Preparing for the day

It’s one of those early spring mornings that is made for coffee and and a cozy chair. And a warm, fuzzy blanket. And sunglasses! That spring sunshine has a new warmth, and the birds are a cacophony of song. It’s a favorite place to be.

It is so easy to step outside on these mornings and praise Jesus for who he is and all he has done. My soul is at peace in these moments, no matter what is swirling around me. I see the Lord’s majesty and generosity in this sanctuary. It’s an automatic trigger for prayer and time with our father.

Today’s verse is Deuteronomy 6:5

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

It is so easy to love the Lord my God just as directed while I am alone in a safe and beautiful place. It’s a picture of a spring renewal of my closeness with God. Oh, but how my words and actions when I walk back across the threshold don’t reflect his rightful position in my heart.

These moments of peace and prayer need to be a suiting up time so that I can fight the distractions and schemes of the evil one who wants to separate me from living fully for God. I know what he’s up to, and God gives me his strength for the battle.

Let’s find time this weekend for peace in the Lord, basking in his glory and goodness so we can fully live out loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength.

Be Happy

The wind was crazy blustery as I walked into the cute storefront downtown. Mary Poppins would have been a disheveled mess at a house other than the Banks’ home. I opened the door to a room full of women gathered to create a customized work of art, all wearing cute black aprons.

My eyes darted around, but my friends were no where to be found. I was directed to a private room for church’s girls night out. I was really glad that I was in the right place at that right time! Walking my wind-blown self back through a room of unknown faces and out into the wind because I messed up was not what I wanted to do.

Our paint night was so much fun! We asked one another for guidance as we selected the colors for our creations. We rejoiced in adhering our stencils to the boards and gushed over the finished treasures. It was fun to hear how each woman was planning to use her art, and I can’t eait to see them in their spaces.

This new piece of one-of-kind, hand-crafted artwork will be prominently displayed in one of my sons’ bathrooms. He’s grown and pretty much flown, but I still call it his bathroom.

I chose this stencil for several reasons. I love that each day is full of new new mercies, and that we have a choice to be happy, to find joy in the Lord and carry that attitude throughout our day. My morning today started with prayer and opening the YouVerse app to the verse of the day, and I tell you I was so happy. What a glorious verse, don’t you think?

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94:19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This is our verse of the day. This verse speaks of being so close to the Lord that he is a trusted confidant who not only hears our cares but is a source of comfort. Not just a comforter, but one who takes any care we have and turns our attitude to cheer.

I read this verse and immediately thought of each woman who was at painting last night. They are my cares. Their cares are my cares. God not only hears and cheers through his spirit, but through his people. This means I need to be invested and intentional in building relationships with my church family. So I may care and encourage. And I can be cared for and encouraged.

 It’s amazing how God packs so much into so few words. So many ways God is good. What resonates with you today as you read this truth? Is it your many cares? Does your soul need God’s cheer? Is the Lord giving you nudges of new cares? Are you prompted to be cheer and serve a sister? Are you resting in the splendor that God hears you and wants to bring you joy in your cares?

 Let’s pray this verse today, with our cares and his cheer. Let us wake up and be happy.

Memes everywhere this morning featuring oversized cups of coffee. Daylight Savings Time definitely drags me down, and I am enjoying my coffee with this morning’s slow start. I’m just not sleepy at my new bed time! And I’m certainly not ready to start my day at the earlier hour.

But over the next week my body will adjust to the change around me with the spring forwarding of the clock. It’s a gradual acclimation that results in a new normal so that I do not even recognize the shift.

Our lives can also become so conformed to the world that we are unaware of our shift into a new way of living. There are many verses that speak to this, but today’s scripture is 1 Corinthians 10:31.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Paul has just addressed issues in his world of Christians and pagans. We are not to be stumbling blocks in the pathway of others’ journey to salvation. We are to hold up everything in our lives to the standard of God’s glory. This verse does not mean that we praise God while doing whatever we live how we want. It means that we seek to bring him glory and let our activities flow from that steam of obedience and love.

Today’s planner is open, and I’m filling up my “get-to” list. Taxes. Paperwork. Laundry. Cleaning. Dinner. Time with God. After Prom work. How do I do these for God’s glory? No grumbling. With gratitude. With excellence. With gratitude. With kindness. With honesty. With an eye open for helping others, sharing the gospel with words, and living it through my deeds.

It is definitely an intentional shift away from the world’s standards to God’s expectations of bringing  him glory throughout my day. It would be easy to let my day drift into an unholy mess of drudgery and joylessness which certainly do not bring glory to God. My day is not to be filled with selfish ambition or sinful desires. It is to be filled with a holy ambition to be salt and light in the world.

Whatever we do.  The Lord gives us so much freedom within the confines of his loving standards. He is so good! May our hearts rejoice in a God-glorifying day, even if it takes a second cup of coffee this morning.

Glory upon glory!

At church tonight we were challenged to examine our lives. Are we living differently than the world? Are we focused on Jesus, or does the distraction of me garner my attention?

Throughout the Bibe we see a call to being different. Usually that means outing others above ourselves. Don’t you think we are told to love others like ourselves because we are too experienced in looking out for our needs and wants?

Today’s verse selection is 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What a selfless prayer. In this season of growth, imagine how much closer to God we would be if we prayed like Paul. Love. It’s overflowing in this prayer. Love of Jesus. Love of the family in Christ. How much richer would our church relationships be if we earnestly lifted up each other like this?

It’s not a lightweight prayer made in passing. This is a bold prayer for sanctification of the saved. How could we grumble about or be irritated by one who we are lifting up in prayer to be glorified in Jesus? If we are constantly asking the Lord to make each other worthy, wouldn’t we all be living in the fruition of God’s power? 

And Jesus would be glorified. It’s all about Jesus. The love and glory. His goodness and our sanctification. I think people would know we are different because our words and affections would not be of this world. There would be peace beyond measure as the Lord works in our deire for goodness. There would be joyful service as our good deeds by faith are brought forth in our busy days. 

If we really want to see God working in our world, we need to be praying for worthy kingdom workers fueled by God’s power. As we think of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, let’s follow Paul’s example of love and flood the Lord with our prayers for his people. This will just exponentially increase his glory. He is glorified, then we are glorified in him, and we give him more glory, and he glorifies us even more in him. 

It’s a big ole glory bonfire that grows and shines light and warmth to draw others close, fueled by the grace of Jesus. Talk about being close to God when our prayers are for the church reflecting his glory! 

It's a new day. A dreary morning with no spectacular sunrise. But it's glorious morning when I view it as an opportunity to rise and glorify the Son with my day.

How do I glorify God? In this springtime of devotion, we are looking at growing closer to God and living for him. Today's verses are Mark 12:32-34.

Mark 12:32-34 NIV

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Jesus has just had his kingly entry into Jerusalem. The next few days were filled with the Jewish leaders seething with jealousy and anger. Jesus was making divine statements, and people were listening. Mark 11:18 tells us that people were amazed by Jesus' teaching.

The leaders were trying to catch Jesus with his words, but Jesus obviously knew what they were up to with their line of questioning. They would regroup and come up with a new one. Mark then tells about the mic drop.

An unnamed Jewish teacher had been observing and absorbing Jesus' responses. He boldly asks Jesus about the commandments. Jesus replies. And this man responds with an affirmation of Jesus' words. Can you imagine telling Jesus that he's right? Matthew Henry's commentary enlightens us with the insight that the teacher affirmed Jesus to help bring credibility to Jesus' words and his authority. This man ties Jesus's simple truth in with the Old Testament reminders that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Okay, he does not use the word obedience. He reiterates that we are to love the only God with everything we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we love like this, we are obedient. This is how we are called to glorify the Lord in each gift of today.

Look at verse 34. Jesus knows this teacher's heart and saw his thoughtful response and gave him encouragement that he wasn't far from the kingdom. And then no one dared to ask another question. Fear, shame, awe. What is our response to the authority of Jesus? What to we need to lay at his lordship today?

Pray today about our obedience. How are we loving Jesus with our everything? How are we doing at loving our neighbors? Let's walk with open eyes for opportunities to love like Jesus.

Hey, friend. Can we talk?

Posted on March 7, 2019

I was sitting outside one beautiful Sunday afternoon about two years ago. It was that type of day that kept tugging at me to linger instead of returning inside to start dinner. My Bible was my companion, along with the sunshine and birds, as I relished the early spring weather.

Upon completing my homework for the week, I turned to the Psalms. I was reading Psalm 25:14 and just had to stop and ponder. Read it with me, and see if you’re as awestruck by it as I was.

Psalm 25:14 New International Version (NIV)

14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.

The Lord confides. Wow. How had I overlooked this all these years? The verse below it is all marked up in my Bible, but this particular verse had not impressed me. I just love how God reveals to us new truth every time we read his word!

Other Bible translations have different words for “confides.” The ESV speaks of friendship. The NKJV offers us his secret. But I like to read that God confides in those who fear him. It’s a reverent fear that fully understands his complete holiness yet rests in that same power. As we fear him, we are privileged to hear him.

Our scripture reading for today is Psalm 25:8-15. This selection is a lovely passage for Lent. We lean into the attributes of God, and we see our response. In this spring, this season of renewal, ask the Lord to open your eyes to his gift of his presence as you read below.

Psalm 25:8-15 New International Version (NIV)

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
    forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.[a]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.

What touched your heart as you read this with fresh eyes? Did you see anything new today, or did the Lord reveal a concealed area of sin you need to ask him to forgive? Verse 15 was the portion that struck me this morning. We tend to look at our problems and the snares. God directs our attention to him, not our traps. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus who conquered the grave and covered our sin with his blood. He is our victory. Only he can free us from the snare of sin.

It may take some practice to listen to God instead of just saying what we think he needs to hear. But I don’t want to miss out on his secret confidences. Do you?

I was seeking a devotional for Lent last week, and nothing caught my eye. This year I will write my own, and you can join me as we relentlessly pursue the Lord during Lent.

Lent may bring to mind a fantastic fish fry or giving up a favorite snack. I obviously did not get the point of Lent when I gave up candy bars as a kid and enjoyed a Reese’s Cup. They are round, not bars, so they not off limits, right?

A few years ago I was struck by Samuel’s words to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22. Instead of giving up something, maybe I needed to add more praise and obedience in my day. Which brings me to today’s thoughts. “Lent” comes from the Old English word “lencten,” meaning spring.

Spring. Ahhhh. Flowers. Buds. Rebirth. Re-energized. No heavy burdens of coats. Sneezes. Watery, itchy eyes. Spring! I love this word for a season of the church where we intentionally revitalize our relationship with the Lord. We know that he is never far from us. Our hearts are prone to wander, not his!

Early Spring. Our life in Jesus withstands the unsuspected, making our story more beautiful than what we would write.

Looking up “Lent” in various internet searches, we often find the words reflection and self examination. For the next 40 days we are going to read scripture that brings us closer to the Lord, relentless pursuing reflection, repentance, and a renewed call to live in his love.

We start our Lenten reflection with a psalm of praise. Speak these words aloud with a sacrifice of praise to almighty God, and let his power renew your day. Amen.

Psalm 95:1-7 ESV

LET US SING SONGS OF PRAISE

95 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
    let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God,
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    and the sheep of his hand.