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3 Things You WON’T Need for This Conference

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Have you ever attended an online Bible conference?

This is your opportunity to participate in the inaugural year of the Enjoy the Word Online Bible Conference sponsored by Katie Orr and Jami Balmet, May 2-4.

Enjoy the Word

Whether you’re new to the Bible or have been reading it your whole life, you’ll find many reasons to grow more excited about God through the teachings available at this conference. All you’ll need is an internet connection and a heart for God.

But here are three things you WON’T need at this conference.

  1. You won’t need a suitcase.

No outfits to pick out. No shoes to decide on. No hotel to book. You won’t even have to get out of your pajamas to attend. You can watch from the comfort of your living room couch or outside in your backyard.

  1. You won’t need to pick and choose which sessions to attend.

Often there are more sessions than we can attend at a conference. We have to make the difficult decision of which to hear and which to leave behind.

But with this online conference, you can choose the lessons you want to watch live, and then return to any or ALL of the sessions later, anytime you want. You’ll have lifetime access to view them whenever and however many times you like.

  1. You won’t need a totally free week.

Since this is all online, you can start and stop as needed.

  • Need to take a child to soccer practice Friday afternoon? Do it, then catch up later on what you missed.
  • You’re a night owl? Put in earbuds and watch in bed when everyone is asleep.
  • Busy the week of May 2-4? Choose alternate days that work better for your schedule.

You won’t have to reschedule your plans to get it all in.

What You CAN Do

And while you also won’t need someone to ride with, someone to sit by, or someone to watch your kids so you can attend, you still CAN do these things if you choose. Set up a viewing party and watch a few sessions with friends.

You’ll also be invited to join in on live Facebook discussions that will be held after most sessions in private groups for attendees. You can choose to interact (or not) with other participants as well as the speakers.

Learn more and sign up here. Early bird pricing ends soon.

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3 Things You WON’T Need at This Bible Conference #EnjoyTheWord

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James – Man of Action {New Testament Writers}

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Discover more about James, one of the New Testament Writers
James wrote just one letter that is part of the New Testament canon. At a relatively short five chapters, you can easily read the book of James in one sitting, thanks to James’ direct writing style. Here are a few things to know about him:

  • Scholars in different traditions disagree about the relationship of James to Jesus; some believe he was Jesus’ half-brother, others believe he was a cousin.
  • The James who wrote the New Testament book is not likely to have been James the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Mark 10:35). Scholars believe this partly because James the son of Zebedee was martyred very early, probably around 44AD (Acts 12:2).
  • James was not a believer during Jesus’ earthly ministry (John 7:5).
  • After His resurrection Jesus appeared to James (1 Corinthians 15:7).
  • James was a leader among the body of believers in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
  • Paul referred to James as an apostle (Galatians 1:19).

Audience
James addressed his letter to “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (James 1:1). These were believing Jews who were lived outside of Palestine. The bulk of James’ original readers were probably poor.

Writing Style
James’ writing was very direct and practical. He did not mince words. His style suited his message – one of action. He wanted his readers to choose holiness in what they said and in what they did, as a reflection of their faith in Jesus Christ.

Main Themes in James’ Writing
James spent a lot of time discussing suffering (such as James 1:2-4). He emphasized that while faith is essential, works are the fruit of faith, and the lack of such fruit is evidence that faith is dead (James 2:14-26). Even our words bear external witness of our internal spiritual state; James repeatedly admonished believers to tame the tongue (James 3:1-12). He warned against worldliness (James 4:4).

“More than any other book in the New Testament, James places the spotlight on the necessity for believers to act in accordance with our faith. How well do your actions mirror the faith that you proclaim?” (Chuck Swindoll)

If you want to be inspired to action, James is the book to read! 

Learn more about James, one of the eight #NewTestamentWriters

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James’ style suited his message – one of action. #NewTestamentWriters

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Join us for a series on the men whom God inspired to write the words of the New Testament

Painting of James by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

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Jude – Truth Teller {New Testament Writers}

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 The book of Jude, comprising twenty-five verses, is so short that it is not broken into chapters. As they have for many other writers of the Bible, scholars have pieced together a picture of who Jude probably was based on textual clues within his letter, as well as other Biblical and historical texts.

  • Most scholars believe that Jude was a half-brother of Jesus. He identifies himself as a brother of James (Jude 1). James would have been well known among the believers as the leader of the church in Jerusalem.
  • In Matthew 13:55, James and Judas are listed as brothers of Jesus. The Greek name in both Mathew 13:55 and Jude 1 is Ioudas; English translators shorten the name in the book to Jude, likely to avoid association or confusion with Judas of Iscariot.
  • It is unclear when Jude was written, probably some time in the period between 65 and 80 AD.
  • Similarities between Jude and 2 Peter 2 have led scholars to question whether one derived from the other. There is disagreement as to which would have been first.

Audience:
Jude was writing to fellow believers. In verse one he referred to them as “called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.” These are brothers and sisters who had once been fully convinced and knowledgeable about Jesus (Jude 5), but had begun to be swayed by false teachings.

Writing Style:
Jude wrote passionately, using references to Hebrew Scripture (the Israelites’ exile in Egypt, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Enoch, and more). He was a brother pleading for those whom he loved to pay attention before it is too late. He employed fearsome imagery to sway his readers: “eternal chains under gloomy darkness” (Jude 6), “wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame” (Jude 13), “wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 13)

Main Themes in Writing:
Jude was alarmed by the apostasy he was seeing in the Church. He condemned false teachers and warned fellow believers of the profound spiritual danger that following false teaching put them in.

“Against the corrupters and skeptics Jude writes with a vehemence that in the NT is without a parallel.” (William G. Moorehead)

Jude’s main goal was to save the souls of his brethren. Yet his final admonition is filled with the encouragement and hope that all believers need:

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 21-23)

Jude did not leave his readers with just a list of what to avoid. He gave them practical advice for what to do:

  • build up your faith
  • pray in the Spirit
  • keep yourself in God’s love
  • wait for Jesus’ mercy
  • have mercy on doubters
  • snatch sinners from the fire
  • show mercy with fear

Imagine how world changing it would be if all believers had as deep a passion for the truth as Jude had!

Learn more about #Jude, one of the eight #NewTestamentWriters

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Christians should be as passionate about the truth as Jude. #NewTestamentWriters

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Join us for a series on the men whom God inspired to write the words of the New Testament

Painting of Jude by Georges de La Tour (1593-1652)

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3 Myths about Your Good News – How Luke Overcame Them & You Can Too

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Same Story, Different Verse

Let’s say a publisher wants a book about your mother. He asks for three versions.

  • Version 1
    Author: You, her daughter
    Audience: Your children and grandchildren
  • Version 2
    Author: Your dad
    Audience: His business co-workers
  • Version 3
    Author: Her friend
    Audience: The orphans she teaches in Guatemala

While each version may contain similar facts, the highlights and stories would be very different. Your mother’s life would be told from different perspectives and for different reasons.

In a similar way, God wants stories told about His Son.

Four writers gave narratives of Jesus’s life through the gospels (literally, “good news”). We know them as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

But now God wants to hear your words. We’re going to look at the New Testament writer Luke to explore this.

Immediately we make our excuses. We each have our own reasons for not sharing the good news.

Could Luke also have had reasons not to tell the story? Perhaps. Yet he told anyway. We can, too. Here’s how.

Debunking 3 Myths

• Myth 1 •
I don’t know enough

Sometimes we think we should be able to recite all 66 books of the Bible, have a working knowledge of each Old Testament prophet, and trace Paul’s missionary journeys before we can share why we believe in Jesus.

Not so.

Luke never even met Jesus in person, yet he wrote an entire gospel about Jesus and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke heard the stories from others. He traveled with the apostle Paul (who himself only met Jesus in a vision) on Paul’s missionary journeys. And likely talked with Mark (who wrote the Gospel of Mark) along the way.

Still, Luke’s gospel ended up being the longest of the four, and combined with the book of Acts, his writings account for over one-fourth of the New Testament.

• Truth 1 •
You do know enough

We’ll never know the complete story while we’re here. But if we’ve encountered Jesus at all, we can tell others about Him. Continue learning and growing, yes. But we don’t need a PhD in theology to share good news.

Tell what you do know.

• Myth 2 •
I’m not good enough

Do you still sin? We all do. We need Jesus every day. Our goodness is like filthy rags compared to His righteousness.

But Christ’s goodness is what counts. Not ours.

Luke could have said “not good enough” about himself as well. He was not even a Jew. Likely a Greek physician (Colossians 4:14), Luke was the only non-Jewish writer of the New Testament. He could have taken a pass on writing a history of the Jewish King Jesus. He had been educated in Greek scientific culture.

But Luke wrote about Jesus anyway, and talked little about himself.

• Truth 2 •
Tell of Christ’s goodness

What are your favorite things about Jesus? Those are things people need to hear anyway, not facts about our presumed holiness because we “grew up in the church.”

Luke wrote about Jesus: about His compassion for the poor, healing of the sick, freedom for the oppressed. We can tell specifics of how Christ has been good in our lives as well.

• Myth 3 •
I have no one to tell

You’re not a preacher with a podium? You don’t have a podcast fan base? You haven’t published a book?

Neither had Luke.

Luke dedicated both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts to one person: Theophilus. Scholars assume Theophilus was a real person (the Greek name means “lover of God”). See Luke 1:3, Acts 1.1 But Luke’s broader audience ended up being the larger Gentile world—Jesus came for all mankind.

• Truth 3 •
Talk to who you already know

If God wants you to have a big audience, He’ll provide it. But until then, we share our joy in Jesus with those we talk to normally. Our coworkers, our family members, our circle of friends. Ordinary people. People like us. People we love.

They are the ones who most hear our hearts and see our lives. Why not tell them as well about the most powerful Friend we also talk to?

Original Stories

Luke could have given many excuses for not sharing about Jesus. But thankfully he didn’t use them.

Without Luke, we wouldn’t have the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Lost Sheep, and the Prodigal Son (along with 18 other parables found only in his gospel). We wouldn’t know the story of the ten lepers or the stories about the beginning of the church in the book of Acts.

Just as you know stories about your mother that no one else knows, so you have stories about Jesus that only you know.

For example, your original stories include:

  • How you came to know Jesus
  • How He put your family together
  • How He brings you healing from a bad experience
  • How He is guiding you now in a difficult relationship

As we share the good news from our perspective, God is glorified. Our faith is strengthened. And others are blessed.

Good news is always relevant. Both the old stories and our new ones. Jesus is personal.

Tell your side of His story.

3 Myths about Your Good News. How Luke overcame them & you can too. #NewTestamentWriters

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Learn more about Luke: “5 Things to Know about Luke from the Bible” from Crosswalk.com

What prevents you from sharing your good news? What helps you? Do you have a favorite New Testament gospel? Please share in the comments.

Extra Reading:

Join us for a series on the men whom God inspired to write the words of the New Testament

New Testament Writers – Mark

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We begin our series on the New Testament writers with Mark, scribe of just one book in the New Testament, The Gospel of Mark.

Learn about Mark, one of the scribes of the New Testament.
It is worth noting that scholars in various periods have disagreed about aspects of the lives of the men who recorded the words that now comprise the New Testament. Mark is no exception.

The actual text of Mark’s Gospel does not reveal anything about its authorship. Unlike Paul, for example, Mark does not identify himself in his writing. Using Church tradition and clues elsewhere in the Bible, scholars have pieced together a picture of who he may have been.

Generally it has been held throughout the centuries that the John Mark that Paul speaks of traveling with in Acts 12:25 is the same Mark who wrote the Gospel. Based on that assumption, here are some things we know about Mark:

  • Mark was a son of Mary (Acts 12:12) and cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10)
  • Mark’s mothers house was a gathering place for prayer (Acts 12:12)
  • He traveled with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 12:25)
  • On the trip Mark caused a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:5)
  • He left the missionary voyage to return to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13)
  • Mark evidently reconciled with Paul in later years and Paul thought well of him (Colossians 4:10-11; 2 Timothy 4:11)
  • Mark had a strong association with Peter; church tradition considers Peter Mark’s mentor (1 Peter 5:13)

Audience: Scholars believe that Mark’s Gospel was primarily written for Romans. Unlike a Jewish audience, Romans would have had no need of being convinced that Jesus fulfilled Messianic prophecy, or had appropriate lineage. In a culture that valued logic and practicality, a concise history would have been just what they wanted.

Writing style: Mark’s writing style is succinct and focuses on action. One could almost say it is a book that responds to the question, “What did Jesus do?” This is the shortest Gospel, with just sixteen chapters. Mark frequently refers to Jesus as Teacher (contrast Matthew 8:25 and Mark 4:38). There is only one direct quotation from the prophets in his writing, consistent with what would have been meaningful (or not) to a Roman audience. Mark highlights Jesus miracles in detail.

Main themes of writing: Mark focused on the facts about Jesus (what he did more than what he said). It is a book of action. Mark uses the word εὐθέως (eutheós), meaning immediately/at once forty times in his sixteen chapters. This book’s purpose is to share the good news – the word εὐαγγέλιον (eugalion) which means good news and is translated as “Gospel,” is used twelve times in the Gospels, eight of them in Mark.

The Gospel of Mark gives a concise overview of the ministry of Jesus Christ on earth. While we may not know many details about Mark, we know that the words he recorded about the life of Jesus are trustworthy because they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Join us for a series on the men whom God inspired to write the words of the New Testament

The Gospel of Mark records the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. #NewTestamentWriters

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Learn more about the man who recorded the Gospel of Mark. #NewTestamentWriters

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Painting of Mark by Gioacchino Assereto (1600-1649)

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5 Free Resources for Kids’ Bible Activities

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Five Free Resources for Kids' Bible Activities
Do you teach God’s Word to children? You probably find yourself looking for ways to make learning about Scripture more accessible and fun for kids.

The Internet is a gigantic place, filled with all sorts of ideas for teachers. Here are a few of my favorite websites for Bible teaching ideas:

Kids Sunday School Place

Kids Sunday School Place is a membership site, but many of their resources are free. In addition to activities, crafts and games, you can access full lessons plans. Just look for a green dot to find free items.

Children’s Ministry Magazine

Children’s Ministry Magazine’s website offers a handful of free lesson plans. This site is run by Group Publishing, which has a full range of paid Sunday School curriculum, but you can access the free lessons here.

Ministry to Children

Search Ministry to Children for lesson plans, crafts, games and more. Everything on Ministry to Children is free.

Bible Story Printables

Bible Story Printables is chock-full of worksheets, coloring pages, craft sheets, memorization aids and more – all available to download for free.

DLTK Bible

This site has been around forever, and is the work of one tirelessly creative mom. Everything on DLTK Bible is free!

What are YOUR favorite online resources for teaching the Bible to children?

5 free resources to help you teach the Bible to children. #LetTheChildrenCome

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What are your favorite sites for teaching the Bible to kids? #LetTheChildrenCome

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Friendship Matters: Being a Better Friend

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I want to be a good friend.

But sometimes I have a struggle; I’m naturally introverted and a bit of a homebody. I’m most in my comfort zone hanging out with my family, or on the couch with a good book in my hand– or even typing away behind a keyboard.

It stretches me to reach out to friends sometimes. I truly love people, so I’m usually quite happy once I do it.  But my homebody-self can feel uncomfortable in the going and in the doing.

Yet, I’m also reminded of the importance of investing into deep, lasting connections with people that are dear to me.

 

I recently read an excellent article written by a past contributor to DoNotDepart titled 11 Biblical Principles for Becoming a Better Friend. Kathy Howard’s words challenged me to really examine my heart for areas where I need work. She encouraged me to better develop my role as friend and reminded me that being a good friend is made up of lots of components, and that God cares about what kind of friend I am. 

I want to be a good friend. Better yet, I want to be a Christlike friend. And I know that means stretching out of some comfort zones.

For me, that means reaching out. It may look different for you.

What does being a good friend really look like? What does the Bible have to say about it and how can we apply that to our friendships?

 

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13)

It’s spring here in the USA, and a great time to focus on new life and growth. Plus, we celebrate the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection in April. (Yay!) So, this month at DoNotDepart, we’ll be looking into the topic of friendship and challenging ourselves to be honest and willing to grow. Let’s let God breathe new life into friendships that need it. Along the way, we’ll share tools and resources that we’ve found help us be better friends.

And we hope that you’ll share with us, too. Feel free to comment on any of our posts here, or on our Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter accounts. Let’s grow together, encourage one another, and show the world what true friendship looks like.

What are your comfort zones? How does reaching past them make a difference in your friendships? Share in the comments.

Ali

What does the Bible have to say about being a good friend? How can we apply that? #BeingABetterFriend

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Our Sins, God’s Grace

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Our Sins, God's Grace... read more about sins Believers can struggle with and the grace of God at DoNotDepart.com
Oh, sin.

It’s a debbie-downer to the Christian life, isn’t it? We’d rather talk about grace, love, and joyful things.

Rightly so. Grace and love are what Christianity are founded upon.

But we also need to remember sin. It’s why Jesus came to us in the first place. It’s by His death and the shedding of His blood that the ugly stain of sin is washed away.

The Bible mentions sins more times that I can find a record for. If you do some searching, you may find (like I did) estimates that “sin” is mentioned from 700 to 1000 in God’s word.

But these estimates are off and here’s why:

  • In the Old Testament alone, the top two Hebrew words used for sin exist 966 times. And there are eight different Hebrew words that depict sin.
  • In the New Testament, about 12 different words for sin exist and are used many hundreds of times.

So the estimates are off because not every word that means sin is translated specifically as “sin.” Sometimes the Hebrew and Greek words used are put into English as “transgress”, “err”, “go astray”, “wicked”, and so on. That’s why is’t hard to get an accurate count.

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32:1-2

But why is looking at sin so important? I mean, after all, don’t we want to focus on grace?

Indubitably! But since sin is obviously an important issue to God, we’ll be addressing it here at DoNotDepart. It’s important for children of God to be aware of what the Bible has to say about sin because when we know, we can:

  1.  avoid it
  2.  repent when we do it
  3. seek forgiveness
  4. better realize all our precious Savior has done… and how great His love for us is!

Please join us this month as we look at sin from a Biblical perspective. We’ll talk about some common sins many Believers struggle with or have encountered, the remedy for sin, the sweet grace that covers it, and the encouragement and hope the Bible offers us in regards to it.

Ali

What does the Bible tell us about sin and grace? A new series at DoNotDepart. #OurSinsGodsGrace

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Should you keep reading your Bible?

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Once I finish a book, I don’t usually reread it. The surprises are blown, and I’m ready for something new.

But even with the occasional books I do reread, the second (or third) reading is never the same as the first time. I may catch a few details I missed the first pass, and I may be reminded of truths I need to live more, but subsequent readings are quicker and often just skimmed.

So do we need to reread the Bible over and over?

  • We already know the major stories.
  • The essential themes are familiar by now.
  • It’s not quick (it takes me three years to get through my two-year plan; I long ago gave up one year).
  • And it’s not necessarily easier each time (Isaiah 55:8-9). Sometimes the more we read, the less we understand.

Yet we can’t stay away from this book. We memorize it; we pray it; we preach it to ourselves.

Here’s why:

The more we read the Bible, the more we see God. And the more we see God, the more we love God.

We can never get too much of Love.

I know, I know—there are many ways to see God. Through nature. Through other people. Through direct experiences with Him. I love these ways. I need these ways. The words written about God are not the only way to find Him. After all, in Him we don’t just read; in Him we actually live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Even Jesus Himself pointed this out. When He showed up on earth as God in the flesh, He wanted those around Him to come directly to Him, to believe because of the works He was doing. He chastised those who were just searching the Scriptures and yet not coming to Him (John 5:39-40).

We don’t want to make that same mistake: to miss Jesus because we’re keeping our heads in a book, even a book about Him.

So as we read, let’s also look around. Look up. Look in. Ask that the written words point us to the Living Word.

  • Even in the old stories, regularly discover new things about yourself, about others, about God
  • Be open to surprises through words that are not static but are breathed-out mercies each morning from God
  • Invite God to walk daily with you in fresh stories yet to be lived, centering in the present, reframing the past, hoping in the future

Knowing the Bible isn’t the end goal. Knowing God is. The Bible is a means to that goal. As Jesus used Scripture with the two men on the road to Emmaus, we also want Scripture to better enlighten us about Jesus (Luke 24:27).

As A. W. Tozer said,

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

The God we worship determines the kind of people we become. We’re not made in the image of a book, but in the image of the living God. It’s not the Bible we worship; that’s the book we study. It’s the God we’re after, and the book points to Him (John 20:30-31).

Let’s read the Bible not to be known as biblical people, but to become godly people. Because we don’t want to just learn the Bible, or even just learn about God, we want to live like God, to be with God, to love like God.

And if the book can help us get there, may we read on and on and on.

Why read the Bible over and over? Not to be biblical, but to be godly. #WhyAbide

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Why abide

All month long we’re discussing reasons to abide in the Word.

Do you ever reread the same books?
What are some of your reasons for continuing to read the Bible again and again (or not)?
Please share in the comments.

Reading For Truth – Abiding in God’s Word

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I recently read an article that listed several Bible “verses” that aren’t actually in the Bible. I’m sure you’ve heard some of these sayings:

God helps those who help themselves.

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

Money is the root of all evil.

This, too, shall pass.

These sayings are popular among Christians, yet they aren’t even found in our Bible.

This demonstrates the importance of reading God’s word for ourselves. These days, we’re flooded with beliefs that are much more harmful than the few misquotes I’ve shared. We live in a world that is twisted and corrupt. Our culture is accepting of non-Christian ideas and even ideas that are in direct opposition to the very Word of God! As Christians, we must be grounded in truth or else we’ll be deceived by the lies of the enemy.

Reading for Truth - one reason to Abide in God's Word at donotdepart.com

Many Christians have been influenced by lies of the world and other religions and haven’t even realized it. Rather than having a Biblical worldview, their worldview is determined by their surrounding culture. It can happen easily without a strong, Biblical foundation. I remember many years ago when I first heard the phrase “Biblical worldview.” It changed my life! My eyes were immediately opened to the concept of seeing life through the lens of faith founded on truth. Learning Biblical truth is available to anyone, anytime.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ~John 17:17

Remember, the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10)… Satan would gladly destroy our ability to learn and discern truth, but thankfully, God has given us a written word that we can use to measure everything we hear or see for its truthfulness. With enlightened eyes, we can lean away from the world and our own understanding, and lean into God’s truth.  (Psa 119:105, Prov 3:5, 1 John 5:4)

The truth of God’s Word teaches us right from wrong and offers guidance to our thoughts and actions.  We can hide His truth in our hearts so we won’t sin against Him. (Psa 119:11) But it’s hard to know what to do (or think), when you don’t have a foundation of truth. In Luke 11:28 Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” and James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” We have to know the Word to live by it.

I believe that as women, we have a very special role and responsibility to learn truth. Women tend to be the nurtures and the instructors of the family. So, whether you’ve got little ones at home, or you’re nurturing a child in the church nursery, your words, thoughts, and actions should be grounded in truth of God. You have the ability to influence the next generation of Believers to seek hard after God’s truth.

I love these inspiring words from Charles Spurgeon…

“…the best food for you is the word of God itself. Sermons and books are well enough, but streams that run for a long distance above ground gradually gather for themselves somewhat of the soil through which they flow, and they lose the cool freshness with which they started from the spring head. Truth is sweetest where it breaks from the smitten Rock, for at its first gush it has lost none of its heavenliness and vitality. It is always best to drink at the well and not from the tank.”

Abide in Christ, and abide in His word. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the enemy or soiled by the dirt of the world, dear sister! Drink deeply and daily from the sweet Rock!

How have you seen abiding in God’s truths change or shape your life?

Reading for Truth: Be grounded in God’s Word, not deceived by the enemy. #WhyAbide

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We must know the truth of God’s Word to live by it. #WhyAbide

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The Faith of Noah

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Noah’s faith always amazes me. I’m in awe of the man who remained righteous amid a corrupt world and maintained trust and obedience to God even when his task was enormous. He’s mentioned in Hebrews 11 as an example of faith.

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” ~ Heb 11:7

The Story

Noah’s story is found in Genesis 6:5 through 9:29. Here we learn that everyone on earth had only wicked thoughts all the time (Gen 6:5) — except Noah. Noah was righteous and walked with God. (Gen 6:9) And because of his righteousness, God chose Noah (and his family) to be saved by means of an ark while the entire world was awash in cleansing water.

According to experts, this ark was the largest water vessel built until about the 1800’s. For those of you who love facts and figures, this boat probably displaced about 22,000 tons of water and its carrying capacity was equal to about 522 railroad cars (that’s about 4 or 5 trains).  I can only imagine Noah looking at the ark as he was building it and wondering how on earth something so large and heavy would ever even float. And rain? Most scholars agree that it hadn’t rained before Noah’s time, and he lived far away from any source of water that could lift a boat so large.

The Faith   www.donotdepart.com

And that’s how faith is sometimes with us. We may never be called to build a gigantic structure by hand or preserve mankind, but we are sometimes asked by God to do things we can’t understand and that seem much too large for us. Whatever God has asked us to do, like Noah we can walk by faith and fully trust our loving Father.

Here are some lessons about faith that we can learn from Noah:

  • Noah was the only righteous person of faith in a corrupt world. Faith can be maintained despite the beliefs of others around you.
  • Noah was obedient. Faith is not only felt, it’s lived out through obedience.
  • Noah was committed to obedience despite his circumstances. Faith in the unseen affects one’s perception of the seen. (It didn’t matter to Noah that there was no rain yet or that his peers might ridicule him. He saw things through the lens of faith.) Obedience to God doesn’t depend on circumstances.
  • Noah trusted God to do His part, while Noah did his. (God brought animals, sealed the door, brought rain, and saw to Noah’s safety.) Trust in God is inseparable from faith.
  • Noah was blessed by living out his faith. As we live out our faith, we are blessed, too.

Noah’s job wasn’t easy or quick and didn’t appear necessary to those with no faith. Yet, Noah’s great faith drove him. “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (Gen 6:22) He didn’t just feel faith, or hold a belief, but he lived it.

I can imagine that as the rains pounded down and the floods rose up, and the waters surrounded the ark, Noah’s faith was purified even more. He must have felt his smallness. And I’m certain that as the waters receded and the puddles dried up, Noah’s faith was blessed immensely as he saw God’s power and character magnified. Why would one not trust in our All-Powerful God?

The Call to Action

Similarly to Noah, we are also called to demonstrate our faith by action. Jesus told us, in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” {Of course, we aren’t saved by works, but works, or actions, are a natural byproduct of living a life of faith. (See James 2:17)}  “Now the just shall live by faith.” (Heb 10:38 and Hab 2:4) As Believers, we not only live eternally because of our faith, but we also should live with the daily exercising of our faith.  Thankfully, God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us!

So, how does Noah’s story encourage you? How can you live by faith where God has planted you?

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Similarly to Noah, we are also called to demonstrate our faith by action. #ByFaith @DoNotDepart

Lessons from Noah’s story: learning to walk by faith and trust in God. #ByFaith @DoNotDepart

When You Wonder If Your Testimony Is “Good Enough”

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When You Wonder If Your Testimony Is Good Enough to Share {DoNotDepart.com}
When You Wonder if Your Testimony is Good Enough to Share.
Original Photo Credit

The question is not whether or not you have a testimony; the question is whether or not you will choose to share it.

In Mark 5, Jesus healed a man who had been possessed by demons. After Jesus healed him, the man begged to go with Jesus. I love Jesus’ response: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you” (Mark 5:19).

Go and tell.

It’s the exact same command Jesus gives to us today…to go and tell others what Jesus has done for us.

All too often, though, we wonder what we have to share.

Maybe you grew up in a Christian family, went to church since you were born, and don’t think your testimony is “good enough” to share. Maybe you read the story in Mark 5 and think, Sure, he has a story. He was healed of demon-possession. What can I possibly share that’s powerful like that? 

The truth is, though, your story is powerful, because your story (just like this man’s story) is a story of freedom.

Here are a few possible things Jesus might have freed you from:

  • Perfectionism
  • Worry
  • A life of addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, food, the approval of others, social media, etc.)
  • Fear
  • Self-doubt
  • Pride
  • Control
  • Anger
  • Discontentment
  • Unforgiveness

I don’t know from what God has freed you, but I do know this. Jesus doesn’t come into your life and leave your hands and feet bound by chains. He ever so carefully works to unbind whatever it is that constrains you.

As the chains fall to the ground, he asks of you the same thing he asked of the man in Mark 5: go and tell.

Tell your co-worker who is struggling with her finances how God helped you learn to handle your money. Tell your sister who just lost a baby how God healed your heart of its brokenness. Tell your friend who thinks no one could ever love her about the God who already does.

Your story might not be as explosive as another’s, but it is nonetheless powerful in the hands of the God who longs to use it.

What’s your story? When has someone else’s seemingly “small” story encouraged you? Share in the comments below!

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“The question is not whether or not you have a testimony; the question is whether or not you will choose to share it. http://wp.me/p1Su7F-2Pa” – Click to tweet this.

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What Happens When Jesus Gets Ahold of Your Heart

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What Happens When Jesus Gets Ahold of Your Heart {DoNotDepart.com}
Photo Courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net/Grant Cochrane

Admin note: We’d like to welcome Lindsey Bell to our writing team! Lindsey is a wife, awesome mom of two, and great writer with her first book coming out in less than two weeks! Meet Lindsey and her writing below. 

Something happens when Jesus gets ahold of your heart.

We’ve been talking all month about how God changes us…how he makes us into new creations…how he molds our lives through his Word and His Son.

This could not be more evident than in the life of John.

John, whom Jesus called a Son of Thunder, became the disciple of love.

John, the disciple who asked Jesus for permission to call down fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9), transformed into the man who later said these words: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7).

Anger to forgiveness.
Judgment to love.
Son of Thunder to Disciple of Love. 

So what happened that caused John to change?

As I look at the New Testament, I think the thing that happened was this: Jesus got ahold of John’s heart.

John watched as Jesus gave his life for the sins of the world (John 3:16-17).

He listened as Jesus taught the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5).

He saw Jesus forgive the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).

John witnessed the sinful woman pour perfume on Jesus’ feet…and then saw Jesus love this woman-this woman that everyone else refused to even look at.

When others would have avoided a person, Jesus reached out his hands and touched them. When others would have thrown stones, Jesus forgave. When others would have judged, Jesus loved.

And that’s what made all the difference for John.

I’ve learned it’s also what makes the difference for us. When Jesus gets ahold of our hearts, He changes us too.

Where once there was a heart of anger, He gives us forgiveness.

Where once there was a tendency to judge, He gives understanding and grace.

Where once there was brokenness, He gives healing.

I don’t know where you’re at today…if there’s anger eating away at your heart or pain that never seems to go away or unforgiveness threatening to destroy you…but I do know this:

If you’re willing to give these things to Jesus..and let Him get ahold of this area of your heart…something amazing is bound to happen.

Something always happens when Jesus gets ahold of your heart.

What’s a story of what changed when Jesus got a hold of your heart?

Truth for kids to tunes we know

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Never has it been so hard to compete with the rhythms of our world for space in the hearts and minds of our children. If adults today do not intentionally claim ground in the mental files of our next generation, modern culture will sweep in and take it.

Let The Children Come - DoNotDepart.com We must not wait for reading skills to emerge or for writing to reach journaling capacity, for vocabulary to include words like “discipleship” and “justification.”  While the sprout is still tender and the roots are just reaching out to take hold in the soil, the time is ripe to embed truth in the heart of a small child.  Truth creates a fertile environment for God to work in the mind and spirit, for understanding to grow, and for belief to mature into faith. While the ground of the young heart is soft, we have the chance to share the oral history of God’s written truth. To act in the earliest windows of childhood to prepare the next generation to abide, we must sing songs of faith.

By putting God’s word & stories to childhood tunes, we stir up benefits like:

  1. nurturing faith vocabulary to prepare children to be comfortable talking about truth
  2. embedding rhythmic, rhyming language in young memories, along with stories
  3. associating stories of God’s word with comfort and bonding with trusted adults
  4. placing mental “hooks” in the framework of a child’s thoughts for building later learning
  5. linking God’s word to what a child learns are the sounds and sense of joy

While excellent children’s faith music exists, we can use familiar, traditional songs like nursery rhymes and childhood tunes to sing original lyrics in our homes, in our Sunday Schools, and in our ministries. Need to help a child remember God’s truth? Follow these simple steps and check out the samples below.

Choose a simple, short, rhyming song children know.

  1. Take a story, character or passage and identify key truths to remember.
  2. You can get creative with the rhyming, but not with the truth! Be accurate.
  3. Use varied color and/or symbols to reinforce the lyrics visually.
  4. Design a display card or coloring sheet for a child to use as they grow.

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 89:1

Some of my favorite tunes for creating Bible songs:

  1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
  2. Row Row Row Your Boat
  3. Happy Birthday to You
  4. London Bridges Falling Down

Example:  (Using Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)  Start humming before you read!

Adam and Eve

God made us to be His friends. Then the first 2 people sinned.

Since He loved us He would give a HERO so that we could live.

Eve and Adam could not be heroes that would set us free.

Noah

Noah was a faithful man, built an ark with his 2 hands.

People laughed, but he obeyed, and safe inside his family  prayed.

Noah and his sons and wife knew that God has saved their life.

Abraham

Two old people had no son, though they hoped and prayed for one.

God said Abraham would be father of a family.

God keeps promises the same. 9 months later Isaac came.

Joseph

Jealous family, angry vote. Hated brother’s special coat.

Joseph was sold as a slave, his brothers’ sin he then forgave.

Though he went to Egypt’s test, God was working for his best.

Let’s use our mouths to make God’s faithfulness known through songs for all generations!

Let’s sing the stories of God’s acts and truths so our children will hide them in their hearts in the midst of the messages of our times!

His Word When We Doubt

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You read the Bible. Study the Bible. Even have portions of it memorized.

But what happens when real life seems to drown out what it says? Or when the words seem stale?

I confess I’m a Bible-believing Christian. I’ve rested on truths in the Word for years. Yet—as much as I hate to admit it—I can still wrestle with the simplest precepts when I’m faced with the unknown.

Like this spring and summer. When the opportunity came to return to El Salvador, I knew I wanted to go. And when a volunteer was needed to head up the VBS team, I knew it should be me. I prayed about it; God confirmed it; I signed up.

So what was the problem? The obstacles loomed too large—we lacked enough Spanish-speakers; we lacked enough adult helpers; we lacked enough people, period.

Yet the real problem?
I was doubting God’s goodness.

I knew He loved me enough to die for me, to make me whole, to save my soul. But did He love me enough to actively work a VBS with me in Central America?

Maybe it’s not logical, but I wanted to know more than I was forgiven or justified or sanctified. I needed to know I was cared about like a little girl by her father.

Doubts withstanding, I wrote skits. I ordered stickers. I bought jump ropes. Pray, plan, and press on.

Then something happened.

For months I’d been working on Psalm 103. “Bless the Lord, O my soul…” For months I’d wrestled with getting the words right. For months I’d wondered if I’d ever get the last verses in order.

But exactly one week before my mission trip, instead of working the Psalm, I surrendered to it. I made a counterintuitive move—instead of forging ahead with much-needed packing for VBS, for one day I’d pack nothing, speak nothing, do nothing but sit with God. And Psalm 103.

And there he uncovered the missing piece I’d been looking at all along—a scripture I’d read ninety-nine times, but needed to read a hundredth.

As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13

The words “shows compassion” communicated boldly.

If I could spend months and dollars and emotions on plans to show compassion to kids I didn’t even know, how much more would my Father show compassion to me, a child He did know, and know intimately?

Not only would He go with me to El Salvador, but He also had been planning for months, setting up gifts of grace for me to receive there, gifts of His tender compassion for a daughter He loved.

With one verse, in one day, old words I’d underlined three Bibles ago were made new again, breathing fresh life into the empty crevices of my soul.

His Words never die because He continues to speak them.

Never give up reading what you think you already know. Because they’re not just words on a page; they’re the heart of a Savior. They’re more than scriptures to sharpen a doctrine; they’re love letters from a Father. For child after child, year after year.

And was God compassionate to me in El Salvador? Oh my, yes. In ways a little girl couldn’t have imagined.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11

Reading the Bible isn’t just about gaining knowledge. It’s about the Spirit changing our lives.
What old words have touched you in a new way lately?
How have you experienced the Word as still alive?
Please join in the conversation.

His Word When We Wait

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We all wait for something.

We wait for phone calls. We wait for friends. We wait for jobs, for answers, for hope fulfilled.

Sometimes we wait years for an answer to a prayer or a new path to take. Sometimes waiting might mean only a few hours for test results, but it’s a life-halting wait.

In my family’s own (current) waiting, waiting for so long without foreseeable results causes me to feel helpless. Helpless and unable to affect a situation positively. How do we endure this waiting?

God speaks to this struggle, too. He shares in His Word wisdom on waiting.

What To Do While We Wait

  • Watch for wisdom while we wait: “Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
  • Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” – Proverbs 8:33-34
  • Wait on God, even when trouble presses in: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!” – Psalm 37:7
  • “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14
  • Wait, knowing God will answer, even if it’s not in the way we may have thought: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” – Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
  • “But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” – Psalm 38:15
  • Even while we wait, rejoice in our loving God: “…yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” – Habakkuk 3:18 (Read Habakkuk 3:16-19)
  • “…live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope…” – Titus 2:12b-13a (Read Titus 2:11-14. Read also Jude 1:20-21.)

Why to Trust While We Wait

  • Christ suffered for us all, and offers salvation which we can look forward to during our waiting: “…so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” – Hebrews 9:28
  • “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” – James 5:7-8

 

What verses encourage you while you wait for needs or answers? How do you use God’s Word to help others in their wait-filled struggles?

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