The Low Bar of Authenticity

If there is one character quality that is held above all in Christendom today, it’s “being authentic.” It’s the ultimate achievement conveyed by some pastors, Sunday school teachers and small-group leaders. The world, it is believed, is looking for authentic believers.

On the surface, that sounds OK. But in what context are folks revered to be authentic? I’ll tell you. It’s when they express fear, weakness and doubt. That’s when others in the group sigh in wonder at the authenticity expressed that they may have been afraid to share themselves. Because, after all, everyone relates to fear, weakness and doubt. Once someone in the group goes there, everyone relaxes. They aren’t alone.

To me, that sounds like a group doing an 880-yard run, and someone feels tired and stops at the 250-yard marker. Everyone else joins that person, and they all sit down on the track and discuss how difficult it is go 880 yards.

What is wrong with this picture? Being authentic is hardly a worthy aspiration for followers of Christ. What if Jesus had decided to “be authentic” and sit out that whole dying on the cross thing? After all, it was uncomfortable, stressful, painful and totally unfair.

Being authentic is code for being in the flesh. And they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Rom 8:8) Being authentic is saying, “This race is hard. I can’t finish.” And in an authentic-focused group, everyone else confesses that they can’t finish either, and a discussion of the difficulty follows.

Here’s the better scenario. Someone in the group sees the finish line, is in spiritual shape and can encourage the others to get up and keep going based on the strength of the Spirit and faith in the promises of God.

That goal of authenticity stops short of the ultimate goal. In an authentic-focused group, a spiritually victorious person will likely be spurned, because others prefer to live in their authentic mire and not have to listen to someone who thinks they have the answers.

We do actually have answers, you know? If you are that person in the group who isn’t struggling because you’ve learned how to walk with God and you are headed for the finish line, don’t be discouraged. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. (Heb. 12:1b) Let God use you to get others back up on their feet and headed in the right direction.

You will face those who don’t want to hear Bible answers. It’s just the time we’re living in. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2Tim 4:3)

If you’re one of those authentic-focused itching-ears kind of people, it’s not too late to wake up from your spiritual stupor and ask God to put a spiritual mentor in your life.

Here is a goal to aspire to: Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13) Find a group or an individual who can help get you there.

Tell me what you think.

Jody

Give God Credit

I think I know what spiritual success looks like. It is knowing what God says and doing it. It’s not making stupid decisions completely contrary to sound reason. It’s not letting anything get a hold on my judgment, whether that be habits, desires or choices.

That sounds pretty clear, doesn’t it? So, since I think I know all that, I have to confess that when I see a believer live contrary to all that, I struggle with my thoughts towards him/her. I don’t keep my verse for the year, which is Phil 4:8 to think on whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. OK, I confess. I judge them. And after that, I ignore them.

Are you like me? Are there some brothers or sisters in Christ you’ve written off as hopeless after watching their bad choices, decisions and actions?

Wow. Not for the believer I’m judging, but for me and whoever relates to me. If we want to be a spiritual success, there are two perspectives we need to grasp:

First, Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Rom. 14:4) Give God credit. He can and will do anything for His children. One of His names is the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep. And He’s good at it. God can do anything. He can and will move heaven and earth to hold up His children. He’s done it for me. There was a time when I was one of those people I judge. I have a testimony that God held me up. He delivered me. He will do it for the believer I’m writing off.

Second, rather than judge this oblivious, weak and falling brother or sister, God tells me to warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (1 Thes. 5:14) That is love, and that is God’s supreme command. Love Him and love others—not in thought, but in deed and in truth. Love in action.

I have to ask who the real loser is. My unloving attitude towards those I have my eagle eye on shows that now I am the one who needs a rescue from God.

Here’s a benediction for us all, the “judgees” and the judgers (who recognize the error of their way). Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. (Jude 1:24)

Jody

Mental Health Issues

What is mental illness? I checked with Mayo Clinic… “Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.”

Is it something we self-diagnose, or does it require a doctor to make the pronouncement?  

I can save everyone some money and just state it. According to that definition, we are all mentally ill at least some of the time. Join the crowd. Don’t add to it by getting a decree from a doctor, which leaves you feeling damaged and doomed to live out the rest of your life with this ball and chain around your brain.

There’s so much to say about this, I hardly know where to start. But I have written a book about it. Off to the right you’ll find this link: “Book: Ditch Depression Devotional….” Click on that and it will lead you to the first chapters of the book, and it will begin you on a path of hope and overcoming.

But for here, I suggest mind/mental transformation through renewal. You need a complete renovation of your mind. This won’t come from a pill, but from an exercise of the will. Do not consult women’s magazine articles, Dr. Phil or your next door neighbor.

Let’s exercise our faith muscles, starting with this: According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (2 Pet. 1:3)

Do you believe that? He is the complete mental health hospital, with the prescriptions in His word, the Bible. And for the first renewal prescription, get a dose of this:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Rom. 12:2a)

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24)

If you will just take a few minutes to read those verses again and think about them, you’ll start to be enlightened. Ask God to show you what it means to renew your mind. Ask Him to show you other verses you can hang on to and put your hope in.

Pray this prayer, first spoken by David. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psa. 51:10a)

Ask God to make His promises true for you. Like this one… But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isa. 40:30-31)

Don’t you feel better already? Just know that God knows you are weak and that you need His strength. He is waiting for you to come to the end of your abilities so you will come to your senses and start tapping into His abilities. If you have mental health issues right now, it might be to get you to this point.

Jody

Whatsoever Things are Lovely

Time to confess that I’m not doing such a swift job of rallying behind my verse for the year. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil 4:8)

In the past week, the conversation has come up twice regarding what it means to think on things that are lovely. I had two thoughts on what it means. First, wouldn’t you say that lovely is a visual term? A beautiful mountain scene is lovely. I could daydream about that for awhile. After all, God made mountains and peaceful lakes with beautiful flowers along with soaring birds and puffy clouds. If I saw a photo, or better, a real live scene like that, I’d say it’s lovely. Here, I’ve included a lovely view. Let’s think about that.

But my second thought is probably more in line with what it probably really means to think on lovely things.

The root of lovely is love. If I love someone, won’t I think lovely thoughts about them? Jesus is the best example. He expressed words of love because He had a heart of love. He had lovely thoughts toward others that we might not. Remember, for of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)

What do I mean? Remember this scene? And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. (Luke 22:31-34)

I see loveliness in what Jesus said that obviously came from thoughts and a heart of loveliness. He knew Peter was going to deny him. What kind of thoughts would I have had in that situation? Knowing that Peter wasn’t such a faithful friend, willing to give up on me, I’d have had critical thoughts. At a minimum. Jesus used His energy not to criticize and condemn, but to pray for Peter and then to expect and express better things of him in the future. Wow. I see a glimpse of what it means to think on things that are lovely instead of the natural thoughts that might pop up when “an issue” arises.

Let’s look at another time Jesus thought on “whatsoever things are lovely.”

How about when he was hanging on the cross, having done nothing wrong, and people were mocking him? Lovely thoughts? Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34a)

Again, what energy Jesus had left in Him while he was hanging on the cross, he used to pray and expect better things ahead….who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. (Heb. 12:2)

So, how do we have lovely thoughts when the circumstances aren’t lovely? In both of these instances, Jesus looked up and prayed prayers of love, expecting better things ahead. He demonstrated a dose of While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:18)

He looked at the bigger picture, and the bigger picture is lovely, because God is in control. Nothing is outside His watchful care and ability to handle. Dear Lord, help us translate this into lovely thoughts this week when not-so-lovely circumstances threaten to take our minds down a God-forsaken path. You are there, and that’s lovely.

Jody

You are a Light

When I grew up, we lived near a grocery store that was close enough to walk to, so it was pretty common to run over there and buy something on a whim. One Sunday early afternoon, around age 12 or 13, while wandering the grocery store aisles, my eyes met a neighbor boy a few years older than me dressed up in church clothes. It was apparent where he had just been. I didn’t go to church and didn’t know the Lord, but just looking at him, my young heart was pricked. Convicted. Guilty. He innocently stood for something I didn’t have, just by being at the store dressed the part. I didn’t even know any Bible truth that I may have rejected, but I sure knew I didn’t measure up to something. The impression he left was so powerful, I clearly remember it now, decades later.

I thought of that incident when I read the following verses: “Therefore seeing we have this ministry (ministers of the New Testament, 2 Cor. 3:6), as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor. 4:1-2)

How does that relate, you wonder?

→…by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. That word manifestation means “action that embodies.” My actions that embody the truth affects the conscience of others. Read that sentence again with that understanding. The quiet testimony of some piece of my life that unsaved people happen to see may prick their conscience, just like that boy dressed up in his church clothes at the grocery store. To this day, when I stop at the store on the way home from church, I’m aware that I’m dressed differently than everyone else, and I’m aware that I’m representing Christ visually—because of my experience as a youngster.

→The middle part of the passage above says, But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully. I notice that these actions… have renounced…not walking…nor handling, are present tense. Paul assumes we are already living the correct way. This isn’t presented as a command about how to walk. It is stating how we are already walking. And here I want to give the Spirit of God credit. When He comes into our life, He changes us from the inside out (2 Cor. 5:17). He works within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Therefore, while we walk around with our changed lives, we embody the truth, and people are watching and getting convicted. What I’m trying to say is, just by being surrendered, obedient Christians, we are a testimony. We are presently commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

I don’t even have an admonition to end with. Praise God He has made us little lights that shine for Him everywhere we go. What people do with that light… the next two verses talk about that (2 Cor. 4:3-4). You might want to look at those and tell me what you think.

Jody  

In His Presence is Fullness of Joy

I came across my new favorite verse last week. The picture you see at the left is also framed and sitting on a table at home, and I have put it to music. So I plan to remember it for a long time. Let’s rehearse it: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Ps 16:11)

I just finished reading the book I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Sheikh. It’s the story of a Muslim woman in Pakistan who turned to Christ and how her life changed (drawing persecution from her culture). From the moment she accepted Christ, she experienced God’s unmistakable presence in her life, and she was full of joy. I could testify to that when I accepted Christ. But in her life, after salvation, whenever she would knowingly sin, as in telling a little white lie, God’s discernable presence and that joy would leave her. She recognized right away that God’s sweet fellowship was ruptured by her sin, and she would pray outloud and ask Him to forgive her for the specific sin, submitting to Him again, and that presence and joy would return.

For some people, this dance with spiritual reality would die down, but not with her. Though it’s not the main theme of her book, God’s noticeable presence is a sub-theme. Her life, because she wrote about it, is a “movie for my mind” of my new favorite verse.

When David said in Ps. 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life,” I don’t think he meant anything terribly mystical. God does show the path of life in His word. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Ps. 119:105 I just need to be sure I’m sitting in front of it and looking for His direction, with plans to follow it.

The next part is a bit more mystical. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy.” I would tend to think that as long as I’m reading my Bible and praying, I’m in His presence. But why can’t we experience His presence all day long—along with the resulting joy? I might not have had that thought except for the author of the book. All I can say is that when we walk in fellowship with God, keeping short accounts and not allowing any sin to nest in our lives, we will know what it is to live in His presence by His Spirit, and we will have joy. Perhaps when we are missing joy, we should check our lives. It would be a good daily habit to develop.

What kind of sins could bubble up that would keep us and God at arm’s length? Holding grudges, being self-centered, greedy, angry, prayerless, oblivious to God, etc. We live in an age of all that.

We’re living in the Laodicean church age (Rev. 3:14-22). That in itself is a study, but if we read that and see ourselves, we know where to start in our confession to God. In summary, the typical Christian in this age is neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. We think we are rich and have need of nothing and don’t realize that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Obviously, living in God’s presence isn’t part of that. It’s not common in our age because we are spiritually unconscious. Pretty sad.

I encourage you to think on Ps. 16:11 and take the challenge with me of living in His presence.

Jody

What is Too Hard for the Lord?

Let’s work on our faith muscles today. Is something troubling you that you think has escaped God’s notice or that He is incapable of understanding or handling? Let’s look at some of His interests and accomplishments:

• Nothing going on inside your body or the bodies of those you love is too difficult for Him. “And the Lord said unto Abraham, wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? (Gen 18:13-14)
• Nothing that goes on in nature is outside His power to control: Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: (Jer. 32:17)
• No person, army or leader can free-wheel outside of God’s ability to handle them, which includes saving or destroying them: Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? (Jer. 32:27)
• No hateful, obnoxious, toxic person is beyond hope or outside of God’s ability to reach: “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Phil. 3:21)

• No basic need is too impossible for God to meet: When Moses doubted God’s promise to provide meat for the wandering Israelites in the wilderness, the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.” (Num. 11:23)
• No mighty, armed enemy is too strong for God to take down: “And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” (1Sam. 14:6)
• No hardened sinner is too hopeless for God to save: “When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:25-26)

Can you imagine anything else that might possibly be too difficult for God? Whatever more you can or can’t think of, give God glory, and acknowledge His ability to handle those things, too. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)

And finally, if God can do anything, guess who else can. You can. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13)

Have faith in God to do whatever you’re thinking of—as long as it’s according to His will. (Don’t be praying that a brand new Corvette shows up in your driveway, in other words.) “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)

Jody

Shine the Light

Before age 15 when I attended Kansas City Youth for Christ and heard and responded to the gospel, I had no purpose. To this day, I can’t imagine what hope anyone has who doesn’t know Christ. After I received Him as my savior, I suddenly had purpose, and it’s a purpose that I hold to this day… to get to know Him more and more. I’m passionate about that.

But in my personal Bible study this week, I see very clearly what God’s purpose is for me since receiving Him, and I was shocked to discover it, because it’s something I never figured out before.

Let me start where a lot of true believers would start.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9) Whenever I ask someone how they know they will go to heaven, they often recite how they have tried to do good things all their life. And then I know they really don’t know Jesus because of the verses above. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works.

But after salvation, good works are everything—and they are God purpose for us. It begins with the verse right after Eph. 2:8-9:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10) Read that verse again and notice why we were created in Christ Jesus. Good works.

If that isn’t clear enough, Paul explained to Titus why Jesus gave himself for us:  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14) He wants a purified people who are zealous of good works.

And as one more stab at God’s purpose for believers, Paul told Timothy something similar about being purified from iniquity through Christ. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Tim 2:19-21)

As for my purpose, knowing God better is a great thing, but God’s purpose for me goes beyond knowing Him. It extends to living a pure life as His vessel to do good works. What are those good works? That’s something for further study and prayer. For now, it’s time to align myself with His purpose for me. The new cry of my heart to God needs to be a little longer. I can’t stop at, “God, I want to know you better.” Here’s the new prayer: “God, I want to know you better, and I want to be used by you today to do something good as you have planned for me. Show me what it is.”

Jody

The Bible is a Hologram

Not just one dimensional, the Bible is a hologram. This might be the first time you’ve ever considered that. But much of the Old Testament is a picture of Christ coming in the New Testament. I can safely say that because after Jesus rose from the dead, in a disguised way, He walked along the road to Emmaus with two disciples who were discussing the fact that Jesus had just died, when they thought He’d live forever. Jesus, still disguised, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)

When it says “beginning at Moses,” He was referring to the first five books of that Bible, which Moses wrote. Christ is pictured in the first five books of the Bible. He said so Himself. Where is He pictured? I would have liked to have been on that road and heard the passages Jesus pointed out about Himself.

But there’s one we know for sure, because Jesus said what it was in John 6:31-35 when He said, “I am the bread of life.” Read that passage, and it’s in the context of God providing manna from heaven to the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness after escaping Egypt.

Since we know that, we can go back to Exodus 16 and look at that story with our hologram glasses on. Let’s go on that journey together.

Jesus as manna in Exodus	Application of Jesus as the manna
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; (Ex. 16:3-4a) The supply wasn’t there until the desperate need.	They didn’t get this bread from heaven until they realized that if they didn’t have bread from God, they were going to die. Jesus is the bread of life, but He is of no use to those who don’t recognize that unless they believe and receive Him, they will die. For the Israelites, this realization came on the 15th day of the second month after they departed from Egypt (Ex. 16:1). Do you have a date when you recognized that without Jesus, you would die?
At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God. (Ex 16:12b) You don’t know God until you know Jesus.	Until you believe and receive Jesus as your savior, you don’t know God.  He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (Joh 14:9b)
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. (Ex 16:18)	Jesus completely satisfies. He is not too much to handle. He’s not too little to meet the need. No matter the size of your capacity to receive Him, He fits the space.
And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. (Ex 16:21)	There is only a certain time available to partake of Christ. If you wait too long, your opportunity will be gone. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2Cor. 6:2b)

Walk in the Light and Avoid Dark Depression

Sitting at a restaurant Sunday after church, someone in our group who knew I just released my latest book Ditch Depression Devotional: 31 Days to Biblical Hope, Peace and Emotional Balance, said he knows a lot of people who are always depressed. “What’s up with that?” he asked. “Why are people so easily depressed?”

I asked him if the people he was referring to know Jesus as their personal savior. Yes. They are saved people.

I answered that it’s a matter of focus. Rather than dwell on our sorry circumstances, and we all have some, a better focus is on the lovingkindnesses God shows every day. There’s a whole section on that topic in my book, and it’s an aspect of God I have studied and documented for more than 30 years.

I truly believe this verse: Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Psa. 63:3) Life seems good at times, and not so good at other times. But above that, His lovingkindness is better than life—all the time.

To focus on that is one of many ways to apply God’s command to be sober minded. As Christians, we aren’t to allow our minds to carry us away into the dark imaginations that pop into our heads. We have to take ourselves in hand and guide our minds toward the light.

How and why should we do that? Because we are different. If we know Jesus as savior, we are not the worldlings we used to be. Yesterday I found a passage that gives a blueprint for sober thinking. It’s something to meditate on today.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (1Thes. 5:4-8)

I honestly have no idea how those who don’t know Jesus, who by nature walk in the dark, make it through a single day without being depressed. They have no genuine hope. No one can tell me any differently. I didn’t know Jesus until age 15, and before then, I had zero hope or purpose. I would not be here if I had not seen the light of Jesus and received the salvation He offers.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12) It’s simple. Follow Him and you won’t walk in darkness.

You also will find it difficult to walk in the light if those you surround yourself with live in darkness. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14)

Let’s go back to 1 Thes. 5:8: But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Today determine to live in the light of Christ. You have Him. Protect your heart and consciously put your faith, love and hope in Him. Do it first with a simple prayer, then walk through the rest of this day trusting Him, appreciating Him and hoping in His loving rescue. That’s how to escape depression. If you need a verse to hang on to for the day, Psa. 63:3 would be a great one! You can find a printable version of it (the photo at the top) off to the right under Free Photos: Scripture Pictures.

Jody

PS. You can read the first 7 chapters of my book by clicking on the book link to the right. The full book is available on Amazon.

Easter Presents Jesus

You and I may celebrate Easter with a fairly singular understanding of what it’s all about. But others’ minds may be a little muddled with visions of such Easter icons as colored eggs, Jesus, chocolate rabbits, the cross and jelly beans. That is not to condemn them, it’s just their understanding at this point.  

Perhaps the best focus right now is to catch a glimpse of why the Jesus/cross icons matter so much. In this blog, we’ve been looking at why Jesus came. Today we focus on the fact that He didn’t come to judge, condemn, shun, demand or abandon. He had another goal.

The standout to anyone here is that Jesus is for us, not against us. He already knew the ugliness in each of us and came down to save us from where our misery would ultimately lead.

I, for one, was desperate for help and hope when I was introduced to Christ and His purpose. I’m so thankful I heard the good news of Christ’s rescue mission. Now I’m saved, not judged, condemned, shunned or abandoned by God. I’m saved from the power and penalty of sin because Jesus came to give His life a ransom for me.

What would keep someone from seeing all this and agreeing? One is pride. If someone earnestly insists that the grass is green, don’t we all have an inkling to disagree and announce it is aqua? A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. (Prov. 29:23) Can we just bow our head and admit and embrace the fact we are sinners in need of Jesus as savior?

Spiritual blindness is the other thing that prevents people from seeing what Jesus did for them. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Cor. 4:4)

There are forces within (pride) and without (Satan) preventing people from seeing with their heart what Jesus did for them. If that is you, just ask God to open your eyes to the meaning of Christ’s coming, living, dying and rising again. And then the words to the famous hymn “Amazing Grace” will make more sense. “I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now, I see.”

Jody

Where's the Peace

I first saw this on a bumper sticker, and it still makes me giggle. It’s whimsical treatment of an ideal that some people take very seriously. Jesus takes world peace seriously. After all, one of His names is Prince of Peace.

But look at what Jesus said, Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. (Luke 12:51-52)

For a fact, since He came, there has been more division than there has been peace. How would you explain that to someone?

Here’s one angle spoken by Jesus when He was trying to prepare His disciples for the fact He was going to die. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid…..Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. (John 14:27, 30)

We are living in a battle between the Prince of Peace and the prince of the world. They couldn’t be more opposite. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. (John 14:6) He also said, Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:14)

Those truths automatically set up the framework for division. If we believe and promote what Jesus said, there will be no peace with those who reject these truths. I don’t even need to explain that. This is why Jesus said, For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Matt. 10:35) God’s truth and Satan’s opposition to it lead to oil-and-water relationships.

Where’s the peace? Accepting Christ’s truth, we get personal peace, as we saw above. But more importantly, we get peace with God, and that is why Jesus came. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:1-2) That’s the peace we should be talking about.

We also get peace with other believers, even from different cultures and backgrounds. For he is our peace, who hath made both one (believing Jews and Gentiles), and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. (Eph. 2:14)

World peace is not out of the question. But that is reserved for the future, and it will be peace beyond imagination. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:6-9)

When will this be? After the prince of the world, who blinds people’s minds to the truth, is taken away. When Jesus reigns. When the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. In the meantime, here is my second favorite bumper sticker.

Jody

The Perfect Purpose

My first thoughts of “purpose” arrived unexpectedly at the kitchen table one day at about age 10. My younger brother and I were quietly eating our pretzels and sandwiches when out of the blue, my mom asked us what we were living for. I first blinked, then panicked. I didn’t have a single word to contribute to the conversation.

Here, I decided to look at what Jesus would have said if He sat at our kitchen table and faced my mom’s question. What was He living for? He actually answered that question many different ways. I fired up my “Online Bible” and checked out the Gospels for every instance Jesus said, “I am come” or “I came to.” He had a mixed bag of joy and grief in His stated purposes.

But first, back to my mother. I’m sure the silence was deafening as my brother and I had no answers for what we were living for. She finally offered a lifeline. “I’m living for the 10 commandments,” she announced. I brilliantly responded, “So am I.” And whew, that conversation was over.

Jesus would have had something to say about that answer. The 10 commandments are part of what is called “the law.” We’ve all broken at least one of them, eliminating any possibility of having a right relationship with God. So, fascinatingly, Jesus said, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Matt. 5:17). That was the reason God sent Him down to earth—to fulfill the law. So He made that His mission. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)

But the law was more than the 10 commandments. Much of the Old Testament law had to do with sacrifices. It’s called the sacrificial law. And it is apparent that this law was the main one He came to fulfill. It’s perfectly clear in the book of Hebrews.

“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do [fulfill] thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” (Heb. 10:3-12)

That’s how He fulfilled the law. He set aside His own will in favor of God’s will and offered His perfect body as the sinless sacrifice to take away sin once and for all. Fortunately, He lived up to His purpose. Had He not, we would be in serious trouble. We would have to live for the 10 commandments and actually keep them our whole life without breaking one. He knew we couldn’t do that, so He came with a purpose…

Jody

God is in the Pearl-managing Business

Knowledge is powerful. In the right hands, it changes a life forever. In the wrong hands, it is degraded. Knowledge is a pearl to protect. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine. (Matt. 7:6)

Even God—and especially God—protects knowledge. Remember back in the Garden of Eden how God did not want Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? All that He told them was that if they did, they would die. But the desire to be wise—to get that knowledge—was powerful, and Eve ate. Her eyes were opened. She got that knowledge that was supposed to remain shrouded. And that was the beginning of the end for her (and all of us).

Fast forward to Jesus. People ask why He spoke in parables. The difficulty of understanding what Jesus was saying turned a lot of people away from Him, and still does today. Even His disciples questioned Jesus about why He spoke in parables. Listen to His reason.

And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. (Luke 8:10) Knowledge that is hidden is a mystery. God’s design is that the mysteries of the kingdom of God be hidden from some. Yes, they will hear the words and see evidence, but they won’t understand.

God’s knowledge, or mysteries, are spiritual in nature. A person without God’s spirit in them will not grasp these mysteries, because they can only be spiritually understood (1 Cor. 2:14). By nature, we are missing the spiritual capacity to understand these spiritual things. Things of God will not be understood intellectually. He doesn’t want us to ever claim we figured things out apart from Him. He guards His pearls.

And besides that, Satan doesn’t want people to grasp the knowledge of God.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 4:4-6)

Consider all this next to the thought that we are stewards of the mysteries of God. (Read more about that in the blog post just after this one.) How hard it is to get people to understand the mysteries that God and Satan are hovering over.

God has to open hearts to receive spiritual knowledge. In the book of Acts, He did it for Lydia. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. (Acts 16:14)

A person’s only hope of understanding God’s mysteries, or knowledge, is that the Holy Spirit opens their spiritual eyes to see. That applies not only to the unsaved person grasping and receiving the gospel, but also to us understanding what we read in His word.

“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (1 John 2:27)

Therefore, our most valuable prayer for others and for ourselves is that God would open eyes—before we share the gospel and before we read our Bibles. If you know your Bible, you know the verses that, in fact, encourage that. But here is the verse for today.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)

Jody

A Good Life Verse

Do you have a life verse? Some people are quick to point out a favorite verse, but what about a life mission verse—something you are aiming for?

Paul wrote a good one that any of us can share, and God would be happy if we did. It might even be one He would pick out for us. Here it is:

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (1Cor. 4:1-2)

Paul wrote the verse stating his life mission—to be a minister of Christ—a steward of the mysteries of God. His mission wasn’t to be happy, comfy and fulfilled. He wasn’t focused on following his favorite sports team or TV program, raising a sane family and being a leader in his church.

His mission involved the intangible mysteries of God…things the average Christian gives little thought to, and the unsaved person doesn’t even realize exists. Paul’s mission was difficult!

What does it mean to be a steward of the mysteries of God? We need to know, because it would be a good idea to align ourselves with the same mission. It’s what will really matter in the end.

A steward is a manager or superintendent to whom the head of the house or the proprietor has entrusted the management of his affairs. That’s us. We’re left on this earth as managers of His affairs since He left and before He comes back. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.

The mysteries of God are the gospel. Jesus was God in the flesh, came down to live that perfect, righteous life that we didn’t, died to take the penalty for our sins, rose again the third day and now sits in heaven as the head of the body of Christ. We who have understood and accepted that mystery are born again to serve Him as part of that body. And we are stewards of this message.

Are we passing or failing at stewarding this spiritual message? I will assume that most of us have not focused on this as adequately as we will wish we had when we see the Master who left us in charge of the message while He was away.

How do we turn around and become better stewards of the mystery of God? Here are a few things I can think of

• Post the above mission passage somewhere and try to memorize it to help you focus on “the main thing.”
• Be like Paul and not only pray and ask God to open a door to share that mystery, but ask others to pray the same thing for you, vice versa. In 2 book of the Bible, Eph. 6:29 and Col 4:3, Paul asked others to pray for him that God would open a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ. This is so important, because the mysteries won’t be shared or understood without the power of God activated through prayer.
• Look and pray to find a faithful Timothy you can invest the mysteries in, who will invest in others also, so the mystery sharing can multiply. (And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2 Tim. 2:2.)

Otherwise, as we all know, if we aim for nothing, we will hit nothing.

Jody

Eternal Honor Society

When I was in high school, I didn’t want to be just average. When report cards came out, I scanned them, hoping to find nothing below an “A.” I was always on the National Honor Society list.

Starting in grade school, I always sought to be the best at everything, and I was rewarded with certificates, medals and ribbons for various things throughout my school years. There’s something fulfilling about being called out and honored.

Now, as a Christian, is it OK to aim for honor? I know we are supposed to honor God, but what about Him honoring us? It probably seems silly to ask that, because of course we know that all honor goes to Him, and it seems too selfish to want honor in return. However, look with me at something here.

You know the analogy the Bible makes of Christians, or the church, as the bride of Christ. He is the bridegroom or husband. We are his espoused wife or bride. Now look at this: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Pet. 3:7) This is our first clue about honor for the bride—us. That’s how I got to thinking about this whole thing. Here’s an Old Testament prophetic spin on this: For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Isa. 62:5)

God rejoicing over us? God honoring us? Honor is a good opinion or exalted state. It is reverence and showing deference for the other person. God would do that for us?

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (John 5:44) At first I want to shield my eyes. No. We are supposed to honor God. He doesn’t honor us, does He? It’s hard to imagine, but read: For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (2 Cor. 10:18)

If we allow ourselves to consider that God could and, in fact, wants to honor us, then it begs the question, how do you get honor from God? I find three ways.

• But now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1 Sam. 2:30b)
• If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John 12:26)
• That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1 Pet 1:7)

God honors those who honor Him, those who serve Him and those who pass the trial of their faith. At the judgment seat of Christ, wouldn’t you love the honor of hearing, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. 25:21)? It’s all something to think about.

Jody

Aim For "Well Done"

When it’s all said and done for us in this life, we will praise God. But God will also praise some of us. Recall that famous phrase from the book of Matthew, Well done thou good and faithful servant. That is praise from God to man. What would it take to hear that from God?

The whole story is found in Matt. 25:14-30. It begins with, For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. In this case, it was money, and he expected his servants to invest and multiply it until he returned. Some did; one didn’t.

Let’s jump to the application. After His death, Jesus traveled to a far country (heaven), and He left us with His goods—His word, His spirit, the message of the gospel (Christ in you, the hope of glory), spiritual gifts, etc. He will return someday, and He expects to see that we invested and multiplied His goods.

So the question for us is, what have we done with the goods He left us with? We should want to hear the praise of God… Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

He mentioned faithfulness twice here. It’s that important. It means stewarding well the goods He gave us.

We all have to fight the urge to hoard all the goods for ourselves, or to bury and ignore them. For me, I think this calls for an evaluation before God—laying out everything He has given me and asking how I’m using/not using it for Him. Am I faithful with the spiritual gifts He has given me? The Word of God that I know? The gospel? My talents? Is it all channeled toward Him? Am I using what I have in others’ lives?

At the end of my life, I want to hear Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Faithfulness is something revealed over time. In that story in Matthew, the other option was to hear the Lord say, Thou wicked and slothful servant.

Faithful or slothful?

We live in a slothful age, so if we let inertia rule, we will be that wicked and slothful servant, living for ourselves. It’s time to invest and multiply.

Jody

The Ultimate Test

Motives are tricky things, wouldn’t you say? Those invisible rascals are hard to determine, but we try to figure them out—in others. Motives are the why behind the what, and we feel we have to get to the bottom of them. If we estimate that others’ motives aren’t sparkling clean, we have a problem with that. I believe many conflicts stem from judging why “that person” just did or said what he or she did. We lower our estimate of that person—sometimes for good.

That is a rodeo the apostle Paul did not ride. Only he came at it from the other side. He experienced others’ questioning him, and he predecided he would not entertain those thoughts. Here’s why:

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. (1Cor. 4:3-5)

Wow. Paul didn’t even judge his own motives. He left it up to God who knows better than we do what’s in our hearts. I know it’s not very flattering, but here’s what the Bible says about our precious hearts: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer. 17:9) Paul got that. He just left it up to God to sort it all out in the proper time.

Here he just stripped away an entire thought pattern. What are we to do instead of “judging everything before its time?”

Well, knowing that God is going to have a look at everything when He comes and expose the hidden things—the counsels of our hearts, it would be a good idea to clean things up on the inside. It’s time to start casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5)

It’s also time to evaluate our thought life—considering it is up for evaluation and revelation when He makes His final judgment. Paul outlines approved thought material: whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. (Phil. 4:8)

Even with all that, we aren’t sure if our thoughts and hearts are acceptable with God. So here’s the prayer we ought to pray: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psa. 139:23-24)

I’m intrigued that Paul ended his teaching on the topic of God bringing to light hidden things of darkness with the idea, not that God would condemn man, but that God would praise man. I hope there turns out to be praiseworthy things revealed about my life. And by the way, what things does God praise man for? We will look at that next time.

Jody

Time to Clean our Spiritual Glasses

If you’re like me, you can easily think of brothers and sisters in Christ who you are reasonably sure won’t make it spiritually. Their life is a mess. They can’t seem to get things together. Maybe you’ve counseled them before, and here they are—back in the same miserable situation. You almost want to give up on them.

I have some good news and bad news for you. Which would you like first? The bad news? Your (our) estimation of God isn’t big enough, and we may not know Him as well as we think we do.

The good news? God never gives up on a person, so there is hope for anyone. Hold off on judging your brother or sister in Christ. Soak up a bit of the Savior below and capture His spirit of love, mercy and grace for that person you just thought of (verse references are at the end):

Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

(Rom. 14:4; Isa. 40:29; Psa. 37:24; Rom 14:3; Heb. 7:25; John 10:28-30; Rom. 8:38-29; Jude 1:24; Psa. 17:5)

Who is God--in Less Than Two Minutes

Different cultures have different views of God. So if you were asked to describe God in two sentences to someone from a different culture, how would you describe Him? After all, in business, we’re told to have an elevator speech to let people know who we are in two minutes or less.

The Apostle Paul did an elevator speech for God on two occasions. He highlighted a few of His signature qualities that should summarize to all mankind just who God is. Can you guess what those might be? Hint: They are God-descriptors that emerge several places in the Bible, which shows that Paul had studied the Scriptures to the point that his sentences came forth from God’s presence (Ps. 17:2).

We’ll look at one occasion here and study one descriptor. Paul had just healed someone, and those around determined that he must be a god, so they started to worship him. He was horrified and was compelled to explain that he wasn’t God and quickly explained who the living God is:

Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:14-17)

The first thing everyone must know about the true God is that He is the creator God. “which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein.” Paul was quoting Ps. 146:6 “(God) made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is…”

Nehemiah had also memorized that description of God and prayed it back to Him in public and for all to read in Neh. 9:6 (Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein…)

So, besides that initial point-to-remember about God, I don’t want to miss the fact that it was top of mind to Paul when he had to come up with a summary of God on the fly. He didn’t whip out his limited Bible and search for Ps. 146:6. He already had it memorized and synthesized well enough for it to be top of mind in that situation.

So, the first point to ponder and memorize about God and have it ready in an instant is that God made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything therein.

If we take the time to meditate on that, we’ll find that it isn’t just something to spout off to others. It’s something that affects everything else. If God made the heaven, the earth, the seas and everything therein, He’s in control of it all. So when Jesus stopped the violent storm that was thrashing the disciples’ boat around by rebuking the wind and telling the sea “Peace, be still,” They feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41) The wind and the sea obey Him because He created them.

Think of the other famous sea episode… when Jonah was tossed into the tempestuous sea and a whale swallowed him. Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17) God could do that, because God created it all, and He’s in control of it all.

If you think about God in that way, it should affect your outlook. What could possibly happen to you outside of His control? He made everything, and thus is in control of it—including you and the very breath that you breathe. Your times are in His hands. Make the most of them.

Jody