Intentional Peacemakers
As I was thinking about Pastor Jon’s sermon last week- as part of his series on Peace- I was reminded of what Jesus tells us in His Sermon on the Mount (also known as the Beatitudes) in Matthew 5:9:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons (children) of God.
This thinking took me back to a time 25 years ago.
When family was visiting us in New Mexico, I was taking six young kids up to the top of the Sandia Mountains for a day trip. I chose the back way up on a single lane dirt road. Since it was shorter and more primitive, it ended up being more excitement than I had planned!
Picture this:
Single lane dirt road
Winding through deep mountain valleys
Limited road width for two vehicles
On this specific day, a pickup truck full of (shall I say) “excited young men” wanted to get around me. There was nowhere for me to go (and nothing to do about it) in my 1990 Ford Aerostar van with six young children. Based on their shouts and gestures, I didn’t want to stop and try talking!
The more this happened, the more irritated I became and knew stopping wouldn’t be the wise thing to do. After about 10 minutes, a place finally came for me to squeeze off the road to let them pass… but it was clear they now wanted more than just to pass. As they started to drive around my van, I could see them getting ready to jump out and approach me. I could feel myself getting very tense!
Looking back at that day, I now know the Spirit of God came upon me. Instead of a fight, I simply gestured that I was sorry for blocking the way. Not a person jumped out of the truck, nothing more was thrown our way and they were completely disarmed.
Keep in mind, at this time I had only been a believer in Jesus a mere six months. I still marvel having reacted in a manner that wasn’t really like me (trust me). I believe the Lord knew that I, as His newly adopted son, wasn’t quite ready to take the high road (no pun intended). Instead, He took over for me in order to teach me and protect my family.
As children of God, He tells us in 2nd Peter 3:11:
We must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it.
“Seek” and “pursue” are proactive words! They don’t mean to passively let our old nature kick in, but to let our new nature in Christ call us to action. This takes intention.
Since that time over 25 years ago, I still recall the important life lesson God taught me that day on the mountain pass. I am regretfully still a work in progress when it comes to peacemaking, but growing each day.
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Why Old Testament Sacrifice?
Old Testament sacrifice. It’s neither pretty, nor appealing.
In the Old Testament, God asks for sacrifices and lays out meticulous demands. Why? Why were they part of God’s covenant relationship with the Israelites? In various ways; sacrifices are obnoxious, offensive and dreadful. To the modern world, sacrifices seem violent and brutal.
Why Sacrifices in the Old Testament?
Sacrifices were designed to teach impure and imperfect people how to live in a relationship with a totally perfect and absolutely Holy God. They helped people see the nature of their Creator God, and further illustrated the reverence, respect and honor due Him. Sacrifices provided atonement for the people’s sin, through substitution. It was a picture of what was to come- Jesus ultimate sacrifice (atonement) on the cross for all sin, past, present and future.
God Repetitively Decreed He Didn’t Need Sacrifices
God simply didn’t want them if they were not completed with sincerity and a contrite, repentant heart.
If God had to choose, he prefers a right heart:
Psalm 51:16-17
You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.God informs us that it is an insult and an offense to bring sacrifices to Him with any kind of wrong heart:Isaiah 1:13-14
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
To do so is hypocrisy, a sin God thoroughly hates. Jesus pronounced His strongest indictments against hypocrisy in Matthew 23, when he criticized the religious leaders of the day.
John 4:23-24
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.
God’s nature has not changed and never will. He is holy, and we are still impure and imperfect people. Thank you Father for Jesus! He is our sacrificial Lamb, and now we live in a new covenant with God!
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Soul Tattoo- What Defines You?
It’s pretty clear that in God’s big story for mankind, our souls- the essence of our inner most beings- is important to Him- so important that He sent His son to die for our sin, our weaknesses, and our shame. Our soul is the thing that makes us unique. It’s how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves. It comprises who we are.
So the question is this: what defines you?
But with God’s Truth, He tells us that if we place our soul identity in Him, nothing can touch the essence of who we are! When we believe on His name and claim Christ as our Savior, we are a new creation found in Christ Jesus. No longer do we have to be defined by those old things. We are now sons and daughters of the King of Kings!
Hebrews 6:18-19 says“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls…”
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 (MSG)
Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
Because of God’s overwhelming love for us, it’s that same love that will transform our souls into something beautiful, confident, at peace and blazing with purpose. This is the ultimate miracle- the transformation of the very essence of our being!
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The Ultimate Do Over
I wish I could do ________ again!
If I only had another chance to do _________.
Today, it’s… I want a Do Over!
I remember when I was on the 6th grade basketball team. I got to start the second half of the game. We all lined up for the tip off and I got the tip. I dribbled down the court for a layup… and missed! My teammate Tommy came to my rescue and got the rebound.
Then he told me I was shooting at the wrong basket! Boy, did I want a do over!
Remembering this experience caused me to think of God and His amazing love for all of us- no exceptions.
God sent His only son to be a sacrifice on our behalf. Through His sacrifice- and our acknowledgement and repentance of sin in our lives- we would have salvation thru the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our do over!
Acts 2:21 says
And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (talking of Jesus) will be saved!
This is the ultimate do over for us. But thank God the reality is this:
God extends do overs to us every day.
Knowing this, shouldn’t our goal be to be more like Jesus every day? I know we will fail at times, but our heart’s desire should be to live like Jesus every day.
Proverbs 21:2 says
Every man’s way is right in his own eyes but the Lord weighs the heart.Psalm 63:8 says
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
Every day our desire should be to…
Thank God for every breath we take
Thank Him for every blessing we receive
Thank Him for every obstacle we experience
Worship Him for every do over His love allows us.
He has promised He would never forsake us, especially in those times when we have failed Him.
How many times has God graciously given you a do over?
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Fear & Anxiety… What Does God Say?
We all have things that we fear, but you can choose to overcome those fears and live in confidence through Jesus Christ. The Bible has numerous encouraging words about fear, the hope and great confidence we can have in Jesus.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.2 Timothy 1:7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid; but gives us power, love and self-discipline.Psalm 94:19When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.God gives us all the tools we need to overcome our fears and anxiety. We are His children and He tells us he will take care of our every need. When we look for comfort and hope in things like money, jobs, and personal security; our fear and anxiety will only be fueled in a negative way.Psalm 115:11You who fear him – trust in the Lord, he is their help and shield.
Having fear in the Lord is how we overcome the fears and anxiety of this life. This doesn’t mean to be scared of God, it means to trust in him, respect and have reverence towards him. When we develop a healthy fear of the Lord, he begins to put life into a perspective from his eyes.
Fear can sometimes be healthy, but when the fear and anxiety consumes our life,
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Thoughts on Preparing For the Ultimate Marriage
The “Church” is referred to as the bride of Christ- the ultimate picture of relationship.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.”
This is the hard part and little messy too… okay, a lot messy!
The Church and its people are not perfect, and won’t be until the ultimate redemption and reunion of the bride with Christ, the Bridegroom.
Our earthly relationships are meant to be a (albeit imperfect) picture of the ultimate (perfect) relationship with Christ, with the glory of God flowing out of our marriages, singleness and family relationships.
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Fasting and Prayer
I was able to join my church family in seeking God’s direction for our church
I was able to seek God’s direction for my life in the months to come
This year I feel better prepared spiritually, mentally, and emotionally to move into a period of fasting.
Jesus Himself encouraged his followers to fast.
I believe we need to have a humble heart and open hands when we fast.
The spiritual discipline of fasting can be a tool God uses to…
Draw us closer to God, causing a deeper in relationship with Jesus
Convicts us of areas in our lives that perhaps have too large of a hold on us
Makes us aware of unhealthy life patterns that need addressing
Brings about humble confession
Shows us what He has for us as a church, renews personal and congregational vision
And so much more…
II Corinthians 4:16 says, “though outwardly I am wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.Now grant you, I do not think that I am wasting away, but I can say I am being renewed day by day!”Amen!
May God bless you all greatly as we seek and serve Him together.
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Why I Believe in Christian Education
I believe children come from God, as a blessing.. a reward… a profound responsibility.
Children too, are a gift from Adonai; the fruit of the womb is a reward. The children born when one is young are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. How blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them; he will not have to be embarrassed.Psalm 127
A dominant and repeated theme of the scriptures is this: responsibility and authority for the children is given by God to their parents.
To know, love and obey God
To pass it on to the next generation
I also believe it takes a family and the local church, in this fallen world and culture we live in, to raise Godly children.
Everyone has a world view, but the difference is where it comes from.
Partner with parents
Communicate and impart the Gospel of Christ
Teach and develop a Christian worldview
Convey, model, affirm and develop character based on Jesus character
Teach right from wrong; per Jesus example of a love for righteousness and a hatred for evil
Work to proclaim, present and live out the Gospel in every day life
Hire staff that love God and His Word, love children and feel called to teach
Honor the principle of revelation: God must be embraced as God… God first, foremost and throughout
Practice the principle of integration, educating from a Biblical and Christ-like worldview in all subjects
We live in a fallen world; unfriendly and even hostile to Jesus, Biblical Truth and the church.
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Commitment of Steel: How About Those New Year Resolutions?
This January, we will most likely see a glut of opinion pieces written on how to make and keep new resolutions… and even what to do if we fail. They’re intended to encourage us to not give up- press on- be patient- and imagine the reward at the finish.
We find our story in Matthew 4. Right after Jesus was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and His Father speaks some of the most reassuring words a son could hope to hear. Matthew also says that Jesus successfully completed the 40 days and nights of fasting before the tempter came to distract Him (Matt. 4:2).
And still, I’m intrigued by the timing of the tempter.
So, here are a few of the nuances that got my attention.
So here’s a couple encouraging tips to remember:
Keep in mind that’s the enemy’s job.
Don’t allow him the satisfaction of making you feel weak or victimized.
God will use the opportunity to continue growing you in wisdom,
further grow you up in His ways, and even toughen you up in the process.
Making a Plan and Putting it into Practice
Based on I Tim. 4:8
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,
holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
As you work through setting new resolutions and taking on good advice of how others keep them,
remember these bits of encouragement to help you keep your focus on Jesus.
With His help and in His power, you can turn your resolutions into commitments of steel.
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Jesus at the Center
I want Jesus to be the center of everything…
the center of my life
the center of my family’s life
the center of the Church
the center of my work
We live in a world with so many distractions… and let’s not forget our adversary,
who loves to use those distractions to try and pull us a way from Jesus.
One distraction I have found to be a hindrance- a roadblock- in my Christ-centered life is getting involved with too much. Being too busy can be a tool the enemy uses, and one that is a common struggle for most people. Personally, I’m active in a lot of different groups, meetings at work and at church. All the things I’m a part of are great causes and have great meaning, but the tasks and time that each one of those things takes can take over my true purpose very quickly.
I have found, when I try and put an order of importance on my priorities and stick to that order, I sometimes fail miserably.
I tend to allow all these good, meaningful things to become the center of what I am doing instead of Christ being the center of all I do.
There is a difference.
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Intentional Spirituality | Focused Meditation
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the council of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates daily…
To help with this, I meditate on the words to understand better what God intended in giving them to us.
Pastor Jon would say, “Let them marinate.”
So too is the progression of sin. It can look like this:
- We look to the crowd- the world- and start listening to their advice (…council of the wicked)
- We justify wrong behaviors, instead of evaluating the advice of God’s absolute Truth
- We begin to slow down, stop to accept the advice, believe all the lies and do what the ungodly do (…stand in the same way as sinners)
- After sinning repeatedly and ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we begin to sit comfortably in the sin, justifying behavior we know is wrong and often even begin to defend the behavior to others or in secret (…sit in the seat of mockers)
But then Psalm 1:2 goes on to say …but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on it he meditates daily. So while the Psalm warns about the propensity for sin to creep in to our daily lives, verse 2 tells us that by being in the Word (the Bible) we delight in the law of the Lord.
This means that by being in the Word consistently, we are directly connected to the Source of Life itself.
We are not just understanding absolute Truth, but actually delighting in it!
Eighteen years ago I didn’t look forward to my long drive to work, but I can now say that this drive continues to be a real blessing. It has provided the time I may not have otherwise carved out for my daily spiritual feeding and meditation. My time in the car encourages my intentional and focused discipline and draws me closer to my Savior.
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Living in the Light
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changes not, Thy compassions, they fail notAs Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
There is no light source other than God. He is the source.
There is no shadow when He turns.
There is no other source of Light and Truth.
He is constant, everlasting, and never-changing.
Without Him, there is only darkness… not even a shadow!
Consider James 1: 17
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
…or I John 1: 5-6
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.
So what does it mean then; to live, to worship, to embrace His light?
When we live and worship in the shadows, it may look a little something like this:
Faking it, in fear of being fully and honestly known
Denial of our own character flaws & how they impact others
When we live and worship in the Light, it may look a little something like this:
Embracing God’s grace and forgiveness, and extending that to others
Allowing for vulnerability & relationship, with ourselves and others
Realizing none of us are perfect, only humans saved by an incredible, merciful God
Exposing the lies we believe & replacing them with the light of Truth
When we truly believe the concept that we are not the Source of Light and Truth- only God is-
we can then understand that we are mere reflections of His light.
We don’t have to perform. We don’t have to be harsh with ourselves or others.
We simply reflect Him.
But here’s the other thing: it also takes effort on our part… the practicing the Truth part.
It takes a whole lot of honesty and humble introspection.
It takes letting the Spirit reveal the Truth to us and embracing it deep in our souls.
You can read more of Michelle’s writing on her personal blog PianoGirlSpeaks,
or for Seedbed.com.
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Everyone Needs Compassion
How many times a day do we receive grace?
How many times a day does God look at us with compassion and mercy?
The answer is an emphatic…Unending!
We can look throughout the Bible and see God’s compassion in the Old Testament and Christ’s compassion in the New Testament. Through Christ, we can see a living example of what compassion is supposed to look like.
God has worked on my heart to be more compassionate. What better way to show the love Christ to others then to be compassionate towards everyone? Not just the people that are easy to get along with, but those we don’t always see eye to eye with.
Ephesians 4:32 says
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
We have a tendency to be quick to judge and condemn just because someone isn’t living the way we are living or doing the things we are doing. Through all of the negativity, political differences and racial tensions that seem to divide our country; is it possible we can let compassion and the love of Christ shine through what we say and do? Let’s put those things aside and be compassionate to all.
1 Peter 3:8 tells us to
…be like minded, be sympathetic, love one another, compassionate and humble.
One of God’s challenges for us today- and every day- is to love one another and show compassion to those hurting and in need.
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Thankful In All Things
Our children
Our parents
Our siblings
Colossians 3:15 says,
Psalms 100: 4-5 says,
God calls us to be thankful in all things, at all times, because of His great provision and love for us.
His care covers us, sustains us, and carries us through challenges in life that call us to thankfulness.
When we look at how He provides for us, we see His hand of provision through
every circumstance that faces us daily.
It is amazing how the Lord works!
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Discovering Jesus, the Real Deal
Christianity isn’t a religion as much as it is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The evidence of the Bible being true, from an archaeological standpoint, is another way one can know Christianity is real. Even as recent as the last decade, locations (and types of destruction of Biblical cities/Biblical events) have been discovered and unearthed.
A few of many examples:
The walls of Jericho falling in- instead of out- when God’s people marched on the city and the walls tumbled down. Based on the type of wall construction, it was a miracle for them to fall in (not out) at that very moment in history.
Prophecy fulfilled as God used the prophets of the Old Testament to predict hundreds of events that would take place in the future… and some of them thousands of years later. The most notable prophecies are about Jesus. It was foretold where he would be born, what family line, how he would die, and how he would be raised from the dead in three days. Powerful stuff!
Lastly, and maybe most convincing to others that know us, are changed lives.
When the Holy Spirit draws us, repentance takes place and we submit to God’s Lordship over our lives. We accept Jesus as our personal savior; this is our new birth and call to action to work out the salvation that God, through Jesus, has worked into us.
An important part of that call to action is being prepared to tell your story.
God will use your story powerfully as you share how Jesus is the real deal in your life.
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Prayers for Our Children (With a Little Help From Paul)
That God would give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation in their knowledge of Him.(vs. 17)That the eyes of their hearts would be opened so that they’d know the hope of His calling of them.(vs. 18)That they’d know the surpassing greatness of His power toward those who believe in Him.(vs. 19)That these things are done in their lives by the same power and strength that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. (vs. 19 – 20)
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I’m So Busy!
How many times have we used these statements?
My life is so hectic!
The Lord has been speaking to me lately about how to use my time more wisely. It seems our time is consumed by many things in our everyday life; running kids to soccer practice or games, working on things around the house, personal appointments… oh, and let’s not forget about work.
We obviously have many things vying for our time. I know we should, and even need, to do these things.
The Lord is my strength and shield… my heart trusts in him and he helps me.
In the Bible, we read many stories where Jesus made time for those in need-
whatever and whenever the need might have been.
Jesus took time to…
Heal (Mark 5:21 – 40)
God does not call people as a favor, but because He has something for them to do.
What is God calling me to do today? What is God calling you to do today?
When the Lord speaks to us about something he wants us to do, let’s take time to say:
Lord, use me in whatever way you want.
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In the Eye of the Storm
In my life currently, God has used Ryan Stevenson’s song “In the Eye of the Storm” to help me through a very difficult situation. Not only am I experiencing some trying times, but our country too, along with those severely impacted by hurricanes and natural disasters.
The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life of – whom shall I be afraid?
In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soulYou alone are the anchor, when my sails are tornYour love surrounds me in the eye of the storm
Are you experiencing troubled times or difficult situations today?
He is our light and salvation…our stronghold in the storm.
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