Musings on Justice, Mercy & Faith

Jesus said that "Justice, mercy and faith" were the weightier elements of the Law that were being neglected by the Pharisees.

What is justice and how is it executed? Who is responsible for it? Is it always paired with mercy and compassion?

We know that we are to be just. Noah was referred to for our example as a just (lawful, righteous) man.

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

We are to be just in our business dealings and in our relationships with others (doing what is naturally, morally or legally right; showing equity).

We are justified (made innocent; righteous) by faith in Christ. We can't do it of ourselves.

Justice refers to making things right.
And it is often paired with mercy.

Isaiah 58:6-7 speaks of justice, of fasting to "loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free that you may break every yoke...to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him....." Justice and mercy.

The greatest mercy we have ever received was that while we were steeped in sin, Christ came and died for us. The greatest violence in the name of justice was the violence that Christ received to Himself to make us just/right/innocent of our sin. Christ brought justice through His blood, once for all. I do not need violence to bring justice. Christ already did that. I need to do justly, do what is right, be innocent and love mercy.

I can bring justice to the world by doing justly in my corner of it. I can uphold justice by my choices, attitudes, actions, and speech. And I can do it with mercy, the same mercy Christ showed me. Humbly before God.

The horrible truth is, Christ will come back to execute final justice. At that point all will be judged, both the just and unjust. Until that time, how great a charge we have to bring Christ's justice to each and every person, that they have the opportunity to believe on Him and be saved by faith. I cannot force justice on anyone. But I can show it, live it, think it, speak it. Humbly before God.

Am I walking justly? Treating others right? Am I standing for justice? Making just choices? Am I loving mercy? Am I relying on Christ's justice or seeking my own? Am I in humility?

more to think on....

Presumption

You know when you read the Bible and a verse causes you to pause and tremble, when the fear of God, an awareness of Who He Is, rises within in you? That moment which causes you to say "Lord, is that me? Keep me!"? It leaves me trembly inside. I read such a verse this morning.

"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression". Psalm 19:12-13

I often pray and ask God to shine His light on my heart that nothing hidden can remain there, so I'm not nervous about secret sins (the Bible does remind us that NOTHING stays hidden). But what are "presumptuous sins", and how can they rule over us?

Numbers 15:30-31 says "But the person who does anything presumptuously...that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him".

This tells me a few things about presumption:
1) We can be presumptuous about anything. Big or small, I can act presumptuously.

2) Presumption brings a reproach on the Lord. That word "reproach" means 'to hack with words'. It means 'revile; blaspheme'. That's what my presumption does!

3) It ends up hurting me and others around me. Not only will I be cut off, alone with myself, but others are deprived of the good measure I have been given to share with them. Presumption isolates me from others and stops my ability to share with them.

4) It means that I have despised the word of the Lord. I have gone my own way. Pride and arrogance. I've not sought what He would say, but have done what I thought was right.

5) Presumption is a sin, it breaks His commandments.

6) It adds guilt to me.

So, as I began to repent before God, I asked Him to show me what it looks like.
That moment when I don't stop to consider what His word says, to seek His counsel, but do what is right by my own knowledge, understanding or experience. When I lean on me. When I follow my emotions or what is "right for me". When I know something (a thought, attitude, or deed) is wrong, but I hold onto it anyway. When I allow sin to reign in me, presuming on the grace of God. When I don't change. When I stand in God's place and judge others harshly as if I know all that is to be known. When I don't read my Bible, but skate on grace. When I read only a portion of the word and stand on it's narrow ledge, forsaking the breadth of God's counsel.

Presumption presumes that we know what God would do, yet the Bible tells us that His ways are unsearchable. He doesn't operate the way we do. I can be all kinds of "right", yet fall into presumption. And such sin begins to control us when we fail to submit ourselves to the Word. That is why it is so vital for us to read the Bible, to let it wash over us and convict, challenge, cleanse and heal us. It shines a light on the way we should go. It does the most thorough of "heart checks".

Lord, "keep me from presumptuous sins", and let Your word do it's work in us.

Pet Peeves and Things I Love

I'm always hesitant to put pet peeves out there, but thought maybe if I also put what I love out there....maybe it will be cathartic. These are in no particular order, and may be repetitive and it is not exhaustive...



Peeve: People who have something to say but nothing to contribute.

Pleasure: People who get it done.



Peeve: People saying "God told me" as a rationalization or justification, yet they have no Biblical support for such a claim. Does God contradict Himself? Do we find support in His Word to back up what He is saying to us now? I should hope so!

Pleasure: The wealth of the word that brings a richness and depth to God's voice, that resonates when a person shares, causing the living word to come alive.



Peeve: When pride trumps experience (in people's attitudes and mindsets)

Pleasure: When humility trumps experience (in people's actions and words)



Peeve: People using relationship to attain a platform (or looking at people as objects to speak into and thus gain a platform)

Pleasure: People caring more about people than platforms.



Peeve: Hidden judgements and critical comments and attitudes that erode the good

Pleasure: Undercurrents of unity, pleasure, rejoicing together in common purpose.



Peeve: Closed ears and proud hearts in Christians

Pleasure: Ears that hear and hearts that rejoice, seeking the good, advertising it and sharing it.

Peeve: Excusing unrepentant sin because of charisma or gifting.

Pleasure: Gentle, persistent, loving restoration that doesn't give up but continues to believe God for a turnaround.

To the Peeve's out there: I have been there. I occasionally still visit there. There's no ill will, it just makes my stomach turn when I see it in myself or anyone else.



To the Pleasures: out there: Keep rocking it!

Politics & Religion

Even writing the title of this makes me cringe. Do these words even go together? I was contemplating Jesus' take on politics, the dominion mindset some Christians have, etc., and I have not spent time developing this, but it's just my thought process.....

Jesus came for ONE purpose - to seek and save the lost, utterly destroying the work of the enemy through the redeeming power of the cross and His resurrection. He deliberately avoided getting caught up in the political turmoil of the times (both in and out of the church) and kept His focus on loving people into the Kingdom. He preached the gospel to them, prayed for them, fed them, etc...and left the decisions up to them. If they chose not to follow Him, He shook the dust off His feet and went on. He continued on His mission to show us how to live out life in Him, to all who would hear.

What's amazing is that He did not react and point the finger and judge those who chose not to follow Him. He didn't criticize or demean. He wasn't mean-spirited. He just moved on to the next town. His fierce judgement was for those in the "church" who were politicizing and profiteering off of the people instead of leading them into the love and grace of God.

The Father's heart was His only agenda. Now that's straight talk! Now that is true change!

So in a time of political debates and elections, there are tremendous wranglings over who is the "right one" to vote in, which party is "better", etc. There are the harsh words for the "other side" (whichever one that is for you). Neither side treats the other any better than the other. We gleefully spout our judgements over our neighbors and their "wrongness", all the while neglecting the heavier weight of the law: Loving our neighbors. When the elections are over, a soul still hangs in the balance. When the elections are over, will our witness be destroyed by playing politics?

Don't get me wrong - we should fulfill our duty to vote, and do so informed and in good conscience to our beliefs and values.

But must we destroy our witness to the world in the process? Who wants to hear of God's love and grace from people who don't exemplify it in daily life? Sigh. Humility is required of every man. God loved US when we were steeped in sin, and gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He continues to love us when we err, when we stray. God loves McCain and God loves Obama. God loves the neighbor who believes differently. God loves Muslims and homosexuals. God loves fornicators and adulterers, liars and the proud. God loves you. He loves me. Our job is to love Him back and to share His love with others. What they do with it is between them and God. But we never give up loving. 1 John says how can we say we love God and hate our brother? Can love and hate spring from the same well?

Love. Love and don't give up loving. Share the gospel in word and deed. Exemplify God's love the best you can every day. And when we fail at love, forgive and exemplify that. Let's put down the pointing finger and harsh judgements and let God stand in His rightful place (i.e. we need to get out of His way and let Him be the judge).

Love. Don't let politics and religion suck you down and miss the simplest truth there is to live by....

A new schedule takes so much time...

...and it takes such effort to reconfigure your head around how to get done what needs to get done.

The kids going to school is both a blessing and a curse. Strong language, I know, but it's true, ha ha. It's so great to see them enjoying being with their friends, experiencing new things and all that. In fact, sometimes after we drop the older two off, we sit and watch them walk away from us, so smart looking in their uniforms, looking so old, and we wonder if those are really our kids. Until the youngest asks if we can go yet. :) It's so great to see the confidence that has blossomed in them during last year's homeschooling experiment. And how great to see such a positive outcome!

But then I resent the time school takes away from our family. It demands its own schedule and tries to supercede the family's schedule at every turn. Hate that! There's enough of life trying to do that already. I want to be able to prioritize family and church, then school. Unfortunately, I can't do that to the degree I would like, so I get to be creative and that means I have to be on MY game and think ahead and plan and execute.....understanding the curse part?

Another area of new scheduling is at work. With staff changes we are having to redefine our daily in and out roles in the office, and it is a real stretch to walk through. The good side is that we don't have to be the ones to do so many things, and we can have actual family time with the children on the weekend,...but after so many years of functioning in "work" mode, we are having to rediscover how to have fun as a family. Isn't that sad? We were talking today about having to plan the re-learning of it. Our fun is so often mixed up with work, and truthfully, we like it that way most of the time. But the kids are getting older, and so are we. In the long run, we'll be healthier in body and spirit, stronger, for the changes being made, but God, help us make the changes! :)

Kinda brings tears to my eyes, re-reading this paragraph. I am so thankful to God for the pieces that have fallen into place around us. There is such an open door for this time, and I know God is at work, that destiny is being shaped. And not just for us..............

TLC: Live with Vision

People underestimate the power of having a clear vision to live by, work towards, dream of. I'm amazed by how often we allow life to suck us up and wring us out in the day to day minutae of activity, caught up in doing what the day dictates. What would happen if we took our lives back?

Now, before launching into visionary thoughts, let's consider common mistakes we make: our visions tend to be self-centered, closed off and limited. Ouch! I discovered this while doing a vision exercise at our church. We were encouraging people to have vision for their lives, to create "dream books" about what they were believing for. No matter what age we worked with, there were two common responses. First, there were those who had never ever given thought to such things. They had no dream or vision for their life. It was neat to watch them begin to consider the possibilities. Some were scared at first, and some had been living a vision but just hadn't clearly identified it.

Secondly, there were always those whose dream books were all about what they wanted for themselves. The car, the spouse, the house, the stuff. They hadn't reached the point of seeing beyond themselves in the process. We all go through those stages.

I believe that when we can identify a vision that goes beyond ourselves, that is not easy to achieve but challenges us and challenges the walls of limitation we have lived in - that is true vision. Let it be large and vibrant! Dare to dream! Vision always needs to be broken down into bite-size chunks. There are steps you are going to take on the journey, but you need to know what you are running for!

At The Life Church, Mission Bay, we have a vision. Simply put, it is Encounter, Equip, Engage. We believe that this church, a part of San Diego for 30 years now, is here for a purpose that will touch not only our personal lives, but the lives of those around us and abroad.

ENCOUNTER
It is essential that we be able to encounter the living God, to come into a close and sustained intimacy of relationship with Him. As a church we facilitate these encounters through the preaching of the word, worship and prayer. These elements are woven into all that we do. We desire to know God more and more!

EQUIP
Being in relationship with God is only the beginning. Living the activated life of a Believer, being a Disciple of Jesus, is key for us. We encourage all believers to grow in their faith and understanding of the Bible, God's words to us. We also get excited about helping others find out how specially made they are: an amazing mix of temperment, gifts , abilities and experiences that work together to be a tremendous blessing to those around you!

ENGAGE
Knowledge is nothing if it is not used. Believing is not real if it is not put into action, tested, activated. Nothing it more thrilling than for us to stand on the foundation of our relationship with God, prepared to use what God has given us, and launch out to touch others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are believing for a massive paradigm shift - that the Church will see that no matter where she goes or what she does, she is a disciple of Christ. We see a bold and passionate people influencing their workplaces, neighborhoods and families with the love and power of God. Partnering with God to reach those who are lost in darkness and bring them into His marvelous light, seeing them saved from sin, healed from infirmities of body and soul, and delivered from bondages. A people no longer living for themselves but for something greater, SomeONE greater!

We don't believe in wasting time. Times are moving quickly now, hastening forward...let's not waste it. If you are joined together with The Life Church in commitment of relationship, then run with us. Let's go forward together. We have somewhere exciting to go!

Lakeland had made me think

Friends told us yesterday of a ministry on the other side of the world that just revealed hidden sin and deceptions of a grand scale that truly has stunned their community. This can be disheartening to continue to see such things in the Body of Christ. It is a disease that cannot be ignored, it kills a Body that is mean to be glorious. Despite the negatives, I think we are on the brink of a GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY, for the Bride to truly rise up and shine in all of her beauty. To shake off the sin that has entangled her, to no longer be impressed with outward appearances, but to seek the "truth in the inward parts".

Psalm 118:8 "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man".

Now is the time for us to finally get this - to stop elevating and promoting each other, and to elevate and promote the Lord. To not be concerned about our "rights and authority" in Christ, but to let God exercise His. To lift Him up. (I am secure in the authority I have in Christ because I know it is not mine, but His).

I think we sometimes fall into the trap of having such long-held dreams and desires to see God move in certain ways, that we fail to be discerning. I know for myself that at times I can assert that I want God to be in charge and move how He wants to move, yet in my heart I am expecting this or that. We hold on to expectations and judgments of how we think it should look or sound if it is really 'anointed'. Really? Can we really know the mind and ways of God so absolutely? Lord, help us.

Church, let go! Read the word, pray and cry out to the Lord, petition heaven, mix the word with faith and run forward! Declare HIM and His goodness. The future lies before us full of His promise. I believe God wants to establish His reputation - not ours. Are we really ready for that? Lift up the name of the Lord! Let's continue to believe God for true revival!

"Because they do not change therefore they do not fear the Lord" Ps. 55:19

That won't be us! We will learn from our mistakes and move forward in the fear of the Lord.

Lift up the name of the Lord and praise His wonderful name!
His beauty and majesty are known in the heavens and the earth,
Glory and honor are His.
He alone is the King Eternal,
Forever.
He will be praised.
Exalt the name of the Lord,
Lift Him up!

Truth in the Inward Parts

The truth can hurt. It can be ugly. It can be freeing.
The Bible says that God "desires truth in the inward parts" of us. We aren't supposed to hide our stuff, deny it or run from it. Rats.

Of course, reading that was like shining a light on "stuff" in me. I like to think that my reaction to acknowledging my "Stuff" is normal - what everyone else would do - I want to run from it. Forget about it.

"Fearfulfness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest". (Ps. 55:5-8) Yep, that's me.

But if I run, the stuff just stays in place, perhaps grows more entrenched, and I really do want to be free from it. We all have "stuff". Areas of weakness in our hearts where we are vulnerable (attitudes are biggies). There are times where I empathize with the Apostle Paul as He cries to God to remove the thorn in his flesh - he is tired of dealing with it.

V. 22 says "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved". "When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know because God is for me....In God I have put my trust" (Ps. 56:9-10).

I know, am convinced, that God is for me. He doesn't bash me with my "stuff". He forgives it. I am standing in the righteousness of Christ, and God will not permit me to be moved because I am His. Beautiful.

So, I desire truth - bring it on. But God, have mercy upon me and deliver me!

Gonna do a little freedom dance now.....

Fathers and Children

Proverbs 17:6 says "the glory of children is their father".

Think on that!

I had just been thinking about all the men I have heard or read about in recent days who have had moral failings and have either left their families or who continue to make a mess of things. All of these men, some in politics and some in ministry, have families. Wives and children. Where is the glory for these children?

If I was a man, this alone would give me great pause to consider what I wanted in life. Is it better to have the trappings of "success" or to bring glory to your children? At the end of life, would your rather your children say "he was a great success" or to say "he was a great father"? What inheritance are you leaving for them?

One of the men who has been in the public eye for his failures said that his celebrity had caused him to become egocentric (his word) and that he didn't think the rules of right and wrong applied to him, that he wouldn't get caught. I was amazed at the candor of the statement. It is quite a truth to realize about ourselves: the more centered we are on ourselves, the less we see how our actions affect others, the more calloused we become to the consequences.

In stark contrast, we can see the way our Heavenly Father is and live by His example as One who "is a glory to His children". He marks our lives with glory, with blessing, with honor, with all of His goodness because He is a good Father.

That's a lot to live up to. Perhaps fathers can simply begin with the desire to live their lives in such a way as to bring glory to their children. Sounds like a good start to me. And may every father know that you are not alone in this, but God, in all His power, might, and goodness, is with you. God bless you!

Inheritance

Just say the word "inheritance" and our eyes light up and our pulse beats just a bit faster. It's a word filled with expectation of good things, of blessings you didn't have before, of generosity. To be included in an inheritance, it's filled with possibilities.

But funny creatures that we are, we tend to jump from the end of humbly and thankfully receiving what wasn't ours to begin with, to licking our chops and looking for the best cut to consume for ourselves.

No, no one I know has died. But I read Psalm 47:4 and it says that God "will choose our inheritance for us".

What struck me immediately was an embarassingly fleshly reaction. "He chooses it? But I want to choose it for myself". There it was, laid frighteningly bare - I thought I could choose the best for myself, that I would do a better job than my loving Father, that somehow His best for me wouldn't equate with what I wanted. Selfish creature.

Scripture makes it clear that our loving Father desires to give us the best gifts. He is omniscient, and knowing all, He is more than able to make the best choice to bless my life. And since when did we begin to think of our spiritual inheritance as a goody bag of treats that we get to choose from? "I want great faith. I want miracles. I want riches. I want.....". In our minds we know that HE is the greatest inheritance we have, but still we want....

Inheritance isn't a goody bag. Death is required. Usually, to receive an inheritance, someone has to die, and Christ died to give us an inheritance of eternal life with God. Would I rather plead with God for the inheritance that I think I want, like the prodigal son? Or will I trust the God who "will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves"?

He loves us. Let's love Him back and let Him pour out His blessings, receiving with thankful hearts and great joy His love poured out into our lives in endless creativity, variety, and generosity. God is good!

When Favor is No Longer Evident

Have you ever experienced the favor of God? When all of life seems blessed and is going in the right direction? Have you ever been given promotion beyond your expectation? Favor is a fun ride!

Psalm 44 talks about God's favor and how it has,

• brought us into possession of the promises He has given us
• Saved us
• Pushed down our enemies
• Put to shame those who hated us

"In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever".

BUT...."what about now"? We may have experienced favor in the past (hours, days, months, years), but now the tables seem turned:

• we retreat v. advance
• we are shamed and taken advantage of
• we are divided, possibly left on our own
• people hate us and mock us

Ever been there? Things were going so good, the favor was exciting, but now it all seems to be going wrong.

BUT..."We have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way."

As Christians, we have known the blessing and favor of God in our lives, in our Nation. Yet today, we increasingly find ourselves hated, mocked and persecuted. This happens in the media, the court systems, schools, business....We have become safe targets to shoot at. Remember that old hair color commercial, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful"? Perhaps the change is in part because of the favor itself.

Perhaps the change is because we started taking credit for what God had done for us and began to move in our own strength.

No matter the reason, the Bible is clear that if we humble ourselves, pray and seek Him, turning back (repenting), then He moves. In a sense, we take our hands off and make way for Him to come again and show Himself strong to the praise of HIS glory.

Do you find yourself in a time of favor? Praise Him! Keep the praise going UP! Be diligent to follow hard after Him and see great things accomplished far beyond what you could think or imagine.

In a time of trouble? Make room for Him to move again. ..."We have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way." Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Guard your heart and remain diligent to trust God.

"...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content...." (Phil. 4:11).

May His strength bring you through, no matter where you are.

The Fruits of Righteousness

Well, to continue on the subject of fruits, today I read Proverbs 12 - what a great Proverb, so much to chew on.

Sunday, I talked about the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, Galatians 5:22-23), and touched briefly on the Fruits of Repentance and the Fruits of Righteousness. Proverbs 12 talks about the fruits of righteousness. I call it the "root fruit" chapter. :0)

Here are some of the fruits of righteousness:

• Immovability. (V. 3) says the "root of the rightoues cannot be moved". See Phil 3:9 and Isaiah 11:10.
• Right Thoughts (v.5)
• A House that will Stand/endure, not be overthrown (v.7)
• Kindness to animals (v. 10)
• Fruit (v.12), see Galatians 5:22-23, Matt. 7:15-20
• Safety (v.13) "But the righteous will come through trouble"! - In particular I believe the verse is saying that because the righteous know how to hold their tongue, speak wisely, etc., they are going to be saved from a whole lot of trouble. Amen!
• "No grave trouble will overtake the righteous" (v.20)

GOOD STUFF! That is some fruit that I am interested in having.

Even better, it is not our own righteousness that brings this good fruit, but living in the righteousness of Christ, "being found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." Philippians 3:9

Sometimes the path of seeing the fruit developed is not fun (Hebrews 12:3-11) as God trains us as sons, but in the end it "yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness".

Hmmmmm, how is my fruit looking today?

Gifts, Fruit, & Reconciliation

Yesterday I had the honor of my husband sharing the pulpit, allowing me the privelege of sharing the Word with the Body. Part of that message (available at lcmb.org for free downloads), was that FRUIT is who we are, GIFTS are what we do. I shared about the importance of the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in our lives, creating a firm foundation for the gifts of the Spirit to be added on to as they are given to us. Fruit can be cultivated, gifts are received....but you can listen to the message for more of this.

So today, I was contemplating these things, gifts and fruit, and was reminded of Matt 5 where Jesus is talking about being reconciled with offended brothers. He says "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First, be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift".

Our gifts cannot be rightly given when there is not reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18 says that God "has given us the ministry of reconciliation", that just as Christ has reconciled us to Himself, we are to now live in the same manner.

So this causes me to ask myself - "Have my gifts eclipsed my ministry of reconciliation? Are my gifts being used to foster reconciliation"?

As a believer, I am embarassed when those who have received beautiful gifts from God refuse reconciliation. When ministries experience success because of their giftings, yet are not humble to be reconciled with those who are offended by them, this is not love, but arrogance? The attitude seems to be that the gifting somehow implies a "pass" on having to explain ourselves.

I heard a testimony recently of a minister I deeply respect, giving a "pass" to a fellow minister because of the personal relationship they had. Because he knew the man personally, he was asking others to also give him a "pass", to trust his judgement. There was no scriptural foundation for the "pass" offered, just personal experience, which may or may not be valid. And yet the man in question has done little, if anything, to reconcile the offenses against himself. Now, I know that we are not to hold offenses in the first place, but as ones entrusted with the gifts given, we have a responsibility to lives of reconciliation, whether we think the offense is justified or not.

As a ministry, I should be willing to lay open my finances to give an account to those who are offended by what they see. I should be willing to explain the foundation upon which I base my ministry. I have nothing to hide and desire that all men be edified. I cannot hide behind my gifting. The gifts God has given do not make me "special". Gifts are given to all for the edification for all. I am already special because Christ, though I was dead in my trespasses and sin, died for me, that I might be reconciled to Him. He set His heart upon me before the foundation fo the world!

So what about us? The "every-day believer"? Let's endeavor to not hide behind the gifts God has given us, but to live lives of reconciliation with God and man. This will take courage, humility, and grace to lay ourselves open in this way, but Jesus said that it is possible (not easy, but possible)! Are you ready to look in the mirror? I'll go first....

Get Real

Can we just tell the truth? Why do we feel the need to hide instead? People hide behind justifications (for Christians, these are often couched in Christian-ese), or we may even hide by not communicating. If I say nothing, then I can avoid confrontation, conflict, or simply keep things simply the way I like it without interference from others (otherwise known as control).

Is a relationship hurt by failing to tell the truth?

Sometimes Christians hide from telling the truth (or being true) in a cloak of spiritual endeavors, verbage, piety. Yet, The Sermon on the Mount is filled with practical applications for true relationships, and none of it is spiritually-coated avoidance. How often would we rather 'pursue God' rather than deal with our relationships. We can pray for people, but do those people know you care? Have they experienced true relationship with you?

As Believers, we should be different - not because we use spiritual words or do spiritual activities, but because we are changed. I guess we all have a long way to go.

Hard Work & Good Fruit

I'm sitting here this morning with sore muscles. We have spent the past 3 days preparing our building for new carpeting - completing painting projects, pulling staples and tack strips from the floor, etc. We have more to do, but have been really blessed with the friends who have joined with us in the effort, and I have observed several things from the experience.

First, friends are awesome. Friends you didn't even know you had, even better!

Second, those who embrace the camaraderie of such efforts seem happier than those who don't. These people have jobs and lives outside of what we are doing at the building, yet they are there, smiling, laughing, enjoying being a part of what is changing. Of course, we all can have days when work just seems like work, but how much more satisfying to enjoy what you are doing, and what a blessing to enjoy those you are working with! I had some great conversations with people while I worked, and got to pray for some as well.

Third, children are able to work hard, and they can do so with enjoyment! I watched 5 children, ages 9-14 spend the last few days doing hard, tedious, necessary work, and they found the joy in it. Let us be like little children.

Fourth, my husband rocks.

Fifth, I learned a little bit more about why I am working this hard. When our leadership said "Yes, this is the way we will go" in January, when they gave their commitment to the vision we are running in, I bought in wholeheartedly, and I'm not looking back. I see something that goes beyond the "reality" around me. I see the future, I have expectancy, I see ahead to what God is doing. When we started the renovations on our building, I gave myself to it because I believe what God has said and I am committed to be here for the long haul - and the changes need to be done.

Sixth, my husband rocks. Did I say that already?

I gotta get ready to go - the carpet installers come today....the fruit of our labor is coming. First the natural, then the spiritual....

Fools, Liars, & Lazy People

I learned a couple of things from Proverbs 26 this morning. As bad as it is to be a fool - and they don't paint a pretty picture here - it is worse to be lazy! V.12 says "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." V. 16 continues, "The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly". Ouch! I also found it interesting that in the first 12 verses' discussion of a fool, there is, in v. 2, a verse about curses. "Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight". I love this verse because I have always taken comfort that curses can't touch me if I don't open the door for them. What I hadn't considered was how my "foolishness" can be one of those doors! What kind of foolishness? Well, the proverb lists: being wise in my own eyes (have done that before); repeats his folly (yep, have done that before too). God help us all.

The end of the Proverb describes one who hates as a liar/deceiver. I had never thought about how deceit can go hand in hand with hating. Hate is such a strong word, a horrible word. Perhaps it means simply this: when we lie, we are hiding the truth of who we are, that we don't love - ourselves, others, a situation. Hate is me-focused. Love is other-focused. Lying, hating, are all about "me". Hate does not care for the truth, it hides from it, just as lying does.

But love....love believes and hopes and advertises the good. It looks for the truth and proclaims it, puts it on display. And I'm not talking about our versions of the truth, but The Truth. We would do well to weigh our 'truth' against the full weight of the Word of God.

Here's some truth: God loves us all. Christ died and rose again because that love was greater than anything we have done wrong, and He continues to desire relationship with each and every one of us. Maybe if we all focused on that Truth, sharing that Truth, living in that Truth, the world would be a better, more joyful, content place.

Let's not get distracted - let's try to truly live in The Truth.

The Challenge: Love Without Expectation

Love without expectation. I read that phrase this last week, and I was challenged by how often I, we, love with expectation. We give love when everything is how we want it to be, we withhold love when our expectations are not met. I was challenged in my own heart with scenarios where I've been let down by this one or that one, where expectations have not been met or have been disregarded (seemingly so casually - which I don't get. I'm so hard-wired to keep my commitments...). Sometimes my disappointment is on behalf of others (which technically would be called "picking up an offense" which is none of my business). Do I withhold love in these situations because I am disappointed in them? Or do I love without expectation?

God loves ME without expectation. Until I grasp that, it is hard for me to do the same. This is a continual work in progress for me. However, I do it naturally with my children. I love them no matter what. There are things they do which may cause me not to trust them or like them temporarily, but I never stop deeply caring for and loving them. I can't fathom that. Can I love others the same way?

With God, when I accept His love without expectation, I am then free to be. To be who I am, to do what I do. That's where my actions, my work, my effort can flow freely, without expectation, but with expectancy. Expectancy of the end result. Expectancy of the joy it will bring. Expectancy of the satisfaction my contribution will make. Expectancy of a job well done. Expectancy of the love that will be felt. Expectancy of the "this is my daughter in whom I am well pleased".

When I feel disappointed or let down, I will love anyway. I will believe the best. This will be a challenge. When I feel irritated or upset, I will ask myself, "Is it because of some expectation I had?" and I will let go and love anyway.

This doesn't let people off the hook for what they do wrong, but it lets me off the hook for suffering from their sin. Whoa. When I am angry when others fail in what is expected, I am the one who suffers for their sin. I suffer enough with my own sin, why would I want to suffer with someone elses?

Let's try to live and love without expectation, but with expectancy. That sounds a whole lot happier way to live. [I have to admit, my nature is not yet perfected because I struggle with the thought "nothing will get done then", but I am trusting that true love begets true action, and that as I love truly, I will see the fruit of it in my life and in others]. In the meantime, I am going to receive true love, give true love, act in true love - the best that I can as I grow in love.

Up for the challenge?

The Kingdom and Power of God

I love how, in the Bible, David doesn't shy away from sharing his real feelings with us. In Psalm 22:1 he says, "Why are you so far from helping me?". Ever feel that way? But no matter what our circumstance looks like, no matter what we are feeling, we are given a key in the next verses for seeing a change happen.

(vv.3-4) But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted, and you delivered them."

Praise brings the presence of God into the midst of the situation. Charles Green calls it the "distinct manifestation of His rule. God enters!" This is not a temporary visit. When God is enthroned, He is planning on staying. He settles Himself in for relationship with us.

Jack Hayford says "The presence of God's Kingdom power is directly related to the practice of God's praise. The verb "enthroned" indicates that wherever God's people exalt His name, He is ready to manifest His Kingdom's power in the way most appropriate to the situation as His rule is invited to invade our setting".

His Kingdom come!

God's Kingdom is not mysterious or difficult--praise Him! See the reality of God's Kingdom enter into your life. Exalt the name of the Lord, lift Him up! God will be glorified.

These verses link together praise, trust and deliverance. These three work together to establish God's Kingdom in our situation. Put your trust in the Lord. Your praise reveals the trust you have in Him. Sing it, shout it, let it be heard!

God sovereignly chooses how He will manifest His Kingdom. [The Kingdom is at hand - look to see how God is revealing Himself in your life - He IS at work!] He will come as we praise Him [the Bible just said so!], so we trust Him and let Him show Himself as He chooses.

Sometimes we are dismayed because we want Him to come in a certain way or time - but trust the Lord - He is working to show His kingly authority in your life. God will be praised and magnifed! His victory in our lives sets us free from sin, torment and shame. His "kingliness" drives out the harasser. His light causes the darkness to flee. He is the King!

I am reminded of the calling Paul had as he was sent out to "open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me" (Acts 26:17-18). Praising the Lord is one of the ways that we can do this! As I practice a lifestyle of praising the Lord in every situation, I am bringing His delivering presence into the situation for me and those I am with. This is something I can do!

I will praise the Lord today, putting all my trust in Him, and He will deliver me, showing Himself strong to the praise of His glory!
Remember the Lord in all His goodness and trust in Him. Lift your voice in praise and watch Him work. Where He is, nothing can stay the same!

God Delights in Me

The Psalmist David had an amazing ability to declare what was going on in his life, the needs, emotions, failures, successes and victories, at the same time that he was declaring his utter dependency upon, and the sovereignty of, God.  It is at times challenging to read, to keep it all in context.  Psalm 18 is such a Psalm.

"He also brought me into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me." (vv.19-20).  I love this verse.  The Lord can DELIGHT in ME.  What an amazing thought!  And this brings comfort, hope, and security to me.  Think about how easy it is for us to delight in someone or something that we love.  It is the same with God - He loves us, and I'm sure it brings great joy to His heart to be able to delight in us.  I experience this with my children.  There are times when I truly delight in them, my love and enjoyment of them just seems to fill me up and run all over.

But not all the time.

Have you ever been in a relationship--or place of authority, as a parent, a teacher, a boss-- where you were not delighting in the one you are with?  Why?  What diminished the delight?  Have you ever been in a position where YOU have caused the delight to drain out of someone's eyes?  This is where I get uncomfortable.

See, I like to think about God delighting in me, unconditionally loving me.  Yet I don't like to think of it in conjunction with the rest of the verse, "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me".  My immediate instinct here is for self-preservation, and I think "BUT, it's no longer by MY righteousness, but by the righteousness of Christ that I am made acceptable.  What about the rich young ruler?  He tried so hard to do everything right, but in and of himself he couldn't make himself perfect.  See?  I can't earn God's love.  He loves me as I am".

Yes, God absolutely loves us as we are, in our imperfections.  (Thank you, Father!)  But love and delight are not the same thing.  I love my children.  Period.  That will never change.  But I do not always delight in them.  People are able to hurt us.  Disappoint us.  Let us down.  

So here's the deal.  "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect" (v.32).

Throughout this Psalm, David recounts all the works he has done, but he then continually brings it back to this, that it is in God alone that he is able to accomplish anything.  David is dependent upon the Lord for his rescue, his victory, his peace.  This was the key to God's delight in David.  It wasn't about what David did, but about God at work in David's life.

"YOU have also given me the shield of Your salvation; YOUR right hand has held me up, YOUR gentleness has made me great, YOU enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip."  (vv.35-36).

David's righteousness was not his own, it was in God.  Even before Christ, David knew where His help came from.  And the Lord delighted in him.

I like being the object of someone's delight.  When I see that delight shine through the eyes of those I love, I am richly blessed.  What greater joy could I have than to see that delight shining from the eyes of my Greatest Love?  

Your love, O Lord

reaches to the heavens

Your faithfulness

stretches to the sky

Your righteousness 

is like a mighty mountain

Your justice flows

like the oceans tide

I will lift my voice

and worship you my King

I will find my strength

in the shadow of Your wing

Do you need Rest?

Rest. It means to cease activity, take a break, take a nap...our definitions tend to be along those lines. I don't know about you, but I tend to swing from frenetic activity to "have-to-rest-or-I can't-continue" . When I am really busy and challenged, I sometimes feel guilty that I'm not resting enough- it is a command of God to rest one day a week after all - but how can I do that more? How can I rest when I am busy? So I was interested today when I saw a verse that mentioned rest in my Bible reading.

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory re joices;...." [who doesn't want more gladness and joy?]

..."my flesh also will REST IN HOPE." Wow.

Hope is the place of rest. When I have my hope right, I will have rest.

Okay, time for a Strongs Concordance definiton of hope:

betach, beh'-takh; from Hebrew 982 (batach); properly a place of refuge; abstract safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); often (adverb with or without preposition) safely :- assurance, boldly, (without) care (-less), confidence, hope, safe (-ly, -ty), secure, surely.

I just love the fact that hope here addresses not only the physical security that I have, but also the feeling of hope that I need for my wellbeing! The Amplified Bible says it this way,

"...my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety". THAT is what I'm talkin' about! I want to be a "confident dweller". To dwell confidently is to be in hope, is to be in a place of rest.

Psalm 16 continues in v.10-11, "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures evermore."

Note that He will SHOW ME the path of life, but I am the one who chooses to walk in it. And it is such a good place to be in: a place where He is, where joy is, where pleasure is. THIS is the God that I hope in. This is He whom I can confidently dwell in, hope in, believe in, stay in. And in this, I find rest.

v.1, 8 "for in You I put my trust...I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved."

Natalie Grant sings a song about this:

I will stumble
I will fall down
but I will not be moved
I will make mistakes
I will face heartache
but I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
I will not be moved!

I have set the Lord always before me.
My flesh also will rest in hope.

I may still be busy, but I will hope and rest!

Psalm 14: 2,5

"The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.

...for God is with the generation of the righteous."

What generation are we?

What generation am I living in?

I need to ENCOUNTER God in order to ENGAGE the culture that I live in. An EQUIPPED generation who has seen His face, who stand in His righteousness, bringing His light to a world darkened in its understanding.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:18-19.

There is a battle between fear and love. They are polar opposites. Fear is something that I have always battled. My understanding of what "fear" means has evolved as I've gotten older, simply because when I think I have fear beat, I battle it again. That is when I become aware of some new tactic fear has taken against me. Understand, I do not believe fear has anything on me, it does not overtake me. It is simply an area I battle in, overcome in.

What struck me about this verse is that it said "He who fears has not been made perfect in love". Love is something I have been seeking to grow in, so this really caught my attention. I want to be perfect in love. Could my battle with fear be a battle to grow in love?

God is love, so to be made perfect in love is to be made perfect "in Him". Verse 16 - "And we have known and believed the love God has for us, God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him." Perhaps, as I press in to the love of God, to abide more in Him, fear raises its head to try and stop me. We all have areas in our lives, points of weakness, that are soft spots on our underbelly's where the enemy takes aim.

The opposite of love involves torment. The amplified Bible describes torment this way - "for fear brings with it the thought of punishment". Fear means I have moved away from abiding in God, from trusting Him and the love that He has for me. And think about it, fear often causes us to feel like we haven't been good enough, that we have failed in some way, and somewhere the shoe is going to drop and we are going to counted as not worthy or not good enough. Comparison is rooted in fear, not love.

But Good News! Verse 17 tells us that it is in union and communion with God that love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us. Yes! As I seek Him, I am being perfected in love, and fear loses its grip.

Now, I know I'm not a hopeless case, because earlier in chapter 4, John tells us some more about what abiding in God looks like (and hence, love). It we confess Jesus as His son, we abide in Him (v.15); He's given us His Spirit because we abide in Him (v.13); and "if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us" (v.12). I have the first two down, and I am continually working on loving others, so I'm not doing too bad after all.

And fear? Well, fear has no hold on me.

Guard our Foundations

Psalm 11:2-3 "For look! The wicked bend their bow. They make ready their arrow on the string, that they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?".

Their is a battle against our foundations, and to get at them, the wicked are aiming right at our hearts. What is in my heart? I'll tell you what is in mine: my family. My husband and my children. My God, my church, the Word of God. These all matter dearly to me, and they are under attack. We cannot be fooled into thinking this attack doesn't touch us, but it does.

I was listening to the radio the other day and heard a report of an hotel owner who made a $125,000 donation to a cause he believed in (I believe it had to do with supporting marriage as between a man and a woman, but I'm not sure). This man was sued for supporting what he believed. The commentator who was justifying the action said that "of course we have the right to give money where we want to, but to give this much money must have been motivated by fear or hate." That doesn't even make sense. Do we now live in a country that will censor our giving? Since when is it acceptable to Americans to censor free speech? To censor what we read or quote? Because this is happening more and more today, and is often targeted at Christians who are expressing their beliefs.

If our foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? We need to guard our foundations now, fight for what we hold dear in our hearts, and not allow fear to intimidate us, not allow ourselves to be bullied down.

The amazing challenge as Christians is to do this in love. To stand in our convictions of faith, loving others. It is not love to allow others to steal our foundations. Lord, help us! Lord, help us know how to guard our hearts and our foundations!

Staying Offended Never Works Out

Offenses never work to our benefit.

After 30+ years of Christianity and nearly 20 years in active ministry, this has always been true. I have never, let me say it again, never known an offense to work out to anyone's benefit. Whether justified or not, if we don't forgive offenses, they work against us every time.

It used to make me mad when people stayed offended with me, but after seeing the consequences eat away at so many lives, I am usually left with a deep sadness for the offended person. Notice I make a distinction between being offended and staying offended. We all get offended. The Bible says that's normal. The problem is when we hold on to the offense.

Psalm 9: 15-16 says "The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. The Lord is known by the judgement He executes. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation." - think about that!

From observation, and my own personal experience with offense, I would say that offense unforgiven lays a net that is hidden from view. Pretty soon we don't see it anymore, we forget about it, and then we find ourselves tripping in it, tangled up in it. We find ourselves dealing with upset of some kind in our lives and wonder where it's coming from, not recognizing the net we are caught in.

On the flip side, when an offense is forgiven, there is nothing left to trip us up.

It's painful to see people you care about caught in a net of offense, especially when they say they've forgiven. There is nothing I can do but pray for God to show them what's tripping them up. Unforgiven offense is the devils playground.

If you are struggling with offense, you may be kicking and screaming right now about the need for the offender to repent, to see their wrong. "What about what they did or said, or didn't do or didn't say?". If you don't forgive (true forgiveness is not dependent on what the other person does or says), you are going to cut your own foot off as it loses circulation in that net. Then I suppose it will be the "offenders" fault?

When I forgive those who have offended me, I do my part to free them from their own mess they have made. It is the most effective way of effecting change in someone - much more so than staying offended. Do people always change when I forgive them? Not always, but sometimes they do. And at least I am free from suffering in my offense.

Hebrews 11:6 was a verse ministered on Sunday morning, and it reads, in part "...God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".
Psalm 9:10 sayks "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."

I want to know the reward of seeking Him, not the reward of my own offense. I put my trust in the Lord when I forgive those who have offended me, and it positions me in a place of security in Him who does not forsake me. (Psalm 27:9-10).

Are you offended? Forgive, let go, free yourself. Are you trapped in your offense? Pray to the Lord for help, forgive your offender, be restored and healed. Are you an offender? Repent, seek restoration and keep a soft heart of grace.

Life is so much sweeter without the annoying, cloying baggage of offense hanging on us.

Why God made me

Psalm 8, The Holy Bible



What has more power to catch our attention than reading "God made me [for]...."? It cuts to the quick of what we all want to know, what we are scared we'll never find.



Psalm 8:6 says "You [God] have made him [man] TO HAVE DOMINION over the works of Your hands; You have put ALL THINGS under his feet.



It is my destiny, and yours, to have dominion. It's why you were created. It's why He made you. To walk on the earth in the authority God has given you, as His God-formed, Spirit-filled creation. How can I do that?



Verse 4 says that God is "mindful" of us and that he visits with man. Think of that! It is my destiny to visit with God! He thinks about ME. He considers ME. He cares about me and wants to visit with me.



In Genesis we see how God made man and woman and visited them in the garden, the place where they exercised their dominion, and walked with them and talked with them. It is from that place of relationship with God, visiting with Him, that I can walk in my delegated authority on the earth. My dominion is GIVEN to me by God - He is the ultimate authority - and to walk in it as I should, I need to walk with Him.



A picture came to mind of a bride and groom walking side by side in right relationship. The groom gives his bride dominion (authority, resources, responsibility) to carry out the necessary tasks she has to accomplish. Think of the Proverbs 31 woman who is excellent not only in caring for her home, but in her business dealings outside of the home. She and her husband are working in their individual spheres of responsibility, and she has everything she needs to do it well, and his love and respect for her, the freedom he gives her to carry these tasks out - beautiful!



God has made us in the same way. We are created to walk with God in His ordained authority for us, having all that we need in Him, through Christ Jesus, for all things to be under our feet. That means we are the overcomers, not the overcome.

We are above and not beneath

We are the head and not the tail



God wants to visit with you today. To walk with you. To talk with you. It's what you were made for.

Stay True

It takes discipline to stay true to the call, to keep our feet on the road God has us on. There are so many good things pulling at us, but what has God asked of you? What is the part He wants you to play? Pleasing God, staying in tune with His plans and purposes in our lives, that can be the challenge. I am grateful when I am reminded that my most important role is following Him in everything. I try to stay in His grace. From there, I am able to do so much more than I could on my own. In fact, I am amazed at how much passion, drive, and energy I can run in when I am running in His grace, staying true to the call of God on my life. I LOVE what I do for God, and it worth the price.

Pastor Allen used to tell us, when we were younger in the ministry, that if we were burning out, likely we had stepped outside of God's grace on our lives. It's the place of striving and self-effort that we can fall into.

Let's stay in His grace and run with all we have.
Let's stay in His grace and be positioned for the "suddenly".
Let's stay in His grace and take ground.
Let's stay in His grace and see people saved, healed and delivered.
Let's stay in His grace and happily serve Him with our lives.

Let's ENJOY our relationship with God and one another.

Stay true to God's call, and love those who around you.

Getting Started

A first time blogger, it's a bit daunting to think of posting one's thoughts out there for the world to see. Is there a benefit to baring the push and pull of your thoughts, the journey of your faith, the reality of your humanity? As one prone to a melancholic bent, I can only imagine the directions I could go in at times- at times creative, sometimes doubting, occassionally powered up, and yes, ridiculoously introspective. I would hope that through it all, my desire for growth in believing, in faith, would be evident for others to see, and perhaps it would challenge as well.

We just finished our annual ministers conference and I am once again amazed at the men and women who pastor small churches in this country. There are those who believe that small churches make no impact, that they are irrelevant or lame. Yet, as I look at them, I see great courage to believe God, that He is able to use anyone, at any time. I see faithfulness that would challenge anyone. How hard is it to stay the course when you have "success" at your door? I read of a successful pastor of a mega-church, he was a young man, praised for what was happening in his ministry. It was awesome to read about what he was able to accomplish through the vehicle of ready resources at his fingertips. Yet, I couldn't help but wonder what success is there in inheriting everything that is called your "success"? When I consider the price that many pastors I know pay on a daily basis - in their wallets, confidence, energy, faith - it was hard to be truly impressed the story.

We have lived in San Diego for 9 years now, and in that time we have seen pastors come from around the world to start churches in our beautiful city. Some have come with extended resources: staff and money, that make small church pastors envious (yes, we struggle with it like you do). Some of them believe they have what it takes to crack San Diego open, (that they have the 'formula' for success). Yet most of them have not lasted. Some have redefined themeselves and their purpose. For some, it was simply too hard. Discouraging to work so hard, to plow through your resources with little to show for it. There's also a lot of comparison we suffer - how does our "success" measure up to someone elses - and we believe that it somehow must not be God, that His blessing is not on it, or whatever. And then there are the small church pastors who are still here, still planting, watering, weeding, tending, believing. I honor them.

I'm not kidding myself. I want to see a profit from my efforts as a pastor. I want "success". I would love to have abundant resources. I struggle with comparison as much as anybody. But I am also impressed with the faithful men and women who just won't give up.

A woman shared a testimony this week from her own life. There was a point in her life when she struggled with sin, couldn't shake it, was drawn to it like a magnet. She kept returning to it, knowing it was the wrong choice, but unable to stop. One day, on her way to sin, she heard the Lord say to her heart that He did not condemn her. She continued to sin, but also continued to hear this message reverberate in her heart. She experienced well-intentioned believers try to talk her out of her sin, pointing it out, challenging her, judging her at times. Yet it was the sovereign work of God in her heart, expressing His unconditional love and acceptance for her, that eventually did it's work in her life. She no longer is a slave to the sin, she is free. What amazes me about this (there are many things, actually), is that she did not give up on God, the church, or Christians. She is still, all these years later, loving God and His Body. THAT is a miracle. She didn't give up. THAT impresses me.

So, to all those in small churches, no matter your role, believe God and don't give up so easily. Continue in what God has called you to do and resist the trap of comparison. Do your best to learn, grow, improve, "succeed", but keep it in perspective. Give your all, give your best, keep believing. And don't forget to love on people while you're at it. Encourage their efforts, their success and their faith.