Tag: relationship

Our Christmas Gift

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For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Do you find it odd our entire world celebrates Jesus’ birth?

Our secular world who seeks to elevate themselves more often than not?

Sure, you could argue Jesus’ birth has morphed into Santa, presents, and reindeer.

But even Santa is based on Nicholas of Myra, a fourth century bishop who left gifts for poor children.

Maybe the world isn’t totally lost. Yet.

How can you help your friends and family see the baby Jesus instead this Christmas?

Through you. Your witness. Your focus.

Jesus is the reason for the season. Overused phrase, yes, but it’s so true.

When you think for just a moment how deeply God loves you…..

When you ponder why God sent Jesus to earth…..

When you stop and realize how desperately you need our Savior…

You’ll discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Jesus came to earth just for you.

God missed His relationship with you that much.

He missed you and desperately wants that relationship back.

He wants you to trust Him. To love Him. To realize how much you need Him.

Because His plans for you are so good. The very best.

And to communicate that love, God set Jesus’ birth in motion.

That’s how much He loves you. All of you.

Begin to replace the commercialism of Christmas with the celebration of Jesus.

God’s peace on earth will come to your corner.

Your “why” you celebrate will alter everything. Real peace and real joy for once.

Let’s replace all the trinkets nobody needs. The gifts people return. Events we feel compelled to attend.

Replace it all with an increased devotion to Jesus, thanking Him for His gift. Himself.

Rely on Him for your peace as you dwell on the love He has just for you.

Let your celebrations stem from this and all of the gifts, events, and chaos will become worship to God.

While the world has lost the focus of Christmas, let’s keep ours, shifting back our focus to God and His precious gift of Jesus for you and for me.

Photos by Tristan Maness, Max Beck, Matt Botsford, &  Alda González-Cuevas on Unsplash

Thinking of You

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How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. Psalm 139:17-18

Before Jesus was born, God was thinking of you.

Deciding to send Jesus to earth, God had you on His mind.

Because God was thinking of you, He sent His son, Jesus, to earth.

For you and for me.

Because He was thinking of us.

He wants us in a relationship with Him.

And because of sin, a relationship with us is impossible.

Except for the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s son.

Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins.

Our sins separate us from God.

But when we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are covered by His sacrifice.

Our sins are wiped away.

Completely. Totally. Forever wiped from our record.

Even though you were years away from the time of Jesus, God thought of you before that first Christmas Day.

Over two thousand years before you were born, God thought of you and your eternity with Him forever.

God thought of you when He sent His son to die.

God thought of you that first Christmas morning.

God thought of you when He set the plan in motion.

When Gabriel was talking to Mary, God was thinking of you.

He was thinking of everyone who would be impacted by this earth shaking event.

God thought of you then, and He’s thinking of you now.

You are constantly in His thoughts.

Thoughts for good all the days of your life.

As you embrace this precious Christmas season, turn your thoughts to God.

He’s already thinking of you.

Photos by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

Hardest Thing

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Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:13

What do you think is the hardest cross to bear as a Christian?

Let me put it another way.

God asks us to become more like Him.

When we accept God as our Savior, He begins to transform us into who He made us to be.

We begin to walk His path, noticing what He notices.

We begin to speak to others, speaking with the words He wants to share.

We begin to have compassion, spreading His love to those around us.

When we ask God for His salvation, we become His.

His to transform.

But we’re human with human desires, wants, feelings, and actions.

Plus our soul is full of cracks from lies, and our broken world.

When God asks us to forgive others who have not asked, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.

For me, this is the hardest thing God ask of me.

Why?

Because it’s personal.

Personally painful when the other person doesn’t deserve it.

But when I don’t forgive, that person continues to strike blows after the words have faded away.

On the other hand when you forgive, you simply release that person back into the arms of God.

You let the offense fall away from your tightly gripped hands.

You allow the boulder to roll down and off your back.

Is it fun to hold onto unforgiveness because you’re justified?

Of course.

But is it worth the cost?

The cost of your peace?

The cost of a broken spot in your relationship?

Nope.

God forgave you for way more then He’s asking you to forgive now.

You didn’t deserve it either.

But God forgave you all your sins.

All your sins from yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Allow God’s strength to help you release your unforgiveness.

I know, they don’t deserve it, but that’s beside the point.

God asks us to forgive. Period.

Swallow your pride, forgive, and let God move in your life and theirs.

God will help, and His peace will rush in, helping you each time you choose to forgive.

Photos by Jametlene Reskp, Cody Otto, Felix Koutchinski, & Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Waiting for You

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Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. Isaiah 30:18

Morning dawned, and her alarm sounded.

Waking, the girl opened her eyes.

She stumbled out of bed, beginning her day.

Jesus was sitting on a chair by her bed. Waiting.

Returning to her room, she thought of opening her Bible and praying.

She wanted to, but realized she didn’t have the time. She was late.

And Jesus still sat, waiting.

After school the girl returned, but her phone begged for her attention.

Flopping down on the bed, she ignored the thoughts of reading the Bible.

Jesus was still there, waiting.

Dinner came and went. TV shows were watched. Homework completed.

Climbing into bed at the end of the day, the girl glanced at her Bible.

She wanted to read it, but her flesh cried out for sleep.

She mumbled a prayer as she closed her eyes.

And Jesus was still there, waiting.

He waited in her room every day.

He longed for a deeper relationship; He loved her so.

As the years went by, she changed houses and rooms, yet Jesus was always there. Waiting.

She had always grown up believing in Him, asking Him into her heart when she was young.

However, she had never really developed her relationship with God, putting it off even though she felt badly.

But Jesus never left. He was always there, waiting for her.

Did she sit with Him? That all depends. Do you?

Photos by Ben White & Amira Aboalnaga on Unsplash

Smoke Alarm

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Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. James 1:19

You’re exhausted from a long day at work.

Arriving home, you plop into your chair.

You smell something slightly off, but ignore it.

Doesn’t seem important.

Your spouse comes to you, mentioning the smell.

Since you have decided it’s not important, you inform your spouse it’s nothing.

After all, your authority stands as gospel.

In the middle of the night, you are awakend by a smoke filled room.

Coughing, you can barely breathe.

Together, you both slowly crawl out of the bedroom, barely escaping the raging fire.

Standing in the yard, you survey your house, now engulfed in flames.

You’ve lost everything.

And so has your spouse.

Everything except for each other.

If only you had listened to her, your home would still be standing.

The tiny flame would have been easy to stamp out.

But the tiny flame grew into a total loss.

Nothing left.

Daily we must be on the lookout for smoke. Warnings.

Comes in a variety of ways through your job, finances, habits, and relationships.

Satan does not want your marriage to thrive.

He wants to whisk away your children.

He wants to distract you from your relationship with God.

And he wants to destroy your peace on earth.

Be on alert, reacting with those Holy Spirit nudges.

Takes humility. Perseverance. Strength. Focus.

But God’s here, standing by your side with all the tools you could possibly need.

In fact, when you place your faith and trust daily in Him, He’ll help you smell that smoke the moment it erupts.

May we listen to the hearts of others God uses to speak through.

May we honor the thoughts of our spouse, because then we honor the thoughts of God.

May our habits reflect the nudges of God as we obey His plans for us.

May we cover the flame of conflict with humble godliness before our ignorance causes us to loose everything.

Photos by Kilian Seiler, Steven Weeks, Piotr Chrobot, & Olivia Snow on Unsplash

Yielding Ourselves

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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Ephesians 6:10

Ever tried to stop doing something you know you shouldn’t?

Could be eating too much sugar, drowning your sorrows in alcohol, or spending way too much time scrolling through your phone.

Could even be your attitude or reaction when things don’t go your way.

Or choosing to listen only to yourself instead of others.

All of it points to placing, you guessed it – yourself on the throne instead of God, the One who created you and all things.

Yielding to Jesus will break every form of slavery in our human lives.

Food, exercise, exhaustion, perfection, fear, anxiety, or pride.

Anything placed before Jesus can become a form of slavery as we feed that characteristic within ourselves instead of feeding our relationship with Jesus.

Some of those things are super great, like exercise or eating healthy.

But if that desire replaces your desire for God, then that desire has become a god to you, probably rooted in fear if you don’t perform exactly right.

We can only find victory over ourselves through Jesus.

Through Jesus’ peace and strength.

Love this poem from Amy Carmichael, a missionary to India in the early 1900’s:

Before the winds that blow decrease, teach me to dwell within Thy calm; before the pain passed in peace, give me, my God, to sing a psalm. Let me not lose the chance to prove the fullness of enabling love. O love of God, do this for me; maintain a constant victory.

Don’t you just love that phrase: maintain a constant victory.

A plea for God to not only win in our lives, but to keep winning.

Only happens when we yield ourselves over to God, who is infinately more capable than our sinful selves.

Lord, give us a portion of your sweet spirit, spilling out your life and love to others.

As life consumes us, help us to place You on the throne of our heart, wanting only what You want for us.

With You, we will have constant victory, even if we don’t see it.

Because You have already won. You are our constant victory.

Photos by Joshua Earle, Pablo Heimplatz, Guillaume de Germain, & Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Hidden Treasure

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The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44

Can you imagine finding treasure, hiding it back up, and then buying where it lay with ALL of your money?

You’d have a guarantee of your return.

Immediate investment return.

Happened to me once on a very small scale.

I love thrift stores. Never know what you’ll find!

The ugliest piece of pottery ever created (can I get an amen?) or a replacement dish from a vintage set your grandmother collected.

Love to comb through their books as I regularly find pearls for my classroom library for about a dollar each.

Once, while looking through the books, I found some bibles.

Not unusual to see bibles, but something drew me to choose one.

Flipping through the pages, I briefly saw a hundred dollar bill nestled onto a page.

Thought to myself, “Did I just see that?”

Flipped back and yes, there it was, staring up at me.

A crisp hundred dollar bill.

Unnoticed.

I quickly closed the book and told the children we were buying this bible.

Bought it for a dollar with my treasure inside.

Unbelievable, yes?

There was no way to find the owner as thrift stores constantly have new stock.

Plus, it could have been there for years. Literally.

It wasn’t a particularly nice looking book. Very ordinary.

But it held a treasure.

But you know what’s even better?

Jesus. He has a treasure for us worth His very life.

It’s Himself. Not only His salvation, but freedom here on earth.

When you fully realize all Jesus has for you, you’ll forgo your former ways.

Your new treasure will be way more important as you’ll have peace, joy, and strength for each new day.

Jesus says the man sold everything joyfully. It was his choice and he was so happy about it.

Are you happy about what Jesus has done for you? I sure am.

His peace, wisdom, and strength far surpass anything I could ever do within my own self.

Seek God. Seek a personal relationship with God, who created all things.

When you finally see Him, you’ll joyfully submit your whole self to Him.

But unlike the man in the parable, you can share your treasure with those around you.

And if you’re ever at a thrift store, feel free to thumb through the Bibles.

I still do!

Photos by Jouwen Wang, Michael Dziedzic, Max Böttinger, & Kiwihug on Unsplash

Becoming God’s Witness

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I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Why are you still participating with fear?

Why are you still choosing to partner without God?

God has overcome ALL things.

Fear. Anxiety. Bitterness.

Inferiority. Depression.

Everything.

God is above everything.

He created You in His image.

When Jesus came to die for our sins, we were given the opportunity for relationship with God Almighty.

Because God is above everything, He is above fear.

He is above anxiety.

He is above it all. Everything.

As God’s child, you are above everything, too, with God’s power running through your whole self.

The Bible reminds us the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

Absolutely incredible.

Fear is nothing to God.

Anxiety, depression, and inferiority are mere bugs to step over.

Choose to focus on your identity in God.

As His child, you are no longer a slave to fear, anxiety, or anything not from above.

But you must choose.

When you do, your body will be healthier, because your mind will be at peace.

Fear wants to control you.

Satan wants to lie, convincing you God is not enough.

But He is. God.

He is absolutely enough and then some.

Psalm 34 reminds us He will deliver us from ALL of our fears when we seek Him.

Refuse those thoughts from the pit when they dare to enter your mind.

Send them packing, canceling their assignment with God’s truth.

Your body will be healthier.

Your mind will be peaceful.

And your smile will broadcast God’s strength to all who witness your beautiful face.

Allow Him to take over, changing your mind from fear to peace.

Allow His witness through you to guide others to His salvation.

Stand tall with God’s strength.

And become His witness.

Photos by M.T ElGassier, Guilherme Stecanella, & Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

Others Focused

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Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

Do you demand others treat you better than you treat them?

Do you walk like a diva, demanding others serve you?

Or do you put others first, seeking their needs above your own?

Jesus wants us to do just that.

To serve others.

To put others before ourselves.

Think about Thanksgiving.

Were you among the first in line?

Save the best roll for yourself?

Or did you defer to your guests, thinking of them higher than yourself?

How about your home?

Did you help your guests feel welcome?

Or wished they had stayed somewhere else?

When family showed up for dinner, did you demand they remove their shoes?

Or did you welcome them however they came?

Jesus wants us to think of others before ourselves.

Not always easy, but it’s what He asks of us.

My husband’s precious parents are staying with us for a week.

It’s such an absolute treat.

Even if I’m sleeping in the basement.

My time with them is precious because they live hundreds of miles away.

Only see them them once a year.

Family is simply the best.

Seeing my adult children over Thanksgiving was a total joy.

Do you want their memory of you to be full of angst for the next holiday or anticipation for the next time they join you?

Choose Jesus.

Choose people over perfection.

Choose people over performance.

Choose relationship over deadlines.

Jesus invited people into relationship because that mattered over perfect homes.

As you review your plans this holiday season, ask yourself this question: how do you want to be treated?

And treat others how you want to be treated. As kings and queens.

Photos by Virginia Simionato and Gillian Lingard on Unsplash

Eternity

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Jesus. He is all that you need.

He is everything.

He is the beginning and the ending, encompassing everything in between.

You will only win when you submit everything to Him. Jesus.

God created us. In His image, He created us.

Yet we sinned.

We messed up.

Remember Adam and Eve? It could have been us.

We would’ve been tempted just the same.

God created us for relationship.

Adam and Eve walked with God every day. Literally talking with Him.

Can you imagine literally having an audible conversation with God Almighty?

I would so love that.

But God saw how we messed everything up, allowing sin to enter our very selves.

God’s creation was suddenly separated forever from Himself, the very One who created us.

Yet, because of His great love, He sent His only son to die in place of us.

We must pay for our sins. And Jesus covers that for us.

Have you embraced your sinful nature?

Recognized your need for the Savior?

To spend eternity with God, you must acknowledge Jesus.

You can certainly live within yourself, denying God, Jesus, and your need for redemption.

Completely within your right.

But you will regret it.

When your earthly body fails you, you will meet your Maker.

And if you haven’t declared your need for a Savior, it will be too late.

You’ll forever live separated from life, health, and God Himself.

Turn to Him while you still can.

At the very least, consider the consequences if you are wrong.

What then?

Trust in Him.

Now.

He will NEVER fail you. Not ever.

You have everything to lose.

Everything.

But it’s your choice. Completely.

Photos by Davide Cantelli, Chris Flexen, Rod Long, & Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash

Watching

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God is watching.

Always.

He is always watching for you.

You.

He waits for your return.

Longs for it.

Like the prodigal son’s father watched every day for the return of his wayward son, God watches for your arrival.

For your restoration.

If you are completely lost, when you decide to return to God, He’ll scoop you up the second He sees you, forgiving you completely.

If you are wandering away, stepping off into self-focus, not relying on Him, the moment you decide to return life’s burdens to Him, He’ll take them back in an instant.

Because He’s always watching for you.

Watching out for you as you walk with Him, guiding you around the rocks so you don’t stub your toe.

Showing you which path to take, when the path splits in two.

And protecting you with His umbrella when the dark storms arrive.

He’s also watching for you when your choices take you apart from Him.

When you’re determined to make it all on your own.

When you selfishly trudge on alone, thinking the entire world is against you.

It’s not, and God’s available to give you His peace.

He longs to have a relationship with you.

What are you waiting for?

God, who created you and all things, craves a relationship with you.

He can make all things new.

He can cross your every t and dot your every i.

Effortlessly.

Why wait?

Whenever you are ready, God will be there.

Always.

Because He is forever watching for you, His precious child, to return completely unto Him.

What on earth are you waiting for?

Photos by Edu Grande, Mantas Hesthaven, Aaron Burden, & Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Our Smelly Stuff

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Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Ever wonder why God takes it?

Our smelly stuff or sin, whatever you want to call it?

I bring it up, because it’s not His.

None of our smelly sin is His.

Never was, never will be.

Why does He choose to take it?

He is holy.

Pure.

Undefiled.

Author of all things.

Literally the Most High.

And yet He wants us.

Not only us, but our stuff.

Our messy lives.

Our problems.

Our very messed up selves.

He wants our unloving attitudes towards children who selfishly taunt us.

He wants our broken hearts, which yearn for uncomplicated stories.

He wants our problems, dripping with unforgiveness.

He wants all of us.

God, who is pure and void of any sin, wants us.

Unbelievable.

If you remember the Old Testament, there was attonment for sin.

God had rules.

But with Jesus, the transaction was paid.

And with that, God continues our relationship with Him.

Because He loves us.

He created us for love.

For relationship with Him.

I find it incredible that God, who is completely pure and undefiled, wants a relationship with us.

We, who bring complicated and messy problems to Him, are wanted by God.

So, the question that remains is this:

Do you want Him?

Because He wants you.

All of you.

And all of your smelly stuff, too.

Photos by Marian Kroell & Hans Isaacson on Unsplash

Opinions That Matter

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For He strengthens the bars of your gates; He blesses your children within you. He makes peace in your borders. Psalm 147:13-14

There is no way every one will like you.

All of the time.

People won’t always agree with you.

They won’t always like you.

I happen to abhor when people dislike me.

Personality flaw, I know.

Why do we tend to care what others think of us?

Why do we desperately crave their approval?

Because we were created for love.

God’s love.

And because we live in a broken world, God is separated from us.

Newsflash: we no longer abide with God in the Garden of Eden.

Shocking, I know.

But that’s how we were created.

God created us for relationship with Him, fully loved and valued by HIm.

Yes, God created us to make our own choices, but He also wanted friendship with us.

Friendship with us!

Living in our broken world, it’s so easy to forget the reason for our existence.

As Christians, we must choose to savor God’s opinion of us over the fleeting opinions of others.

And God loves you.

Wholly.

Completely.

Securely.

There’s not anything you can do to earn God’s endless love for you.

Nothing you can do to avoid it, either.

It’s constantly around you.

Not judging you, just complete acceptance.

Doesn’t God’s opinion of you sound a whole lot better then others?

Ask God to revel Himself to you in a new way.

Ask Him to show you how much you mean to Him.

Place your trust in Him, while removing your trust in others.

Remember His faithfulness to you.

Stand tall, straighten your crown, and believe God absolutely cherishes you.

And that’s all that matters.

Photos by Annie Spratt & Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Bottom Line

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For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

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When you strip it all away,

When you remove all of the extra fluff,

When you focus on what is truly important,

You focus on God.

God is everything.

He is the beginning and the end.

He is eternity.

Eternity is infinitely longer than life on earth.

Next to God, people come next.

How much are you praying for the people God puts into your life?

Praying they will know God with all of their heart, soul, and mind?

Because that’s all that matters.

Jobs come and go.

Houses are built and eventually crumble away.

Children are born and grow, leaving to live on their own.

Meals are prepared and eaten.

There will always be more to do.

There’s only one thing certain that will last forever.

Your relationship with God.

And your loved one’s relationship with the Almighty.

Again I ask,

How much are focusing your temporary life to bring more with you to heaven?

It’s easy to let the pleasures of this world distract your focus from things eternal.

God wants us to enjoy this life, yes.

But make sure you also focus on your people.

They need your prayers more than you know.

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Photos by Aaron Burden on Unsplash