Kathy Howard, Author at Do Not Depart

God Will Care for You – Matthew 6:30

April 15, 2015 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

Don’t worry! God will care for you!

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:25-34, NIV

Every day this month the Do Not Depart team will be posting a scripture graphic that you can use to spread the Word of God. Share it on social media, print it out and write someone a letter, email it to someone who needs encouragement.

You are free to share our image with Psalm 19:1 above. If you have questions about how to download images, just ask in the comments (be sure to tell us what type of computer/device you are using.)

God clothes the grass with splendor. He will much more #care for you. #SpreadTheWord

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Today’s shareable image is Matt 6:30 #SpreadTheWord

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Heavens Declare God’s Glory – Psalm 19:1

April 11, 2015 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Psalm 19:1-6, NIV

Today’s shareable image is Ps 19:1 #SpreadTheWord

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The heaven’s declare #GodsGlory Ps 19:1 #SpreadTheWord

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Want to Shine? Then Stop Looking at “Me!”

March 10, 2015 by Kathy Howard 2 Comments

On Black Friday, November 2008, hundreds of out-of-control bargain hunters busted through the front doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart. The frenzied mob barreled through a line of employees in the entry knocking some to the ground and sending others fleeing for their lives. In the stampede, one young male employee was trampled to death.

No, they weren’t trying to escape a raging inferno or a madman with a gun. They just wanted to get to the bargains. A man lost his life because someone desperately wanted a big screen television.

We live in a self-absorbed culture. Our society teaches us to put ourselves first, to pamper ourselves, to step on others to get ahead. Figuratively, and apparently, literally.

Although extreme, this Black Friday tragedy is an example of our selfish sin nature in action. With no concern for others, each person selfishly acts to fulfill their own desires, charging ahead no matter whom might get hurt in the process. Every man – and woman – for himself.

What does it look like when everyone is looking out for “number one?” Simply take a look around. It’s the status quo for the good ‘ole USA.

But God operates on a different paradigm. His truth often – uh, make that usually – runs contrary to the accepted norm in the world around us.

Do we want to fit in with the world? Then we can simply keep putting ourselves and our own needs and desires first. We will blend right in with the darkness around us.

But what if we want to be a light in the darkness? What if we want to “shine like stars” and “hold out the word of life” to the lost souls around us? (See Philippians 2:15-16.)

The apostle Paul puts it this way in the second chapter of Philippians:

³Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. ⁵You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:3-5, NLT

God calls us to live a counter-culture life:

Turn “me first” into “you first”
Turn “look what I can do” into “what can I do for you?”
Turn “pride” into “humility”

This is the way Jesus lived. And our attitudes should be like His. Yet, real discipleship doesn’t mean we just live like Jesus or follow His example. Real discipleship means we step out of the way and let Jesus live His life through us.

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

You see, we have no real light of our own. We shine like stars when we allow The Light of the Word to shine through us (John 8:12).

Want to shine? Then stop looking at “me” and look at Him.

What one thing can you do today to stop looking at yourself?

Hearing God’s Love Song in Hard Times

February 10, 2015 by Kathy Howard 2 Comments

Have you ever wondered if God had forgotten you? Had stopped loving you? Perhaps you’ve thought your sorrow, grief, fear, loneliness, fear, or (you fill in the blank), would never end. In times like those, it’s not always easy to trust in God’s unfailing love.

Like a violent storm at sea, life is filled with circumstances that toss us around and threaten to pull us under. The psalmist David intimately knew about these storms of life. The 13^th psalm expresses his feelings during one such time:

¹How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
²How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Four times David asks “how long?” How long must I struggle? How long, oh God, must I wait for your answer?

He calls out to God for help. “Look, answer, give.” Then David makes a choice.

In the midst of his despair, David purposefully chose to trust God and lean on His unfailing love. David chose to anticipate God’s coming deliverance. (Check out Ali’s post from last Thursday for a great explanation of chesed, the Hebrew word used for God’s unfailing love.)

There will be days. Days when evil appears to win… when God seems absent… when the circumstances of life feel unbearable… Days that make us question God’s love for us. “If God loved me then…”

Circumstances do not define God’s love

But our circumstances do not define the depth or quality of God’s love for us. God loves us in and through every circumstance.

Our circumstances do not define the depth or quality of God’s love for us.

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Even when our circumstances have left us hopeless, our hope can begin anew in the God of unfailing love. Trust in His faithful love is not misplaced. This firmly placed trust will birth confidence that God will act on our behalf. And as this confidence grows, joy in our good and gracious God will take root and bloom.

Truths to cling to

Cling to the truths about God and His love even when you don’t see it.

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Sweet believer, when we don’t hear God or we don’t see His activity, we can still choose to trust in His love for us because He is faithful and His love is unfailing. We can choose to cling to the truths about Him we see in Scripture even though our circumstances might seem to indicate something different.

God is always there. Even when we don’t sense His presence.

God is always working. Even when we don’t see His activity.

God always loves us. Even when we don’t hear Him say it.

Will you choose to trust in Him and cling to His unfailing love today? If so, listen to “Oceans” and let it be a prayer of your heart. “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders… I will call upon your name… My soul will rest in your embrace, for I am Yours and You are mine.”

Love Songs – What is Real Love?

February 3, 2015 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

What is real love?

At it’s best, the world’s concept of love is warped and self-centered. At it’s worst, the world’s “love” is harmful and destructive. One recent example of the latter is the upcoming release of the movie version of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Which, sadly, is sure to be a block-buster.

This month at Do Not Depart, we will explore real love. God’s love.

W cannot fully know real love apart from knowing God. Because “God is love” (1 John 4:16). God is the source and initiator of true love.

Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4:14-16, NLT

When we come into a saving relationship with Jesus, God takes up residence within us. Real love comes to live inside us! Without a relationship with Jesus, we cannot experience or give true love because we are disconnected from God.

I don’t mean that non-Christians can’t give and experience tremendous “love.” While there is a huge range of emotions and behavior we call “love” – much of it wonderful! – we cannot have true “agape” love apart from knowing Jesus.

The Greek word used to describe the love of God and the love He calls His children to express is agape. Here’s a quick description of agape:

Agape is the love God has for His Son and for us
Agape is love expressed it deliberate action (See Romans 5:8)
Agape seeks the welfare of others
Agape is a choice; it’s love of volition, not emotion
Agape is based on the giver’s character and not the merit of the receiver

This month, we’ll discover more about the scope and depth of God’s love for us. We’ll see the glorious effects of His love in our lives. And we’ll learn how we can love like He loves.

Today, let’s reflect on the mind-boggling truth that God has chosen us as the object of His great love. Listen to “Only Your Love,” performed by Kari Jobe, worship our God, and praise Him for His amazing love.

Let’s talk: How is God’s love different from the way the world understands and expresses “love?”

Godly Women Live Focused on Eternity

January 13, 2015 by Kathy Howard 9 Comments

Helen Roseveare spent almost two decades dispensing medical care and eternal hope in the rainforests of Africa. In 1953, Dr. Roseveare left the material comforts of Great Britain for the Belgian Congo to serve as a medical missionary. For the first twelve years she built village hospitals, treated every illness and injury, loved the people, and told them about Jesus. Then in 1964 her circumstances turned from physically difficult to excruciating.

Political unrest marked the Congo in the early 1960’s. Although danger and instability were rampant, Dr. Roseveare chose to stay and continue her work. In 1964 violence escalated with the onset of a civil war. Dozens of missionaries were slaughtered and 200 Catholic priests and nuns were murdered. One Saturday afternoon in August, rebel forces entered Roseveare’s village. Some of them invaded her home. That night Roseveare was brutally beaten and raped. The rebels took her and a small group of other missionaries captive. For five long months she endured continued violence at the hands of her captors.

After her rescue in January 1965, Dr. Roseveare returned to England, but stayed less than a year. In 1966, she went back to the Congo to continue her work. The doctor spent the next seven years rebuilding hospitals, establishing a medical school, and training doctors and nurses to care for the Congolese people in the name of Jesus. (Brief bio)

Why did she return? Why did she leave the comforts and security of England for the uncertainty and potential suffering of the Congo?

Now or Forever?

Dr. Roseveare’s eternal perspective propelled her back. She could not remain in the United Kingdom when people in Africa had “never yet heard of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the redemption He wrought for them at Calvary.”

Even after her return to the west in 1973 she spoke and wrote to inspire other Christians to live in a way that reflected their certain hope in Christ’s return. Our costly redemption and the ongoing transformative work wrought in us by the Holy Spirit were more than enough incentive for Roseveare. In her book Living Holiness, she encourages readers to live holy lives, secure in Christ’s return, with a “longing in our hearts to be found watching and waiting to welcome Him.”

The following video is a brief interview with Dr. Roseveare. She talks about the sufficiency of God’s grace during times of suffering and why it’s vital believers “fall in love with Jesus.”

Our Struggle with the Temporary

I must admit, when I read about Christians like Helen Roseveare I feel like a hypocrite. Although I believe we must live our lives focused on the eternal, I still sometimes find myself living for the temporary. I still favor my comfort, my time, and my things too much. The temporary still has too much influence on my decisions and actions. I still often moan “Why me?” when trials and difficulties hit. And I still sometimes hesitate to talk about Jesus for fear of how someone else may react.

Many Christians get stuck in the demands of the here and now. Temporal activities pull us away from eternal matters. We pour our time and energy into the “delights” of this world and end up with little of lasting value. We often choose physical comfort over spiritual growth and refinement. But gaining the comforts of this world satisfies us only temporarily. Earthly pleasures all wear out and lose their appeal. And when the difficulties of life come, we are thrown off-balance.

Created for Eternity

No amount of worldly success, acclaim, or stuff will last any longer than my last breath. In the scope of eternity, it is all meaningless. But the things of God – the things that impact souls for Christ – will never rot, crumble, or fade away. We must look beyond the things of this world to find true meaning and relevance for life. God programmed us for eternity. He wired us to find fulfillment and excitement in the things that last beyond the physical. Living with an eternal perspective can generate an excitement and passion our faith has been missing. Let’s not wait any longer to live for forever! (Note: This post was excerpted from Kathy’s book “Fed Up with Flat Faith”)

Have you been living for the here and now or for eternity? What one change can you make today to focus more on the eternal?

For more about Dr. Roseveare and her return to the Congo see the movie about her life “Mama Luka Comes Home”

Mary: The Gift of Identity

December 9, 2014 by Kathy Howard Leave a Comment

Mary’s life was just what any young Jewish girl in the first century could hope for. She was secure in a strong community and a loving family. She was engaged to a good, righteous man who could provide well for their future together.

Mary knew who she was and what the days ahead had in store. She was “a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph” (Luke 1:27).

Then Gabriel showed up.

God’s plan to save mankind had been put into motion. When His eternal purposes crashed into the physical realm, everything changed for Mary.

God chose Mary to be the mother of the Savior, to be the vessel He would use to bring His Son into the world.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

Mary submitted herself to God’s will.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).

Mary’s obedience changed her future. Her submission to God’s plan changed her. It even changed how the world would see her. Then and today.

Mary willingly laid down her own plans for God’s plans. She set aside her own dreams for the future for God’s purposes for eternity. In the process, she offered God the girl she was, and received the woman God created her to be.

Mary’s view of herself and her future was not bad. It was simply far less than what God had determined for her. She saw herself with human eyes, with limited, temporal vision. Then God opened her eyes to His vision.

How do you see yourself? Maybe your identity is based solely on human plans and purposes. When we give ourselves wholly to God, He will begin to grow and shape us into the women He created us to be. Women who can carry out His God-sized purposes for our lives.

Why would we settle for less? Why would we want to be someone less?

Sisters, Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full. Let’s give our human-sized view of ourselves to God this Christmas and accept the fullness of everything He’s designed us to be.

In what ways do you still cling to your own identity? How can you offer that fully to God today?

3 Reasons to Thank God in Times of Trouble

November 11, 2014 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

Are you in the midst of some trial or difficulty or heartache right now? If not, I know you’ve been there and you will be again.

The writer of Psalm 118 knew trouble. His life had not been easy. For example, verses 8-14 alone hint at betrayal and attack. He had learned that men – whether in lowly or exalted position – could not be fully trusted (Psalm 118:8-9). He had felt caught in a hopeless and dangerous situation with no way out.

But in the middle of those trials, he also experienced God’s personal intervention on his behalf. In Psalm 118:8-14, the psalmist testifies to God’s deliverance and expresses his gratitude. In this passage, we find 3 reasons to thank God when we face times of trouble:

God is our refuge – When storms are raging all around us, we will always find safety in God’s presence. He is our shelter from the storm. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). From experience, the author of Psalm 118 had learned that people are not fully trustworthy, but God can always be trusted. He learned that he could not always depend on people, but he could depend on God in any and every situation. Like the psalmist, when we’re in the midst of trouble, let’s thank God that He is our refuge. When we hide ourselves in Him, He will be our shelter!
God is our protector – When people and circumstances fight against us, we do not have to wonder or worry about victory. God Himself goes with His people and fights for them (Deuteronomy 30:3-4). When the psalmist was surrounded and swarmed by his enemies, victory came through the name of the LORD. Do you ever feel “swarmed by enemies?” Call on the name of the LORD. Thank Him that He is your protector!
God is our strength – Verse 14 sums up this section of Psalm 118. “The LORD is my strength, and my song; He has become my salvation.” God saves! He will deliver us through trouble with the strength of His might. He is our reason to sing, so let us lift a song of praise and thanksgiving to the God who is our strength!

God is our refuge, our protector, and our strength! Thank Him today, especially in the midst of trouble.

How else can you thank God today? Express your gratitude in the comment section.

Jesus Is…

October 30, 2014 by Kathy Howard Leave a Comment

This month at Do Not Depart we’ve tackled a huge question: Who is Jesus? Although we will spend an eternity discovering the full answer, we have touched on a few vital truths.

Let’s recap what we’ve learned:

Jesus is the True Sacrifice – Ali reminded us that Jesus was the final and full sacrifice for sin. “We can have hope because we have a loving Savior who gave himself to rob our sin. We no longer need to live under guilt and condemnation! We’re set free from the punishment of sin! And we’re able to approach the throne of grace confidently (Heb 4:16) any and every time we draw near to God.”

Jesus was fully human – Lindsey showed us from Scripture that Jesus was 100% human. “Because Jesus was fully human, he understands fully what it’s like to be human… He understands our struggles… our fears … and our feelings of abandonment when God seems distant.”

Jesus was fully God – Jesus was 100% human, but Scripture teaches He was also 100% God. (God’s able to do math like that!) Lisa laid out a list of reasons why we must accept the deity of Jesus. “Everything is different for us since Jesus is divine. Awakened to a higher purpose, we have a fuller joy now and a kingdom home with God forever.”

Jesus is our High Priest – Jesus is the only mediator between us and God the Father. He gives us access to God. I love how Caroline reminded us that because Jesus is our High Priest, “we can come to Him any time, any place, with anything on our hearts.”

Jesus is the Messiah – Jesus is the Promised One, the Deliverer, the Savior, the One God’s people had long waited for. I loved Patti’s conclusion: “Jesus our Messiah bore our every sin. He was anointed to make intercession for us with His very life, and save us from an eternity of separation from God. Jesus is the Anointed Savior Who was promised from the beginning – our Messiah and our hope!”

We could say so much more about Jesus! But instead of me rambling on, I ‘d like to share some words from the Nicene Creed, crafted by some of the early church fathers at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God,
begotten of his Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again
according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;
and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end.

Jesus – who is our Savior, our Sacrifice, our High Priest, and our God – is coming again as King!

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, NIV

Who Is Jesus?

October 7, 2014 by Kathy Howard 6 Comments

Recently, I came across a book my grandmother gave me in 1966 about Jesus and His disciples. It includes a one-page description and an artist rendering of Jesus and each of the twelve. The full-color drawings are beautiful. They just aren’t necessarily accurate. For instance, “Jesus” is portrayed with light brown hair and blue eyes.

In giving Jesus these specific physical characteristics, the artist separated Jesus from His Jewish heritage. Maybe that’s how the artist pictured Him. Perhaps the artist was swayed by his audience’s expectations. But a Jew with blue eyes and light hair would have been very unusual in ancient Palestine. A blue-eyed, light-haired Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible.

After seeing that drawing, I started to wonder about other ways we might have “altered” Jesus into a Savior of our own making. Is our understanding of Jesus accurate? Or has it been morphed by our own worldviews and preconceptions?

Join us this month at Do Not Depart as we explore the Jesus of the Bible. Our goal is to delve into the truth of God’s Word to better understand Jesus. My prayer for us is that God will correct any misconceptions. That He would expand and explode our view of the Savior. That we would be humbled and fall on our faces in worship.

Have you ever believed something about Jesus that God later corrected? What was it? How did He show you the truth?

12 Verses for God’s Comfort & Strength

September 9, 2014 by Kathy Howard 4 Comments

The grief was raw. The crisis was fresh. I woke in the middle of the night, overwhelmed, feeling the weight of it pressing in.

Feeling on the verge of an anxiety attack, I began to pray. Then the Holy Spirit reminded me of Scriptures I had memorized. As I prayed them back to God, calm washed over me. Soon, I drifted back to sleep.

God’s timing is perfect. When that trial hit a few years ago, I was in the middle of writing a devotional book for “troubled times.” Because I had “hidden His Word” in my heart, it was there for God to use when I needed it most.

From beginning to end, the Bible assures us of God’s comforting presence and strength in times of trial and difficulty. The 12 verses below are some of my favorites. You can commit them to memory or print the pretty PDF version and keep it some place you’ll see it often.

Deuteronomy 31:8 – God goes before and with us. We do not have to be afraid or discouraged because He will never leave or forsake us.
Psalm 9:10 – God never forsakes those who seek Him.
Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength.
Psalm 73:25-26 – No matter what we lose in this life, we have God and He is all we need.
Isaiah 40:31 – God renews the strength of those who hope in Him.
Isaiah 43:2 – When we face difficulties, God goes with us.
Jeremiah 32:17 – Nothing is too hard for our God.
Matthew 11:28-30 – Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to Him.
Romans 8:39 – Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Second Corinthians 4:7-9 The world may press us hard, but God’s strength and presence will not allow us to be crushed.
First Peter 5:7 – God cares about us and every aspect of our lives.
First John 4:4 – God is far greater than Satan.

Perhaps you’re going through a season of difficulty and trial. Or maybe someone who is close to you is struggling. These passages can be a balm to your soul. Plus, they’re merely a small sample of the amazing truths about God’s great love and care for us.

Share your favorites in the comments below or tell us how one of these verses has ministered to you. Rest in His loving embrace today!

The World’s Way or God’s Way?

August 12, 2014 by Kathy Howard 5 Comments

Purity for Today's Christian Woman When I look at my three grown children I see hints of both my husband and me. My daughters have Wayne’s dark eyes. My son Mark’s eyes are green like mine. Sometimes when Mark speaks he sounds exactly like his dad. And occasionally the girls move in a way that mirrors one of my mannerisms.

Physically we are all a mix of our parents – good traits and less desirable ones too. But unfortunately, the character and behavior of believers are also often a mix. In some ways we reflect our heavenly Father and sometimes we look just like the world.

This month at Do Not Depart we are focusing on sexual purity for today’s Christian woman. The gap continues to grow between the world’s sexual standards and God’s. If we truly desire to follow Jesus, we must dare to ask ourselves: “Are my values and behavior in the area of purity being shaped by God or the world?”

God commands us to turn away from the world’s values and standards and instead be shaped by His thinking. His character. His ways.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2, NLT

Sadly, many of us are shaped more by the world than we even realize. We live in a culture that is saturated with sex, sexual overtones, and sexual undertones. It is pervasive. Our society has “lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more” (Ephesians 4:19).

But God calls us to “put off” that way of life, “which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,” and to be “made new in the attitude of our minds” and to live a holy life (Ephesians 4:20-24).

Today, let’s lay the world’s standards alongside God’s and see where we stand. The table below compares God’s truth with the world’s viewpoint on a number of sexual issues. As you review it, ask God to show you whether He or the world most shapes your attitude and behavior.

TOPIC	WORLD’S VIEW	GOD’S TRUTH	SCRIPTURE
Sex Before Marriage	At the worst: Anytime, anyone. At the best: Okay if you’re “in love”	God created sex. But He designed it to be for one man and one woman within the context of a marriage relationship.	Genesis 1:27-28, 2:20-25;Matt 19:4-9
Adultery	Still frowned upon in some circles, but easily justified – loveless marriage, marriage problems, etc.	The principle above also applies to the married man and woman. Sex should be reserved for the married couple.	Exodus 20:14;Matt 15:16-20, 19:4-9; 1 Tim 1:8-10
Pornography –Defined as “obscene writings, drawings, photographs, etc.”	Not only has our culture increasingly accepted pornography, our culture’s definition of what is “obscene” has also changed. So much so, Christian women read books like “Fifty Shades of Grey” without hesitation.	Reading & viewing sexually graphic material fosters sexual desire & even creates a physical response. Since Jesus said lusting after a woman is the same as the physical act of adultery, we must guard our hearts & minds from anything that causes this kind of reaction.	Matt 5:27-30Phil 4:8
Personal Appearance	Women dress to be sexually desirable. Even clothing for young girls reflects this. Edgy, sexy, flirtatious is the goal.	God is the author of beauty. But our culture has replaced beauty with “sexy.” Christian women must be careful not to cause anyone to stumble by the way we dress. Our conduct in every area must be for the glory of God.	1 Peter 3:3-4;1 Cor 8:9;1 Cor 10:31-33
General Role of Sex	We live in a hyper-sexualized culture. Sex pervades every area of our society. Advertisers know that “sex sells.” We give condoms to middle-schoolers and “Teen Moms” grace the cover of supermarket tabloids.	God created sex as good, enjoyable, & productive. But He also created limits. Our limits are to be one man with one woman inside the bounds of marriage. Sin has warped it and made it vulgar.	Eph 4:17-24

Print PDF version.

What’s the verdict? Did you discover any areas that need to be transformed by God’s truth? Which areas do you think Christians struggle with most?

Are my values of purity and behavior being shaped by God or the world?

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By Faith Moses Lived for Eternity

July 15, 2014 by Kathy Howard 6 Comments

A furniture store commercial caught my attention the other day. Not because I need furniture, but because of the push they made at the end to get people to come into the store. It went something like this:

Buy now and pay nothing for 60 months!

Okay. I see at least two things wrong with this. One, if you don’t pay anything for 60 months, you haven’t purchased anything. You’re merely putting someone else’s furniture in your house. Two, Anybody who can’t make a payment on a couch for five years probably shouldn’t be buying it to begin with. (I realize there may be a few odd exceptions and my husband and I have used credit before. But let’s roll with the illustration.)

This commercial is an example of the “live for the moment, instant gratification” attitude our culture fosters. And it’s so easy to conform, because our human nature likes to live for the here and now. To gratify all our desires immediately and to live the easy path of least resistance.

But people of faith are called to swim against that cultural tide. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, these great heroes of our faith showed us how to live with our eyes on eternity instead of on today. Moses really stands out as an example of living with an eternal attitude.

By the world’s standards, Moses had it all. As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he had money, power, and status. He could have lived his entire life in lavish luxury and comfort, being waited on hand and foot by countless servants. But he turned away from it all to embrace something with far greater eternal value. Here’s how Hebrews 11:24-27 puts it:

²⁴It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. ²⁷It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

Moses purposefully chose eternal reward and his relationship with God and God’s people over the “pleasures” of the world. Suffering for Christ was of more value to him than all the “treasures of Egypt.” Because Moses kept his eyes on the “One who is invisible,” he was able to keep the lure of the present in perspective. He lived by faith and for eternity.

Moses and the other members of the Hall of faith were not perfect people. For instance, Gideon hesitated to obey and both Samson and David allowed lust to lead them astray. But Hebrews 11:13-16 tells us all of them had a faith stronger than death because they lived this life with eternity in mind. Here are a few characteristics of their “eternally-minded” faith:

Looked beyond this physical life to the complete fulfillment of God’s promises
Had a deep trust in God no matter the physical circumstances
Spent their earthly life investing in their eternal future
Remembered their true home was with God

God created us for eternity; His purposes are eternal. Living with eternity in mind will greatly impact our here and now. For instance, an eternal perspective will help us keep life’s trials in perspective, welcome God’s refinement, and teach us to depend on Him. Like Moses, we will “live by faith” with our eyes fixed on “Him who is invisible.”

How would embracing this kind of eternal focus impact a situation in your life right now?

Tweetables:

“People of faith are called to swim against that cultural tide.” Discussing Moses’s faith at @DoNotDepart: http://wp.me/p1Su7F-313 #ByFaith – Click here to tweet this.

How Moses kept his eyes on the eternal to live #ByFaith: http://wp.me/p1Su7F-313 from @KathyHHoward at @DoNotDepart – Click here to tweet this.

Does Holiness Really Matter?

June 3, 2014 by Kathy Howard

This post is also a giveaway! Please read to the end to find out how to enter.

Two years ago, “Fifty Shades of Grey” caught the attention of American women – including many Christian women. They gobbled up the erotica with a shrug and justifications like these:

It’s only fantasy.
I’m not participating; I’m just reading fiction.
I need to know how to speak to the culture.

Maybe you were even one of those women – one of many Christian women who bought into the lie that it’s no big deal.

It is a big deal. And this book is merely one example of believers conforming to the ways of the world instead of purposefully cooperating with the Holy Spirit to be transformed into the image of Christ (Romans 12:1-2). Rather than actively pursuing holiness, many of us in the church don’t live or look much different than our non-Christian neighbors.

Does it matter? Is holiness merely a pursuit for the “super spiritual” or should holiness be a concern for every believer?

Before we turn to Scripture, let’s consider the impact of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Studies prove that what we put into our minds – read, see, hear – affects our thinking and fosters a change in behavior. Reading detailed, warped, and sinful descriptions of sexual acts desensitizes us to sexual immorality and harms our marriage relationships.

God’s call to holiness is for our good and His glory. He created us. He knows which attitudes, behaviors, and thoughts benefit us. He also knows which ones do not. He also wants His people to be a reflection of His character. To be a light in a dark world that leads the way to the Savior. But far too often we hang in the shadows ourselves.

This month at Do Not Depart, we will explore the biblical doctrine of holiness. Our call, what it is, what it looks like, how it benefits us, and more. Holiness really truly does matter – for your own life and for a world in darkness.

Have you given holiness much thought? Is it something you’ve actively pursued in your own life? Why or why not?

Enter to Win!!

This post is a giveaway. Comment on this post to enter to win one of three copies of Kathy’s new Bible study, Embraced by Holiness: The Path to God’s Daily Presence. This 6-week, in-depth study helps readers discover a deeper intimacy with God through a life of holiness. Embraced explores why believers should pursue holiness and guides readers through practical steps to pursuing a holy life. (Find out more about the study.) The contest closes at noon on Tuesday, June 10th!

UPDATE ON JUNE 11: The contest is closed. The winners are Yasmin, Brenda, and Lynn. Congratulations!!

Focus on Spiritual Gifts with a Wide-Angle Lens

May 6, 2014 by Kathy Howard 2 Comments

When I take photos of people I like to get in close, to focus on the face, and cut out much of the surroundings. I’ve gotten some great portraits that way. However, focusing tightly on one subject loses the greater context. We can’t know where they were or what they were doing or if there was anyone else around.

The church treats spiritual gifts that way sometimes. For instance, we might focus on a single gift, its importance, or its function. Or, we might focus on an individual’s set of gifts, what she’s equipped to do or not do, or where she might fit in the church.

While this kind of focus can be helpful, we need to also view spiritual gifts with the wide-angle lens to keep them in the proper context. If we don’t, one or more of these problems, abuses, and limitations will likely pop up:

We might use our “gifts” or “lack of a gift” as justification to disobey God’s call to service or to a specific task.
We might limit what God wants to do through our life.
We might miss out on participating in an amazing work of God.
We might fall into pride over the manifestation of the Spirit in our lives.
We might unconsciously shift the glory God deserves to ourselves.

No one who loves Jesus wants to be out-of-focus when it comes to spiritual gifts. So, before the Do Not Depart team focuses in on specific gifts throughout the month, let’s take a step back, snap on the wide-angle lens, and view them in the larger context.

⁴There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ⁶God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, NLT

What is the Source of Spiritual Gifts?

The Holy Spirit is the sole source of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:4). Without the Holy Spirit, there are no spiritual gifts, only the physical talents and natural abilities God gifts to every human.

But, if you are in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, then His Spirit resides within you (Romans 8:9-10). We don’t get a piece of Him. We get the whole kit and caboodle. The entire person of the Holy Spirit lives within believers, working through us to accomplish God’s purposes.

What are Spiritual Gifts?

According to the Bible, spiritual gifts are the way the Holy Spirit chooses to work through an individual to accomplish God’s purposes (1 Cor 12:6). The gifts are the way He reveals His presence in an individual life and uses them to serve the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:5,7).

Therefore, the gifts are the outflow of our relationship with the Holy Spirit. If our relationship is weak, the gifts will be weak. Whatever we’re “doing for God” will simply be in our own strength and power.

In the powerful little book, What’s So Spiritual About Your Gifts?, author Henry and Mel Blackaby elaborate on this truth:

“If we seek the gifts of the Spirit and not the Holy Spirit Himself, we’ll always focus on self. We must learn to understand that there are no gifts apart from an intimate relationship with the Spirit… If you do not walk in the Spirit, you do not have a spiritual gift. Apart from the Spirit, whatever “gifts” we display can only be our natural talents, drawing attention to self.”

What is the Purpose of Spiritual Gifts?

God gives individual believers gifts to be used for the good of the church. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7). Not so we can look good or do something great for God or feel useful.

Patti said it so well in her introductory post:

“God does not give us gifts to puff us up, or to make us feel inferior. His purpose in giving spiritual gifts is for us to use them for His glory, and for the good of others. In selfless service using our God-given gifts, we love actively and show Jesus Christ in the world.”

As we each use the gifts God has given us, the members of the body will get what they need and we’ll grow into spiritual maturity together. As each one does her part, the body will be built up in love and increasingly reveal Jesus to the world. (See Ephesians 4:12-16.)

Who Has the Power?

Too often we limit what God may want to do through us because we’re focusing on the gifts instead of the Giver. Have you ever said “no” to God because He asked you to do something that fell outside the realm of your “gifting.”

Believer, the Source of the gifts resides within us! The power He exerts through us to accomplish God’s purposes is the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead! (See Ephesians 1:19-20.) Nothing God asks of us can ever fall outside the realm of His resurrection power!

Oh sweet believer, let’s focus on the Giver and not the gifts. When we do, we will be operating in His power, for His purposes. And He will get all the glory!

How could our understanding and use of spiritual gifts change when we use the wide-angle lens?

Especially in the Storm

April 8, 2014 by Kathy Howard 1 Comment

I heard it for the first time during a funeral for a godly mother of two young children. An 18-wheeler ran right over her suburban in heavy city highway traffic. An entire family forever changed in an instant.

It wasn’t just the words of “Praise You in the Storm” that impacted me. It was knowing that the family had picked the song. In the midst of overwhelming grief and life-altering circumstances they chose to praise God and stand on His truth no matter how things looked – or felt.

Here’s the chorus of the song by Casting Crowns (find the full lyrics here):

And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

The truth reflected in “Praise You in the Storm” is very biblical, though it doesn’t come naturally – or easy – for many of us. When circumstances are dire, when the way is difficult, and even the future looks dark, we can praise God. We can stand firm on the truth of Who God is, even when our emotions tell us He doesn’t care or He has forgotten us.

God lovingly highlighted this truth for me a couple of years ago when pain hit our own family. Believer, sometimes, on the darkest days, we must simply choose to believe that God is there and working for our good. When all we see is chaos and all we feel is hopelessness, we can cling to what we know to be true about God.

Along with the prophet Habakkuk we can declare:

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT

God is faithful and trustworthy all the time. Not just when everyone is healthy and there’s money in the bank. He is faithful and trustworthy in the midst of the storm. Especially in the storm.