Verse of the Day - Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. ~ Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

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We will never be disappointed when we trust in God. He is faithful and true, patient and kind, strong and loyal. What a friend we have in Jesus!

We have a fight with our spouse, or there's tension on the job, or whatever comes our way during the day...do we run to the Lord, who is our strength and our shield? Do we seek His power and strength to fight the battles or make the tough decisions? Do we kneel behind Him as our shield and let Him take the arrows, relying on Him to protect us?

Sometimes we stop and talk to God. And when we really lay our burdens before the Lord and let go of our control of a situation, there is help for our heart and mind. When we trust Him to really be in control, we can rest. We can give thanks. We can sing!

Sometimes we don't seek Him. We head for the frig for something to make us feel better. Or go smoke. Or have a drink. Or get angry. Or throw things. Or any number of things that don't help and so often hurt. Struggling desperately to make it on our own. Why? Why do we resort to the insanely ineffective?

If we looked at our lives as a business, we would look at what works and what doesn't. We would have a management plan that looks in advance on how to deal with difficulties. When they come, get out the plan and use it. Don't waste company time and money trying to use ineffective means. Be efficient. Be effective. Be productive. Be successful. So, doesn't this make sense with us?

If we know that trusting in God is the best plan, we should use the plan. So I suggest that today, we simply model our day after this verse. "The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped." Period. That's the plan. Use the plan. Use Him. He is our Great Warrior, our Great Counselor, our Great Friend.

And when your heart is helped, sing for joy! Sing in thanks! Give Him the praise that He is due! Crank up the radio and sing! Let Him hear from your heart with music! Why music? I don't know...I just think God likes music, and I think it makes Him smile! :-)

Let God be your help today -- there's no better plan.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:33

[Jesus says,] "But seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." ~ Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

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Putting God's agenda in front of ours -- hmm...kind of puts a cramp on the "me" lifestyle, doesn't it?

How much of our time is spent on thinking about and striving for personal stuff? We spend an exorbitant amount of time thinking about food...and eating it. We wile away many, many hours watching TV, most of it mindless, and mindlessly. We wait and watch and plan for the weekend, with all manner of recreation in store, along with the toys and paraphernalia that go along with it. Life can really look like one big, towering "ME"...

AND --(hold on tight...here we go! )...we can rush around as busy parents, going from this soccer game to that band concert to this rehearsal to that PTA meeting to this and that and this and that.....whew! (take a breath)....OR (take another breath)...we rush around as busy parishioners, going from this choir practice to that Sunday School meeting to this function to that fellowship to this and that and this and that...whew again!

God says, "Ahem," as He raises a finger, "um, let's see...where am I in all this?"

So many things in our lives can be good things. Being an active parent is a good thing. Being an active member of a local church is a good thing. But if our bottom line is not God first, we're missing out on the blessing of a God-centered life. When God is relegated to the rings on our Saturn life, we're really not living up to our potential or our responsibilities as His children. God needs to be at the core -- He needs to be the core.

I understand that we have busy lives and we enjoy many wonderful opportunities for staying active and having fun and developing relationships and being fulfilled. But perhaps we are striving for a fulfillment apart from God that is simply waiting to be had with God. Him -- at the core of who you are...Top drawer...Head of the line, in your heart and mind.

Seek first also means this is a conscious effort on our parts to go after and pursue God's kingdom (rule and reign) and His righteousness (perfect ways). If you think that you're gonna be struck with the holy magic wand by the holy fairy godmother, you're mistaken. A God-centered life doesn't just happen. God says throughout Scripture that it's the seekers who find, the searchers who are rewarded, the diligent that get what they're after. Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."

Pursue God like you would if you had a treasure map. Because in essence, you do. It's called the Bible. And the treasure is your God. Do you search for Him as you would for hidden treasure? When He becomes a consuming passion in your life, His kingdom values of righteousness, justice and mercy are going to become visible threads in the fabric of your life. This is what He calls His children to be! Then, whether you're on a boat trip at the lake, or sitting at a soccer game, or waiting in line at the grocery store, you are a walking, talking, living, breathing witness of what God can do in a fallen creature's life and be a messenger of the good news of God's love and forgiveness through His Son, Jesus Christ. THAT is a picture of fulfillment.

So, get fulfilled. Go pursue. Find the treasure...the real treasure!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

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I was talking with my daughter recently about whether art imitates life or life imitates art, of how art is an expression of the artist -- an editorial, if you will. And how life itself can become one big editorial, everyone bringing their own opinion, their own expression of reality. I told her that is why we need God's standard, because everyone's gonna have an opinion, but where is the plumb line? Where is the zero?

I think the Lord guided that conversation, as I continue to minister to her and her beliefs in relative truth, even though that wasn't the focus of the conversation. Many kids her age hold to the premise that truth is relative, that zero is different for each person. (It's like trying to understand the "new math", where 2+2 doesn't always equal 4!) What's right for you may or may not be right for me. It's shifting sand, and there is no absolute truth. This pop theology sounds good to them and fits when you don't like the rules or when you don't want to seem dogmatic, but it's really full of holes and doesn't hold water. Using real-life examples seem to speak louder to this generation than just saying, "God said it -- I believe it --that settles it for me."

God's word is truth, and I do believe it because He said it. But it also proves itself true in life. Just like eating too much honey will make you sick, as told in Proverbs -- my nephew was the poster boy for Proverbs 25:16! Some truths in Scripture are yet to be tested, such as a lot of its prophesy. But life has validated so much of God's truth in our lives and the lives of others. When you read the Bible, don't you often find yourself shaking your head 'yes', thinking, that is so true...? That's because truth is true...and it's always true...and it's always from God.

God cannot be mocked: a man reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). This is true, whether you're speaking of crops or lifestyles. And I believe it's true, even if we never see the harvest (good or bad) here on earth. God's ways and laws are established...they are truth. The story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man are a good example (Luke 16:19-31), where a man thought he had the world by the tail, making all kinds of money and giving no thought to the poor (or to God, apparently). Although it appears that he didn't reap any destruction in this life for all of his selfishness, he ended up in the place of eternal destruction, forever imprisoned in torment.

All I'm saying is that sometimes we can say things aren't true just because they haven't been validated before our eyes, in this life. Faith in the God of truth must enter in. We must be willing to believe that who God is is validation enough. Life's track record does bear witness over and over to God's truth, but there may be times when we must look at God's word and simply say, because I know You, God, and believe that everything you say is true, I accept this as truth even though there is no proof.

Are you willing to believe that everything God says is true? Are you willing to stake your life on it? Because if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and have staked your eternal life on Jesus' death on the cross, you are banking everything on the truth of the untested Word of God.

I believe with all my heart that He is worthy of that trust, that He will come through on every promise, that He will validate every single truth He has voiced. One day, all critics will be silenced, all scoffers will be shamed before the Judge of all mankind...every knee will bow and and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Do you believe the Word of God is true? If so, then learn and live by its truth. If you don't believe, then don't learn and don't live by it truth. But be forewarned: life will validate the truth, and I know that eventually you will realize that what God says is true, is true. I encourage you to trust Him with all that you have, believing everything He says. It is the way of peace!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
~ John 3:16 (NIV)

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If you spent time in Sunday School as a kid, you surely heard this verse taught to you. If the gospel message was told to you through of a specified method, someone probably quoted this verse. If you ever watch football on TV in the '80s, you would've seen signs in the end zone that say "John 3:16", and check out the bottom of an "In -n- Out Burger" cup!...





This verse seems to encapsulate God's big picture in one small package. If you read nothing more of the Bible than this verse, you'd have alot to think about...

For God loved the world so much...

First of all, He's God -- what's He doing caring about this world, full of hateful people and drug users and maniacal dictators and pedophiles and on and on it goes? What could possibly possess Him to love us?...

He gave His one and only Son, Jesus...

To willingly give His Son up as a sacrifice for the sins of the world? Why? We don't deserve it! I wouldn't give my son for a bunch of good-for-nothins' -- I love my son! I just don't get it...

So that whoever believes in Him...

This whole belief thing is weird. Don't I have to do something? Pay money, wear a cross, travel to the Holy Land -- something?!? Just believe...how does that make a difference?

Would not die...

C'mon, now -- everybody dies! What's that supposed to mean? The cemeteries are full of the dead that tell a different story!...

But have eternal life.

Eternal life? You mean after I die -- so there is an afterlife after all? God loves enough to do all that for me, so I can live forever? Hmm...I didn't know...

See, it's all there in a nutshell. And then the choice is theirs -- believe what Jesus did for them on the cross and trust Him for it's sufficiency. All of the rest of the details can get sorted out later, really.

This past Sunday in church, I saw the look on the face of a man who just recently came to know Jesus and was in church for the first time since. What JOY! You can tell that he now knows what Jesus was telling Nicodemus in this passage about being spiritually born and knowing eternal life through faith in Jesus. You can see it all over his face and hear it in his story! PRAISE THE LORD! And I thank God for the person who was willing to share Jesus with him, because it changed His life forever. He has eternal life!

If you don't know much about the Bible and haven't been to evangelism training, that's okay, you can at least know John 3:16. Know it...not just the words...really know and understand the concept behind the words. That's easy enough to share with anyone...old and young alike!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 25:16

If you find honey, eat just enough -- too much of it, and you will vomit.
~ Proverbs 25:16 (NIV)

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I just went to the budget theatre this weekend with some friends and saw "Bee Movie"! (Very funny and cute...I recommend it when it comes out on DVD.) Afterward, at dinner, I recounted the story of when my nephew was little and came home after school and dove into a whole jar of honey and made himself sick. I think to this day he's sworn off honey. :-)

I, too, have recently sworn off refined sugar because I realize how abusive I've been to my body with that yummy good stuff! Valentine's Day and the day after were really the icing on the cake that took me over the edge -- literally! At work on Valentine's Day, staff brought in not one, but TWO big cakes AND cupcakes! And, boy, did I pig out! I can still see the vision of that plate of cake in my mind. It just almost makes me sick! So that Saturday I decided enough was enough. I had one last candy bar left in my house and ate it before bed, and said to myself, this is your last hoorah. And I've been sugar-free (refined, that is) since then. (9 days and counting...)

Sugar is just one of those things that God provides that just tastes yummy and makes us feel good, but can have rebound affects if we overindulge. Moderation really is the key. But we, especially in America, are overconsumers, aren't we? We don't moderate ourselves very well; hence, the sad statistics about obesity in old and young in our country (and, increasing, around the world). Our worship team did a little fat percentage check with a little machine the other day, and with very few exceptions, all of us were in the "high" ranges in body fat percentages.

Face it -- we like to eat. Food tastes good! And God made it to taste good. But we think that if one bite tastes good and makes us feel good, then 20 bites will make us feel that much better! Wrong. If overindulging doesn't make us sick and swear off it, like my nephew and the honey, then later on down the road, when we're struggling with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and trying to lose those difficult pounds, we might then finally wonder if we should've been more careful how we ate. Moderation really is the key.

God wants us to take care of our bodies. We are stewards of this tent, and only we can manage it. Don't count on someone else to make you put down that donut. Adults are "big people" now -- no training wheels, no pull-up training pants--"big people" now. God's words are wise and helpful, and we really need to heed His counsel about moderation regarding our food intake. Junk food/fast food consumption is so rampant, and I, for one, have been one of the biggest offenders. I was eating fast food almost every day -- and it was out of control. Not so much because I just had to have it...but my schedule is so busy that I chose the easy way out. My budget didn't like it, and the bathroom scale didn't like it. I had to put the brakes on that, too.

And that's not even bringing up the fact that we don't exercise nearly enough (oops -- I brought it up!)...We certainly moderate ourselves in that regard, don't we?...to the point of non-existence. Little Mr. and Mrs. Couch Potato, can I get an amen to that?....[psst...I'm Cousin Couch Potato, so I speak to myself, here...]

Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."
But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."
Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
~ Jesus, in John 4:31-34

Jesus knew what was important. Food was a means to an end...not the end. He had work to do for God...that was the food He lived off of. Are we as consumed with God's business, as we are with food?

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

Oh, Lord, forgive us for treating the temple of your Holy Spirit with such disregard, abuse and neglect. As we are stewards of our children, our finances, our jobs and homes, help us to understand our responsibility to be good stewards of our bodies. Help us overcome our addictions to food and other substances. Give us an appreciation for the life You've given us, that we may use our bodies to serve You more fully and faithfully. Amen.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Isaiah 44:22

[God says,] "I have swept away your sins like the morning mists. I have scattered your offenses like the clouds. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free."
~ Isaiah 44:22 (NLT, 1st Edition)

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One of the biggest and most basic of trust issues I think people can have with God is this idea that we can be made clean...clean enough to stand before God's presence and enter into Paradise. Is what Jesus did on the cross really enough to pay for all the bad things I've done in my life?

It's all in the future, it's all unknown. And it's after death, so it's permanent. There's no going back and changing your mind. So trusting Jesus to do the 'impossible' -- to clean your heart and mind, to stamp "PAID" on the laundry list of debts you've incurred on God's law, to do for you what you can never, EVER do for yourself -- is a big deal! Is He big enough? Is He strong enough? Is He faithful enough? Is He willing enough?

Maybe His sacrifice isn't enough -- maybe I need to help Him out by...

~ making sure I'm a good person...well, as good as I can be with the dumb people I have to work with, who can drive me over the edge!...

~ doing meditation like my yoga instructor -- she seems to have real inner peace, unlike me who's flying off the handle every time I turn around...

~ cleansing my life of all the evil around me -- my TV, all junk food -- all the things that I consume that make me "bad", because really, without these outside evils, I could be perfect, right?...

Do we trust God, or trust in ourselves? You can't really do both. God says we are helpless, unable to come to God without sin apart from Jesus Christ -- period. (John 3:3, Acts 4:12) If we trust in ourselves, we call God a liar, and we are on our own completely. Are you willing to stand before God on Judgment Day with your list of good deeds, meditation practices and cleansing ceremonies in full confidence that this is enough to make up for the wrong you've done? If so, good luck. You'll need it.

We are sinful creatures, no doubt. And the Bible says if you've broken one law, you've broken them all (James 2:10). So we're guilty. On a spiritual level! Not guilty before a judge in a downtown courtroom, but guilty before the Judge of all mankind, of all hearts! How can we get rid of something in another dimension, on another plane? It's impossible!...like trying to scrub your thoughts and attitudes with a toothbrush!

God says though our sins are as scarlet, they can be white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). He has the capability to scatter our sins on the wind...gone with a gust. He alone can make us clean. And the best part is that He is willing to do it, because He loves us! (1 John 1:9, John 3:16)

Do you really trust Him to do the impossible in your life now, and on Judgment Day, to wipe clean the slate of your heart? Or do you hold onto the guilt of your sins as some sort of twisted security blanket? Jesus said, "If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!" (John 8:36) Do you believe it, for real?

Believe Him. With all of your heart. And be free!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Habakkuk 3:17-18

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
~ Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

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This is another of my favorite passages, and one I quote with some frequency! I first ran across this from a refrigerator magnet I bought at the Christian book store years ago. The title was JOY, and then quoted these verses. I think maybe the reference wasn't listed and didn't know it was from the Bible, until later when I read it in Habakkuk. What a perspective to have on life, huh?

How easily we're drawn off the mark of joy in the Lord when our crops don't produce, huh? Okay, so most of us don't do "crops", but you can correlate that to your own life easily enough. Our internal satisfaction is usually so linked to life success...good job with great annual reviews and salary increases...good kids who stay out of trouble and grow up to do great things...good relationships with family and friends and no drama in your life. When this stuff isn't happening and life is a mess, we are often out of whack in our relationship to God, because it all seems to interfere. Like EMI (electromagnetic interference). Our God computer glitches, and we have to reboot. Sometimes over and over and over.

Habakkuk had it down to the basics. No matter what happens in my life, especially for the things I cannot control, God is still the sole source of my joy. So, I ask you: If everything was taken from us...I mean everything...could we still find joy in the Lord? Or would we complain and whine and wallow in misery?

It's a choice, you know. We can choose to be miserable, or we can choose to have joy. Regardless of circumstances. So, how big is God, really, in our lives? Is He really our "all in all", like we sometimes sing in church? Is He really "everything to me" like the ground-breaking Christian song of the '70s? When we peel back the layers of our lives, do we find God in all His fullness, or a vacant room scattered with empty cardboard boxes and graffiti on walls, only the remnants and remains of life's ups and downs, but no God occupancy, no life?

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13 (NLT)

Let God be fully 'in'. Let God consume you. Let God be the wellspring of your joy. Habakkuk made the choice...so can you.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 8:16

For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. ~ Romans 8:16 (NLT, 1st Edition)

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The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. ~ Romans 8:15-16 (TNIV)

I like this idea that the Holy Spirit is a witness to our adoption as God's children. As if He stands up in family court to validate the adoption papers. Often the one needing to hear the testimony is us. We falter in our faith at times, feeling bad about ourselves over sinful choices made...sometimes we wonder if we're even saved, when we get sucked into bad behavior time and again. Lord, am I really your child, or just an imposter?

To the witness stand comes the Holy Spirit. Remember, His essence is truth, and He speaks only what the Father and Son tell Him to (John 16:13-15). No need to put His hand on a Bible and swear to tell the truth...that's a given. He recounts the time when you made the choice to acknowledge your sin, to lay down your right to rule your life, to turn your back on your old way of living, to trust God to live through you. Spiritual birth, He says to those in the courtroom. I was there...I am a witness to this adoption. And I have remained there as a permanent mark in this life and will remain until the Lord Jesus redeems this child on that great Day.

How the Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit is a mystery. But He does. He goes to the deep parts of our soul and gives us truth, reminding us who we are and why we're here. He reminds us of the Lord's ways and our responsibility to follow His ways as His children. He comforts us deep inside when times are hard and things get fuzzy. He is our witness and counsel in the spiritual courtroom.

If you have given your life to Jesus, you are a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17). He has placed in you His Spirit, and you are a child of God (John 1:12). Adopted and sealed -- done! Don't be swayed by your feelings of inadequacies or failures. Listen to the Spirit within you...He's the one with the truth...He's the faithful witness. And then rest in your adoption as a child of God -- you are safe in the Father's arms.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Samuel 16:7

[God says,] "...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
~ 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

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This is one of my oft-quoted verses! And it's funny, because when I go to look for it (memorizing the exact reference isn't exactly my forte), I always go to Proverbs -- doesn't it sound like it would be in Proverbs? But I forget the context --

After Saul was rejected as king by God, God sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse's house to anoint a new king from one of Jesse's sons. When Samuel saw the first son, Eliab, he thought, this must be the one. But God told Samuel not to look at Eliab's appearance or height -- he was not the chosen one. Why? Because of Eliab's heart. God saw on the inside and knew he wasn't the one. It's kind of a Cinderella story, because all of the rest of Jesse's sons are paraded in front of the prophet, and God reveals to Samuel that none of these men are to be king. So Samuel asks if Jesse has any other sons. (I'm thinking glass slipper right about now...) Jesse says there is one more son, but he's out in the fields, tending the sheep. (In case you don't know the rest of the story, the boy in the fields is David, and the glass slipper fits perfectly... :-)

Based on what God said about knowing the heart and not looking at appearances, do you think David was a geek with a good heart? Well, the Bible says that he was tanned (ruddy), with fine features and a handsome appearance! (Hmm...sounds like any number of young leading men in Hollywood today, huh? Maybe like Mel Gibson or Brad Pitt or Russell Crowe...)

But, I thought God didn't look at outward appearances -- huh?!

So, looks can be deceiving. Here's a guy that had a good heart, that happened to be good looking. But the heart was what God was after. That was and is first and foremost for God. God saw David's heart when he was tending sheep in the fields, and it was pleasing to Him. His occupation and standing in life had no bearing on what God had planned for him (although his experience as a shepherd, I believe, was God-ordained, giving David an understanding of the Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and us, as constantly straying sheep...) And, despite his failures and poor choices in adulthood, he was called "a man after God's own heart".

Don't be deceived by pearly whites, great hair and a nice body-- the inside could look like a garbage dump. Conversely, those we could consider "plain" or average in appearance could be diamonds in the ruff on the inside. It pays to get to know people and not be swayed either way by outward appearances. Because the laws of gravity and the passing years are not nice to good looks, and a makeover can do wonders for "plain". Either way, the outside can and does change, for the good and the not-so-good.

Or how about the way we judge those outside what we consider "normal"? Those with dyed hair in pretty shades of purple, green or blue? Piercings and tattoos? Eccentric clothing? Do we even consider that they may be a person "after God's own heart"? Doubtful, I'd say. Somehow, I think mainstream looks at alternative as not God-fearing, not God-seeking, not God-serving. We need to think again, my friends...because God doesn't look at outward appearances...He looks at the heart.

Bottom line: Don't judge a book by its cover.

We're all created differently, but God sees beyond our exteriors to our hearts and minds. So, what is our makeup on the inside? Selfish and prideful, foolish and rebellious? Or compassionate and forgiving, selfless and giving? Whatever we are on the inside, God sees it. Maybe no one else sees, but God sees. And that's His biggest concern for all people.

Let's make it a priority to work on our "inside" by submitting to the Lord daily, and looking at other people the way God does...from the inside out.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Matthew 24:46

[Jesus says,] "If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward." ~ Matthew 24:46 (NLT)

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Being ready. Being on guard. Living expectantly. The fuller passage in this verse's context is about living in "ready" mode.

Last weekend, some friends and I visited the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum in Alameda, CA. Although I'm not a ship buff, a war buff, or a plane buff, this was a very interesting tour of one of our national naval museums! Our guide said something several times that stuck with me: this ship was not made for comfort; it was made for war. Sleeping quarters were cramped with minimal ventilation, staircases so narrow you could almost just jump straight down (and they probably did, often!). When the signal was given to man their battle stations at any given time, the men had exactly five minutes to get to their assigned deck station -- on a ship the size and scale of which you simply can't imagine without seeing it for yourself. After that, hatches and doors closed automatically. If you were stuck on the wrong deck with your lack of readiness hanging out, you were headed to a meeting with the captain. And our guide was quick to say that was not where you wanted to end up. These men were expected to know their job, and be ready at all times to do their job. Their lives and the lives of 3,200 other men on board could be at stake if you weren't prepared and ready.

Jesus told us in Matthew 24 about the end times and what that will be like. He talked about the signs that will point to them, just like budding trees point to the arrival of Spring. But, at the same time, no one knows the day or the hour, not even Him. Only the Father. Only the Master. And so, the children...the servants...must be ready and active, taking care of the tasks He assigns while He's away. If you think you have time to waste, think again! "No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen..." (Matthew 24:36)

If the men during WWII on the USS Hornet sat in their bunks reading comics or playing catch on the flight deck all day when there seemed no imminent need to be ready...if they didn't work to maintain their aircraft and weapons regularly and keep their own physical bodies in shape when there was no enemy on the horizon...we would've seen much tragedy on the Pacific seas. The enemy doesn't stand up and give a grand announcement when they plan to attack...no, they use all the stealth tactics they can to catch their target off-guard. These Navy men had to be ready for battle day...every day.

So, are you sitting on your Christian laurels, doing a bunch of nothing, thinking that Jesus won't return for a long, LONG time still? Do you know deep in your heart that God is calling you to be His servant to others as a messenger of hope, but you're busy reading comics below deck, thinking you can "do that tomorrow"?

We must be a people of urgency, and I speak to myself, here. There is no time like the present. Guess what? The 2008 Presidential Elections might never happen -- did you ever think of that? With all the CNN and MSN hype over who'll win the Primaries....it could all be for nothing. So, how does that change what we do TODAY? What is of eternal value TODAY? Today is all we have. So, whatever God has given you charge of, do it well--do it daily. Love people, share the hope of the Lord, build your faith...these are the things that our Father and Master is looking for in a faithful servant.

So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. ~ Matthew 24:42-44 (NLT)

Let us be diligent and vigilant, serving our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through acts of love and kindness to those in need, giving the message of forgiveness in the gospel of Jesus Christ to those without Him, and deeping our love and faith in Him through committed time in the Word and in prayer. We won't be caught on the wrong deck when the hatches close with an action plan like that!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Philippians 1:6

God began a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again. ~ Philippians 1:6 (NCV)

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I am really comforted by this verse, because it reminds me that it is God who is doing the good work in my life...He is the one that has made all things new in me through the power of Jesus Christ, and is moulding me to be like His Son. He is at work.

When we work under our own power, trying to live up to Christian standards as outlined in the Bible all by ourselves, we fail. Usually quite miserably. God never meant us to get to China in a row boat. He is the motor, He is the power. When we can get a grasp of that fact, we are free to rest in His working in us. Our job is to trust Him and be willing to be changed.

In the high school football movie, "Friday Night Lights", one father set such high expectations of his son and then belittled and abused him when he didn't meet them. It's tragic to watch. Why can't you hold on to the football?!, Why can't you hold on to the football?!, the father screams as he ducktapes the football to his son's hands. Required perfection and no help to get there.

But our God isn't like that. He is a good Father, full of unending love and compassion, and His mercies are new every morning...

For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust. ~ Psalm 103:14

He gives us help by His Spirit...

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. ~John 16:13 (NLT)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2 (NLT)

There are some things we can and should do to further our spiritual growth...be in the Word, communicate regularly with God in prayer, be part of a church body that builds each other up in the faith. These are God-instituted habits that forge spiritual steel within us, giving us the strength we need to go out and be the people of God we're called to be and do the work of the Kingdom that He's called us to do.

You are not alone in your striving for godly living and spiritual depth. Jesus is there as your strength.

I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. ~ Jesus, in Matthew 28:20 (CEV)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:28

Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor. ~ Ephesians 4:28 (NCV)

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I confess...I was never good about teaching my kids about tithing when they were children. Allowances were sporadic, at best, due to lack of organization/discipline on our part as parents, and my ex-husband was not a believer and tithing was not an option for me; hence, not stressed to my kids. Our middle income was pretty much spent on ourselves, and we always hoped for better income to have just a little more.

How often do we think about our income as opportunities to serve the poor? Are we spurring our children to attend college, so that they can get a good-paying job to support the local homeless shelter? More often than not, we're spurring them onto big-income salaries so they can have the American Dream...to buy that home and those two cars and those annual vacations to somewhere exotic.

Meanwhile, Jesus sits with the poor and waits for His children to come to their aid.

Our hold on money is pretty tight, sometimes. We work hard to get what we want and put the rest in IRAs and 401Ks and look forward to those "golden years" of retirement, when we tour the countryside in our expensive RVs or take to the skies to see the world. Our interests, our investments, our comforts. And Jesus still sits with the poor, waiting for His children to step in and love them.



Most of us don't even have a clue what it's like to sleep on the street, or get our dinner out of a garbage can. God bless those who help the poor, who give of their time and their finances to serve those in poverty. Union Gospel Mission of Sacramento is just one organization that puts food, clothing, shelter, counseling, and the message of Jesus Christ in the hands of men and women on the streets of Sacramento. I urge you to check out their website. https://www.ugmsac.com/

Wherever you live, there is a place for you to give and to serve, to minister to the poor and needy in your community. It is Jesus' heart that we make this a priority...because people lose hope in the midst of their life of nothing, and Jesus came to give them hope. We can be the hands that give them hope. Are we willing?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Jeremiah 1:5

[God says,] "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
~ Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

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It's easy in this world to feel like you're just a number. Social Security numbers, personal identification numbers, employee ID numbers, driver's license numbers, badge numbers...hey, what about ME? I have a name...I'm a PERSON...I have feelings...I like pizza and hate bratwurst....I cry at sappy movies...I love roller coasters, but haven't been in a long time...don't you care about ME?

The good thing is that, even though society has become fairly automated and unrelational, God is a personal God. You are not a number to Him. You are somebody in His eyes. How do you know for sure? Because you are alive. He is the giver of life, and everything He does is good!

Because of other people's expectations of you, you may feel inferior in life. Because of your own comparisons with others, you may not feel good about yourself. Please know this does not come from God. God loves you, sees you as worthy of His love, and capable of doing mighty things in His service. If you struggle with poor self-worth, I ask you to choose this day to see yourself through the eyes of your Creator...the One who fashioned you, the One who cares for you, the One who lives for you.

In the island story of the eight-cow wife, Johnny Lingo paid eight cows for a girl that was "plain at best". Shoulders slumped and skinny, the islanders thought Johnny had been ripped off by Sarita's father. This is how Johnny answered...

"Do you ever think," he asked, "what it must mean to a woman to know that her husband has settled on the lowest price for which she can be bought? And then later, when the women talk, they boast of what their husbands paid for them. One says four cows, another maybe six. How does she feel, the woman who was sold for one or two?" This could not happen to my Sarita."

"Then you did this just to make your wife happy?"

"I wanted Sarita to be happy, yes. But I wanted more than that. You say she is different This is true. Many things can change a woman. Things that happen inside, things that happen outside. But the thing that matters most is what she thinks about herself. In Kiniwata, Sarita believed she was worth nothing. Now she knows she is worth more than any other woman in the islands."

Jesus paid more than eight cows for you and for me. He paid with His suffering, with His blood, with His life. All He had He paid for His bride.

Christ loved the church and gave himself for it to make it belong to God. Christ used the word to make the church clean by washing it with water. He died so that he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty. He died so that the church could be pure and without fault, with no evil or sin or any other wrong thing in it. ~ Ephesians 5:25-27 (NCV)

God made you in your mother's womb and gave you physical life. Jesus died for you so that you would have spiritual life through faith in Him. You have value...you have worth...you have purpose.

YOU ARE NOT JUST A NUMBER IN GOD'S HEART :-)

So go out today and revel in your valued position with the Lord!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 10:5

A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame. ~ Proverbs 10:5 (NLT, 1st Edition)

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The book of Proverbs is kind of a funny animal -- not written like other Bible story books, or even in poetry form. It's snippets of wisdom, all strung together, seemingly with no real connection. One verse might talk about taking correction as wise, while the very next verse talks about hiding hatred and slandering others as foolish (Proverbs 10:17-18). All good advice, but rather disconnected! You simply have to read Proverbs for what it is...nuggets of wisdom and truth, each one pretty much standing alone. (If you just want to spend an evening with your Bible reading for the 'bigger picture', this isn't the book... :-)...try 1 Samuel, or Matthew, or Acts, or ???...I challenge you to read and find out!)

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, wise because God gave Him wisdom like none other. When we read Proverbs (not written entirely by him, but he is a major contributor), we shake our heads in assent...we think of examples in our world or through history, where life bears out the truth of the wise and the foolish.

So, it makes me wonder what Solomon was thinking when he penned this verse...did he have a son he was chastising for all eternity with his pen? Was this a clever way to say, "Boy, you really messed up last summer, with your lazy toosh -- now look at you...all your friends worked hard and saved enough money for college, and where are you now? Sittin' on your duff, playing video games, watching life pass you by..." . . . ?

Okay, so the video games was a stretch...but you get the idea.

Youth sometimes doesn't think very far into the future, doesn't plan for a rainy day, doesn't seize opportunity when it shows up. Youth thinks there's always tomorrow, always time. Why do today what you can put off til tomorrow, huh? An old song says, "Manana, manana, manana is soon enough for me..." Why fix the broken window where the rain is getting me wet, when, if we wait a few days, the sun will come out, and who needs a window on a sunny day? And although this song speaks disparagingly to the Hispanic community which I do not condone, I mention it because this procrastinative mentality can be a real stumbling block for all of us, not just youth or any particular culture. We can all be lazy and think we have all the time in the world to get things done, to make stuff happen.

Face it. Alot of us think we have time to get into shape, to reverse the effects of overeating and undersleeping and the ticking clock. We think, tomorrow...tomorrow...tomorrow is soon enough for me. But tomorrow truly is "always a day away", and it never comes. And we'll always find excuses to put opportunity off for yet another day. We need to beware, because opportunity may knock once or twice, but when you finally open the door, all you see is a flyer that says, 'sorry we missed you'...and it's too late. The morgue is full of those who thought they had time to get it together...but strokes and heart attacks said otherwise.

And what about our spiritual health, huh? Do we wait around for some conference to come to town, or a revival at church before we step out and get serious with God? What are we waiting for? Or how about talking to that person at work that needs to hear about the love God has for them, and how He can change their life? Still waiting for that perfect opportunity? God may be saying, I gave you a chance last week, remember, in the lunchroom? Why didn't you tell them then when they told you how cruddy life was for them? Or how about the week before when they were broken up over the divorce papers they received? What are you waiting for, My child? Tomorrow may not come, for you or for them...

Of course, we could all beat ourselves up for the missed opportunities all along our lives. And maybe some holy conviction is in order. But after that, let's seize the day today -- carpe diem! Whatever it is that we can do today, we should do, with God's strength. Don't put off tomorrow what you can do today...be active, be purposeful, be committed TODAY. Tomorrow may never come, but Today is here every day. Live in the day you are given by God and run with it!

So, what are you waiting for?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:19-20

[Jesus says,] "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy." ~ Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)

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It's a fact -- the clothes, the car, the home, the jewelry...none of it goes with us into the afterlife...none of it. And yet we spent lots and lots of time accumulating it, insuring it, guarding it all as if we will. Are we any better than the ancient Egyptians, who buried their earthly treasure with them, believing that the dead would use it in the next life? Hah--the tombs of Egypt have been full of raiders for centuries, stealing the after-life booty that never made that eternal transport!

Not only can we not take all our stuff into the next life, but it doesn't bring real happiness. King Solomon said it well...

Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. ~ Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (NLT)

Jesus wants us to get our eyes off of things that wear out, break down, and get stolen -- and to get our eyes on the eternal things that really matter...

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! ~ Luke 15:7 (NLT)

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' ~ Matthew 25:31-40

Developing your relationship with God and letting others see a life of faith and God's compassion through loving service is valuable on an eternal scale. These are the things that are unseen, yet of greater importance and value than $3.2m mansions and high-priced SUVs. When we really get a God-perspective on this life...about our souls and the souls of others...the 'stuff' just can't compare.

Just ask my friends, Eric and Barbara West, who in their retirement years sold their home and alot of their stuff and headed to Russia as missionaries. They have forfeited much in terms of earthly treasures, in exchange for alot of 'not much', along with harsh winters, government mire, and less-than-optimum healthcare. Why? Why would they give up the comforts of nice State-job retirements in sunny California, to spend their time hanging out with people on the other side of the world who are struggling to survive...on the outside and on the inside? Many might say they are crazy. They would say, 'Yes, crazy. Crazy for my Jesus.'

Jesus has a way of changing our priorities in life. His Holy Spirit speaks deep inside and helps us realize that 'life' is so much more than what our eyes can see. The invisible is gold, while the visible is cardboard. Those that pursue God's work, whether it be in Russia or the downtown homeless shelter or their workplace, are setting their eyes on the invisible...the hearts of men and women who need to know that there is more than this life, more than pain and heartache -- they need to know someone cares...the Jesus who loves them.

For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT)

May we go out today and work on the invisible, through the love of Christ Jesus!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 13:7

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)

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That often-illusive, ever-desirous thing in our lives...love.

It sure can get twisted in our minds, thanks to Cupid and the marketing industry. On this heart-filled day, if someone doesn't send us flowers or balloons, or brings us candy and a card, or treats us to dinner and a movie, we just don't feel loved. We feel jilted. (Okay, maybe I'm speaking more for the women, than for men.) But the point is that this day is hyped to the max for giving gifts to show our love, and the warm fuzzies are nice, don't get me wrong -- but is that love?

I'm gonna pick on my female species here just a little bit. We put a lot of pressure on men to meet expectations on Valentine's Day, don't we? The candy, the flowers, the time spent together -- all on this day. Why? Why is this day more special than the other 364 days of the year? Why does that heart-shaped box of candy and flowers speak to us more on February 14th than everyday commitment on June 12th, or September 10th? Have we been duped? I think so. Today is not magical, it's not really special, except that the calendar says so. Do the flowers smell sweeter? Does the dinner taste better? Why all the pressure to perform on THIS day? I think we need to get off our heart soapbox and give men a break. All of this lovey-dovey gift-giving is probably not their love language (the language that speaks to them of love (http://www.fivelovelanguages.com/), so they really have to work at staying out of the doghouse on this day -- it's not that they don't love, it's just that all the fru-fru of the day isn't something that they think about naturally. Women, on the other hand, think about these things -- that's why alot of men end up with balloons and candy from women, because that's what speaks to them! See how whacked this day ends up getting? -- The guy is standing there with a balloon bouquet that he just got from his gal, and he's in trouble because he didn't think to make dinner reservations at such-and-such restaurant but was planning on watching the basketball game on TV! Sigh....expectations, expectations. It's all so unnecessary.

God spelled out what love is...

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

That, my friends, is the standard we need to lift up...not the hype of Hershey and Hallmark. And the best part of real love is that it's not romantic, so even though you don't have a sweetheart, it doesn't mean you can't give and receive love! Love on this day, and every day, is not for the "in-love"ers only. It's for everyone. And every day is a day to give and receive love...real love...love described by God.

So, go out today (and tomorrow, and the next day) and love someone...

~ by smiling at the clerk while you wait in the endless line at the grocery store (patience)...

~by being truly happy for a co-worker who does receive romantic gifts today (no jealousy or envy)...

~by not bringing up the last seven Valentine's Days that your mate forgot to remember (not keeping a record of wrongs)...

Love. It comes from God and goes deep to the heart of commitment. And that's how God loves us, too...





Happy Valentine's Day to us from God...


Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - James 4:11

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. ~ James 4:11 (NLT)

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Sheesh -- now God's really meddling in my business! Don't I have a right to an opinion? Don't I have a right to express myself, my 1st amendment right, and all that? People bug me sometimes, and I don't care who I let know!

Does that sound like you? Does that sound like me? Even if we don't speak or think those exact words, I think we often have the mindset that if people irritate us, we have the right to let them know--to give 'em what for! And even if the offending person never gets a piece of your mind, you slander them in your mind and drum up all kinds of evil in your spirit against them for being such a rotten person, a bad driver, or a poor dresser! It's true, and we know it. We judge people left and right for such piddly things, it's pathetic!

Look at what that woman is wearing...boy, does she need an extreme makeover!...

Gee, just look at that car with all those bumper stickers---how trashy can you get?! They really know how to bring down a neighborhood...

Can you believe Janey in Accounting is dating Phil in Circulation?! What could she be thinking with a dork like that?!...

This is a pretty big issue for me. I consider myself a kind person, who's courteous and helpful to others, who desires to be Christ-like in how I treat people. And my actions usually bear this out. But, boy, my heart and mind judge people somethin' fierce more times than I want to admit! The insidiousness of it all is that often my judgment never comes out of my mouth -- it just rattles around inside, stirring up evil in my spirit. And, sometimes I spread it around, sharing my negative thoughts with a friend, hoping for some comradeship, desiring real vindication over these "stupid, idiotic, crazy, good-for-nothin' jerks that fill up this stupid earth and think they have a right to breathe air like the rest of us!" (see how being judgmental fills us with all sorts of kind and loving thoughts, whereby we love others as Jesus loves us? ..insert sarcasm.. :-\)

Paul says that when we judge others, we're judging God's law, instead of doing our job, which is obeying it. Jesus gave us the law of love, which overarches the Mosaic Law. Love your neighbor as yourself...love one another as I have loved you. Oops -- I guess jokes that cut people down because of their race, gender, or physical appearance don't quite fit that mould, do they? You realize that most jokes are really veiled judgment, don't you? Just think about it the next time you tell or listen in on a "fat" joke -- what enters your mind, then, when you walk behind an obese person? Compassion for their plight? Or ridicule for their size?

Oh, Lord, forgive us when we've put ourselves in the judge's seat and bashed people for who they are or how they act. Lord, please remove this evil from our hearts and minds. Fill us with true love and compassion for people, desiring to see the inside of a person, instead of judging their exteriors. May we see people the way You do, and may our thoughts and words be kind and loving, reflecting You. Amen...

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 3:20

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
~ Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

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These words from Paul in verse 20 come on the heels of this prayer:

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. ~ Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT)

After asking God for all of this spiritual fullness for the Ephesian church, he acknowledges that God is able to do even more than this, in and through us, in His mighty power -- for His glory!

. . . even more than we would dare to ask for . . .

Why is it that we sometimes think we should already be spiritual towers of strength just because we're believers in Jesus? Why do we think that maybe because we've been saved for many years, that we should have "arrived" at some pinnacle of spiritual maturity? Why aren't we asking God for spiritual riches...understanding, knowledge, wisdom? Are we too proud? Or too ignorant, thinking it's somehow not right to ask?

James 1:5 says to ask God for wisdom if you lack it. Jesus said in Luke 11:9 to ask, seek and knock on God's door. Solomon, as a young king (2 Chronicles 1:10), acknowledged his amateur status, and asked God for wisdom and knowledge, because he knew he didn't have it, and he was gonna need it, big-time!

Paul prayed another prayer earlier in Ephesians 1:16-20 that may sound too good to be true, also, but remember -- God can do this in your life!...

I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

God's storehouse of spiritual riches are always full, yet always emptying. He longs to do mighty things in our hearts and minds, increasing our understanding of Him, and strengthening our faith to stand tall with Jesus. Ask God, and believe He can do it. And be humble to accept the spiritual training that goes along with increased spiritual riches. Because although I'm sure He dips His sceptre to some and they are granted spiritual riches immediately, often these riches are gained by experience...by living and breathing day after day by faith in God.

And never underestimate what God can do in your spiritual life when you choose to focus on His master agenda, rather than focusing solely on yourself. Being a Christian is never just for yourself alone, yet many function like this. They have Jesus in their heart, and they are just good with that--period. But where is the bigger picture? Where is ambassadorship? Where is the servant's heart (which means we serve others)?

God's got big plans for His people and this world! He's in the process of turning Satan on his head, and rescuing those who are enslaved by sin. It's a God-sized job that He is fully capable of reaching. But we are His ambassadors. We are His hands and feet. He wants us to dream big God dreams, and to ask Him for whatever we need to accomplish His dreams.

So, are you just sittin' on your thumbs, lamenting that you're not on board with God, not making a difference, not growing up in your faith? Or are you asking for the spiritual things you need to be a vital part of God's dream team?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Exodus 35:35

"[God] has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers - all of them master craftsmen and designers."
~ Exodus 35:35 (NIV)

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I play piano. I've played piano since I was 7, when my mom trudged me down the street to take lessons from Mrs. Teresi in her living room. I still play piano, and some would say I'm gifted at it. I simply say I learned. Yes, I learned well, and became a strong technician at the keys, playing difficult music by the time I was 17 yrs old. I learned. But I didn't feel gifted. Not until much later...

Later in life, as I really turned my life back to God, I began to appreciate the art of music. Music wasn't just an exercise to complete, or a musical mountain to conquer...it was beauty. And it began to come to life for me, and I began to play at a different level...with expression, with heart. That was a gift from God. Sure, I realize that He gave me the ability to learn and the physical capability for playing, but the heart...that was breathed in by God as a supernatural gifting, as far as I'm concerned. People have told me that my playing speaks to them, and I know it's not really me -- it's God in me.

I was also never a writer in my youth, and I didn't go to college to get a degree in Communications. But God gave me a gift, as an adult, to write. People have told me that I'm gifted in this area. Where did that come from if not from God, huh? I'm not patting myself on the back; I'm patting God on the back, because it was all His doing. And I have used it to serve Him as He sees fit. I love it, and He uses it. A gift that gives both ways.

My pastor recounts how, as a youth, he HATED school, couldn't wait to get out of high school, so that he could be done! But a funny thing happened on the way to adulthood -- he got radically saved by God! And wow -- you should see him now. He's an academia nut! God infused him with the the call to become a pastor, and the desire to learn, to seek knowledge and understanding. He's kind of a maniac in the academic realm, now. That was gifting, my friend. (Okay, so some would call it a curse, not a gift...:-)

When you give yourself to God, He gives Himself to you, for the advancement of His Kingdom. You will be amazed at what He infuses you with, things you didn't learn on your own, perhaps things you'd never even thought of before. But God is God, and we're not. What He wants from us is a willing heart, willing to be used, willing to step out to the unknown, willing to love people for His heart's sake. The rest is up to Him.

And don't worry if you don't see gifting in your life. I think sometimes it works in the sub-layers of our conscientiousness -- but God is working, and He's working through His people. Just keep close to Him and live your life -- one day, you may look back and think, Wow -- God did that through me?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Philippians 3:10-11

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
~ Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV)

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Knowing a person takes work. To know what makes them tick...their likes and dislikes, passions and pursuits, their deep heart desires. If you're not committed to that person, you will probably bail before you really get down to the nitty gritty of who they really are.

Two kinds of commitment in relationships: law, and love. Law binds by contract. Love binds by promise. Of the two, which do you think has a stronger bond?

I hate to say it, but the law is not enough to hold relationships together. People break contracts all the time, in business and in marriage. It's do-able...difficult, but do-able. It often leaves a mess to clean up, but it seems better to cut ones losses than drown with a sinking ship.

Love, on the other hand, takes relationships to the heart level, where the bonds are stronger, where respect and devotion run the ship, not just a signature on a dotted line. The person is "in" 100%. Commitment from the heart.

So, in looking at our commitment to God, is it by law, or by love? Are we committed to knowing Christ, really knowing Him and His heart, because we love Him? Are we intent on digging into the Word and talking to Him in prayer? Or do we just read our Bible once a week in church and bow our heads because the pastor said to because we signed on the dotted line as a Christian and carry a membership card to prove it?

In "The Fiddler on the Roof", Tevye asks his wife, Golde, "Do you love me?" "I'm your wife!" she says. "I know," says Tevye, "but do you love me?"

Jesus asked Peter, as they ate fish on the seashore, "Do you love me?" Three times He asked Peter that question.

So -- do we love Jesus? Are we committed by promise to Him? Do we long to know everything there is to know about Him, to understand His heart, to care about what He cares about, to follow His lead, to act on His behalf? He said that everything He had He gave to His followers (John 15:15, Acts 1:4,8) -- His knowledge, His power. That was His promise, His commitment of love to those follow Him.

I had a Bible Study leader say one time that his greatest hope was that he would spur us to fall in love with Jesus. Do your actions toward Him speak of love, or law? You make the call.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Timothy 2:5

For there is only one mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.
~ 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)

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We live in a world where people have a hundred and one different ideas about life, the after-life, God, the soul, and sin.

* How do we communicate that there is only one way to God, if they don't believe in God, or don't care if they reach Him?

* How do we explain the need for a Savior, if they don't care about right and wrong?

* How do we share the hope of an after-life, if they couldn't care less about heaven, just partying it up here on earth?

These are deep questions, begging for answers, but often it's like chasing a moving target. Even within defined religions, there is movement in definitions and doctrines. What people once thought and believed sometimes changes.

The good news is this: Jesus never changes. And the principles of God's spiritual laws don't change.

All have sinned against a holy God. (Romans 3:23)
The punishment for sin is death. (Romans 6:22)
A perfect blood sacrifice is required to atone for sin. (Leviticus 17:11, 1 Peter 1:19)
Jesus, God in the flesh, paid that sacrifice with Himself. (1 John 4:10)
Those who believe are saved from death. (John 3:16-18)

So, how do we communicate with people who are flying in the cosmic debris of galaxies called "Don't Know/Don't Care" and "Makin' My Own Way, Thank You Very Much -- Don't Bother Me"?

Ahh...from Stage left enters life. Life, in all it's unbiased rawness. No one is safe from life. It hits everyone with both barrels at one time or another. And that is when people may begin to wonder things like...Is there help somewhere, real help? Am I alone in this garbage dump called my life? Maybe there is a God...does anyone really know God?

If you have been touched by the living God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you know the answers to these questions. You've been where they are and you've come face-to-face with Love, Grace and Mercy...His name is Jesus. Your story is worth more than a thousand tracts, bumper stickers or books that try to convert secular theologies through inanimate means. You are a living, breathing testimony to the reality of Jesus Christ and His power to overcome the garbage dump of our lives apart from God.

Are you listening to people as they go through this life? Are you hearing the struggles they go through and the methods they use to cope? If you are willing to enter into their lives, to really care about them as people, you may just gain an audience willing to listen to your story.

I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one can come to God except through Him (John 14:6). I believe that because He has made Himself known to me in my spirit. He has changed me from the inside, from darkness to light, from death to life. False doctrines and secular world views will reveal their weaknesses and inabilities to save a dying soul in time. Jesus stands the test of time and eternity. We need to be there to offer the other side of the coin when people begin to question the strength of their beliefs.

Are we willing to be a real part of people's lives and gain their trust, so that what we say will be heard, will even be weighed as an option?

No one can refute the testimony of your life story...but getting them to even hear you in this world of atheism, paganism, pluralism, universalism and a hundred other isms is a God-sized job. So love people for real, deep down, and be ready to make an eternal difference through the divine power of Jesus Christ.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Matthew 6:34

[Jesus says,] "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
~ Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

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Why, oh why, do we worry? Somehow, I think our human nature is bent on it.

Our minds reel from the possibilities of the unknown. Scary stuff, like cancer and heart attacks. Dangerous stuff, like tornados and crazed killers. Will it happen to me, or my family? The unknown drives us crazy, because this world is full of horrible craziness. Sin has twisted the whole world and twisted us in knots.

Lesser things cause us to worry, things we think scream for our intervention. We think we know best about how people should run their lives...children making personal decisions that go against our set of values...friends and family taking risks with money, relationships and careers. We think we've got the answers, if they'll only listen to us. And we worry they won't listen to wisdom and fall on their faces in failure.

The unknown. It drives us mad sometimes, doesn't it?

Being appropriately concerned and worrying are two different things. In fact, they are a cause and an effect. The cause is not to blame; what we need to do is break the effect of worry -- turn that to faith and trust in God.

All this worry over the future is so pointless, because the future hasn't happened. And more times than not, the things we worry about happening never do happen, or even come close. But we want a controlled environment for ourselves and others. We want to be in control, to manipulate and maneuver, to avoid all potential pain, discomfort and difficulty. We want to be God. But since we're not God, all we can really do is worry. That's our puny attempt at controlling the universe.

Frankly, the only thing we accomplish with worry is gray hair, high blood pressure and tension headaches. Meanwhile, the world keeps spinning...

Here's a good perspective...

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God
~ from God is God, by Steven Curtis Chapman

It comes down to acknowledging our being limited creatures and trusting in the limitless God. Jesus said, "Trust Me. And trust the Father." So, do we really trust Him? We can say we do, but in our minds, we often jump on the worry wagon so quickly, we're a mile down the worry parade before we know what hit us.

It's a choice to let go of trying to control people and situations. It's a choice to rest in God's hands and let Him be who He is...the maker of the universe, the lover of men's souls, the victor over evil.

....so much better to lay in the hammock of trust in God, than to fly around the endless racetrack of worry. (psst...in case you didn't know, Nascar drivers never go anywhere...they just keep driving around in circles...get the picture? :-)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 12:24

Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.
~ Proverbs 12:24 (NLT)

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There is a general principle of hard work vs. laziness that is proven out in many scenarios . . . things just don't get done by themselves.

~ A farmer who sits at home during the Spring, thumbing through seed catalogs all day but doesn't actually plant anything, is in for a very empty stomach come Winter, because the only seeds that plant themselves are weeds...

~ A factory worker who spends his work time in the lunchroom yackin' about whatever to his co-workers instead of doing his job is eventually going to get called into the boss' office to explain his lack of productivity on the assembly line.

~ A housewife who plops herself in front of the TV all day to watch soap operas might have to wear her pajamas to the grocery store, as the dirty laundry mounds up like a huge ant hill.

Discipline is mandatory in this life to keep things maintained. Your teeth get gross if you don't brush them. Your car runs out of gas if you don't fill it. Your lawn becomes a jungle if you don't mow it. It's a constant state of maintenance.

Yeah, I know. I get tired, too. But that's part of the fall of man, having to work hard to make things happen. Laziness is also a part of our sin nature, that part of us that just wants to do nothing, to let others carry our load, to mooch. But hard work does a great job of drowning out the laziness, because God can provide a sense of deep satisfaction when you give your all to something, much more fulfilling than whatever temporal pleasure you might feel in sitting back and watching the world go by. I think it's God-given satisfaction to feel good about working hard. It's just the way He's ordered this life. And when we're going with the grain of God's order, there is contentment.

As far as leadership goes, who wants to follow a sluggard? Hang your hat on a lazy person, and you'll both end up sittin' on the curb wondering where your next meal will come from! People will follow those who invest their energies, who get the job done, who make it happen. This builds strong community in whatever venue you're in.

God looks for people who are good stewards of their time, their talent, their resources. He's not a lazy God; therefore, He wants us to follow suit, to be imitators of Him.

May God bless you richly today, as you give your best in whatever you do! And then, watch out -- when you look behind you, you may very well see a trail of followers . . . so lead them to where you kneel, at the feet of Jesus.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Colossians 4:6

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
~ Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

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In my Sunday morning Bible study group last weekend, we got on the topic of those in the workplace who hammer their faith on non-believing co-workers. Today's passage didn't come to my mind, but it definitely fits.

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
~ Colossians 4:2-6 (NLT)

Why is it that we sometimes feel like we just have to spill out the ABC's of the gospel...or the Roman Road...or whatever evangelistic delivery tool we've learned in training class to someone who doesn't know Jesus? Maybe they're seeking after God...maybe they're not. Maybe they have religious hangups, maybe they don't. Do we even know anything about the people we are evangelizing? Do we even care?

We should care. Deeply. Isn't love and compassion what should motivate us to spread the Good News about Jesus? Funny...some of the tactics used to spread the "good news" end up giving people a "bad news" taste in their mouths.

Gracious and attractive..."seasoned with salt", the NIV says.

When we come on strong and aggressive, is it perhaps because we feel we have to prove our point? To force someone to believe we have the truth? That they're wrong, and we're right? C'mon now...can anyone really do that, anyway? I bet I could count on one hand the number of people rescued from sin by being strong-armed into the Kingdom. Kind of reminds me of the "fire and brimstone" tactics that were part of Southern religious culture for a long time (perhaps still to this day).

1 Peter 3:15-17 (NLT) says...

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

People are human beings who need love, not hunting trophies that need taxidermy! God forgive us when we look at those who come to Christ as part of a pie chart and bar graph, trending the success or failure of the latest evangelical technique, instead of a living, breathing person who has been transformed from death to life by God Himself!

Lord, please season our words with salt. Forgive us when we have been caustic like pepper. Give us love for all people -- help us to listen and care about where they are and what they need, because You are the answer to every person's heart needs. Teach us to use words of love and grace and to live lives that draw men to you, and not push them away. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:24

Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. ~ Ephesians 4:24(NLT)

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Here's the context of this verse:

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
~ Ephesians 4:17-24 (NLT)

We were just talking in Bible Study last night about the Holy Spirit, and the difference between having Him in our hearts as a gift of the Lord when we put our faith in Him, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. About what it means to allow the Spirit to have control, to make change. And here, Paul reiterates that it's a choice -- let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes; put on your new nature...

It's a daily choice to wear the clothes of our new selves, as believers in the Lord. To choose God's ways over our ways. Not to feed the monster of our sinful nature, but to starve it to death.

The beauty of God's working in our lives is just that: He's working. When He asks us to throw off our former selves, and walk in the new nature, He didn't leave us hanging, to fend for ourselves. To try like mad to be a good person, when this sinful nature keeps rearing it's ugly head in our hearts and minds. He gave us the Helper, the Counselor, the Spirit of Jesus Himself, to change us from the inside out.

You and I both know that our thoughts and attitudes are fertile ground for our actions, whether good or bad, right? What we allow to mould how we think is going to sway what we do and how we act, because thoughts and attitudes will eventually lead to actions. If you put sugar in your gas tank (no matter how tasty it is), you won't get very far on the road. Bad fuel=no transportation.

So, we need to feed our soul with good fuel, and the Holy Spirit is like good gas with Techron...and you know how happy the Chevron cars are with the good stuff in their tank?! :-)

God calls us to live a life that sheds light on who He is. He is all things good and right and loving; Satan is everything dark and destructive and vicious. Do you see why our choices matter? We have a job to do, not to just sit back and wait for the rapture, but to LIVE . . . to live a godly life out loud. And like St. Francis of Assisi said, "use words if necessary".

So, what's in your tank? Choose to make it the Lord today and every day.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment. ~ Ecclesiastes 2:24-25(NIV)

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We come from all walks of life. Teachers, lawyers, clerical workers, stay-at-home moms. Some have worked hard to get through school for a passionate career of their choice, while others have gotten work where they could to pays the bills and keep a roof over their heads. But a degree doesn't necessarily translate into contentment, does it?

I put a lot of stock in finding a job that you're passionate about. To feel fulfilled in your job by pursuing areas that really speak to you. Maybe because that's not how my life unfolded, and I regret it. I go to work every day and do my job, but it's not a field that really grabs me on the inside. I do it because I need to live. It's not a bad job...it just doesn't speak to me on a fulfillment level.

But even those who follow their passions can be unfulfilled. Why? Isn't that the key to contentment in the workplace, that you follow and find your dream job?

If God isn't at the center of your life, no amount of dreams fulfilled can satisfy in the long run. If you have the best job in the world and the perfect spouse and a suburban home with a white picket fence, even these will fall short on the contentment scale, if your spiritual heart is dead. Because dreams do fizzle...the economy goes sour and you get laid off; your spouse isn't as perfect as you thought; your variable interest home loan has put a 'for sale' sign in your front yard; and the fence needs painting. If externals are where you place your contentment, then you will be discontent more often than not.

We all need to work in this life, and whether you love your job or just go because it's a paycheck, God can fill you with purpose and contentment, that overrides even your employer's purpose. God has placed you where He's placed you -- for a purpose, His purpose. You might not see or understand His ways, but that's okay. Trust Him to use you for His kingdom in the midst of customers, receipts, deadlines, children, policies, and staff meetings. Ask God to give you eyes to see the invisible in the midst of your visible world. You will see that you're really working two jobs every day, not just one! But the God job you're on can make the earth job worth every minute of it.

Today, take a look at the people you work with. Pray for them in their struggles, and be a listening ear.

Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed. ~ 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NCV)

May God bless you today as you do your job...or should I say, jobs (plural). :-)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6(NLT)

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Okay, so this is uncanny. Well, no, it's actually just God. He's always doing stuff like this, weaving events and themes together so that we really "get it". He's very creative and very pursuant. Keep your eyes open in your own life...you'll see how He works.

Yesterday, I met with a brand new friend from church. We had a great time getting to know each other and share life experiences over Starbucks coffee! She's just become a true follower of Jesus (praise God!), so there's a lot that's new to her. The Bible is now a wide expanse of God-ocean wisdom and knowledge just waiting to be explored, and she's excited about it! She told me a pastor had shared a Bible passage with her that was really speaking to her. Can you guess what that was? Sure -- Proverbs 3:5-6. I knew it and recited it to her, and then we talked about what it means to trust God, for real.

This passage is probably very familiar to those who've known the Lord for a long time and have been in Bible Study or studied the Word on their own. I was able to recite it, and maybe many others can, too. But -- is it more than just a memory verse to you? Is it how you live? Can you share stories of putting that into action in your life? Of really laying a circumstance into God's hands, and believing deep in your heart that He is capable of good counsel, that He is the best manager for your life?

We can say we trust God and not our own understanding, but how does that play out in real life, huh? We can chant the mantra, "I trust you, God...I trust you, God...I trust you, God...", and then get up off of our proverbial knees and promptly do our own thing. Trusting God is more than a prayer of words; it's a complete life reorientation! It's presenting Him with your life situations and letting Him be the boss, letting Him make the decisions, letting Him drive your life car. Like I told my new friend (who I told might end up in my VOTD someday...just didn't know it would be the very next day! :-), God has the map of the future and knows where to go -- we don't have the map! And not only does He have the map, but He's good and perfect and loving. Do you think He'd steer you off course into a ditch?

Okay, let me rethink that. He might steer you into a ditch, if He knew that the tow truck driver needed to hear a word from the Lord, and you were just the right person to share it with him! See, when you sign on with God through the transforming work of Jesus Christ, you get more than just a new house for your heart...you get a brand new road trip of life!

"Johnny, tell them what they've won!"...

"That's right, Stan -- no, it's not a brand new car...it's a brand new way of life! No more saving and storing for what you want...check out this baby...(curtain pulls back and confetti falls from the ceiling)...it's a shiny new agenda!"

As you get more and more used to trusting God for where to go and how to operate, you may find yourself in places and situations that leave you feeling like God doesn't have His act together...like, what have I gotten myself into? Part of what "leaning on our own understanding" means is that we humans tend to think horizontally. We tend to live in a "cause and effect" mode. When life is good with our creature comforts surrounding us, we think this is an effect of our good behavior or good standing with God. When life stinks like a rotten egg and we're struggling left and right, we think this an effect of some sin we've forgotten to confess or some other podium we've fallen off of in God's eyes.

Yes, it's true that we need to live God-honoring lives in right living because that is God's desire for us, and yes, we need to check our heart and mind and make sure God's not trying to get our attention through difficult circumstances. BUT -- God never said His way was a walk in the park or a bed of roses. Just ask Jesus.

He trusted His Father and took a dreadful walk up a hill and laid his head down on a bed made of wood...and was staked there with nails. God's agenda was to rescue mankind from their sin, forever. So, Jesus laid aside His creature comforts of heaven and trusted in God, through all He suffered here on earth. His Father was the manager, and He was the servant. And Jesus is our role model for trust and obedience.

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. ~ Isaiah 53:10-12 (NLT)

Interceded for rebels. Ain't it the truth?

Many of life's challenges aren't addressed in Gods' word. You can't go to your concordance and find the passage that tells you whether to take that job in New York, or go for your Masters. So it's easy to just make these life decisions on our own, simply because it's not clear-cut in the Bible what to do. But beware of your own understanding...it's limited and fraught with error. I know -- been there and definitely done that. :-\

Life will throw you curves, but don't get thrown off track. Keep trusting God to guide you, listening to His spirit speak to your spirit. I know that He speaks to me through a sense of peace or lack thereof in my spirit, which helps me stand up and take notice of where I'm going and whether I'm trying to read the map myself or letting God be in charge.

Trust God with all your heart. He's the best at what He does, which is everything...we, on the other hand, have issues. Do I need to ask for an amen to that? (lol) No -- we all know it's true. So, we need to get busy and practice this trusting God thing, because it doesn't happen automatically. There is no magic wand. It takes work. Hard work. But it's so worth it, when we begin to think toward God more naturally than toward ourselves. A road trip is much more enjoyable when you're not spending all your time getting lost.

Love,
Joelene