Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

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Jesus: Immanuel

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{Steph was the first of the Scripture Dig  team I met in person.  She lives just an hour or so from me and has the most genuine heart of anyone I know.   If you are looking for an encourager, Steph is one of the best I’ve ever known!   I love this post from her Christmas series about the names of Jesus.   And I love her heart – which longs to know Him and to share His love with others.  ~ Teri Lynne}

“All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14

In the Old Testament, the Lord promised King Ahaz that He would give His people a sign. The sign was not only the blessing of the birth of the Messiah, but it was also the promise of His presence. It was all wrapped up in the name “Immanuel”.

In the New Testament, we find the fulfillment of that promise lying in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. His name was Jesus – and He is Immanuel.

“All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel,which means ‘God is with us.’”

I can think of no more penetrating truth than the fact that God is with us. He is not some distant being who has plopped us down on planet earth to try to figure this thing out on our own. He hasn’t left us here without hope or direction. He is with us.

There’s an unmistakeable comfort in the fact that the God who spoke this world into being is personally involved in our lives and assures us of His presence no matter what we’re going through. There’s also an unshakeable reality that His presence calls us to live holy lives. Knowing we can’t escape the view of God reminds us of our ultimate accountability to Him. But it also enourages our fearful and hurting hearts to know we are not alone. We have never escaped the view of God – not even for a second.

I’m not sure where you are in this season of your life? Perhaps you’re afraid, lonely or feel as if you’re invisible. I want you to know that God is with you. You are not alone – not even for a second. Curl up at your Savior’s feet and allow Him to lift you up and wrap His loving arms around you. He loves you with an ever lasting love. You are enscribed on the palm of His hand. You are the apple of His eye and the affection of His heart. He is with you.

Like the disciples in Matthew 8 who feared they would be swallowed up by the sea, Jesus is with you to speak peace to your storm and to speak peace to your heart in the midst of your storm.

Perhaps you need to be reminded that He is with you because you’re dabbling with sin and His presence is a reminder that it’s not worth it. I pray you will listen to the still small voice that may be calling you away from that which will never satisfy to that which will never let you down.

We don’t always know how to do this thing called life. We don’t always get it right. We struggle with living well. But God is with us (Immanuel), my friend. And that’s all we need to know.

What does God’s presence mean to you? Have you been feeling far from God lately?

Sitting in the Dust Together

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One of my favorite series from Kristi’s blog was her study “How Could a Good God…” It was hard to pick a favorite from her posts on Job and Ecclesiastes. I finally decided on “Sitting in the Dust Together” because this is truly the type of friend Kristi is, one who will sit in the dust with you!

I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when my dear friends are experiencing such deep and gripping agony that I just have no idea what to do.  I want to offer words of comfort… I want to help… and then later on I feel like a fool for saying what probably came across as trite rather than comforting.

We have good friends who lost a child several years ago.  A few months later I was talking with her about their experience; she told me that some of the most painful things to deal with were the well-intentioned words from others. Words that were meant to heal left deeper wounds in their path, because those who were trying to comfort could not fathom the depth of their pain.

I wince and wonder if some of those unintentionally cutting words came from me.

For this reason, Job 2:11-13 is so profound to me.

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite,

heard about all the troubles that had come upon him,

they set out from their homes and met together by agreement

to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.

When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;

they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.

No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

Now, Job’s friends end up not being terribly helpful or encouraging… but they started out great.  They saw the depth of his suffering and sat on the ground in silence for seven days and nights.

When we see those we love experiencing unimaginable pain and despair, we would be wise to follow the example of these three men.  We need to keep our “helpful” words to ourselves.  Weep with them.  Mourn with them.  Sit on the ground in silence with them.

Because sometimes no words can help.

Have you been the bearer of too-quickly-spoken words?  Have you been hurt by the “comfort” offered by others in times of loss?  What would it look like to sit in the dust with someone you love?

A God I Cannot Understand

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{If you follow Kristi’s blog, you know she does an awesome job of walking women through the Word! I love her gentle spirit and strong faith that seem to radiate throughout each post. When I read, “A God I Cannot Understand“, I couldn’t wait to highlight it as one of my KristiStephens.com favorite posts. We all face things that bring us to a crisis of belief – circumstances that cause us to trust God even when we don’t understand. In “A God I Cannot Understand”, Kristi helps us find clarity even when everything around us seems unclear.}

A God I Cannot Understand

Originally posted March 14th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

Miedo-ajeno

There is much discussion these days about theology, about what God would or would not do, of how God would or would not judge – as limited human beings we kick against Scripture that describes a God who is bigger than we can understand, more wrathful at sin than we feel comfortable with, and at the same time more gracious than we can fully comprehend. We reinterpret the Bible to make it comfortable, to reduce God to a size more understandable, to try to represent Him in ways that seem more appealing to a culture repulsed by the idea of being told our sin makes us deserving of punishment.

Here’s the thing: I do not understand God.

Yesterday I sat in church and rejoiced with our body as we welcomed a pastor who has obviously been sent by our sovereign and gracious God into our midst. He has heard our prayers. He has seen our need. He has provided. We worshiped Him with glad hearts and recognized His very tangible work in our midst.

I sat in my seat and pondered: God is good, yes. He absolutely is good and gracious and a God who hears the prayers of His people. He is also the sovereign and omnipotent God who is with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering unimaginably in Japan. The earth is groaning, His people are crying out to Him, they are learning to worship Him from a place of lamentation and loss. His goodness, His character is not different in different parts of the world. His strength is not limited. We are no more deserving of His grace and care than anyone else.

I do not understand God.

There are many things I cannot fully explain to you about my God. I cannot wrap my feeble, small mind around His bigness. But I can know with certainty what I read in God’s Word.

I open my Bible and read of a great God who is unlimited in power and knowledge, unbound by time and space. I do not fully understand, but I know it with certainty to be true: His Word says it clearly.

I read of a God who is one and also three, who has existed from eternity past and will never end. When I ponder these things my brain hurts. I cannot wrap my mind around it, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

I see in His Word and His plan that He is utterly and unspeakably holy. That no sinful man can stand in His presence. The descriptions of His holy wrath and judgment against sin make me shudder in awe – I cannot fathom this kind of holiness, this consuming fire that is my righteous Creator, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

In my Bible I find a God who loves the lowly creatures He made. That even when they outright rebelled against Him He refused to turn His back and abandon them to their chosen path of rebellion. I meet a God who would provide a shocking way to pay the penalty for sin that His holy nature demanded, as God the Son willingly wrapped Himself in limited flesh and sacrificed Himself on our behalf. What kind of loving God is this? My heart aches at even the glimmer of recognition of this kind of love, but I know it with certainty: His Word says it clearly.

I do not fully understand my God. I cannot understand or put into words exactly how God’s sovereignty and man’s choice intersect, nor can I fully grasp the weight of eternal punishment for sin that our Bibles clearly describe. I cannot completely explain why God would allow devastating natural disasters like what we are witnessing in Japan.

But there is much I know: My God doesn’t just do good things – He IS good. My God doesn’t just love us – He IS love. He is a just, righteous, merciful, holy, sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, indescribably awesome God. Through Him all things hold together and have their being, and nothing, NOTHING, is out of His control.

I don’t understand Him. I open my hands to Him and accept with deep gratitude the gracious gifts He has given us. We do not deserve firm ground beneath our feet and safe families more than anyone else. I do not understand why He has chosen to bless us in this moment and why His plan includes such deep suffering in Japan. I do not understand. But I trust Him. I know with certainty that He is a trustworthy God.

I’m glad He is too big for me to fathom. A God small enough for me to understand… would not be God at all.


Emotional Modesty

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Since modesty is described as “regard for decency of behavior, speech, dress, etc,” I would say we live in an immodest world.  As technical platforms of communication have been added (fancy way of referring to blogs, Twitter, Facebook and the like) we have been slow in applying Biblical wisdom to new arenas of conduct. When Kristi shared this on KristiStephens.com for GatherInSpirit last fall, it seemed timely for me and for our world. I passed it on then, and I’m happy to pass it on today. And if you’re looking for more on this topic, Kristi just added some helpful new thoughts this week about:  Questions to Ponder Before You Post.  How will you “dress” and “behave” online today?

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Originally shared on September 3, 2010.

Modesty. The word, for me, typically conjures up mental images of women wearing turtlenecks, floor length skirts (with no slit, of course), and knee length socks.

I’m kidding. Sort of.

While we might all differ slightly on our interpretation of what, exactly, modest dressing is, we all understand that there are certain things that are appropriate and inappropriate in various situations. I might not be wearing a floor length skirt with coordinating turtleneck to church, but I also am not going to wear my swimming suit.

I dress modestly because it is a protection for me, shows respect for the unique relationship I have with my husband, honors the God who made my body, and guards against inappropriate thoughts and behavior with others.

Lately I have been pondering an interesting phenomenon I see everywhere in the online world – facebook status updates, tweets, and blog posts are brimming with something I call “emotional immodesty.” These online venues have given us an uncensored outlet, a place to share things that often should not be said, with a veneer of privacy as we sit alone with our laptop or iphone and share our every thought with thousands of strangers. To make this even trickier, we often do it and call it “being real,” as though it was a virtue.

There are natural levels of intimacy built into human relationships. Within marriage, both my body and my soul can be safely and freely shared – and they should be, if the marriage is to be healthy. Within close relationships in the body of Christ, there is much that I can share freely and safely, especially with my husband by my side. I can sit in our small group and be very much myself – discussing Scripture, sharing burdens, laughing and crying and joking. But even here, there is a distinction between what I will share in this venue and what I would share with my husband. I will share more with these small group members than I will with a new friend, and I would share more with a new friend than I would with a stranger in the grocery store.

There are proper concentric circles of intimacy in my life – and if I let anyone “jump boundaries” and become as intimate or more intimate with me emotionally than I am with my husband, relationships will be marred. If I pour out my every longing and struggle to a stranger, I have built an awkward, unnatural, and unhealthy connection with this person – any potential of us having a functional healthy friendship is pretty much gone! Just as modest dress is a protection for me, shows respect for my husband, honors God, and guards against inappropriate thoughts and behavior with others, these circles of emotional modesty do the same. They must be there – even online.

Just as our standards of what it means to dress modestly will differ, our definitions of what is appropriate and inappropriate to share in various circumstances will differ, as well. As you think through how to guard your own emotional modesty online, here are some points to consider:

  • “Being real” does not excuse sin. Slander, causing petty strife and division, and complaining (among other things) are SIN. As our society falls farther from truth, we have begun to flaunt our shame instead of allowing it to prompt us toward true repentance. Flippantly sharing issues of sin, openly complaining, or attacking another person are not acceptable online or in person. Sharing these things lightheartedly with a thousand twitter followers is no more of a true confession than is Brittany Spears singing “oops, I did it again.”
  • If I am sharing something very personal on my blog (which frankly is rather rare), I have my husband read it first and am open to his feedback. I want to build trust with him, not tear it down by sharing things he is uncomfortable with strangers knowing about our lives. If you are often having your husband, kids, or friends ask, “you’re not going to put this on your blog, are you?,” that is a flag that you are probably crossing some boundaries.
  • Is the dynamic between you and your online friends radically different than the dynamic between you and real-life friends? Online friendships can be deep and sweet and very real – but they can also give you a false sense of intimacy if you share far more with them than you would with people you interact with personally.

There are many other guidelines that could be added to this list. How do you monitor your online “modesty?” Do you need to work on this area, or are there guidelines you use for yourself that might help someone else?

God in Concert

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I love the picture Kristi paints in the blog below of corporate worship. Sometimes we forget that worship is both personal and corporate. We absolutely need both. God absolutely deserves both.

Originally posted on October 14th, 2010 at Kristi Stephens.com

“Experiencing God in the midst of an assembly, the gathered people of God – His church – is like hearing God in concert. We all, in different ways, experience God throughout our day as individuals: in our private devotional life, in the beauty of nature, and in our acts of service to the poor. But as wonderful and necessary as these experiences are, they do not replace the experience of God in concert. Like an iPod or portable music player, they replicate the music of the concert experience, but they cannot replace the concert itself. God is a master musician, and He is best experienced live in concert.

I’d like you to think about heaven for a moment. When the curtain is pulled back and we get a glimpse into the world of heaven in the book of Revelation, we see an enormous assembly-  a concert of living creatures, elders, and people of every tribe, nation, and tongue gathered together around the throne of God (Rev. 4-5; 7; 14). Heaven is not presented as a private recital of God’s glory. It’s not an individualistic experience. When the Bible speaks about the end-time return of Jesus Christ, we are told it is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19) – a giant, celebratory, communal feast, not a series of private picnics. It’s a community experience…

When we assemble together as the church, we re-create the concert of heaven here on earth. Hebrews 12:18-29 teaches us that the gathering of God’s people is a re-creation of this heavenly experience. Just as Israel gathered around the temple and the tabernacle to re-create their foundational assembly at Mount Sinai, we do something similar when we gather as an assembled church. Instead of re-creating the assembly on Mount Sinai, we join our worship to the eternal worship of the assembled in heaven (Heb. 12:22-29).

Because we have come near to God in this heavenly assembly, we should ‘worship God with reverence and awe.’ (v. 28)” [Samra, 32-33]

This quote comes from an excellent book written by my parents’ pastor and friend, pastor Jim Samra from Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His book, The Gift of Church, is an excellent read – highly recommend it!

Selecting Devotional Materials

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{One of my favorite series Kristi has done was her “tour through the Christian book store.”   Each of these posts presents sound information and questions to ask about what we find in these stores and how to be discerning about what we purchase.  This one, however, is my favorite!  I love Kristi’s wisdom in this post about the importance of moving beyond devotional reading into digging into God’s Word.   Thank you, my friend, for sharing your insight with us! ~ Teri Lynne}

Originally posted March 17, 2010 on KristiStephens.com

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been taking a “virtual field trip” through a Christian book store.  As I stated at the beginning of this series, Christian bookstores can be both a blessing and a trap – there are so many good resources and encouraging things out there in the Christian market, but there are also many that are irreverent, misleading, full of doctrinal error, or sold through packaging rather than content.

We’ve discussed the “Jesus junk” section, Christian fiction, and the Children’s Section – today I’d like to discuss using discernment when selecting devotional books and Bible study resources.

Let me say this upfront: The Word of God can and will change our hearts and lives.  It is living and active and powerful.

But the Word of God cannot change our lives if we spend one minute, or five minutes for that matter, in it per day.

Many devotional books seem to be written with the premise of “fitting in” time in God’s Word into your busy life.  I’ve seen so many versions of “one minute devotionals” or “busy mom devotionals” that it makes me crazy.  I’ve even seen these on CD – if you cannot even find one minute to read one verse, you can listen to it in your car.

There is nothing inherently wrong with devotional books – much of what I do on this site is basically writing devotionals.  I read and study Scripture, try to explain it, and draw applications from it.  Reading devotional thoughts from another believer who has studied and meditated on Scripture can be inspiring, challenging, encouraging.

But we MUST understand: Devotional material cannot replace actually spending time reading God’s Word for ourselves.

My advice is this: if you enjoy using devotional books, don’t just read the verse they print on the page for you.  Read it from your Bible. Actually, read the whole passage, chapter, and preferably book of the Bible.

Try to find devotionals that direct you back to the Word, rather than just giving you “happy thoughts” based on a verse that is pulled out of context.  Avoid things that promise only happiness and rainbows and butterflies as you walk with God – sometimes the Christian life is hard.  Sometimes the Bible is confusing.  Resist the urge to reduce God down to your personal “pocket pal” who is always with you and wants only to make you feel good.  That is a reduced and false perspective of God that will do you no favors.

Resist the urge to find a way to make your devotional life “fit” into your busy schedule.  There is a subtle legalism in that thought – we easily fall into the trap of thinking that if I did a 5-minute devotional, I have fulfilled my obligation to God and can proceed through my day guilt-free.  For more discussion of this, you might want to read “The Renewing of Your Mind,” a discussion of Biblical meditation and what it means to truly be transformed by knowing and meditating on God’s Word.

Occasionally I hear someone say they use my blog as part of their devotional routine.  Wonderful!  I hope what I share here encourages you and helps you dig into the Word – but please dig into the Word on your own, as well!

Sometimes I even hear someone say that they listen to Christian radio or podcasts of sermons on the way to work or as they are doing housework.  Great!  It can be encouraging and challenging and helpful – but you need to dig into the Word on your own!

No teacher, no matter how godly or well studied, has words that are living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, able to penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. That power comes from the Word of God itself, according to Hebrews 4:12.  Rather than reading only about God’s Word, we need to actually read God’s Word!

Sometimes I find that believers rely on devotional material because they do not know how to read and understand Scripture for themselves.  They have never been taught how to study, interpret, and apply God’s Word.  If that is the case for you, please consider downloading and using my free “Sword School: How to Study the Bible” ebook.

Learning to use your “sword” does take work.  It’s harder than having someone else spoon-feed you Truth.  But nothing will change your life like studying the Word for yourself and knowing Who God is and what He says from your own time spent digging those truths out.

How has devotional material impacted your spiritual walk?  Have you found yourself relying on devotional material rather than reading and studying the Word for yourself?

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119:9-16

Open Letter from a Pastor’s Wife

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Teri Lynne and I became friends years ago now. Our friendship started out because of one common bond–both of our husbands are in ministry. She has been such a mentor to me in this area. That’s why I choose her “Open Letter from a Pastor’s Wife” as my favorite post from her site.

So often people look at me and they THINK they know who I am. After all, I married a man called by God into His ministry … I must be a super-holy, deeply spiritual person.

Some people think I must have a beautiful voice, be an excellent pianist, and love teaching toddlers in Sunday School.

Others imagine I am a gifted Bible teacher who bakes fresh bread every day and rises at 4 a.m. to pray for each church member by name.

Still there are some who believe my home is always immaculate and I never lose my temper or feel jealous, inadequate, or tired.

And, to be honest, there are days when any one or two of those things might be true about me … but there are never days when they all are.

But here is what I wish you could see …

I’m just a girl like you who wants someone to say they like my new haircut.
I’m just a person like you who is painfully aware of my shortcomings
(and doesn’t need them pointed out!).
I’m just a mom like you who wishes I knew how to handle every situation with my children but spends most of my life wondering if I’m scarring them forever.
I’m just a wife like you who loves her husband but wishes he’d pick up his socks and towel instead of leaving them in the floor.

Most days my life look much like yours … I struggle to find adequate time for prayer and Bible study in the midst of helping with homework, doing laundry, and trying to fix a dinner that is nutritious, inexpensive and everyone will at least try. I wonder why the cleaning fairy never manages to end up at my house, who drank the last of the milk and put the empty carton back in the fridge, and where all my forks have disappeared to. I have a never-ending “To Do” list that always gets lost in the frantic pace of carpools, dance and school, church activities, and grocery shopping.

Most days I don’t do many “spiritual” things … I’m a wife, a mom, a church member, a community volunteer, an employee, and the list goes on ~ just like it does for you. And there are days when I feel very inadequate for every one of those roles.

Sometimes I wish you could just spend the day with me … so we could talk about how hard it is to raise Godly children in today’s world, so we could share how much we long for marriages that reflect Christ’s love for the church, so we could cry over the failures in our past and find joy in the God who takes all our mistakes and molds them into something beautiful to His glory.

The truth is … I need you. I need friends who will window shop with me and enjoy a triple grande vanilla latte with one pump of raspberry (just in case you ever wonder what I order at Starbucks!) as we stroll through shops we could never afford. I need prayer warriors who will hold my arms when I can no longer raise them on my own. I need fellowship and friendship. I need someone who doesn’t need details but whose shoulder can bear my tears.

And you should know this … every note you send to say that you appreciate me or my husband, every time you say how much you enjoy having my child in your Sunday School class, every time you give me a hug and say that you love me … that all matters! I may not always be able to tell you why your timing is perfect but God has used you!

Next time you look at me and think, “She’s too busy,” or “What could we ever have in common?” or “I can’t be myself with her, she’s the pastor’s wife!” PLEASE toss that thought away!!

Yes, my life is full and the seasons of our life may be very different but there is room in my heart for relationships. And I’ve got no illusions that anyone is perfect … I look in the mirror every morning and am reminded of that very truth. But I would cherish time to get to know you.

So, go ahead … invite me to coffee, suggest a new shop I might like, pick up the phone and give me a call.

Yeah, I’m married to the pastor. And yeah, my life is different because of that. But the bottom line … I’m just a girl, just like you.

Apparently my but is really big.

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{I loved this post from Teri Lynne and still often think about how big my “but” is! Such a great reminder of how sometimes the things God asks us to give to Him seem small – and yet we so often fight Him on it! I’m working on a big “but” myself at the moment… so thanks for the challenge again, TL!}

It’s almost noon and I am struggling through this post … still. Like I have been struggling through the three drafts I have begun and discarded.   My quest for simple is apparently going to be a little more complex than I had expected. I suppose I simple-mindedly had believed that it would be a matter of discarding unnecessary items and modifying some scheduling around the house.   I figured I would have to learn to say, “No,” more often and that there would  be time when I let of good to experience God’s  best.   Pursuing simplicity seemed to be the next step in my pursuit of a lopsided life.   It made sense and, at the beginning it wasn’t that difficult.

Until I read this, the second controlling principle of simplicity offered by Richard Foster in his genius book, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth:

Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. (90)

So, I began writing ….

Draft 1:   Big things – like pornography, alcohol, drugs … things that affect others.   That draft got trashed pretty quickly.  After all, this year of simple is about learning what God is wanting to do in my life, not about making broad statements about others.

Draft 2:  Sanctimonious things – like watching television instead of engaging in conversation or buying children things instead of spending time listening to them … and while that may be something the Lord leads me to write about later, it wasn’t the post for today.   Trash.

Draft 3:  Heart things – like wanting to keep up with appearances and have all the cool toys … sorta dealt with that last week.  Trash.

And so, here I sit, dog happily chewing on a treat under my feet, coffee warm in my favorite mug right beside me, fingers clicking away at word number 290 and dreading, heart literally pounding, at what the Lord has shown me to write.

I’ve had this inner dialog with Him about it.   Sorta sounds like this:

“But, Lord, that isn’t really that big of a deal, is it?”

“But, Lord, I *know* there are much more serious issues in my life than this!”

“But, Lord, seriously?  How is this really making a difference?”

“But, Lord …”

And yet I keep coming back to it … the subtle conviction I’ve felt over the past few days as I engage in it.   It has drawn me in … and I find myself longing for more time to do it … thinking about how I can do it better … staying up later than I should doing it.

The “it,” you ask?

I’m embarrassed to admit it … in fact, I almost decided not to tell you … just to allow you to fill in your own personal “it.”  Yet, the more I contemplated, the more I prayed, the more I waged this inner battle, the more I realized that it really does always start small … a little diversion, distraction … something that is harmless gains control of the heart or mind … and so, as I share the small beginning of my own “it,”  perhaps you will realize there is an addiction in your life too.   Something that steals time and attention from the things that matter … something you long to do and even fail to do those things that should be done in order to do it.

And so, I’m sharing that a simple little game has become an addiction for me.  I joked last night with my husband that I don’t need to play an new games because I’m already addicted to one … and as the words came out of my mouth, my heart broke.   It’s a letter game … making the most words out of a group of letters – sort of like boggle for my Kindle.   I love it  … and I play it all the time.  All. the. time.

Why have I spent so much time on this post, this confesssion?  Because I really, deeply, desperately believe that it does always start small. And before we know it, a hobby or game, Twitter or skyping, it can be anything … but that small thing becomes the addiction in our lives.

So, today, I’m letting go of my but … deleting the game from my Kindle. And every time I think about how I’d like to play just one quick game (that is impossible for a competitive person like me who wants to beat my last score every. single. time.), I’ll pull out my Colossians memory cards.

What about you?   Do you need to reject anything in your life?

How big is the “But” that keeps you from doing so?

Laundry Lessons

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I can’t help it. I see God’s Word illustrated in the real things of life, in the daily, the mundane, the dirty, the extraordinary, the usual, the familiar. His truth just reaches out and grabs me from places like the kitchen counter and the post office window. When I read “Laundry Lessons” from Teri Lynne, the truths resonated as an everyday reminder of our amazing God.

Teri Lynne writes, “Pulling warm clothes from the dryer, I carefully folded each piece. Smoothing out the wrinkles on shirts and pants, I thought of all the ways the Lord has smoothed out wrinkles in my life. Taking the trials and making them joy as He guides me along the path He has laid out for me.”

Tired of doing laundry? Teri Lynne will change the way you think of every load from this day forward.

Laundry Lessons

“Every thirty minutes the buzz echoes through my otherwise quiet house.  I quickly finish the task at hand and redirect my attention toward the interrupting sound.

The day is spent in a mindless cycle of sort, wash, dry, fold, put away.  I am struck by the simple truth that since God fashioned the garments of animal skin for Adam and Eve, fabrics of all types have been beaten with rocks, scrubbed on washboards, and tossed into machines.  Those same garments have then been stretched out, hung up, and shoved in to dry.  Carefully folded, they’ve been placed in drawers and baskets, on shelves and floors – prepared for use by the wearer …” (Read the rest here)

What Is Your Finish Line?

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{I absolutely love Teri Lynne’s consistent and persistent heart to challenge women to live out loud for Christ. With transparency, vulnerability and zeal, she seems to always challenge women to pursue a passionate relationship with Christ in the midst of the dailies of this life.

I especially love Teri Lynne’s post, “What Is Your Finish Line?” When you get involved in serving Christ it can be an easy fade from worshipping God to worshipping the work. In this post she calls us to remember the prize is not the accomplishment of a work as she says – “The prize is Christ … and I do know this …HE is ENOUGH!”    Teri Lynne, thank you for the way you shine for Christ – and the way you challenge others to do so, too!}

What is your finish line?

by TERI LYNNE UNDERWOOD

Image Courtesy of Torben Hanson

A gold medal is a wonderful thing.  But if you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it. ~ Cool Runnings

The writer of Hebrews admonishes us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (12:1 NIV).  And so often I see people running … hard, dedicated, passionate … but I wonder if they are seeking the true finish line.

We’re told in the second verse of that chapter that our finish line is Jesus Christ.  That’s it.  Christ is the end … “the author and perfecter of our faith.”  It’s Him alone.

But as I look around – first my own heart and then the visible lives of others – I see a lot of other finish lines … and some of those finish lines are not bad things!  But running toward your family or your home, setting your sights on your ministry or your influence … those are just as “not Christ” as focusing on on wealth or power.

And though I haven’t learned nearly all I want to know, one thing I have begun to grasp is this … Whatever we pursue instead of Christ will always leave us empty. If our goal is ANYTHING except making Him known in all things … no “win” will ever fulfill us.  The prize is Christ … and I do know this …

HE is ENOUGH!

Counting for Eternity

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All this week, the Scripture Dig team – minus Teri Lynne – will be sharing our favorite “Teri Lynne” blogs from her personal site with you.

Last Saturday I spoke at a women’s conference on the importance of leaving a legacy that will impact eternity. So when I read Teri Lynne’s blog “Counting for Eternity,” I felt like we were on the same wave length. Read on to discover what truly does “count for eternity!”

“When life comes down to the bottom line, I want mine to have counted for all eternity.”
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How does this happen?  What steps do we take to make our lives count for eternity?

I know this … it’s not by chance or happenstance.  It’s a purposeful decision, a dedicated choice made consistently out of obedience.  What counts for eternity?

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heave, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.   Matthew 6:19-21, NIV

So what counts for eternity? Not things like gold (which is just heavenly asphalt) nor mansions (which will be the homes for all), not the clothes (for we will all be clad in white linen, brides dressed for our Bridegroom) nor jewelry (which will be the stones of which the gates are made) … nothing like food or furniture which can easily be destroyed nor electronics which thieves can steal … no the treasure in heaven is US. People … the precious commodity of heaven … lives, broken and wounded, but restored and healed by the blood of Christ.

If we truly desire to make our lives count for eternity then our lives must be marked by bringing along others … purposeful, intentional sharing of the Gospel. Following the example of Christ and going where the need is greatest. If our only mission field is our home and our church, we have failed! We must leave the safety of Jerusalem, the comfort of Judea … moving into the hostility of Samaria … and even into the darkness that is the rest of the world.

And so I wonder, when was the last time YOU shared the gospel truth? When was the last time you left the safety of the familiar and ventured out into the darkness of those in desperate need?  For I am convinced that our love for Christ, our passion for Him, is never a safe thing … and our following of Him was never intended to be only shown in our homes. We are called to GO … and as we GO, to SHARE.  We teach our children best what the disciple’s life is when we take them with us to the poor and oppressed, when we show them compassion for those who are dirty and sick, when we visit the lonely and jailed.

Then the King will say to those on his rights, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

Then the King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:34-40, NIV

Powerful statements … what are you doing to store up treasure in heaven? Is your life marked by sacrificial giving of your time, your energy, your resources … beyond your home?  When was the last time you purposefully shared the life-giving, life-changing truth of the Gospel of Christ with someone?  Is that a priority in your life?  

We are called to live beyond ourselves, beyond our family … teaching our children as we go, not as we stay locked away in the safety of our homes, but as we go into a world that is truly dark and dying.  If we believe that hell is real and that Christ is the only answer, the only way … why are we not doing everything we can?

How are you reaching out and purposing your life to count for eternity?

Hannah’s Example

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Hannah struggled with infertility. When she finally did have a son, she handed him over to the care of Eli the priest. Imagine how she must have felt dropping Samuel off at the temple that day….

“As our brave Hannah entered her hardest hour–the hour appointed for her to leave her long-awaited and much-prayed-for son at the house of the Lord to be raised by another–we see that her focus was not on herself, not on her problems, and not on her sacrifice, but instead on her great God.” -Elizabeth George

Mom can’t be there for every moment of a child’s life. Like Hannah, the time will come when she must let go…

It happens when her son is five and he enters the kindergarten door for the first time.

It happens when her son is eight and she drops him off for football practice and doesn’t stay to watch.

It happens when her daughter is twelve and she drops her off at a birthday party.

It happens when her daughter is sixteen and drives away with a brand new driver’s license.

It happens when her son is eighteen and she drops him off at a dorm.

It happens in moments big and small. Moms must turn around and walk away. And like Hannah, we must trust God. But what exactly do we expect from God by trusting in Him? That He will never allow our children to get hurt? Always keep them safe? I don’t think that’s what Hannah expected as she dropped off young Samuel with the priest Eli. Her trust in God wasn’t conditional. She knew that whatever God allowed to happen in Samuel’s life (be it good or bad) was part of His sovereign plan.

We do all we can to prepare our children for what they will see, experience, and learn when they are away from momma’s care. But ultimately, we trust God. Not only for our children’s safety, but for their sanctification.

As we wrap up our series on biblical mothers, what are you praying for in the lives of your children today? Please let us know in the comments so we can pray for each other!

A Powerful Woman & A Mother Without Children

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Picture from Google Images

“The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.” Judges 5:7


For the past two weeks we’ve been gleaning from the lives of some of the mothers of the Bible – women who impacted their children, their communities and their generations – some for good, some for bad.

But today, we are going to examine one of my favorite women in Scripture…Deborah.

Deborah was an influential and powerful woman. She was…

The wife of Lappidoth Judges 4:4

A prophetess in Israel (Samuel was the only other judge who was also a prophet) Judges 4:4

A judge in Israel (The only woman judge in Israel) Judges 4:4

A military leader (Deborah led military campaigns defeating Sisera) Judges 4:6-14

The self-proclaimed Mother of Israel (Deborah sang of her role as Mother in Israel) Judges 5:7

Although there’s no way to be sure whether or not Deborah had any children of her own, the Bible’s silence on the subject is an indication that she probably did not.

Yet, Deborah considered herself the mother of Israel because, like almost every other woman on the planet, her mother’s heart was an intrinsic part of being a woman. She may not have had any children’s hearts to mold, but she certainly molded the heart of a nation.

Let’s learn what we can from the Mother of Israel – the mother without children…

“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.” Judges 4:4-5

♥  Deborah broke the mold – Not hampered by traditional roles, she walked in the calling God had placed upon her life. She was willing to be different for the glory of God.

♥  Deborah spoke truth – She proclaimed God’s truth and God’s will to the nation.

♥  Deborah was wise – Wisdom was necessary for the proper verdict and clear counsel.

“She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go…” Judges 4:6

♥ Deborah called Barak out– Deborah reminded Barak, the military commander, that it was time to trust God, obey His command and go.

♥ Deborah believed God – When Barak was floundering in his faith and in his role as a leader, Deborah stepped up to the plate and challenged him to trust God.

“Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Judges 4:8-9

♥ She was inspiring– She may have called Barak out on his lack of faith and motivation, but she also inspired him to believe God and fulfill the calling God had placed upon his life.

♥ She was bold, brave and strong – She was willing to stand up to a man of great power and then go head-long into battle with him. Her faith was contagious and she was willing to risk or own life to demonstrate that God was who He said He was and that He would do what He said He would do. She demonstrated strength and courage in the midst of adversity.

Ultimately, God used another woman by the name of Jael to end the battle with a tent peg through Sisera’s head. Not a very feminine thing to do, but she ended an era of oppression with one stroke of the hammer and Sisera fell at the hands of a woman, just as Deborah had said.

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon,Barak, Samson,Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophet – who through faith conquered kingdoms” Hebrews 11:32-34 (emphasis mine)

♥ Deborah motivated Barak to become more than he ever thought he could be – Her leadership, courage, inspiration and trust in God was the nudge Barak needed to help him become who he was created to be – a man of faith.

As we examine the legacy Deborah left behind, we find that whether we have children or not, God still wants to use us to make a difference in the lives of those around us, as well as those who will come behind us.

 Deborah was a powerful woman who wielded her influence well. She is evidence that we can be strong, powerful, bold and brave, and still be godly and feminine.

♥  How does Deborah’s life challenge your own?

Not-So-Happy Endings

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image from www.bible-art.info

The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar is the stuff of which Lifetime movies are made.   It’s a heartbreaking tale of what happens when we don’t rest our faith in the Lord but instead try to accomplish His plan through our means.

Perhaps it’s because I have made my own fair share of supremely bad choices but I always find myself drawn into Hagar’s part of the story.  I wonder what it must have been like for her … being a servant in the family of the man who was to be “father of nations.”   Was she captivated by the faith of Abraham?   Was she envious of the beauty of Sarah?  Did she jump at the chance to become her master’s concubine or did she feel used by the very idea?   Was her contempt of Sarah really jealousy in disguise?   How deep was her heartache at being sent away and knowing her son had been rejected by his own father?

So many of these questions will never have an answer, I suppose.  But I’m certain I am not alone in feeling a kinship with Hagar sometimes when life doesn’t end up quite like I had planned.   Today, let’s take a quick peek into Hagar’s story.   And perhaps we can learn what her greatest heartache must have been.

Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham in her own misguided attempt to fulfill the Lord’s promise to them for a child … and then when Hagar conceived, Sarah and Hagar had “issues.”   In fact, we find that Hagar “despised” Sarah (Genesis 16:4 NASB).  But Sarah responded in kind.  In Genesis 16:6 we find that Sarah “dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her” (ESV). This, however, is not the end of Hagar’s story, rather it is the beginning.

The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.  And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarah, where have you come from and where are you going?”  She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress, Sarah.”  The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.”  The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” … So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,”  for she said, “Truly here I have seen Him who looks after me.”  {Genesis 16:7-10, 13 ESV}

Hagar understood God’s promise to her.  In fact, she understood it so well that she is the first person mentioned in Scripture who gives God a name:  El Roi, the God who sees me.   And God’s promise to Hagar is the same as His promise to each of us today … He sees us.  When life is overwhelming, circumstances are frightening, and we feel as though we are slipping under the tides of sorrow and despair, El Roi remains faithful to us.

I don’t know where you are on this journey of motherhood but I know this:  God sees you!  And He is tenderly watching over you and your family.

Hagar’s story doesn’t have a happy ending.  Though she had heard from the Lord and acknowledged that He saw her, she never embraced Him as her own God, never developed a personal relationship with Him.  And yet, He is faithful, always.  Even when she was sent away again and left to die with her son Ishmael, the Lord spoke to her again and reminded her, “Fear not” (Genesis 21:17 ESV).

Ultimately we know this about Hagar, her son was also made a father of nations and his descendants are as numerous as the sands.  Yet, just as Ishmael lived in conflict with others, so his descendants, the Arabs, remain in turmoil to this day.  Hagar had a promise from God – that He saw her.  And yet she never embraced the God of that promise.

What about you?   Have you embraced not just the promises of God, but God Himself?   Do you have a living relationship with God of Life?  If you are unsure or unclear about what it means to have a relationship with God, please email me at scipturedig (at) comcast (dot) net.  I’d love to share with you how you know not just the promises of God but God Himself.

Packing for Ephesus

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When I think of the mothers in Scripture who deeply inspire me, two women immediately come to mind. We don’t know much about the personal lives of these women other than their names and one extremely valuable aspect of their legacy – mother Eunice and grandmother Lois poured their lives and their faith into a boy named Timothy.

The Bible tells us that Timothy was half-Jew, half-Greek. We are told that Paul circumcised Timothy before taking him on his journeys with him (Acts 16:3). Reading between the lines, this tells us that Timothy was completely on the outside of Jewish life and culture. He would not have been allowed to receive training in the Torah from the Rabbi, and he would have been restricted from even participating in temple worship.

2 Timothy 1:5 tells us that his mother and grandmother had “sincere faith” which Paul was persuaded lived in Timothy also. 2 Timothy 3:15 tells us that Timothy had known the holy Scriptures “from infancy.” Lois and Eunice had poured their lives into him. They had taught him the truth from infancy and prepared him to the extent that the other believers spoke well of him and Paul called him to follow him on his journeys.

Paul sets out with young Timothy. They walk thousands of miles together. Eventually, they spend three years in Ephesus.

Ephesus would probably blow our minds. Ephesus offered asylum to any criminal. It was the slave capital of the world. There was not a single believer in Jesus Christ when Paul arrived on the scene. The worship of Diana (or Artemis) was so central to life in Ephesus that we are told in Acts 20 that eventually as more people placed their faith in Jesus Christ and abandoned idolatry, it was upsetting the local economy and actually caused a riot! Into this pagan and corrupt culture Paul walks, with his teenage disciple Timothy. Every mom’s dream for her boy, right?

Eventually Paul leaves for further missionary journeys, and he appoints young Timothy to pastor the Ephesian church. Alone. In Ephesus. Get this: Scholars say that in less than 100 years, Ephesus was 90% Christian. Partly because of a gangly teenager, an outcast from his culture, who was taught God’s Word from infancy, discipled well in adolescence, and equipped and sent to serve.

The impact of Lois and Eunice challenges me in two distinct ways.

  1. These women taught Timothy the Word of God themselves. They didn’t sit around feeling sorry for themselves that Timothy’s father or the temple leaders were not as involved as they would have liked. They knew the Scriptures themselves, and they taught him well – from infancy. At this stage of my children’s lives I have a tremendous number of hours each week with them – what am I doing with those minutes?
  2. As I consider the world my children will grow up in and the corrupt culture that presses in around them, my mama heart wants to build a big strong wall around them and insulate them from it all. The thought of watching my adolescent son leave my town with the Apostle Paul (you know, the one who was always getting stoned or shipwrecked or beaten!) and head out toward Ephesus (of all places!) blows my mind. Lois and Eunice’s testimony challenges me that not only must I teach my children God’s Word, and teach them well, I need to remember that the goal is not to insulate them from the corrupt culture around them – but to prepare them to impact their world.

Moms, what we do each day can feel small and unimportant. But in the midst of diapers and homework and dirty socks and soccer practice, Lois and Eunice remind us – our job is not just to bring them through this day. Our job is to disciple our kids – to teach them God’s Word, to train them to obey, to walk with them into ministry, and equip them to turn their world upside down for Jesus Christ.

That’s the legacy I long to have.

Mom to the Sons of Thunder

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As the mother of two boys, I can relate to the woman we meet in Matthew 20. She is the mother of James and John, two of Jesus’ closest disciples. This woman, called the wife of Zebedee, may have been Salome, a devoted follower of Jesus (The Woman’s Study Bible). She wanted the best for her two boys. She must have been proud they were Jesus’ disciples. And she may have heard Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19:28, “So Jesus said to [His disciples], ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’” Even if she didn’t hear it personally, it seems as if James and John told her about this promise.

This mother approached Jesus with a request. Matthew 20:21 says, “And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She said to Him, ‘Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.’”

When I was a Middle School English teacher, I had mothers meet with me and say, “My son really needs to be on the front row.” My husband, when he coached, had lots of moms asking for (or demanding) more playing time for their sons. All moms want what is best for their children. But this mother did not understand exactly what she was asking. In Jesus’ gentle way, He corrected her, and everyone learned an important lesson that day about following Christ.

(image via Microsoft clip art)

The mother of these “Sons of Thunder” learned what a high cost it would be to attain this honor. James and John must

have been near by because Jesus directed His answer to them. “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” (v. 22). The cup He described was one of pain and suffering. In fact, in verses 18-19, Jesus had just described part of what would happen to Him. He would be mocked, scourged, and crucified. Out of ignorance or pride they answered, “We are able.” And we see from the whole of Scripture that they indeed suffered for Christ. James was the

first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:2) and John was a condemned exile on the island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9). Jesus went on to explain it was not for Him to choose who sits at His right and left, “It is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father” (v. 23). Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Personal ambition is not a factor in the eternal, sovereign plan of God.”

But this was not the end of the lessons Jesus would teach this day. The other disciples heard the conversation and “were greatly displeased” or “became indignant” (v. 24). Oh, this was not the first time the twelve argued over their own importance. In Mark 9:33-37, Jesus had to correct their bickering over “which one of them was the greatest.” And again at the Lord’s Supper, in Luke 22:24-30, they continued to show their selfish ambition by having the same argument over who is the greatest.

Back to our scene in Matthew, Jesus told the disciples exactly how to be great. It is one of the most descriptive passages of Jesus Himself from the gospels. “[W]hoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” (26-28).

That’s one of the many things about Jesus I love! He not only told us how to be great, but He Himself displayed the humble attitude He described. He is always our perfect example.

Commenting on society, John Piper wrote, “Today the first and greatest commandment is, ‘Thou shall love thyself.’” Clearly, this is not what Jesus taught. The last phrase from our section today is an important teaching. In fact, it is the foundation of the New Testament. Christ died as a ransom for your sins. Because He lived a sinless life, only He was able to redeem you from the slavery of sin and death.

We have the benefit of learning these lessons through the account of James and John’s mother. Her request led to important teaching for every Christian to follow. Christ is our example of servanthood. We must not seek our own glory, but to do what is great in God’s eyes. This is the servant spirit of Christ.

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