, which is only found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He alone is the source of salvation and the hope that death does not and will never have the final word. 

Do not let your desire to “get back to normal” keep you from looking ahead and longing for a world that is transformed by the power of God. While it is good and right to desire to be free from the suffering brought on by a global pandemic, we must set our hopes on the coming kingdom of God, looking to the day when every disease will be healed, every relationship restored, and every tear wiped away. 

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).