Guest User 7/19/21 Guest User 7/19/21

Chelynn Broughton

What would you do if you won a million dollars? Where would you go; what would you buy, or who would you help with it? Would you spend it wisely or waste it on frivolous things? Would a million dollars make you happy? Before reading this week’s blog, write down your answer to this question in the comments section below.

This week’s lesson on wisdom comes from James 4:1-17. Bible scholars believe that Jesus’ brother, James the Just, is the author of this book. Please take some time to read and meditate on what he has to say.

Money can be both a blessing and a curse. We have to have it to buy the necessities of life: food, housing, utilities, transportation, etc. It also makes life more enjoyable by allowing us to buy the desires of our heart: nice cars, boats, vacations, clothes, jewelry, and toys of all kinds--the things that bring happiness to people, right?

But...money can also bring grief. Families have been split; friends have become enemies, and churches have been divided over those green rectangular pieces of paper. People kill, steal, lie, cheat, and destroy just to get their hands on more of it. Television shows have people doing ridiculous things just to win large sums of money. They get people to eat bugs, lay in tanks filled with snakes, live in seclusion with a bunch of strangers, sing, dance, compete in ridiculously hard obstacle courses, go naked while trying to survive in the wild, and so much more. What exactly would you be willing to do for a million dollars? Would you betray your friends or family?

In James 4, that is exactly what is going on. There is a breakdown of relationships in the community, and this breakdown has its origin in—you guessed it—money. Some of these believers desired wealth so much that they were willing to cheat their friends to get it just to spend it all on earthly pleasures. They were committing one of the most offensive acts in the Bible: pursuing wealth at the expense of relationships. James even says that those who love wealth more than human beings are spiritual adulterers, even worse, they are enemies of God.

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: if you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
(James 4:4)

Money is not bad; it’s the desire for more and more for the purpose of pleasure that leads people to spiritual adultery and idolatry. Relationships are the true currency of life. When you think of the happiest times in your life, was it the money or nice things you had that made you happy, or was it the time spent with friends and family that brought you true joy?

James tells us to rely on God for everything, not to let money come between neighbors, not to judge others, to draw near to God and flee from the devil or the worldly desires he tries to instill in us, and not to boast about what we are going to do but rather to completely submit to what God will do for us. None of these things come easy for us. But the Bible tells us over and over that His ways are easier than the ways of the world.

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
(1 Tim 6:17)

This week, instead of focusing on where the money will come from, focus on relationships. Make it your objective to set aside time to visit with a friend or family member who you haven’t seen or talked to in awhile, or invite a neighbor over for a glass of tea, or make a new friend. There are so many opportunities available to meet women in our church. Come to Coffee Talk on Saturday morning at Boulder (10:00 a.m.). You’ll be surprised at how much true happiness comes from people rather than things you buy.

Have a great week!

Chelynn is a contributing writer for Shaken and Stirred. She is a long-time daughter of Christ, a wife, mother of two amazing adult children, and Nonnie to four beautiful grandchildren. She teaches Senior English at Charles Page High School and is also a Realtor for Keller Williams. She enjoys all things summer including boating, vacationing, and swimming.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Guest User 7/12/21 Guest User 7/12/21

Discordant Clacks

At an early age I learned that what I said had consequences. I noticed that when I or my sisters back talked or said hurtful things to each other, we were punished. When I was a teenager, my older sister and her friends called each other “female dog” in playful voices and then my sister would turn around and call me. I really disliked being called a “female dog” in jest. I don’t know why that was a thing in the early 2000’s but it was. It felt like I was being attacked and I didn’t like it.

In college I experimented with swearing to make my, then, boyfriend happy. (Really that should have been a clue that something wasn’t right in that relationship). But really, it felt wrong. The words would come out of my mouth like marbles, heavy and, while slick, falling with discordant clacks.

In James 3:9-10 it says,

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. And so blessing and cursing came pouring out of the same mouth.
Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

I’ve never felt right about swearing and a big part of that is how I was raised. But another reason is because I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit when I swear.

Why does it matter? Well, what comes out of our mouth is often what we take in. Movies, books, music, friends, and family. All of these things affect our minds and can cause moods and words that we don’t intend. I really enjoy reading books and escaping into the worlds created by authors. But I notice that I’ll start to feel angsty if the character is angsty, I’ll start speaking in an accent if I’m reading via an audiobook set in Ireland. I’ll feel anxious and scared when I’m reading a thriller. I tell myself that I’m learning and gaining knowledge from these books. In a way I am. But I know those things are not always good for me to rest in and that’s what will send me back to the Bible. James 3:17,

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

The best knowledge and wisdom that I have been given has come from God and not the books I read. Through things like House Church and devotional time I have come to understand so much more about the world we live in.

This wasn’t meant to be a devotion about being careful about the media you consume on a daily basis. But that must be what God wanted me to write about today. Take a minute and think about your mood after you watch a reality show or how you react to stressful situations after listening to secular music. Are the words you say and reactions you have point to your love of Christ? Or are they emulating what you just watched and listened to?

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Crissy Jarvis on Unsplash

Guest User 7/5/21 Guest User 7/5/21

The Identity in the Mirror

What good is knowledge if we do not act on it? Is wisdom actually “wisdom” if it’s not acted upon? I think of so many times that I have been given advice and while I thought it was great, never put the advice into practice. Reading the Bible, I can see so many instances of advice, wisdom, and actions that I should be doing but don’t.

In James 1:23 it says,

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”

I just have to say, oof. How many times have I read the Bible and didn’t do what it said to do? Too many times to count. There have been so many times when I’ve received and given the advice to read the Bible and spend time with God. But I’m not good at always making sure I do it.

Something that speaks to me about this verse is that it compares the word, or Bible, to a mirror. I know that the Bible is a picture of who God was, is, will be, and always is. I also know that part of our callings as Christians is to emulate what we see in the Bible and take it as wisdom and act on it.

Today, I have the perfect example of this: My parents have been in town for the week leading up to the fourth of July. I love my parents and one of the many reasons is the advice they give me. Advice for little things like how to take care of my home, how to deal with situations at work, and even things about God. Just 30 min. ago I told my dad what I’m wanting to write about and the first thing he asked, “Have you prayed about it?”. I told him I had but it’s always good to have a reminder. 10 min. ago my mother asked me the same thing…

Ladies, here’s the thing, God wants us to seek Him and remember. In Psalm 119:132-133 we see the psalmist cry out to God,

“Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.
Direct my footsteps according to your word;
let no sin rule over me.”

How often do you stop and cry out to God to help you in what you are trying to accomplish? For me I’ve seen my parents be this kind of example. Now don’t get me wrong, they are human too and have struggles like I do. But I see them pursuing God and acting on what He has to tell them. Just the other day my dad misplaced something important and what is the first thing my mom does? She prays aloud for God to show us where the item was located. A few hours later, we found the object that was lost.

Mom had faith that we would be led to the item, that God would help us find it. I believe that God was going to help us find it. But if we stopped looking for it all together, what would that have done?

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
(James 2:14)

Is it faith to pray and then do nothing but sit? Have you prayed for something but haven’t taken any steps? Personally, me and my husband have prayed and prayed for a baby…but what do you have to do to have a baby? Tell you what, we must do more than pray in that case. There has only been one immaculate birth, Jesus, and I don’t expect to have a baby that way. If we don’t try to conceive a baby, knowing that God has said that he will give us one, is that faith?

It what ways has your faith been tested? How has God asked you to move in Faith?

Photo by Михаил Секацкий on Unsplash

Guest User 6/28/21 Guest User 6/28/21

A Prayer

I have been trying to write this blog post for weeks. My mind has been racing with ideas of how to show you God’s faithfulness. There are SO many examples, not just in the bible, but also in my life and the lives of each of you.

Just this week I could easily tell you about 2 major events where God provided unexpectedly in big ways in my own family through His miraculous healing and in friends that are family, knitting everything together behind the scenes so that major medical expenses thought to be a burden to the family are now fully funded and covered abundantly.

Every day God has opened doors of opportunity for faith filled conversations with unexpected people. He has allowed me to encounter people to pray with, cry with, and embrace with confidence knowing that God has placed each of us in that moment for such a sacred occasion.

While preparing for this blog, I have felt a bit like Jacob when he wrestled with God in Genesis 32. I have encountered God and I am forever changed because of it.

Other times, I have felt like Elijah on the mountain in 1 Kings 19, looking for God in the fire and the earthquake. When all along He is there with me, in the gentle breeze. Leading me and guiding me the direction He wants me to go.

Even this morning in my devotion before church, God said, “do it my way”.

So, this is me trying to do it God’s way.

Some time ago, Rusty gave a message about prayer. He suggested that if we find ourselves praying the same old thing over and over, then we should pray the Psalms. This morning God told me that this is how he wants me to share with you about his faithfulness.

This is my prayer for you today:

“May the Lord answer you in times of trouble.”

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your presence. I thank you for the ministry of Shaken & Stirred. God, I thank you for the freedom to call on you in times of praise and in trouble. God fill us with your Spirit. Wash over us with your grace. Place a stirring within each of our hearts for you God. Draw us in to relationship with you. Give us the courage to reach out to you in prayer.

“May the God of Jacob protect you.”

God you are the same, always. You are the same God to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob as you are to me and to us. Thank you that while the circumstances in my life can often change, God you remain the same.

“May he send you help from his Temple. May he support you from Mount Zion.”

God, I don’t know if I can do this alone. I don’t know if the women I know can go through these struggles alone. I know that you are always with me, with them, but God, please send others who know you and love you to know me and love me. Send other believers that will be an encouragement. That will speak your words. That will be your representation in the flesh. God if I can be that person to someone, Lord, send me.

“May he remember all of your offerings. May he accept all of your sacrifices.”

God, sometimes I feel as if I have prayed and prayed and prayed to no end. I have given all that I have to give. I’m not perfect God. I try, but I seem to fail daily. Please help me to understand that I am good enough. That there is nothing that I could do that will ever make you love me more than you do right now. I can’t make you love me more by doing more and you will never love me less. God thank you for loving me as I am right now.

“May he give you what you want. May all your plans succeed.”

God, you know the desires of my heart. All of my hopes and dreams. All of the ins and outs of my situation. You know all the details. God change my situation or change my perspective. God if my plans don’t match up with your plans, Lord, give me your vision. I don’t want to just see things and people the way you see them, God I want to see the complete picture. Help me to love others the way you love. Help me to love myself the way you love me.

“We will shout for joy when you succeed. We will raise a flag in the name of our God. May the Lord give you all that you ask for.”

God I’m trusting in you for victory. I’m believing for breakthrough in my situation. God, I believe you can, but please help my unbelief. I know that even as I’m praying to you now, you are working things out for your glory and for my good and I can’t wait to tell everyone about you! Use my story and my testimony to open doors for others to come to know you.

“Some trust in chariots, others in horses. But we trust the Lord our God. They are overwhelmed and defeated. But we march forward and win.”

God I’ve spent my life trying to fix things my way. Doing things on my own hasn’t gotten me anywhere. God I’m placing my trust in you. I’m placing my whole life in your hands. You own it all. You created it all. God you are in control, I am not, and I thank you for that.

“Answer us when we call for help.”

Thank you, Jesus that you have saved my life. Thank you that I can call on your name and you are here with me. I need you Lord. Come into my life. Come into my situation. Come into my heart. God, you have showed your love for me over and over. Thank you for your constant care and concern. I love you Lord. Thank you for the honor of being loved by you. Amen.

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash

Guest User 6/21/21 Guest User 6/21/21

Refuge // Heather Dillingham

Have you ever had a night that you woke up with a heart full of fear? Your stomach hollow, your bones aching, and your mind hyper focused. Years ago this was a nightly routine for me. I would go to sleep just fine but, inevitably, at some point in the night I would wake up hyper focused on and full of fear over the idea of death. It felt like my humanity was crying out at the idea that I won’t live forever.

I still have nights like this, although thankfully much less frequent. Nights that I wake up with the sudden realization that our lives are so fragile. But instead of it causing me to lie awake for hours, now it usually only takes a few minutes before my head is on my pillow and I am off to sleep again. Why you may ask? Because God and His faithfulness shifted my thoughts.

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”
Psalms 91:4

I don’t know about you but there are definitely times in my life where I needed that shield. That faithfulness that never ends. To know that no matter what I do, what I fear, or what is done to me, I am loved, cared for and enough. So in those dark nights, I seek God, calling out for refuge.

“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you.”
Psalms: 91: 9-10

This kind of faithfulness should bolster each of us not only in the dark times but also in the bright light of day.

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”
Psalms 91: 5

God’s faithfulness is there to protect us in everything as we carry out the missions he has set before us. He hears, He delivers, and He never leaves. If that isn’t an example of faithfulness, I don’t know what is.

I thank God in those dark nights for his faithfulness. For his protection and for the promise that when I do die, because we all will, I don’t have to fear anymore. And like that, I can sleep.

Heather is a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a believer, a wife, and a mother to a wonderful (and sometimes crazy) one-year-old. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and listening to podcasts. She can usually be taking care of the home and playing on the floor with her daughter.

Photo by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash

Guest User 6/14/21 Guest User 6/14/21

Big Brother // Chelynn Broughton

There is a show on television called Big Brother (you may have seen it) where ten or more strangers known as HouseGuests are thrown together in a colorful, custom-built house full of cameras and microphones (actually it’s a Hollywood set). The contestants are completely isolated from the outside world with no televisions or phones. America watches as they compete in competitions, challenges, and day-to-day life. Each week they eliminate one HouseGuest at a time from the Big Brother house. This goes on for weeks until there are only two people left, and then the evicted contestants are brought back for the finale where they vote for the winner, and that person walks away with $500,000. Throughout the show, America gets to watch relationships being built and alliances being made. There have even been romances that developed into relationships outside of the house, and at least one marriage has come out of this show. The television audience grows to love or hate the HouseGuests and even has the opportunity to vote for the “People’s Choice” winner of $25,000. This sounds like a great show, right? The problem is that the people in the house lie, cheat, and backstab each other at every opportunity, just to better their chances of winning the money. It’s hard to believe that anyone would want to watch a show where this is being displayed, but it is now in its 23rd season, and sadly enough, I’m an avid follower. What I’ve figured out from watching this show is that no one in the house can be trusted, and the HouseGuests should not put their faith in anyone. More than one of them have learned this lesson the hard way.

Have you put your faith in someone who has used it against you? We are probably all guilty of a little gossip here and there, and maybe we have even broken the trust of someone close to us. People are not perfect, but God is always faithful and His love endures forever.

In Psalms 118, David has realized that he can’t trust those around him, and that the only thing he can trust in is God’s love.

Psalm 118:6-8(NLT)
The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?
Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
    I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in people.

If you have been the victim of someone you thought you could trust lying to, cheating on, or backstabbing you, you know how painful that can be. The effects can be physical, mental, material, or even life altering. Maybe you’re afraid to ever put your faith in anyone again. Proverbs 17:9 says,

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.

No one is faultless; even the disciples erred over and over again, but Jesus was patient with them until the end. Maybe it’s time that you begin to trust in people again. The one thing you can always trust in is God’s love for you.

Psalm 118:1-4

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

Let all Israel repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

Let all who fear the Lord repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

Forever is a long time!

Have a blessed week, my friends.

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Guest User 6/7/21 Guest User 6/7/21

God the Omniscient // by Joanna Goodin

When you think of a faithful friend or spouse, what do you think of? Miriam Webster defines it as,

“steadfast in affection or allegiance, loyal, having firm adherence to promises made, someone who is true to who they are, and the standards set.”

Most of us have been betrayed and/or slandered at some point. Maybe you had a friend who would turn around and gossip about you after you entrusted them with a secret. Maybe someone you trusted, caused harm. Perhaps someone made you feel they wanted to get to know you but then used everything you shared with them against you. Personally, I am coming out of a season of having been hurt deeply in some of these ways. It seemed the only thing consistent was the damage being done, and that it was followed up with twisted truth and me being misrepresented, or lied about, which only brought more hurt. In a world where we all fear and long to be fully known, betrayal and being misunderstood can be painfully damaging…but there is one who knows me fully! God knows my hurt and loss, He knows lies spoken about me, and He knows where some of the things about me may be true, even though I do not see it yet. God knows it all. He knows you. He knows and loves us anyway.

...

Take a moment this morning and read Psalms 139. Some believe that David wrote this Psalm after many people were speaking untrue things about him. I do not know if this is true, but it is definitely reasonable as we see David clinging to the fact that God knows what is true about him. I hope you will read it in its entirety because this simple blog post will not do it justice. It has been very helpful to me in my current season. As we walk through it together, I hope you will see how it covers so many areas of God’s faithfulness to us.

A key word in this chapter is “know”. It is used six times, and the word “knowledge” is used once. Take notice of all the verbs used for how God loves us. The chapter is full of His love in action.

“You have searched me Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You are familiar with my ways…”
(Psalm 139:1-3)

He knows the silly you, the melancholy you, the bitter you, the generous you, the good intentioned you, the rebellious you, the critical you, the graceful you, the disloyal you, and the faithful you. He knows every part of you.

“You hem me in behind and before and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”
(Psalm 139:5)

This Greek word for hem (in some versions besetting) can mean to bind in, and to lay siege. There is a compressing in and surrounding of God happening. It is like He is embracing us in His arms and pressing in holding us tightly.

David goes on to say God is everywhere. We cannot escape His presence. In verse 12,

“…even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like day, for darkness is as light to you.“

We can’t hide our sins in the dark, because He is faithful to shine light on all things. This can feel creepy or scary, but it means God is light! He has no dark side! God is only good. We do not have to guess if we will get goodness from Him. His goodness always brings light to our darkness! He is faithful to who He is including His goodness.

The next verses describe the awesome power and creativity of a God who is so big, but still intentional in the smallest details of creating us. We were created with such intricate care. So much power and creativity were shown to us even before our hearts could beat. Suddenly there is a shift in the last verses and David begins to ask God to slay the wicked. David hates those who hate God and speak His name with evil intent. It seems as if David believed his heart to be right but knew he needed God to search his heart, because our hearts can deceive us. He invited God to search and change anywhere his heart is not righteous.

In verse 23 David prays,

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

The biblical meaning of the word “search” here has similar meaning to the way a miner would search for gold. It is also used in Judges 18:2 where the Israelites scour and search for land. Why does this matter? God has searched for you, knows you, and still loves you so much that He continues to search for you. He is actively pursuing your heart. This is not a passive relationship on His part.

Faithfulness is purposeful. In this Psalm alone God searches, knows, perceives, discerns, hems us in, lays His hand upon us, is always present, guides us, holds us fast, shines His light, created us, sees us, thinks of us, fights for us, examines and corrects us, and leads us in the way everlasting. This is love and faithfulness. It is purposeful, intentional, and consistent. When He blesses us, He is true to His promises. When we sin and things go wrong, it is His faithfulness to His word. God cannot change or betray. He cannot misunderstand you. He is love, and He is faithful.

Where do you see God pursuing you? Do you invite Him to search you even when you feel misrepresented? Do you trust that He explores to bring intimacy and holiness, not to harm? How actively do you seek Him? Where can you dig deeper to know Him more, and where do you need to be searched and tested deeper still? God alone is good and faithful. Be known and ask Him to search you where you can be more faithful to Him and others. Know and seek Him with all your heart and look for His faithfulness to you.

Joanna is a contributing writer for Shaken and Stirred. She loves Jesus and hopes she never stops learning more about Him. She is a Life Coach working alongside women and adolescence, as well as a mom to amazing 11&13 year old young men. She loves hiking and yoga when she gets the chance to do it. She often enjoys writing, creating, coffee with a friend or book, and laughing while hanging out with her boys.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Guest User 5/31/21 Guest User 5/31/21

Snowdrops

snowdrop aaron-burden-pVK6Dl4Q7DA-unsplash .jpg

Earth frozen and stark,
bare branches and limp scattered leaves,
hope is far.
Warmth flickers like the far off sun,
words spoken in love rest on surface,
but go no further.
White falls and blankets,
covering and patient,
awaiting the release of the Father.

Our world is amazing isn’t it? Every year we go through the 4 seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Just think about that cycle for a moment using different words: Rest, Awaken, Grow, Harvest.

Honestly, if you think about the cycle of the seasons it’s a perfect system. In the Winter, it grows cold, the plants sleep, and the ground is frozen. When precipitation occurs, it falls as snow and blankets the ground. The snow actually acts as an insulator to protect the ground and the resting plants. In the Spring, as the weather warms, the snow melts, the ground warms and plants drink in the water as they awaken. In the Summer, all things grow and begin to mature in the warmth of the Sun and plentiful water. In the Fall, the plants are ready for the harvest and enjoyment.

If you think about your life, where do you see yourself?

A few years ago I painted a picture that represented winter for my home. I wanted it to have a bible verse and when I looked up “snow” this verse came up:

“He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes.”
(Psalm 147:16)

I thought it was pretty and painted a wonderful picture of winter. At the time that’s all I thought it represented. But I was wrong in many ways.

Last year I felt a nudge from God to “open my Bible and read”, so I did. I read the entirety of Psalm 147:1-20(NIV) and was brought to a realization: God is faithful.

This is something that I’ve shared before and it can be hard to talk about. But my husband and I are struggling with infertility. I have blanketed myself in the promises that I know to be given from God. Promises that are actually in Psalm 147:13,

“He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.”

To me this verse, is a reminder that children come from God. That no matter what our doctor’s say, through God we will have our babies. I’ve had words from people who love us and are strong in their faith, that say at least one of our babies will come from our bodies and another will come from our hearts (or adoption). I don’t know how any of this will play out. But as I sit here awaiting the Snowdrop flowers that come after the barren (seeming) Winter I am reminded of God’s faithfulness.

In the season of waiting I Am here.

As I attend church, read my bible and receive advice from those around me God is spreading His word around me like a “blanket of snow”. Because I will be the first to admit that I feel as though I am in a Winter. A place where there doesn’t seem to be hope, but I can feel the protection and promise that God is laying over me and my husband.

In the season of answers I Am here.

When God’s timing is right He brings revelation. When He breathes the spring winds into being, the snow melts and quenches. Fulfills. I have heard the answers from God, through people close to me. But now I am awaiting the fulfillment of His promise.

…

I am waiting for my Spring to occur and for the promises of God to awaken. The one thing that keeps me going from day to day is knowing that God always fulfills His promises. Just as I know the seasons will occur in the order they were created to follow. I know that God will bring about my next season in the timing He ordains.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Guest User 5/24/21 Guest User 5/24/21

Respect // Chelynn Broughton

Good morning! This week we are looking at Colossians 3:18 through 4:1 and discussing the question: What examples are there to follow or commands to obey?

There are tons of “How To” books out there. They range in topics, anything from: “How to have a perfect dog in 7 easy steps”, “how to cope with grief”, to “how to take a vacation at home”. I even came upon a book entitled Training your Wife to be Submissive (check out this link to check out the cover). This book was written in (wait for it….) 2020. If you’re like most women, this makes you angry, and you want to raise your voice and tell your opinion of this ridiculous topic. How could a man have the audacity to write a book like this?! But, isn’t this exactly what Paul wrote we as wives are supposed to do in Colossians 3:18?

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”

What exactly does that mean?

This word “submit” which means to accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person, has bothered many women over the years, especially in the 21st Century where women want to be seen as equal to or sometimes better than their husbands, or men in general. God didn’t put man on earth to rule over women, but He did create them to be the protector and provider for the family.

Let’s look at this in a different light. I am an English teacher, and on the first day of school for 25 years now, I have introduced myself, my plan for the year (my syllabus), and my class rules. The most important of these rules has always been, “Respect me, and I will respect you in return.” Merriam Webster defines “respect” as: “giving high or special regard to someone.”

Respect in your relationships builds feelings of trust, safety, and wellbeing. Because I respect my students, they respect me in return, and I rarely have any discipline issues in my classroom. I feel like the word “submit” evokes negative feelings, but if we substitute the word “respect” in verse 18 and the verses that follow, I feel like it is easier to understand what Paul was trying to say.

“Wives, [respect] your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love and [respect] your wives; do not be harsh with them.
Children, [respect] your parents, for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, [respect] your children, so they don’t become discouraged.”

Servants, [respect] your masters (or employees respect your bosses). Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord (showing respect to the Lord), not for human masters. Masters [respect] your servants (employers respect your employees). Remember that you also have a master in Heaven.”

In these verses, there are commands for each member of the family, including the servants. Paul wrote “how to” books to the Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Galatians, and Corinthians. Paul was trying to show them, and us, how to please the Lord in whatever role we play in the family. There is no such thing as the perfect family; we all occasionally struggle with our role in life, but instead of buying a “How to” book on what we can or should do to make our lives better, grab a copy of God’s word and see what He instructs us to do. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that:

“the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

It is not an archaic book that only pertains to the people who were alive when it was written. We can learn so much from it that will help us become the best at whatever our role is in life.

I believe as women of God, we choose to submit to (or respect) our husbands because we love them, not because we have to, and in turn our husbands love and respect us. This was God’s plan all along. Have an amazing week my friends!

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Turning Back // Heather Dilligham

My daughter is at that age where running is new and exciting for her. She takes off, her two little legs barely clearing the ground. A wide smile on her face and hair whipping behind her as she giggles. Inevitably though, she will slow down and that face will turn to something else. Her revelry to uncertainty as she searches for something familiar, her mom and dad.

Just like a child, we have a tendency to turn back to what is familiar. For us, this tends to be turning back to the habits and sins of this world. Paul knew this when he wrote to the church in Colossae warning them against turning back to their old ways. He urged them to turn from their past, and revel in the fact that they are a new creation in Christ.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(Colossians 3:3)

Just as the Christians in Colossae, we are all new creations in Christ. Fully paid for by the blood of Jesus. Fully forgiven. Yet too often in times of stress, trouble, and sometimes just in times of boredom, we find ourselves stopping in our run with God to look back and walk in our sin.

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
(Colossians 3: 7-8)

While Paul is talking about individual sins, he encompasses the idea that the sin to be avoided here is turning to look back. Because when we turn to look back, we lose sight of God. So I encourage each of you, don’t let uncertainty stop you in your revel. But, like a child running through the grass, arms bobbing and little legs pumping, keep running with joy toward God.

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Letters

For hundreds of years, maybe thousands, people have been writing letters. In the U.S. we’ve been doing it since pens and paper became commonplace. People who wanted to get in touch with other people separated by distance had only one way to do it; they wrote letters...the only means of long distance communication until the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century.

My mom’s mom “Nanny” lived in Mississippi. That’s where my mom grew up and where I was born. My mom always felt guilty for moving away from her family in Mississippi, so anytime we were on break at school, we went to Mississippi to visit my Nanny and all my cousins and Aunts and Uncle’s. As a child, I only remember going on one vacation in my life, but we went to see Nanny at least 3 or 4 times a year.

Once a year my parents would let me stay an extra week by myself with my Nanny. I'm not sure what the appeal was because I had to work harder and had less freedom. But I absolutely loved staying with Nanny. Every time I had the opportunity to stay that special week at my Nanny's, she always made me write a letter to my parents telling them about my visit and mail it to them. Nanny had a phone, but putting pen to paper and telling stories and sharing a part of your life and your experiences seemed so much more intimate. More meaningful.

My girlfriends and I used to write letters to each other all the time. You know, back before cell phones and texting. I used to have a box full of old notes that were passed back and forth between me and those girls. I don't remember the content of those letters now, but I remember the joy and excitement of writing and later receiving them.

Words have so much power.

I received a letter written on March 30, 2020. This letter was quite unexpected as I hadn't spoken with the author in quite some time and honestly rarely did. We were Facebook friends and had once been a part of the same bible study, but our paths took different directions and we were rarely in the same place at the same time. Nothing bad ever happened, we just never had the opportunity to cultivate our relationship.

As I read her letter, I sat with tears streaming down my face. A portion of the letter reads:

"When I met you over 10 years ago... you intrigued me. God was taking you through a transition in life and I have always admired you for that. You were real and honest and strong! I have admired you from day one. I see you now and I see how you are the hands and feet of Jesus. When I see your face - I see the joy of Jesus. You have what others want. You have the Jesus spark! Please know that every day I am praying for you. Thank you for being a beautiful example to me of how to serve Him and His children."

Her words gave me an overwhelming sense of God's love for me and His power to use His people to bring encouragement at just the right time.

As I read the beginning of Colossians 2, I feel like I'm reading her letter again and the feeling of God's great care and concern for His children. I imagine how the Colossians felt hearing from God, through Paul in his letter:

"I want you to know that I am trying very hard to help you... I want you to be strengthened and joined together with love. I want you to be rich in the strong belief that comes from understanding. I mean I want you to know fully God's secret truth. That truth is Christ himself. And in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept. [...] I am not there with you, but my heart is happy to see your good lives and your strong faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2:1-3,5)

I love how Paul encourages them, he acknowledges them and validates who they are in Christ. These are the words of Paul, but they come from God. Just like the letter I received and just like all of scripture in the bible.

The more I study God’s word, the more I recognize that just as God used Paul to encourage others, God is continually writing love letters to others through me and through you. Through our words, through our actions and reactions. Through our care and concern for others.

He places us at just the right moment in time to be His letter to His people.

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The Gospel Truth // Joanna Goodin

Wow. God wanted me to study Colossians chapter one this week. I am newly divorced (as in six days ago) and my brain has been swirling with half-truths and lies that I believe Satan has been bombarding me with for quite a while now. I am glad to be in a place where I feel more able to focus on truth. That is exactly what Colossians chapter one does. This chapter is delightfully dripping with the truth of who God is. As I studied this chapter and wrote out what I could learn about God, I was so thankful and blessed for the opportunity. I believe that if you read and reread the chapter, you will be so blessed by it too.

Paul is writing this letter from prison to the church in Colossae. The church had begun to leave behind important truths of Christianity and embrace beliefs of different religions. They had created a hodge-podge religion and had forgotten the deity of Christ. It certainly began to affect how they lived and the choices they made. The more lies they consumed….the more lies they believed. I have been there. It seems, at times lately, that I even question what is true about me. I wonder if everything about me is wrong.

What was exceptionally dangerous in Colossae, is that they were making an idol out of knowledge and believing themselves to be enlightened, even in the middle of confusion. How did Paul address this? After giving thanks for them and praying for wisdom and strength for his brothers and sisters in Christ, he simply spoke the truth about God. Simply speaking about who God is, is so powerful. The list of things to address were many and Paul simply spoke the gospel truth to each one. This points out to me the awesomeness and power of God. Even in His word, there is power, because He made it so.

I sat down to create a list of all the things we could learn about God from this text. The list is so vast on the many aspects of God it covers. I wrote at least three pages. First, I just made a list of what it said. I got fired up. I decided to then write the list saying, “God you are… “, and wrote more out. Recently I have struggled with wondering if I really know myself very well. It seems that at times, my mind has become so unclear, and I wonder if anything I think is right. I wrote and spoke out loud, “God you are my...” for everything I had written. I promise you will not regret doing the same thing. Here are a handful of powerful truths we find about God in this chapter.

God is generous

“[...] We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God [...]”
(Colossians 1:9-10)

God gives hope that produces faith and love. He gives wisdom and understanding and all we have to do is ask and pray like Paul does for the church of Colossae. By receiving that wisdom and acting on it we have the ability to bear good fruit that is pleasing to God.

God Rescues

He rescued us from the dominion of darkness by sending His beloved son, Jesus to us. He extends his hand in invitation, but doesn’t stop there. He tracks us down and prepares a place for us:

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
(Colossians 1:13)

To write this out makes me want to keep going on all the things God is and does. So I will:

Empowers
Qualifies
Supreme
Redeems
The Creator

As I wrote and spoke these things, I realized the significance of what was happening. Simply speaking about who God is aloud can be considered worship. It is acknowledging His hand in everything. Just by describing Him, we bring power and life to a situation. That is the power of God. By combatting the deception with remembering who God is, we are reminded of His power and awesomeness. When we remember Christ is in us and has made a way for us to sit in His awesomeness, we learn who we are because of Him. He is everything. The beginning and the end. He is the way, the truth, and the light.

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Proclaim His Name

Have you ever noticed that in the Bible things are often repeated? Some things are repeated because, for generations, the Torah (Old Testament) was passed down orally and it’s easier to memorize and pass along when things are repetitive. Other times, situations are repeated because while they may have memorized a verse, they didn’t take things to heart. If you have ever been a part of a house church before and while on the question: “What do we learn about God?” someone responded with: “God is Faithful”, “God has a plan”, or “God loves us”. You might have sighed or rolled your eyes because those answers aren’t new. But those are the truths we need to take to heart because in order for us to have faith during the hard times we have to accept those truths fully.

Why am I talking about repetition? Well, because without repetition we don’t learn the lesson we were meant to learn. In January I wrote about the Woman at the Well and how when she met Jesus, she took that encounter and told everyone that the Messiah had come. And again today, I’m here to show you the example of a woman who loved God and was one of the first to set the example of spreading the good news of Christ’s coming: Anna the Prophetess.

...

“Coming up to [Joseph, Mary, and Jesus] that very moment, she gave thanks to God and Spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38)

The moment Anna saw Jesus, she knew Him, the woman spent 83 years praying to and praising God. Why wouldn’t she recognize the Lord in the flesh? And what did she do with that knowledge? She told all that she saw about the small baby who was God in the flesh.

Anna is one of those amazing people you can’t help but admire. She was so different from other women at the time that Luke called her a Prophetess. In case you were wondering, a prophet is defined as: A person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God. I believe that even though Anna wasn’t able to meet God in the Tabernacle. She was privileged to meet Him in that court yard that day. I love that she couldn’t contain herself and told everyone she met, that the Redeemer had come at last. In John 1:4 it says,

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

God blessed Anna that day by giving her a chance to meet Himself, in person. But what was her first instinct? To praise God for the gift he had sent and to talk to everyone she encountered that the Redeemer had finally come to save them all.

Like a broken record, I want to encourage each of you to be bold, be different, be crazy for Jesus. Follow Anna’s example and do more than just passively worship and pray. Get out there and share with people what Jesus has done for you and what He can do for them.

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Twirling Dancer

If you have to wear a dress to church, it might as well be a swirly, twirly dress. That was the main criteria I expected from any dress I wore as a child. Why did it need to be twirly? Because when I went to church, the first notes of “Days of Elijah” or “Shout to the Lord” would begin to play and I would go into the aisle and start dancing to the music. It was how I participated in worship and even today while worshiping you can see me swaying or moving a little/a lot. As an adult though I don’t move as freely as I did when I was seven.

Last week I wrote about how God is no longer separated from us and how Anna felt the need to be as close to God as she could in the time she lived in. This week I want to discuss how:

We (mankind) are created to worship

When Anna was widowed she could have returned to her own father’s house and tribe, but instead she went to her heavenly Father’s House, the Temple. Anna didn’t care that it might be odd that she was there all the time. She knew her purpose and walked out that purpose everyday: to worship God.

In Psalm 100:2-3 (TPT) Moses wrote,

“Worship Yahweh with gladness. Sing your way into his presence with joy! And realize what this really means— we have the privilege of worshiping Yahweh our God. For he is our Creator and we belong to him. We are the people of his pleasure.”

‭What a privilege Anna was given. A privilege we Christians often take for granted or don’t participate in because we don’t want others to think we are weird. I am completely guilty of this as an adult. Somewhere between being a child, who didn’t care what people thought, and an adult, who cares too much, I have kept to the “acceptable” ways of worship (Cue Tim Hawkins video on Hand Raising). I lift my voice and my hands and worship, but there are moments when I feel the need to dance, but instead I root my feet to the floor because I don’t want to be a distraction to anyone. Instead I distract myself from the worship, which is just as damaging.

I want to encourage you to be like Anna and give into worship. For me, it might mean giving in to the need to dance. For you, it might mean raising your arms above your waist or maybe even above your head. God is there, patiently waiting to hold your hand and connect with you.

Will you reach out?

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Menagerie of Imagination

As a little girl, I would lay awake at night, snuggled up in my patchwork comforter on the top bunk, and stare at the bumps in my ceiling. I would trace puppies, cats, penguins, dragons, houses, human faces, and other such things with my eyes and arms. I remember one night thinking about Heaven and Hell. Pretty odd for an elementary student, right? That night I pointed up at the ceiling and traced an imaginary line among my menagerie of imaginary pictures and thought: That side is Heaven and this side is Hell. For some reason, that made sense to me: that God would live on a side of my ceiling while Satan lived on the other.

If you’ve read your Bible and dived into the book of Exodus, you will have extensive knowledge of the tabernacle and the importance and purpose of the structure. Fast forward to the time of Jesus’ birth, and we have the Temple built by Herod. While the new Temple was made of precious stone instead of cloth and wood like the Tabernacle, they were made with roughly the same spaces in mind: the Most Holy Place (Where God resided), the Holy Place (where only the Priests could go), and the Outer Courts (where anyone could gather). With the construction of Herod’s temple, there were some extra divisions made in the court area. Essentially, they added the men’s court (reserved for men) and the women’s court.

Can you imagine, dear ladies, being told that you can go no farther than the lobby at church and then relying on your father or husband to relate what the pastor preached? Anna the Prophetess, in Luke 2:36-38, lived life this way as a widow for 84 years. She loved God so much that she tried to get as physically close to Him as possible during that time.

“[Anna] never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying”
(Luke 2:37)

I want you to take a moment and just reflect on that for a moment. Even though Anna fasted, prayed, and spent her time in the temple, she was still full of sin and therefore couldn’t be in the presence of God. But if you read Luke 2:22-40, you will read something amazing. God in the flesh, the redeemer, was being held in the arms of Mary on his way to be consecrated to the Lord, His Heavenly Father, and Anna recognized Jesus for who He was: The Messiah.

God doesn’t live in a building

Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection, God no longer lives in the Most Holy Place inside the temple. In fact, Luke 23:45 says,

“the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”

The curtain that the verse refers to is the thick, beautiful curtain that separated God from the Priests. It was a literal barrier between us and God that was no longer needed after that day because once you declare that Jesus is the Son of God, sent as a baby, and crucified for your sins so that you can have everlasting life, God comes to live INSIDE of you in the form of the Holy Spirit.

Looking back at the moment when I traced the line on the ceiling and divided it into Heaven and Hell, I know that in my childish musings I had forgotten that God lived inside my heart. And to be honest, I don’t remember the day I asked Jesus into my heart for the first time (my parents said that I was about 4 years old), but since that day, I have re-devoted my life to God.

I have some tough questions for you, dear reader: Where does God live in your life? Have you invited Him into your heart or is He out of reach behind a barrier of your own making? Take a moment, pray today, and reflect on this passage and what a gift we have been given in the form of Jesus.

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Sloth or Squirrel? // by Chelynn Broughton

Happy Monday! We are in our final week of studying the story of the bent woman from Luke 13:10-17. I hope you have enjoyed reading about the bent woman whose life was touched by Jesus himself that day in the tabernacle.

This week as you read back over the text, you should consider the question:

Are there any commands to obey?

For the past seven weeks, the focus for the Sunday sermons at Church That Matters has been on the “Seven Deadly Sins.” One of those sins is Sloth. Have you ever seen a live sloth? They almost appear to have no bones in their bodies. Imagine relaxing every muscle in your body and just slumping to the ground. That’s how I imagine being a sloth would be. On the other hand, have you ever watched squirrels play? They are anything but slothful. They are like little highly-caffeinated creatures, running up, down, and around, and jumping from tree to tree. They never seem to rest. Which one of these animals are you?

…

When Jesus healed the bent woman in Luke, the leader of the tabernacle was angry because Jesus had “worked” on the Sabbath. The word Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means to rest or take a break from labor. In Genesis 2:3, the word Sabbath is mentioned for the first time,

“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

The word holy means something that is sacred or dedicated to God. God wants the Sabbath day to feel different from the other days of the week; therefore, He asks us to rest from our normal daily routine and dedicate our thoughts and time to Him. Does this mean that we should be slothful and do absolutely nothing on the Sabbath? Is it even possible to do absolutely nothing? It seems like the leader of the tabernacle thought everyone should do just that, but Jesus reminded him that even the feeding of animals was work. Jesus isn’t granting permission to treat the Sabbath like any other work day though. If you are more like a squirrel during the week, running constantly and focusing on work and the things of this world, God asks you to stop and rest from that and set your mind on Him for one day each week. He gave us permission to take a break and reset for the week to come, just like He did after creating the world that we live in.

Command: Take a break and focus on God.

God gave you permission to take the day off. Can you do that? Stop being a squirrel for one day, reset your thoughts and focus on God each Sunday. You don’t have permission to be a sloth though. If you have become lazy in your spiritual life, begin by dedicating Sundays to the Lord: attend church, take a break from work, and enjoy the time by focusing on the good things God has given you.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

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Guilty as Charged // by Chelynn Broughton

Happy Monday! We are in our third week of studying the story of the bent woman from Luke 13:10-17.

This week as you read over the text, you should consider the question:

Are there any sins to repent of or commands to obey?

Many of you may not know that I am an English teacher at Charles Page High School. I've taught English in multiple schools for almost 25 years now. I've learned a lot about myself over these 25 years. One thing I've realized is that I am a rule follower. I'm all about the rules: grammar rules, classroom rules, dress-code rules, and rules of behavior. I believe that rules are made for a reason; therefore, they should be enforced, so I have always tried to implement them, especially in my classroom. For many years, I was known as the "hat Nazi" because I would make students remove their hats in the hallway or in my classroom. Some of the worst confrontations I have had with my students have been over hats. That seems pretty ridiculous, right? They didn't understand why it was a big deal. To me, it was a "respect" thing that had been drilled into my head for years. You didn't wear a hat in a building, especially church and school. It was a rule that made me miserable more than once. About three years ago, the high school administrators lifted the rule about wearing hats in the building, and students felt like they had won a major battle. I was frustrated at first, but my life became so much simpler once I was able to stop seeing those hat-wearing students as rebels, and I barely even notice the students wearing hats anymore. Why am I telling you this?

Well, like most of you, when I first read the passage about the bent woman, I immediately got upset with the leader of the synagogue and wondered how he could be so angry after Jesus himself had healed this poor woman who had been suffering for 18 long years. Shouldn't he have been happy that he had witnessed a miracle in his tabernacle instead of reading everyone the riot act for coming to be healed on the Sabbath? When Jesus put them in their place by calling them hypocrites and explaining that even they worked on the Sabbath, I found myself cheering Him on. (Go, Jesus!) But this week, as I started thinking about the sins to repent of, I discovered that I am not that different from the leaders of the synagogue. I was guilty of being a hypocrite. I was all caught up in the rules and making sure that everyone else was following those rules that I wasn't seeing the good that was going on around me. I'm pretty sure that I would have asked Jesus to remove His hat if He had walked into my classroom as a teenager.

Sin: Judging others for what they are guilty of doing

Matthew 7:3 asks us,

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Last week, I talked about focus and asked what you are focused on, this world or things from above. As ridiculous as this sounds, once they did away with the hat rule, my focus on many things changed. It is like the plank in my eye was removed, and my outlook on life became brighter.

As the title says, I was guilty as charged. I wasn't breaking the hat rule, but had I broken other rules in my life? Of course.

Jesus wasn't there to call me a hypocrite, but in Romans 3:23 it says,

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

I was so focused on the sin of others that I couldn't see my own sin. In Luke 13:17, the hypocrites are called Jesus' "enemies" or "opponents," and it says that they were "humiliated." Were those religious leaders actually enemies of God looking to destroy the reputation of Jesus, or were they just caught up in the rules of the time? If you read on in Luke, you will find the answer to that question.

For now, I leave you with these questions: What is keeping you from seeing the good things going on around you? Are you so focused on the splinters in the eyes of others that you can't see past the plank in your own eye?

Footnote:
A plank weighs on average 93.6 lbs. That much weight in a person's eye would have them bent over for sure.

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Eyes on the Prize // by Chelynn Broughton

Happy Monday! We are in our second week of studying the story of the bent woman from Luke 13:10-17. This past week was Spring Break, a favorite holiday for all teachers, and as I focused again on the story of the bent woman in the synagogue, I thought back to my first Spring Break ski trip. It was a little over ten years ago. My husband loves to ski and had gone many times over the years, but I had never skied before. Morgan, my step-daughter, who was ten and my son, Jeremy, who was a student at OU at the time, went with us. Neither of them had ever skied before either.

We drove to Taos, NM, checked in at the condo, and headed to the slopes. Once there, Jeremy (the smart one) signed up for ski lessons and went off on his own. Joe surveyed the slopes and decided that the lower areas were pretty icy, so we should get on a lift and go higher where the snow was heavier. I naively followed him, thinking he was the expert. Trusting him completely, I climbed onto a lift and went up the mountain.

Once there, all I could focus on was the steep drop offs that were on one side of the mountain where I was now supposed to learn to ski. Morgan had no problems maneuvering her skis around in the snow, but no matter how hard I tried, I just kept skiing straight towards the edge of the cliffs. I would then drop to the ground to prevent myself from plummeting off the mountain. I did this over and over again, and finally, emotionally exhausted, I gave up completely. I wanted to cry! I didn’t think I would ever get off that mountain. I ended up getting directly behind Joe with my skis inside his, and I held on to his waist as he skied us to the bottom. Talk about embarrassing and terrifying!

Needless to say, I signed up to take lessons that afternoon and sat out the rest of the morning while Joe and Morgan skied all over the mountain. The first lesson they taught us that afternoon was that our skis would go where our eyes went. That was like a lightbulb in my head! The reason I kept heading toward the steep cliffs is because that’s where my focus was going. Once I figured this out, I almost enjoyed skiing. I’m still a beach girl though and always will be.

…

As we return to the story of the bent woman, we consider the question:

What do we learn about man from this story?

To answer this question, let’s look at how the others who were in the tabernacle behaved. After Jesus called the woman out of the crowd and healed her,

“she immediately stood up straight and praised God. The leader of the tabernacle became angry and harshly criticized the crowd for coming to be healed on the Sabbath.”

In verses 15-16, “Jesus criticizes the leaders of the synagogue and calls them hypocrites.” Then we find out that, “Jesus’ opponents were humiliated.” Finally, “the people in the crowd were delighted” with the wonderful things that Jesus was doing. Through this, we learn that:

Man’s focus is not on the right thing.

The bent woman’s focus was inevitably on the pain and suffering that she had gone through for 18 years. She had only been able to look down for all of those years.

The leader of the synagogue’s focus was on the enforcement of the law.

The people in the crowd were focused on the routine of the day. I imagine they were irritated by the crowd and were pushing forward through the people trying to get closer to the “show.” They were probably more focused on themselves than what Jesus had to say. (This might be similar to what some go through every Sunday morning as they perform their weekly church-going routine.)

But…Jesus changed all of this when He focused on the woman no one else could see. When He healed her, her focus changed. I imagine that she loudly praised God as she focused upward for the first time in 18 years. The others in the crowd had a focus change as well, and I’m sure they passionately praised God for the miracle He had just performed. The leaders, however, were still focused on the wrong things, and they are then labeled enemies of Jesus.

…

Focus is important in our walk with Jesus. The Bible is full of scriptures talking about where you should focus.

Colossians 3:2 (ESV) tells us to:

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Where is your focus? If all you see are the troubles in your life, then maybe you need to shift your focus to things that are above.

This week I challenge you to stand up straight and praise God for the wonderful things He has done and will continue to do in your life.

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God’s Healing Power // By Chelynn Broughton

My husband loves to tell people the story of how, because I was so blind, my forehead would almost touch the bathroom counter when I put my contacts in every morning. He thinks it is hilarious and even acts out the motions for everyone to see.

That was before God’s complete restoration of my eyesight. A miracle? Kind of…

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This month’s story is from Luke 13:10-17. A woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years was healed by Jesus when He noticed her in a large crowd of people. They were in the synagogue where Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath Day. Because of her illness, she was bent double and unable to stand up straight, but Jesus saw her and called her over to Him. He said,

“Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” (Luke 13:12)

Then He touched her, and immediately she stood up straight and praised God.

What Do We Learn About God?

God can heal us.

We just have to be present for Him to see us.

Had she gone there expecting to be healed? We don’t really know, but we do know that she was in the synagogue, which is a place for religious worship or instruction. She had a desire for something from God. Did she know that Jesus would be there teaching? I know that if I had heard of Jesus and his healing power and knew He was going to be there, that is exactly where I would have been. Unlike the woman with the bleeding issue who had followed Jesus through the crowd to touch His robe (Mark 5:25-29), this woman had not chased after Jesus. He had called her out of the crowd. The only thing she did to receive her healing was to be present and to answer Jesus’ call to her.

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My healing experience also started when my name was called out of a large crowd of people. It wasn’t Jesus who called my name, but it was the answer to my prayers. A friend of mine had invited me to a seminar at Triad Eye Institute where she was preparing to have laser eye surgery. She had enticed me with the news that they would be having a drawing and giving away a free laser eye surgery. I had worn glasses or contacts since I was in the 7th grade, and my eyes had steadily gotten worse since then, so I went expecting to gain knowledge if nothing else. When my name was called, I stood up straight and praised God just like the bent woman did. God had answered my prayers! After that surgery, I had better than perfect vision. God healed me, and all I had to do was be present and hear the call.

What evil spirits are afflicting you? Are your ailments physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional? Maybe your sickness doesn’t have you bent over double, and maybe you don’t think anyone knows the suffering you are going through, but God sees you and, He can set you free from any infirmities you have.

“’But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD…”
Jeremiah 30:17

Are you where you need to be for Jesus to see you?

If he calls you out of the crowd, will you answer His call?

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The Call // by Joanna Goodin

It’s a fresh start to a new week. This is our final week of studying the story of Mary and Martha. This week, we look for: commands to obey and examples to follow.

It really seems that both ladies got a lot right and gave us good examples in different areas. Martha was hospitable. In fact, she ran to Jesus and invited Him into her home. Mary was a connector. She desired to talk with Jesus and sat to listen. The longing to run to Jesus and feel the call to serve Him, is so beautiful. Equally beautiful is the desire to fall at His feet and listen to His voice.

I joked in the previous post (perhaps not the best joke), that Martha could have laid out the fish and bread and let Jesus do His thing. Truly though, there is much joy in putting our love in action, and much joy in a hard day’s work. She wanted to use acts of service to love Him well. To invite Jesus in, but be unwilling to serve Him and His kingdom, will rob us of relationship and joy.

The fact that Jesus says Mary has chosen what is better, but never says Martha needed to stop working, makes me think that we are to have a bit of a Mary posture along with a Martha like work ethic as we serve. Perhaps the balance is to run to Him, fall at His feet, listen, and learn who He is and carry our relationship with Him, and that same countenance, into our work. I do my quiet time in the living room or my bedroom. I love that time and often I would rather stay in that space all day. It is amazing how often I have caught myself closing my Bible, going to start the day and by lunch my brain is scattered and spinning with a to do list. When I keep the right posture, all the work, and to do lists are done with Him and done unto Him. Basically, I need to stop acting like I left Jesus in the living room as soon as I got into the kitchen. When we serve like Martha, and keep our hearts on Him, our work becomes worship.

So much of this story feels more like an invitation or a call to come to Him than commands. Often though, when we see a call in the Bible, we will find a command that matches it somewhere else throughout scripture. Let’s remember His commands are not meant to keep us from enjoying life, but to give us life.

Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Whatever you do, whether in the word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17

We are to go to Him. He wants a relationship with us and He isn’t just saying it would be good if you were a part of that. God is saying to go to Him and to do all things in His name with a heart for Him. Martha went to Jesus and asked to serve Him. Mary went to Him when He arrived. She sat with Jesus, and listened to Him. Martha went to Him again later when she was full of anxiety. Go to Him. Know Him. Serve Him. Worship Him as we serve, work and speak. Go to God before you’re anxious, and go to Him when anxiety has already struck. The two basic commands I have found in this passage are: Follow Him and Fellowship with Him.

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I have regrets, but none have ever included obedience or relationship with Jesus. What is one thing you can do to respond to His call and command to follow and fellowship with Him today and through the week? Spend time asking Him where He is telling you specifically to obey. Ask Him where He is saying your relationship with Him could use some work and sit at His feet and listen. He will always answer when you call out to Him.