A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.

Proverbs 24:3-5

As kids head back to school, it’s worth reminding ourselves what school is, and what it isn’t. In law school we read many school-related cases. The Supreme Court determined that free public education was necessary to create good citizens for our country. Later, the Supreme Court decided that our country was not a ‘Christian nation’ when it created ‘Separation of Church and State.’ The exclamation point on that was the removal of prayer from public schools. Love it or hate it, this is the reality we live in.

Our public schools teach many important subjects that will help students become good citizens: reading, math, social studies, physical education, music, art, etc. But here’s what they DON’T teach: the Fear of the Lord. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7) Schools can impart knowledge, but wisdom comes from God with a focus on making Christlike disciples. James 3:17 explains what godly wisdom is:

First, godly wisdom is pure. Our world might promote envy and selfish ambition, but godly wisdom has a pure motive which involves doing what is best for others.

Second, it is peace-loving. Selfishness and greed can start a war or tear a family apart, but God's wisdom values peace over getting our way.

Third, it is gentle. Gentleness is having strength and power but having them under control so that when we have the opportunity to hurt or take advantage of somebody, we won't.

Fourth, it is submissive. Being willing to yield to others means being willing to listen and to learn. To be submissive is to be humble and teachable, not a doormat to be walked over, but meek, so that your strength is guided and submitted to God.

Fifth, it is full of mercy. Mercy means not only forgiving those who wrong us, but also being willing in our hearts to help them.

Sixth, it is full of good fruit. Jesus taught us to judge a tree by its fruit. We cannot fake the Fruits of the Spirit – they are the result of having the Holy Spirit live within us and teach us.

Seventh, it shows no favoritism. Those who live by worldly wisdom cannot be impartial because they are always trying to please themselves or someone else, but those who live by God's wisdom are impartial and authentic.

Eighth, it's sincere. A sincere person is genuine, not wearing a mask and not a hypocrite. A sincere person is trustworthy and faithful.

Teachers do a very hard and admirable job of molding young minds into good citizens. But it is up to us to mold young hearts to be Christ-followers. A heart submitted to God controls itself. A heart submitted to God puts others’ welfare first. A heart submitted to God lives for Him, to please Him, not itself. God’s wisdom is the True knowledge. Make time to teach God’s wisdom to the children you influence, and to develop it in yourself. Image what the world could look like if we all lived out these lessons!

PRAYER: Lord, place Your hand of protection over all the schools, students, teachers and staff. Give an extra dose of perseverance to God-loving teachers who do their best to exhibit Your wisdom every day in their classrooms. Help me also display Your wisdom in my life, in all that I do, and to all that I interact with. Amen.

Blessings,

Jen

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:30-31)

It’s a strange time in our country now. There are many notions of gender and gender roles flying around. As a kid growing up in the 70’s I was surrounded by women’s empowerment. We were the generation that could “bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan.”

My mother was one of the few moms that stayed home with the kids. By the time I made that choice it was actually frowned upon.

By the time my kids reached adulthood, they were repeating what they heard in college and on social media: that Christians believed in the subjugation of women. They suggested that to get married, stay home and raise children was wasting a woman’s true potential for happiness in life.

To me, however, a strong, independent woman who is entrepreneurial, nurtures her family, has compassion for the needy, speaks with wisdom, is resourceful, radiates inner beauty and exhibits a love for the Lord, is a woman who is definitely reaching her potential. That is the woman who is described in Proverbs 31:10-31, a chapter that celebrates the value of a wife and mother – a value beyond rubies!

I definitely recommend you read the whole thing, but here are some of the highlights:

Entrepreneurial – she is forward thinking as she combines her creativity, skills and hard work to make a profit. (vs 13-19)

Homemaker – she runs her household wisely and nurtures her family. She makes winter garments, bedspreads and fine clothes. (vs 12,14-15, 21-22, 27)

Service – she serves the poor and needy and helps with charitable endeavors. (v 20)

Dignified – she has inner strength, and she knows when to hold her tongue and when to speak. And when she does, she gives wise and kind advice. (v 26)

Resourceful – she is ingenious about getting the most out of what she has, and she saves and makes plans for the future. (vs 21,24,25)

Inner Beauty – she doesn’t rely on charm or good looks, but instead radiates an inner beauty that comes from her deep faith. (vs 30)

Righteous – she is praised for her virtue, her love of the Lord and her desire to serve Him. (vs 10,29,30-31)

This is not a picture of a woman who is a slave to her husband or weighed down by family life. She runs the household, earns money, gives to the poor, is respected in the community, gives wise counsel and keeps plenty busy while looking good and praising the Lord.

Personally, I have met many of these women at our church. I’m not so sure our church or the community could function without them. They don’t all stay-at-home, they don’t all have husbands or children, and they certainly don’t all wear purple, but they do all radiate an inner beauty that is impossible to miss.

I can’t say where our culture is headed, and I certainly can’t speak for all women. But when I became a Christian as an adult, I looked for guidance as to how to live a godly life as a woman, a wife and a mom. The advice I found in the Bible, particularly in Proverbs 31, has served me well and led to a full and fulfilling life. I have found that God cherishes women and elevated their status and value despite the reality of a patriarchal world culture for most of history.

But beyond that, God values and cherishes all people - male, female, non-binary, all races, all ages, all nationalities, all identities. He has given us His Son to make salvation open to every single person on the planet, and He has given us His Word to help us find Him and to learn how to live in a way that will bring us the most purpose, the most joy, the most fulfillment, and bring Him the most glory. The choice to embrace or ignore all that is up to us.

Blessings,

Jen

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

(Judges 6:12, 15-16)

I have led much of my life ruled by fear: fear of failure, fear of success, fear of embarrassment, fear of disappointing others, fear of rejection, etc. This fear has led to some very self-limiting beliefs.

A self-limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. These beliefs are often false accusations you make about yourself that can cause a number of negative results. “I can’t speak in public.” “I’m too old to get in shape.” “I could never go back and get my degree.” “I can’t be a missionary.” “I can’t write a devotional.” 😉

This is the battlefield of the mind where our past experiences and associations mix with lies from Satan and others in our lives to form false narratives and self-limiting beliefs that keep us from living the full, abundant life that God has called us to. Satan is delighted with this because it keeps us on the sidelines of our own lives, never being all we can be. But an important part of our salvation is being made ‘whole’ which includes living our best lives as the best version ourselves living up to our highest potential for the glory of God.

So many times Christians hear people criticize the Bible for being ancient and irrelevant. However, digging deeper you can find inspirational stories of average people overcoming fear, depression, self-doubt and all kinds of limitations to do amazing feats for God because they moved into the realm of belief.

No self-limiting belief can stand in the face of Almighty God. “Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”” (Luke 18:27) “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

So, the next time you face God’s vision for your future and hear your script recite the familiar excuses, or hear Satan whispering the self-limiting lies, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ (3 times!)
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
Mary Magdalene was promiscuous
the Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once...)
Zacchaeus was too short
Paul was too religious
Timothy had stomach problems...
AND
Lazarus was dead!

(unknown author)

So, no more excuses! No more self-limiting beliefs. No more believing the accusations of Satan. Cling to the promises of God. God created you for a purpose. He created good works for you to do. God can use you to your full potential, which only He knows. And remember, in the end it’s not about you. You aren't the message; you are just the messenger.

Don’t stop believing,

Jen

I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.
I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.

(Psalm 119:11,15-16)

You know the old saying, “You are what you eat.” It turns out it’s totally true. Every nutrient in your food is stored as energy or used to replace dying cells, so that in about 7-10 years you have a brand new you! That cheeseburger didn’t just go to your thighs, it BECAME your thighs!

If this is true physically, it’s even more true about what you consume spiritually. There’s a cute Christian kids’ song that goes:

Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear),
Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear).
There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,
Oh, be careful, little eyes (ears), what you see (hear).

And wow, is that true. From birth, our brain creates millions of neural pathways. Neural pathways are groups of nerve fibers that connect neurons in the brain, allowing signals to be sent between different parts of the brain and nervous system. These pathways are essential for many functions, including learning, forming habits, how we experience emotions and sensations, and interacting with others. The more we use a particular pathway, the more automatic it becomes until you’re arriving at your driveway, and you can’t remember the drive home.

This is terrific for everyday actions and things we need to constantly remember, but it becomes difficult when the pathway is a bad habit, a bad memory, or a negative association. Retraining our brain is possible, but it’s definitely a challenge. One helpful way is by using daily affirmations, or motivational words or phrases to stop us going down the same old paths – “Just Do It,” “One Day at a Time,” “My past doesn’t control my future,” etc.

It’s the same with our souls. If we fill our souls with negative news, constant criticism, books, shows and advertisements promoting greed, selfishness, laziness, lust and worse, we are going to have a sick spiritual condition. We’re the temple of the Holy Spirit, so imagine how starved for goodness He would feel. Instead we must do like the Psalmist and “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2) That’s a command from us to our soul telling it to bless or praise the Lord, even if we aren’t really feeling like it.

“Mindset” is a hot topic these days. A mindset is a collection of a person's attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions about themselves, culture, values, philosophy, and more. Mindsets can determine a person's behavior, outlook, and mental attitude. A good, positive mindset is invaluable as an athlete, but it’s every bit as useful for us as we seek to turn our hearts and minds to Jesus every day, and away from worldly distractions screaming for our attention. Luckily, our User’s Manual, the Bible, has some helpful mindset advice:

“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” (Hebrews 3:1)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)  

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:23-24)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8) 

How to keep your focus on things above? Daily effort – but the effort doesn’t have to be difficult or unpleasant. Read a couple chapters in the Bible daily. Switch your radio to a Christian music or teaching station. Trade out some of your paperbacks for Christian teaching or fiction. Click the TV channel over to a Christian network occasionally. Check out Christian music, teaching, comedy or entertainment on-line. Join a small group for study and accountability. Get into a Bible study. Come to church! Take on a job at church (there’s plenty). Pray from our weekly prayer list. Find a mission that speaks to your heart and devote some time to it weekly. Keep reading these Devotionals.😉 The only limit to the ideas is your imagination!

Happy meditating, thinking and delighting,

Jen

But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.  Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

 Mark 4:37-40

God is a friend we can trust! That is our Bible point for this week at VBS. And it’s oh, so true. But do we? Do we really?

I’m trying to watch the news again. It’s hard because I want actual news about what’s going on all over the world, not just in Washington, DC.  Well, spoiler alert, A LOT is going on around the world. And most of it is shocking, troubling and unnerving. But ALL of it is out of our control – totally and completely out of our control.

I’m pretty laid back, and I don’t much need to be in control. But I do have an aversion to thrill rides that lift you up and drop you down in a free-fall for a random number of stories for a random number of times. That’s the aptly named Tower of Terror. And lately the news is giving me that same sort of woozy feeling. HOWEVER, I know that God is not in Heaven watching the news and wringing His hands. I’m sure our behavior is grieving His heart, but it is not a surprise. He knows the whole story of history, and He wrote the book on it!

Jesus gave us the perfect object lesson when He took a little boat ride and tried to squeeze in a nap after a long day teaching huge crowds. His crew of seasoned fisherman were well acquainted with storms on the sea. But notice that when THIS storm came up, they were on the Tower of Terror, rising up and falling down, only with gallons of water pouring in. In fact, it was so bad that they didn’t cry out to Jesus for help. They were already convinced they were goners. They shouted, “Don’t you care that we’re GOING to drown?!”

I don’t know about you, but that sounds like some of my prayers. “Hey, Lord, don’t you see what’s happening down here? I thought we were pals. Are you really going to let me (fail, suffer, die, be sick, go bankrupt, grieve, etc.)?!”

All of those storms of life happening, just like the storm surrounding Jesus’ boat – terrifying, dangerous, and completely out of our control. “God! Where ARE You?!” “Oh, you’re right here in the boat with us…chillaxing on a cushion. What?!?”

And with a word, the storm stops, the waves calm, and Jesus looks at us and says “Why were you so afraid? Didn’t I tell you I’ve got your back?” Well, that’s a paraphrase, but God DOES have our backs. God is a friend we can trust. And Jesus is a friend who loves at all times, in any kind of weather, fair or foul.

Now, God, in His wisdom, doesn’t always calm the storm. But He can calm the storm in us, and give us peace or comfort, or discernment. And no matter how bad the storm might be, He’s always in the boat with us.

PRAYER: Lord, give me the strength to hand over my fears to You, and find true, abiding peace in the midst of life’s storms, no matter how scary, knowing that even if I have to go through them, you will be with me. Help me to remember that it’s not about me, and to just trust and obey. Amen.

Your all-weather friend,

Jen

Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house… (Job 29:4)

I’ve never been scuba diving, but I’ve snorkeled with sharks and taken a mini sub to the edge of an ocean trench. What I can say for sure is that there is a lot more life down there than we might ever guess just drifting on the surface. It’s not until you dive down that you really begin to see the strange and wonderful things you had been missing. And what we’re missing is a lot!

Although the oceans make up roughly 99.5% of the planet's habitats, there are thought to be scores of large marine animals unknown to science. When you consider smaller animals too, the number of unknown species rises to the millions. So, basically, what we know about the sea’s creatures is just the tip of the iceberg.

And so it is with God and His Kingdom. What we know of Him and His spiritual kingdom is just the tippity-top of the iceberg. After all, there is just one volume of His inspired writing, The Bible, which has just 66 books, which all together contain a mere 783,137 words. However, by the miraculous magic of the Almighty, that is quite enough to know God, His laws, His miraculous works, His unfathomable love and mercy in the form of His Son, Jesus, and the guidance and comfort of His Holy Spirit. And what becomes obvious in those 700k+ words is that it’s a love story. His greatest desire is to love us and be loved by us in return.

This week at Vacation Bible School we’re teaching the kiddos to ‘dive into friendship with God.’ I encourage you to dive deeper too. Up on the ‘surface’ of church, Bible Study, and congregational prayer it’s easy to miss all the activity and wonder that’s happening at that deeper level. Floating on the top with just a face mask, you might catch a glimpse of something awesome, exhilarating, intimidating or scary. But it’s only by diving down deep that you really begin to experience the wonder, the glory, the power and the majesty of God!

True friendship is characterized by love, and encompasses trust, regular communication, and joy in one another’s company. So, is Jesus just your buddy? Is God someone you know about, but don’t really know? Then dive deeper!

LOVE: God IS love, so you can’t really know love until you know God. God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5) …He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

TRUST: God is far more trustworthy than any person. He keeps all of His promises and has the power to guide and protect you – what a comfort! So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10) You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

COMMUNICATION: You can have a running conversation with Him all day long. Every decision, every activity, if we keep the lines of communication open, God hears and responds even when we don’t know what to say. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. (Romans 8:26)

MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER: The more deeply you dive into the spiritual world, the more perspective you gain on the temporary troubles of this world, and the often-overlooked good happening all around us. Spend time with God to feel comforted and inspired. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) …But the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! (Psalm 32:10-11)

So, dive on in, the water’s fine! Discover all that you’ve been missing by just floating along at the surface. Go deep and be amazed.

Blessings,

Jen

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!  All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run with purpose in every step. (1 Corinthians 9:24-26)

I love the Olympics. I’m one of those saps who believes sport can unify the world, and in the triumph of the human spirit – the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. I’ve watched many athletes be propelled into Olympic history: Bruce Jenner, Nadia Comaneci, Mark Spitz, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Simone Biles…I could go on and on. What has always impressed me is the incredible amount of discipline they had, even at a young age.

Many Olympians seem to have set their goals very early with an incredible faith that they would one day win the prize – an Olympic medal. In pursuit of it, they gave up normal lives, proms and graduations, often waking before the sun for the first of two or three training sessions a day! They have the support of their families, even when they have to move away for training. It’s a lot for a prize that will one day fade away or be resold at a pawn shop.

Brothers and Sisters, we are in a competition to win a much bigger and eternal prize – salvation and life everlasting in Heaven! The Apostle Paul suggests that we’re in a race – the human race, perhaps? And let’s be honest – not everyone will win the prize. This is a sad truth. There will not be ‘participant medals’ for everyone at the Pearly Gates.

But perhaps Paul is talking about winning souls, not our salvation. We know that we cannot earn our way into Heaven. Salvation is a free gift to everyone. No amount of training and straining will get us through those gates. So why do WE need to train like an athlete?

Paul himself was serving God in God’s capitol, Jerusalem, doing what he thought God commanded, and branding Jesus-followers as heretics. Then, Jesus’ magnificent glory knocked him off his mule, blinded him and put him on track to be a great missionary, winning the souls of Jews and Gentiles.

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)

Friends, we have been sent. Jesus’ final words are our Great Commission: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

That seems like a tall order: all nations, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching. That sounds like the kind of goal you’d need to have a lot of faith to accomplish. It sounds like an endeavor that would involve training and discipline, hard work and dedication. It sounds like something you’d have to give up a ‘normal’ life to achieve, and need the support of family if you had to move away from home for a time.

Of course, with today’s technology there are a lot of ways to carry the message to all the nations. Sadly, in our post-Christian society, there are many people in our own community who may not have heard the Good News. And what is our church if not a missionary training center, sharing the Good News of salvation, making us into disciples, baptizing and teaching God’s Word? Each church is an outpost on the vast world-wide missionary field.

On August 11, the 2024 Summer Olympics will come to an end. All the races will have been run, the competitions decided, and medals distributed. One day soon, our race will end too. Our performance in soul-winning will be tallied and crowns will be awarded. Of course, the real reward will be the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who will share Heaven with us because we dared to share Jesus with them. Then the sacrifice of time, talent and money will not only seem tremendously worth it, it will seem like less than our best effort. Like that little boy on the beach, we will long to be able to save just one more starfish.

As the Day of His Coming draws near, let’s finish this race strong. If we put our total dedication and effort into it, we’ll have no regrets. Because unlike the Olympics, everyone can be a winner in the soul-winning game!

Go for the gold,

Jen

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (Matthew 7:26)

Sand is notoriously unstable stuff. Just last week, a girl was digging a hole at the beach and nearly lost her life. (See Article) Shifting sand even has a name: liquefaction. The shaking of an earthquake can cause soil to behave like a liquid, similar to how wet sand turns to muck when you wiggle your feet in it. This can swallow roads, cars, and even large buildings. Luckily, we can do as the wise man does and build on a solid foundation. Christ is our solid rock.

Things on this big blue marble called Earth have always been rather uncertain. For the ancient everyday person, there were few things one could trust to measure time or space. It’s not too surprising, then, to see some of those mentioned as names for Jesus:

• Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4)
• Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)
• Dayspring (Dawn) (Luke 1:78)
• Light (John 8:12)
• Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)

Jesus is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) He is our “true north," our plumbline, our “firm foundation” – a constant and unchanging source of truth to build our life on.

We, however, get shaken. Our hearts melt like sand in liquefaction. The news seems more surreal every week. In these crazy days where the culture tries to convince us that Truth is relative, that there are different versions of Truth for different people and furthermore that they are all valid, it’s more important than ever to stand on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word. We are seeing the realization of Isaiah’s prophecy:

Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

(Isaiah 5:20-21)

But fear not. Just as the horizon looks crooked and crazy from a boat tossed in a storm, things seem very wrong now. But that’s why we need the perspective of our True North, our Firm Foundation. As Pastor Bill often says, “God is not in Heaven ringing His hands with worry.” God has a plan. The earth has a destiny. There is a Truth on which we can depend and unchanging promises on which we can stand.

It’s fun to play in the sand. My family has always loved to build castles and moats and ponds. And the rapid rate at which the ocean swallows them up is a good lesson about the impermanence of this world. We build in shifting sand, but God builds on a firm foundation of solid rock Truth. Hallelujah to the King of Kings that we can shout, “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken!” (Psalm 62:2)

Stand firm with compass pointed True North,

Jen

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

(1 Peter 3:15)

Recently, on a spur of the moment weekend trip to the shore, I forgot to pack my sneakers, my earplugs, and my wallet! It’s easy to leave a few essentials behind, but always remember to pack Jesus.  

Whether your trip is near or far, there’s bound to be some down-time waiting in line, sitting on planes, trains and automobiles, getting gas, or at your destination. Often, we’re thrust uncomfortably close to perfect strangers. If you’re a recovering introvert like me, it can range from awkward to daunting. But there’s another option: consider it an opportunity to practice sharing something far more important than talk of the weather or elections: share Jesus!

My hubby was boarding a long flight to Guam years ago. He was not much in a mood to be social, and someone had told him that the best way to silence a chatty neighbor was to ask if they had met Jesus. When the ladies next to him started some small talk, he tried out the advice. To his surprise and ultimate joy, they turned out to be two nuns on the beginning of a missionary journey. They ended up chatting happily about Jesus for the entire flight.

The thing is, we can never know where our sharing will take us when we dare to step out in faith. You might get rebuffed or rebuked. But…you might find incredible encouragement in your own journey, or find out about a need that you can actually meet, or hear a tear-soaked story from someone who prayed for someone to talk to, or get to lead a total stranger to Jesus. I’ve heard first-hand accounts of all these.

On our cruise to Alaska, we were seated at a table with couples from Georgia and Texas. It turned out that all of us wrote devotionals (and even a book) for our churches. In Europe, several on our small tour bus were believers and made a special effort to visit the cathedrals and churches where we stopped. We even got a blessing from a German priest. We also prayed together for those lost on MH-13 which had flown out of the very airport that we flew into only days earlier.

So, give it a try! God may have arranged that conversation just for you. You could be the answer to a prayer. No matter how it turns out, you’ll be participating in God’s great plan for us to go and make disciples!

PRAYER: Lord, help me to always pack Jesus wherever I go. I want to join the Psalmist in singing: “In the assembly of all your people, Lord, I told the good news that you save us. You know that I will never stop telling it. I have not kept the news of salvation to myself; I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help. In the assembly of all your people I have not been silent about your loyalty and constant love.” (Psalm 40:9-10 GNT) I am Your witness. AMEN!

Safe travels,

Jen

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

(Ephesians 6:13-17)

On my journey back to health I’ve had to learn some hard truths. I confess it is reassuring to see that the contestants on Biggest Loser all faced these too. The first and hardest truth, but the one most necessary for actual life-long change, is the acceptance of reality, and taking full responsibility for it. On a weight loss journey, it’s the hard acknowledgement that you are fat. I was morbidly obese. The morbid part means death. No one shoved pie down my throat in the night, I was digging my own grave with a spoon. Many of the reasons for that stemmed from lies I repeated to myself over the years that became a subliminal soundtrack in my mind: “You’re not worth the effort,” “It seems so good, how bad could it be?” “The doctor says you’re healthy” “You’re happy this way,” “You’re a disappointment,” “No one cares about you anyway,” etc.

You probably already see the similarities to coming to Jesus. We think we’re in control, but then, in the lonely, quiet moments, the truth of our sin and corruption reveals itself. And often what has kept us from kneeling at the cross are the same kinds of lies that the devil has been whispering to us from the beginning: we’re not worthy, we can’t be forgiven for THAT, it’s too much work to be saved, there’s not really a final judgement, people will disown you, or call you crazy, only the good die young, etc.

Whether it’s a spiritual transformation or a health transformation, or ANY kind of transformation, really, it WILL be a battle to get better. Nothing worth having comes easily anyway. And God is not shy in telling us in His Word that the struggle is point. It’s the struggle, the battle, that turns us into warriors, that builds character and teaches us perseverance, builds value in the victory.

So, it seems the Salvation Work-Out is a fighting discipline. Philippians 2:12 says “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”

ROUND ONE: Fighting the Old Inner Man. “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:19-20) This is a daily exercise. Like all exercises, it gets easier with time, but you’ll never be finished. If the great Apostle Paul struggled with it, we certainly will.

ROUND TWO: The Spiritual Battle. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12) If it wasn’t going to be a battle, we wouldn’t need armor! But God, the Great Personal Trainer, will supply all of the necessary equipment. Still, daily training is necessary so that you’re strong enough and know how to use the equipment when the actual fight comes.

ROUND THREE: Battle with the World. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to change you is the greatest accomplishment.” This has always been true, but in this age of social media, comparison and conformity are demanded like never before with real potential consequences. To follow Christ is to turn around in a massive crowd and start walking the opposite way. This is a full body work-out, but even more so, a battle of the will. Again, our Great, High Trainer is always in our corner shouting out words of encouragement, warning and instruction. And He is there to bind up the inevitable wounds.

Yes, getting better is a battle, but it absolutely WILL happen! “Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Whoo! I’m ready to suit up and get training! And here’s a pro tip, post note cards all over your locker room or training space (house or prayer closet) with your favorite inspirational quotes (verses) from the Trainer. He is the only One who knows our true potential and how to get the most out of us if only we will get real with ourselves, set aside our fear and hesitation and trust the process.

Get after it,

Jen 💪