Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things -- and the things that are not -- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
~ 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On one episode of my now-favorite TV show (Extreme Edition: Home Makeover), a teenager with cerebral palsy showed me and the world that God not only doesn't abandon the weak, but He lifts them up as precious and beautiful and of great value. The mom said that when you look at her son, how can you not smile, because he is smiling all the time. God has given this boy, who in the eyes of the world could be considered a cast-off and certainly not someone who could teach us anything about anything, a beautiful spirit and a love for family and baseball and plenty of other things. Though he cannot talk or walk or even sit up by himself, he communicates love and joy that transcends what the world considers valuable and worthwhile.

When the news comes to parents that their child has been born with or develops a major disability, the shock is obvious. But I believe that many come to realize that they hold in their arms a treasure of great value. I have heard parents say that their handicapped child teaches them more than the parents teach the child. They have an insight, a wisdom, a love that often far exceeds those of us who are "regular". Parents of a handicapped child often feel they are the blessed ones, not those who have "regular" children...

Individuals and governments who have desired to eliminate the handicapped, either through abortion or euthanasia, don't have a clue about the sociology of God's kingdom. Their idea of perfect and desirable is flipped on its head when God's light shines on it.

"If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." ~ Mark 9:35 (NIV)

Do you think that runway model would willingly submit herself to serving the cerebral palsy girl in the wheelchair? Would she feed her, change her, bathe her, love her? No one really knows, but I do know that that is the kind of attitude we all need toward those we consider foolish, weak and lowly, because God chooses them.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ~Proverbs 3:34 (NIV)

Jesus wasn't the perfect idea of what the Jewish people and the world could embrace for their Messiah. In fact, the whole concept of Christianity in many people's eyes is a handicapped religion, where Jesus is just a crutch for those who are weak and helpless. Anyone with a good sense of self can get to heaven on their own merit -- they don't need an oatmeal marshmellowy God like Jesus, who got the crud beat out of him and died like a criminal, never once lifting a single finger to save himself. That's what some people think. And those same people will stand before God on Judgment Day and boast about all that they are and how good a job they did while on earth. But they have it backward. Their wisdom is foolishness to God.

...no one may boast before Him.

Let us seek the wisdom of God in all things, which seem foolish to the world, but is the key to life.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 4:8

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8 (NASB)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes, modern translations don't quite capture the essence of a passage or concept, and this is one of them. The New American Standard Bible was originally published in 1960, and was probably one of the "modern" translations of its time, a modernizing of the ASB (American Standard Bible) which was first published in 1901. At any rate, when I look at today's verse in other modern translations, like NLT, NCV or even the NIV, they translate "fervent" as "deeply", and I just don't think that does the translation justice, with regard to how we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Holman Bible does a better job, by saying "keep at full strength", because the word "fervent" means extremely hot, glowing, or boiling! When I read "love each other deeply", I get the sense of a quiet commitment, maybe with some tears thrown in for good measure. But to think of loving our Christian brothers and sisters like a pot of boiling water or the hot, glowing coals of a campfire? "Deeply" just doesn't say that to me. I think God, through Peter, is telling us that Christian love is to be on fire! And of equal significance is that it is intentional; hence, the verb "keep".

How many in your local church would you say you have "trouble" with, those that just grate on your last nerve, huh? Yeah, I'm sure you could name a few. I know I can, too. Well, guess what? Peter tells us to "keep fervent" in our love for them. Ugh -- do I have to? Glowing fire love for that person in my Sunday School class who always eats too much and too loud? Boiling water love for that person in the church who always comes late and leaves early, and acts like they're too good to chit-chat with anyone? Oh, Lord -- help me!

Well, that's where we need to go -- the Lord, because He can give us that boiling-up love for our brothers and sisters who don't suit us, who get under our skin. God can help us see beyond the quirks and idiosyncrasies of others, to see the soul within that He loves so dearly. Oh, and one more thing: if you're thinking you're not the irksome one to someone else, think again. We all have our quirks and idiosyncrasies that don't mesh with someone else. A humble heart and grace in abundance is needful in order to keep harmony in the family of God.

Take a step this week to bubble up with some heat the kind of love that God desires for His family. Learn to accept with open arms those who are different from you, and let God love them through you...fervently!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:8 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I trust everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving Day, and are full to the gills with the wide assortment of feast day food! We are truly blessed if we don't go hungry at night. Many people struggle with just meeting basic nutritional needs, let alone being able to share in a holiday feast.

I just want to share a few things I thank God for...

~ His undying love for me and His grace to cover over my sin through the power of Jesus' sacrifice...

~ my job which allows me to pay my bills and keep food on the table and a humble roof over my head...

~ my children, who I love very much and who continue to grow successfully in their adulthood...

~ my parents, who I love very much and who continue to be there for me, as friends and mentors...

~ my church family, who I love very much and who walk spiritually with me week in and week out, as we work together for the Lord...

I have much to be thankful to God for. How 'bout you? I'm sure you can make your own list. Take time today to thank God for His many blessings in your life, and be bold enough to tell others, too, about the goodness of the Lord!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Matthew 5:7 (Happy Thanksgiving!)

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ~ Matthew 5:7 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been on vacation this week with no real plans, so I've ended up watching a bunch of daytime TV. Thank the Good Lord for cable, because I couldn't stand it if all there was was soap operas, talk shows and Judge Whoever! But I have gotten rather hooked on one show that just wells up tears of joy EVERY time I watch it, and that is "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition".

People videotape an application of their life story and need for help, and submit it to the show. And a few are chosen. Many of those in need are people who have given of themselves for others in need, such as being merciful to adopt children with major disabilities or AIDS, and yet find themselves with limited resources to accommodate growing families or other unexpected tragedies (one mom who'd adopted three girls with AIDS was diagnosed with cancer herself, and was so worried that the girls would be split up and not cared for properly if/when she passed away).

What this TV show does is incredible. They show mercy that goes beyond the beyond! Many, many people and companies give of their own resources and time to show mercy to people in need. It is truly touching to my heart, and it's obvious from the tears of the workers that it touches their hearts, too.

Showing mercy is a picture of God, who has compassion for the lost, the needy, the poor, the hungry. Yet we, in our humanity, find it easy to show mercy to those who "deserve it" for their acts of kindness to others, but find it difficult to show mercy to those who have seemingly sabotaged their lives and seem less-than-deserving...

~ the strung-out drug user, who's lost home and family...
~ the 650-lb person, confined to bed because of their food obsession...
~ the embezzler, spending the next 10 years in prison for their greedy fraud...

Do we feel that warm-and-fuzzy mercy for these people? Or do we look at them and throw the judge's gavel in their face and say,"You did this to yourself -- I'm not lifting a finger to help you get out of it!"...?

Praise God that He is merciful to the undeserving, because the truth is that we're ALL undeserving of His grace and mercy! Just because you live in a nice house with a white picket fence doesn't give you exclusive rights to God. Nor does your cardboard box home on the streets of the city exclude you from the loving arms of God. He is merciful to all who will come to Him for grace and mercy from their sins, for those who seek cleansing on the inside.

This coming month, there will be many, many opportunities for us to be merciful to others -- food drives for the hungry, the Salvation Army bucket for the homeless, toy drives for kids of incarcerated parents. I pray that we can open our hearts wide with the mercy of God, which looks not on deeds or misdeeds, but looks at the value of a human life...

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Scarred and broken
Black and blue
They are precious to Him, too...[are they to you?]
Jesus loves the little children
Of the world...

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 116:17

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD. ~ Psalm 116:17 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, folks, that's right -- it's Thanksgiving Eve, and you know what that day is.....the biggest traveling day of the year! Airports, train stations and freeways will be clogged with people trying to get to Grandma's house...or other homes of loved ones. In stressful conditions like this, it is a sacrifice to praise God when the airport lost your luggage, or it took you two hours to go four miles on the freeway.

And then there's the stress for those who are hosting the big Thanksgiving Feast. The house to clean, the groceries to buy, the food that requires advanced preparation, not to mention the myriad of things that have to be done all on the day, while some folks "potato" on the couch watching football, or disappear to play in the leaves outside. With all the stress of the feast, it is a sacrifice to praise God when you realize that you only thought you turned the oven on, or when you find out the the apples you bought aren't fit for a pig, let alone a pie.

Often, we allow the stress of the holiday to usurp the meaning for which it's named...

I hope that today, on the eve of one of the most beloved holidays we enjoy, that we take time to thank God genuinely, from our heart, for who He is and who He is to us. Nothing gives greater joy and heart warmth than the Living God loving us -- not apple pie, not Grandma's kitchen, not even mashed potatoes and gravy (which everyone knows is one of the Top Ten comfort foods :-).

Whatever you're doing today -- be it traveling, grocery shopping, or other pre-holiday hustle-and-bustle, please take time to thank the Giver of all good things. It is the best sacrifice we can offer Him, especially when long lines and culinary flops make us want to scream a song of frustration instead of a song of thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, my friends -- and be thankful!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Luke 6:43-45

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. ~ Luke 6:43-45 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I do every morning, this morning I scanned the KCRA Channel 3 website on my computer, to see what's going on in Sacramento and around the world. One headline grabbed my attention: "Knife-attack survivor is Homecoming Queen". So I clicked on it and read an incredible story, here in Sacramento, of a high-school girl who was attacked with a butcher knife by her own brother last March. The attack slashed her face, gouged out her right eye, and nearly severed her spinal cord, and she spent months in the Shriner's Children's Hospital recovering. This girl, who was liked by so many at her high school for her kindness and warm personality, said that she forgave her brother because "he just isn't right in his mind," and felt the attack was actually a blessing because "it brought a lot of people closer, more love around."

When I read this, I just had a feeling that there was something godly about this girl. People don't often talk about "blessings" if they don't have a God connection. So I clicked on the link that had a video about the story. What an amazing physical comeback from a near-death attack! Although her right eye no longer has movement or blinking ability, a large scar traverses her face and she is paralyzed, she still has a sweet smile and a hopefulness in her voice. As they talked about her dreams of studying psychology in college after graduation, she said, "God has a plan for me, that's what I believe...so I'm going to let His will be done."

There - I knew it. God is in her life! I just have to tell you that I cried like a baby after watching that video. God was evident in her life before she spoke the words, and no amount of trauma negated God's power in her life. She was so well-liked at school because of her great personality and disposition -- that's God made visible to her school community. And after the attack, she forgave her brother and looked with hope to the future, despite her scars and handicaps -- that's God made visible to the world! A good tree can't bear bad fruit...each tree is recognized by its own fruit. God bless this young girl as she looks to Him and trusts in His will for her life!
http://www.kcra.com/video/18054702/index.html

I recognized her fruit and saw God in her before she declared His name. Is that true for you and me? Are we bearing the fruit of righteousness -- that is Christ's righteousness -- in how we live, both in good times and bad times? May we cling to Jesus, the True Vine, so that our fruit reflects Him at all times.

(Oh, and by the way, the fruit she bears is being picked all over her school, even after receiving the Queen's crown at Homecoming. Her fellow students are now raising money to buy her a van, so that she can get around town. She bears good fruit and her light is shining. Praise God! I believe her testimony will continue to affect the lives of those she meets, as she's not afraid to give credit to God where credit is due.)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Acts 4:11-12

Scripture says that Jesus is " 'the stone you builders did not accept. But it has become the most important stone of all.' —(Psalm 118:22) You can't be saved by believing in anyone else. God has given us no other name under heaven that will save us."
~ Acts 4:11-12 (NIrV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I watched the film, "Malcolm X", for the first time recently. And I was given a good glimpse of some of what the Muslim faith believes, and more so, what the Nation of Islam (NOI) believes (or used to -- I was told that some of their beliefs and stances have changed some over time.) But Jesus was absent from any discussion, any speech, any ponderings. It was Allah -- the Supreme Being; yet, more prominent than even He was the teachings of "the honorable Elijah Mohammed." Although Elijah Mohammed was credited for rescuing Malcolm X from the dregs of gangs and drugs while in prison, eternal salvation was actually not discussed. Our souls in peril from the wages of sin was not brought up or addressed.

I was also recently reminded of what the virgin Mary has become in the Catholic church, and I was rather flabbergasted. The Immaculate Conception is not the conception of Jesus, but rather the conception of Mary, who according to the Catholic faith, was sinless. In fact, some Catholics believe that Jesus sinned. So, Mary becomes the Redemptress -- and Jesus becomes what? I don't know. Certainly not the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, because only a perfect divine sacrifice could take away our sin.

The Church of Scientology was started in 1952 by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer who makes some extraordinary claims about our existence and our future. No mention of God at all, and from one source that I read, Jesus is considered 'fictitious' to them. After reading what Hubbard has spun into a religion, I can only say that it all sounds like fiction. No grounding in empirical facts at all -- it's pretty amazing to me that so many have gravitated to this spiritual thinking. But many, many have.

I stake my very life on these facts: Jesus is the Son of God, one with the Father and sent by the Father to rescue the dead. He is the only One who can bring us to life. He was the sinless Lamb, put on the cross altar so that His shed blood would pay our penalty.

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. ~ John 3:16 (NIrV)

I believe what God has said in the Bible. I believe that Jesus is the only name that we can call on to be saved from our sins, and the wages of them -- which is death. It's not Muhammed,, it's not the virgin Mary, it's not our inner dimension. It's Jesus, and Jesus only.

Do you believe that? Would you stake your life on Him? If so, you have believed the truth that God speaks. If not, I encourage you to check out God's truth in the Bible. And ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you. Because He will. And then you will know the truth, and it will set you free...(John 8:32).

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Never stop praying.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This simply speaks to me of continuing to go to God, keeping the communication lines open with Him, seeking His direction and His help in all that we face. He simply must be our life-line.

When we're embedded with an overloaded work schedule, or relational difficulties, or a chronic illness, one would think that, as believers in Jesus, praying would be automatic and continual. But sometimes, these trials tend to distract us, rather than attract us to God. Rather than seeking the God who knows us and loves us and can help us, we sometimes side-step Him, in favor of worry, fear, and despair.

Our best and only hope in this life is our connection with God. Please don't sever the communication ties with Him because you're too busy, too frustrated, or in too much pain. Don't let the devil get a foothold on your spiritual life by tempting you to side-step your heavenly Father. Instead, run to Him continually, with ALL that is going on in your life. Ask for help in accepting His will for you...ask for spiritual insight to rise above earthly troubles...ask for His peace when difficulties are not being removed. Talk to Him. Be with Him.

Jesus said we would be challenged in this life with various trials and tribulations, but that we should take heart, because He has overcome this world (John 16:33). No one is exempt, not even His children. I believe that when we stay in open communication with God, we have a better chance of "taking heart" (that is, staying encouraged with a hopeful spirit) than if we become distracted and pull the plug on our spiritual dialogue with Him.

And remember, praying doesn't have to come with folded hands and bent knees in a stained-glass chapel. God's not waiting for you to get to church with a prayer shawl in order to dialogue with you. Prayer is simply talking to God, and I, for one, pray in the most un-sacred scenarios -- in the shower, in traffic, in an elevator, while plucking my eyebrows -- you name it! Who says it's un-sacred to pray to God when pushing a shopping cart through the grocery store? I say, wherever God is, there it is sacred ground. And when you talk to God, He is there -- listening intently to everything you have to say.

Oh, and don't forget to listen...that's probably the most important part of the dialogue. :-)

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice...

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay.
~Word of God Speak, by MercyMe

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 13:3

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
~ Proverbs 13:3 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Talking has always been a big problem for me. Too much, for sure, as all my teachers were quick to point out on report cards. And no matter what they did to try to curb my propensity for communication, it went relatively unchecked. One time, my 5th-grade teacher thought she'd fix me by putting me in the back of the class surrounded by boys, thinking surely that would work. But I just talked to them! No problem there.

Later on, it was not only the amount of talking that got me in trouble, but the content of my words. Don't ask me what I thought I was doing by calling a girl on a bus a 'slut' behind her back in junior high -- news of that spread like wildfire in a matter of seconds, and I almost got the ** beat out of me! Of course, then on top of slander, I added lying, by saying, "I never said that!" Boy, was I guilty of rash words, which were bringing me to ruin! Over time and with the Holy Spirit's counsel, I believe that God has worked on me, to help me guard my tongue more, to be more careful and think before I speak -- although, my old propensity still sometimes gets away from me. : \

A new Christian told one of my friends recently that he used to just say whatever he wanted, but now he thinks before he speaks, because he wants to say things that honor God, rather than dishonor Him. Wow -- what a great example He sets, huh? It just goes to show how God works in people's lives, transforming them into the likeness of Christ!

If you struggle with keeping control of your tongue, you are not alone. Besides the many people who struggle also, you have Jesus, who desires that what you say be a blessing to Him and others, instead of a curse. He knows how devastating words can be to another person's heart, and how dangerous it can be for you, from many different angles. And He also knows that words are an outpouring of the heart. If you spew junk out of your mouth, it's an indication that it's coming from junk in your heart.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. ~ Jesus, in Luke 6:45 (NIV)

As you seek to be Christ's disciple and learn from Him, your life will reflect the honor of His glory, and what you say will come from a heart that is being changed by Him, the Living God. So, turn your heart over to Him, and your tongue will follow suit...

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 13:14

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. ~ Romans 13:14 (ESV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know the old Boy Scout model, "Be prepared"? Well, we like to be a prepared bunch, don't we? Provisions, provisions, provisions. We often live in a proverbial bomb shelter, stocked full of whatever we may need -- just in case of emergency.

When I travel, for example. If I'll be gone a week, I end up packing for two weeks. See, because, what if I want to wear that outfit with those shoes and this purse...? I want to be prepared for my whims and feelings, so I overload my suitcase with WAY more than I really need. Which is fine, unless the airline thinks my suitcase will cause the transporter a hernia, and charge $25 for excess load and slap a glaring green "HEAVY" tag to my bag...

We like to plan for every avenue, every instance, every event. But in life, that isn't always a good thing. When we make provisions for sinful things in our lives, we just leave the door open to commit sin. That should be a big "duh" to us, but we still do it, don't we?

~ If we know that food is a problem for us and that eating right is the direction we should go, why do we stock provisions in our kitchen like chips, soda, and cookies?

~ If we know that pornography is a problem for us, why do we stock provisions by getting that massive cable TV package with 14 premium channels, which often carry programs which lean toward soft porn?

~ If we know that reading our Bible is important but we're always tempted to do something else instead, why do we stock provisions in our living room or at our bedside -- five magazines, three novels, and a remote control for the flat-panel TV?

And we're often quick to rationalize that these things aren't even just for us! The kids like snacks. The wife likes her TV. What if friends come over and want to read a magazine?

The point is that we just CAN'T make provisions for the things we know are bad for us, those things which tempt us to sin. Don't leave doors open for those areas in your life -- shut the door and lock it! And instead, replace those fleshly provisions with the mind of Christ. Allow Him the control when making decisions at the grocery store, the TV, or in time management. Don't give yourself an "out" in spiritual matters by stockpiling tempting provisions; instead, give "into" Jesus, by letting Him transform your thinking with a renewed mind (Romans 12:2), and choosing the provisions that promote spiritual health, instead of spiritual decay.

In a real bomb shelter, there is only so much room and when trying to sustain life, you won't be filling it with Twinkies and Ho-Ho's, because that won't keep you alive for long. You have to think smart and store only the provisions that promote health, for your survival.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to underestimate our weaknesses for yielding to temptation. That's why we can't fill up the bomb shelter of our lives with provisions that do nothing for us but lead us into sin. We just can't put them on the shelf, in case of whatever lame emergency we want to trick ourselves into believing we might need them for.

So, in the bomb shelter of your spiritual life, what provisions are you storing -- whole-grain bread, or Twinkies?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 95:1-2

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
~ Psalm 95:1-2 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you're watching a TV show that's been filmed live, you can really hear the audience participation, full of cheers and laughter. And yet, if you've ever been in a TV show audience, or even seen TV show tapings, you've seen how it's done...not so much from genuine response, but by an audience prompter. They tell you when to applause, laugh, and sigh (at least, that's how they used to do it). The point is, the response wasn't authentic -- it was trumped up just to fuel the show, not an actual gauge of audience engagement.

Or how about in film when a bad king or dictator addresses his oppressed countrymen, and the crowd response is mechanical, but required, to please the ego of their leader? They're saying "hooray", but their facial features say, "boo..." Not exactly the kind of praise that most people would desire.

When someone gives us a compliment, we want it to be real and authentic -- not contrived or forced...not obligatory or half-hearted. That's not real praise -- it's just noise. Better to have one single person give an authentic cheer, than a thousand people with a grim 'hoorah', right?

When someone is deserving of commendation, it's easy to clap your hands and whoop and holler, isn't it? A great touchdown, a beautiful song, a moving speech. We give standing ovations and "rock the house" with noise as we applaud great accomplishments -- we just can't hardly help ourselves! Hmm...it must be how we're wired.

So, when we come to God in our house of worship, why is it that, suddenly, this exuberant noise that we're wired to express is often dampened down to the point of a wet paper towel? Has God touched you more than an inspirational speaker?!? Has He done greater feats than a 'hail Mary' touchdown?!? Does His voice speak sweeter than a revered soloist?!? Your answer has to be yes, YES, YES!

Hmm. Where is the applause, the cheers, the loud praise for our God? He is so worthy to be praised -- how can we not let it out of our being? Maybe because we're simply not moved in our spirit by who He is and what He's done. He has become something much less than grand in our eyes. Becoming complacent to His grandeur, He's no longer like the Grand Canyon to us, but more like the local aquaduct. Blah, blah, blah. Whatever. Nothing impressive, nothing note-worthy. Gee, it gives credence to the old saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt...", doesn't it?

Oh, please tell me you will re-evaluate your response to God. Let Him hear genuine praise and adoration, with shouts and singing and hand-clapping! If you think that's undignified, tell it to King David -- he didn't think so, and he didn't care who was watching, either!

If Jesus were seated at the platform of your church, would you give Him a grand round of applause and a standing ovation? Would you sing loudly because He was there watching you, taking in your praise? If that's true, then what's stopping you when He simply isn't visible to the human eye? He is in the midst of His followers, you can best believe. So I say, crank up the volume, and let Him hear some genuine praise from thankful hearts!

Teach me to have a child-like heart
Free me to be undignified
Teach me to have a child-like heart
Free me to dance all over my pride

Gonna dance like a child
Sing like the Son
Abandon myself to the Holy One...
~ Undignified, by Darrell Evans

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 5:1-2

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be...
~1 Peter 5:1-2 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a 46-yr old, I look down the AARP horizon occasionally, but retirement is really a little too far down the road for me to start picking up travel brochures from AAA. Nonetheless, we often consider our senior years those times when we can "take a load off", relax and enjoy those golden years for ourselves. After all, we've earned it, right?

Well, in the community of God's family, our lives are interwoven for many reasons -- friendship, support, admonition, discipleship. All the things that biological families engage in. And when families stick together, this support is cycled through all the various age groups. That is, if they stick together...

What if Grandpa decides that now he's retired, he's moving to a remote island in the Fiji's, with no cellphone, no internet, and no plans to return home. How sad! All the familial bonding that takes place, all the wisdom that is passed down as younger ones deal with life issues, all the knee-bouncing of giggling toddlers...is laid aside for coconuts and palm trees. Though Fiji is beautiful, I think Grandpa would get lonely, being isolated from those who love and need Him.

So, as believers in Jesus and family members with other believers, we have familial responsibility and joy though our various life cycles...

~ If you're a senior adult, you are charged with helping the younger ones with your wisdom and knowledge...after all, I'm sure when you were young, someone did the same for you. Be patient with them when they seem to listen to your advice, but go headlong in the other direction. Stay with them when they fall down, and celebrate when they are successful. And laugh -- it's good for everyone!

~ If you're a younger person, make sure you take time to spend with senior adults. Listen to them, because they've been around the block a few more times than you, and have learned a thing or two along the way. Learn to enjoy their company -- many older people are very humorous, when you get to know 'em!

Regardless of where you are in life, take time to be with people of all ages in your church family. We all need to learn from each other and love each other. After all, we're family -- so no heading out to a deserted island on your own, okay?

(If you don't have a local church family, please consider getting connected to one . . . the family bonding you can experience is so valuable and needful for your spirit and your growth.)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5

In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith.
~ 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(NOTE: When I wrote this this morning, I believed that Paul was in prison in Athens, based on some of the Thessalonian text. But now I'm not exactly sure. So please forgive if this is in error. I'm sure some of my scholar friends will help me out...:-)

Many say that Paul was very "Type A", a driven man without many social graces, and not much of a people person. Even in reading this passage, one could assume that he was more concerned with convert "numbers" and his evangelical success than he was about the people themselves.

But I beg to disagree with those who paint Paul as rather cold and driven only by his penchant for preaching. Later on in this chapter, he talks so lovingly about these people, so anxious to see them and encourage them in their faith in the Lord. Yes, he was driven to serve his Master by telling the gospel message. But he also loved the people God sent him to minister to. And these coupled passions made Paul think not of himself while holed up in a stinking Greek prison, but was rather so concerned for the Thessalonian church, that he chose a measure of loneliness in prison by sending his spiritual son, Timothy, to find out how they were doing. His concern for their faith was more agonizing that whatever he was facing in prison. Wow, what a display of Christian love and focus! And when Timothy got word back to Paul, he experienced great joy in knowing that these beloved people were growing in their faith in the Lord and in their love for other people.

Joy in prison? See, that speaks to me, because we are often so focused on our own trials, that we have a hard time concerning ourselves with other people and God's mission. Paul is an example to us of one who had truly denied himself and taken up his cross, of one who was completely committed to the cause of Christ and love for his "flock". Nothing else seemed to matter. Not shipwreck, beatings or prison. His mind stayed focused on the mission and the people. Some of his letters (like this one) to churches, as recorded in Scripture, were written from a prison cell. The devil didn't get a foothold on this man, despite many attempts.

I pray that we can commit our heart and mind fully to the work of the Lord, honoring Him in how we live, praying diligently for believers in their spiritual walk, and sharing with those God puts in our path about His love and redemption plan. May He grant us the power to think not of ourselves and our afflictions, but rise above those earthly trials and see the glory of God's big-picture plan and purpose and how we fit into them.

Like The Purpose-Driven Life book opens with -- it's not about us...it's about Him. May we know the divine joy of seeking His plan and purpose in the midst of this earthly life, with all it's difficulties and hardships, by His power and love.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Colossians 1:9-10

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
~ Colossians 1:9-10 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This reads like a great snapshot of the Christian life, to me! A summary of what it means to be filled with the Spirit and led by the Lord -- to live right, bear spiritual fruit, and know God deeply. Seems pretty simple, doesn't it?

If it's so simple, why do we make it so hard? Well, Paul's prayer for the Colossians seems key. He prayed that God would give them complete knowledge of His will and give them wisdom and understanding. Ah. The God factor...

We make it hard when we attempt to live the Christian life without Christ, when we attempt to live godly without God, when we attempt to be spiritual without the Spirit!

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, He lives within you -- that's a fact. But the extent to which you allow Him control is another matter. The amount of time you spend with Him in prayer and in His word is another matter. It's called discipleship and growth, and believe me, it doesn't happen through osmosis. It takes submission and time. It takes love and desire. It takes pounding out the dents of the beat up VW of your life, believing God when He says that there's a really cool car in there under all the dents and rust and ripped upholstery, and when you and He get it restored, you're gonna take the ride of your lives!

So, the Christian life seems hard either way. Either you struggle in your own power to be something you can't on your own, or you get moulded and shaped (sometimes painfully) as God does the work in you to be His disciple. If you choose the Christian life, you're in for some hard work. But you're also in for the greatest joy that can be known in this life -- knowing God, knowing and doing His will, and bearing fruit that will never perish. That is the greatest stuff on earth!

So, how's your VW coming along?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 5:2

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. ~ Ephesians 5:2 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do we live our lives? What are they "filled" with?

I know I can get caught up in a lot of things throughout my days that wouldn't be considered loving. Not unloving, per se, but not loving either. Because loving has to have an object -- it is an action. When we serve ourselves, we're not loving (except ourselves) as the Bible talks about.

When I'm out shopping for myself at the department store, am I filling my life with love, or am I filling my life with loving me? Yet, while I am shopping, if my heart is set on loving others as Christ loved us, I am certain to find ways to love those in that store...

~ The woman who didn't think about getting a cart before she started loading up her arms with sweaters and skirts. Selfishness shakes its head and strolls away, saying that woman is just dumb. If my cart is empty, the loving thing to do would be to give her mine -- or heaven forbid, leave my full cart and go out of my way to go get her an empty one...

~ The clerk who can't seem to get the barcode scanner or the register to work properly because it's only her second day on the job. Selfishness will roll its eyes and make heavy sighs to make sure this clerk knows my impatience. But the loving thing to do would be to simply reassure her that she's doing just fine, encouraging someone who's just trying to earn an honest living...

~ That isle where people have scavenged the shelves so that pillows and rugs are all over the floor. Selfishness would mumble about the rude shoppers who did this, and take a different isle to avoid the chaos on the floor. But the loving thing to do would be to pick the stuff up, so that merchandise isn't damaged by yours or anyone else's cart...

With a life filled with love, even a "selfish" trip to the department store becomes about loving others and not just about indulging oneself in a new pair of shoes.

We really are on mission all day, every day -- to live a life filled with love, as Christ loved us. That means in our home, in our church, at the store, on the soccer field, in our car -- you name it! Believe me -- you will never run out of opportunities to love other people. So keep your eyes open and roll up your sleeves for another day on the mission field!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 119:11

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
~ Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was talking with a friend yesterday about how the world has gone upside down, where absolute truth is abandoned for relative truth. There is no real right or wrong anymore, in some people's eyes. What's good for you is fine, but that might not be good for me. You do your thing, and I'll do mine. Live and let live, right? And besides, who are you to tell me what I'm doing is wrong? Who died and made you the boss of me?

Without someone in ultimate authority, there is anarchy. And that seems to be where we are today in the world. God is often not viewed as having all truth, and His word is not necessarily to be obeyed, if it conflicts with a person's own agenda. People think and do what they want, choosing to believe there's no wrong or right . . . just opinions and desires.

Things like abortion and homosexuality, which clearly violate God's word and dishonor His character and principles, are simply not looked upon as sinful by so many. It's just a choice. Not bad or good, just different. So, how do we persuade people that there is ultimate truth, that God's word is truth and we need to align ourselves with it, or be wrong? I don't know.

Many people have minimized the Almighty God down to a lower case 'god', who has no power or sway. And sin is almost a meaningless word in our society. The bottom line is that until their eyes are opened to who God really is, their eyes won't be opened to the authority of His truth. And until they look in the mirror and recognize with all soberness that there are wrong thoughts inside them that spawn wrong things, things that hurt people and make life miserable...that there is a moral code that comes from beyond man that is good and right...that we are ultimately accountable to the God who made the universe, relative truth will thrive in their hearts and minds. But here's the real truth: relative truth is a charade! It doesn't exist. People can spout it all day long, but the reality is that truth is absolute! They are only fooling themselves and digging themselves a spiritual hole to fall into.

The devil is busy, busy, busy deceiving people into thinking there is no real sin. But God's word stands forever! What He says goes, because He is the Author of everything. And He says that we're sinful because Adam, as our forefather, chose to rebel against God. And we've chosen to rebel down the ages to this very day. He also says that because of that sin, we must die, because that is the penalty for sinning against His law. Yet, He also says that His love provided a way for us to avoid that eternal penalty through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross, to pay the death penalty for us -- if we will only believe and trust in Him. That's what God says.

Do you believe what God says, or is He a lower case 'god' in your mind's eye? This is important, so I beg you to ponder this deeply. Either He is sole authority in your life, or He is no authority in your life. Either His word is absolute truth, or you are running on relative truth. And let me tell you something: relative truth works for a time, where everyone can do what's "right" for them, until someone breaks into your home and steals all of your stuff. Then, suddenly, what they did wasn't right. It might've been right for them, but it was inherently WRONG. How do we know that unless God's moral code is written on our hearts?

Picking and choosing what we want to believe and obey about God's law and what we don't is a spiritual shell game, and we will lose if we decide to play. Because like I said, regardless of what you choose to believe about God, He and His word stand above everything else. In the end, you cannot deflect it or deny who He is and what He says. So choose wisely...

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 14:30

A peaceful heart gives life to the body.
But jealousy rots the bones.
~ Proverbs 14:30 (NIrV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is amazing the way God has created our bodies. The intricacies of all of our systems is mind-boggling. But one facet that I think many forget is the weaving of the mind with the body, the mental with the physical. But it is obvious, through God's word and our own experience, that the two are definitely connected. Mental outlook has much to do with our physical health and abilities.

They say that sports is 90% mental, and coaches know all about this. You might have an All-American athlete on your hands who, physically, is unparalleled on the field. But if that athlete has psychological roadblocks and difficulty "keeping his head in the game", you might as well forget getting top performance out of him.

We know that stress management, or the lack thereof, can affect how the body systems function, or don't function. Since I'm not a physician, I don't know all that breaks down in the body when we cannot rest mentally, but high blood pressure, cancer, and digestive disorders have been linked to and/or aggravated by the mind's inability to be at peace.

And then there are the sinful thoughts, such as jealousy and vengeance, that can tear us apart physically. How can those spiritual cancers affect our bodies? Don't know, but it does. When they say "it'll eat you alive", they're not kidding. I'm sure that science has detected chemical changes from the brain that release stuff in excessive amounts, or we simply don't assimilate nutrients the same, or whatever. Like I said, the mind and the body are connected, whether we want to admit it or not.

So, where do we go to get this peace and contentment, in a world that drives us crazy 90% of the time, and which can lead to all sorts of physical ailments? Hmm...

The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. ~ Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
~ Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace... ~ Romans 8:5-6 (NIV)

Part of how we take care of our bodies, besides eating right and getting enough exercise and rest, is how and what we allow into our mind. When we choose (please know that these are choices) the road of jealously, vengeance, despair, cynicism, prejudice and unforgiveness, we open ourselves up to spiritual decline, as well as potential physical decline. That is not what God expects from those who call Him Lord.

For those who follow Jesus, we were called out of darkness into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). So, are we shedding light or spewing darkness? Nothing good comes from sinful thoughts and attitudes -- not toward others, and not toward ourselves.

I'm not saying that all physical ailments are linked to negative and sinful thoughts. As we're reminded by the story of Job, God's sovereignty is beyond our understanding and some afflictions have nothing to do with our sin. But, I think we should examine our hearts and minds and be sober about our analysis. Then seek the Lord's cleansing of things inside us that are not good, and just plain wrong. We mustn't hold onto that which seeks to destroy us spiritually and physically. And praise God -- we have His strength to make that a reality!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 4:23

Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
~ Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The problem with the heart is that it can lack discernment. And some people don't learn this for a very long time, until they've made mistake after mistake by allowing their heart to misguide them.

Dating can be dangerous ground if you don't guard your heart. Once you become hooked emotionally to someone, even if they're not right for you, it can be very difficult to disengage. And sometimes, you choose to close your eyes to all the red flags and forge ahead, letting your misguided heart guide you into a life of stress and heartache.

Our passion for 'whatever' seems to be driven by what we call our "heart". And your heart will determine the course of your life -- down a good path or a bad path. If your heart isn't stabilized by a wise mind, you can get into trouble.

God says that we need to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Matthew 22:37). If we are filled up completely with the passion for loving God, I believe that is a good way to guard your heart. Also, too, Paul says in Philippians 4 that when we cast all our cares on the Lord and release our hold on our anxiety about life issues, the peace of God that passes all understand will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

So, when our hearts are set on God, His Spirit is in charge and will guide and direct us where He wants us to go. When we trust Him with our difficulties, His Spirit provides peace in our heart so that we don't make rash decisions that will lead us astray.

Bottom line is that if your heart is telling you to take a particular path in life, cross-check it with God. He loves you and wants the best for you. He'll let you know if your heart is out of line.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Philippians 3:7

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
~ Philippians 3:7 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was flipping channels the other day, and came across a show called, "Real Housewives of Atlanta". Wow -- what a different world from the one I live in. One gal readily admitted her penchant for designer clothes. She said, "I may die tomorrow, but I'll be wearing Ralph Loren [or some other designer]", and then proceeded to flash many hundred-dollar bills at the clerk. Later in the show, she decided one day that she wanted a Cadillac, so she walked into the showroom, and wrote a check for $67,000 dollars. She said, "Do I know if this is a good deal? No. Am I driving away in five minutes? Yes."

In the world of fashion, people really go for name brands, don't they? Whether it be cars, suits, or sun glasses -- names sell. Cadillac, Armani, Calvin Klein...these are big names that garner attention and make money. We're impressed by name brands and we gravitate to be associated with them. They make us feel important and high-profile.

Or how about in the realm of higher education? Names like Harvard, Yale and Stanford -- gee, flash any of those names on your educational pedigree, and you are somebody! But try schmoozing at a black tie community event, telling people that you graduated from a local junior college, and somehow, they're probably not gonna be impressed.

And impressing other people seems to be very important for alot of folks. No different in Paul's day, back in the Bible. Being able to brag about who you are and what you've done and who you know was just as important to boosting ego as it is today. And Paul was "up there" in the religious world -- not unlike many high-profile preachers today. Big name, very public, very zealous, very learned. He had alot to brag about, and I'm sure he flashed all of his credentials at parties. That is, until that great wake-up call on the road to Damascus...

Jesus turned Paul's ego upside down. What seemed important before became unimportant. What gave Paul an ego boost before gave him a bad taste in his mouth. All the personal glory faded like a bad pair of jeans when Jesus became real and personal to Paul. Somehow, all the personal stuff that Paul strived so hard for -- all the education, all the legalism, all the glory -- couldn't stand up to the glory of the Living God when Jesus stood in Paul's heart.

The only name brand that Paul could embrace after coming to faith in Jesus was 'Jesus Christ'. The only name worth sporting was 'King of Kings'. The only diploma worth putting on the wall was from the school of the 'Holy Spirit'. For Paul, everything else was just trash.

Hmm...can we say that about ourselves? Is Jesus so important to us that all else, including those things that boost our ego, is like trash? Is our allegiance and praise and glory for ourselves, or our Lord?

Self-glorification is a form of idolatry and worship, and keeps us from true worship of the One and Only God. Let's work toward the mindset of Paul in Galatians...

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
~ Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 16:11

You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
~ Psalm 16:11 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are just some people you love hanging out with, huh? People that just speak to your heart, who know you and accept you, who share commonality and interests. Laughter is commonplace and love is the norm. There's just a connection there that makes being together sheer joy. Best-friend kinda stuff. Close-knit family kinda stuff.

David had that kind of relationship with God, and so can we. God showed us the path of life in Jesus, and He desires best friend stuff with us...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
~ John 14:6 (NIV)

[Jesus said] . . . I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~ John 10:10(NIV)

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ~ John 15:15 (NIV)

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ~ John 14:2-3 (NIV)

A time is coming when those who follow Jesus for real, with their whole hearts, will see Him face to face, and know the pleasure of His tangible presence. Until then, we still know His presence through the intimacy of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us. Can't get much closer than that, huh? :-)

I hope you know what it's like to truly enjoy God's presence in your life. If you don't know what that's like but would like to, simply ask Him to help you. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes to His presence and break down any barriers in you that keep you from knowing, by experience, the closeness of God. But be ready to be shaped and moulded, because sin and self are some of the primary barriers that block your friendship with God.

There's nothing in this world like best friend kinda stuff with God. So go after it!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Job 37:5-6

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' ~ Job 37:5-6 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am definitely a weather person. My daughter used to tease me that one of my favorite TV stations was "The Weather Channel", although, now that my cable company put it way on the higher end of my available channels, I don't go there nearly as much. Maybe I'm over my addiction, I don't know...

Several weeks ago on that Dust Bowl documentary I watched, they talked about a current drought period for the Mid-West that we're experiencing, and what man was doing to attempt to bring rain to the region. Cloud-seeding is one of man's efforts to encourage clouds to develop increased precipitation, through aerial injection of certain chemicals into existing cloud formations. They estimated that for that particular year of cloud-seeding, they had seen an increase in precipitation of approximately 17%! Quite an undertaking, actually, which uses many forms of modern technology to manipulate the weather. What a lot of hoops man has to jump through for 17%, when God can simply speak the words for 25% or 50% or 100%!

This is just another reminder that we are the created, and God is the Creator. We can analyze, track, and occasionally manipulate the weather patterns and phenomena of this world, but God is Master of it! This should cause us to stand in awe of Him, to humble ourselves before the One and Only who causes the sun to shine, and the rain to fall as He allows and sees fit.

Our inability to control the weather caused the disciples to stand in awe of Jesus, too, when He rebuked the storm, and the sea became calm instantly (Matthew 8:26-27). They wondered who He could be, that even the wind and the waves obey Him. Who could He be...?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ~ John 1:1-3 (NIV)

Today, as you watch the wind in the trees, or use your umbrella for rain, or shovel snow on your sidewalk, or bask in the sunshine...humbly acknowledge Jesus, Son of God, as Maker of it all. Being on our spiritual knees before His divine authority gives our hearts and minds the proper backdrop for authentic worship and praise of the Lord of all creation! I pray we can all make that effort today, and every day.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
~ Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I watched part of a documentary yesterday on prison gangs. Wow. Basically, once a gang member, always a gang member. The tattoos they wear to pledge their gang allegiance sometimes cover most of their body. But what happens if one of them wants out? Well, they can actually go to prison officials and pursue a program that helps gang members get out. But it's at quite a price. They must declare, in writing, all the gang crimes they've committed and very likely giving names of other gang members. If allowed into the program, they are moved into a sequestered compound for their protection, because the gang doesn't negotiate. Never can they go back to their old neighborhood. They are probably at risk for the rest of their lives. And of course, the tattoos never go away. Needless to say, they are marked for life in more ways than one...

But as much as God hates sin, He loves people. So He's willing to negotiate -- not by allowing sin to reign, but by offering grace to those who desire to change. By wiping the slate clean for those who come for "a washing."

It's interesting that the Bible paints the picture of being washed or cleansed by blood. Of all the stains in the world, blood is one of the worst to get out! And yet, in the Levitical law, it was blood that was used to cleanse, putting it on the one who needed cleansing (Leviticus 14). In Revelation 7:15, "they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." In Hebrews 9:14, it says that our consciences are cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

When you put blood on a white garment, it is stained --no longer white. But when we, as stained individuals, come to Jesus and get "a washing" in His blood, instead of more stains, we come out clean! White and new like a brand new t-shirt! There's no explaining God's laundering -- it seems backward and impossible, but God is great at making the impossible possible when it comes to giving grace to those who recognize their stains and seek Him for their cleansing.

No matter what you've done, no matter how far you've walked away, God says, Come to me and let's talk together. All you need is a change of heart, a desire to follow Me instead of your own way, which always leads to dirty laundry. I can wipe your slate clean and give you a fresh start. I can turn the stained laundry of your heart and mind into a brand-spankin-clean t-shirt!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Luke 4:1-4,13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil....When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. ~ Luke 4:1-4, 13 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think sometimes we think that Jesus was only tempted during the brief verbal encounter that's recorded in Luke 4, where the devil offers Jesus three tricks up his sleeve. But the Word says that for forty days the devil tempted Jesus. We only catch a glimpse of one little snapshot! Not only that, but verse 13 says that after 40 days (that's tenacity, folks), the devil finally left him for an opportune time. Which means the devil didn't leave Jesus alone -- in fact, the devil was plotting for his next assault. My guess is that the assault continued until Jesus said those trauma-ending words, "It is finished..."

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ~ Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)

If anyone knows the scope of temptation, it's Jesus. He knows what you go through day in and day out, in your areas of weakness. He's been there, done that...sort-of. Yes, He was tempted; no, He didn't give in to temptation. That's where the road divides between Him and us. We are the fallen, the stumblers, the wayward. We're the ones who believe the lies of the devil and choose the wrong path, time and again. Jesus never did. Not because He was a good man who had purged Himself of rebellion and sin, but because He was God -- the Holy God in human form. Not a good man who cleaned himself up, but God who got down on His knees.

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
~ Hebrews 2:18 (NIV)

So, not only does He understand our struggles, but He has the capacity to help us overcome them. He intercedes with the Father on our behalf as our permanent high priest (Hebrews 7:23-25), and doesn't leave us without a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). We have help in Jesus for the temptation issues we face -- that is good news! But --

-- do we go to Him when we struggle? Do we seek His way out, or do we just throw in the towel and give into the devil's schemes?

Motrin is great for pain, but it doesn't work if you never open the bottle and take the pills. Jesus is our answer for battling temptation, but if we never ask Him for help, He sits on the shelf like an unopened bottle of Motrin.

We must recognize the spiritual battle we are in, and also recognize that we cannot fight it alone. Remember, we are the fallen -- so we have to lean on and trust in the One who has never fallen. Jesus is our brother, our high priest, our Redeemer. We'll only make strides in battling temptation when we stand behind the shield of our Savior and accept His strength to withstand the onslaught of the evil one.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 3:17

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.
~ Ephesians 3:17 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My mom has a saying about house guests, them being like fish...they stink after three days! :-) Having people in our homes is fine...for a short while. But we like our space and our privacy and our way of doing things, and house guests tend to upset the apple cart, so to speak, even if you get along. Heaven forbid you have issues with each other -- then they're more like take-out pizza...here for an hour and then the box goes out in the trash!

So, how do you feel about someone getting on the inside of you? That happens in relationships, and sometimes it isn't what it's cracked up to be. People can get wrapped around your heart and yet, they're not good for you and you end up making decisions and habits that leave you feeling frustrated and disappointed. They're a heart guest that doesn't make the bed and leaves dirty dishes lying all over the place!

There is one person who makes the perfect heart guest -- His name is Jesus, and He longs for an invitation to come and stay. But that invitation from you has to say on the front, "I trust You, Lord..." . . . (Did I just hear the screeching of tires, as you slammed on the brakes?)

When we confess our sins and become a believer in Jesus Christ, He truly does come and live in us through the Holy Spirit. But I think this verse talks about a more intimate dwelling connection. To make oneself at home is different than someone just 'hanging out'. It's restful and connected. "Mi casa es su casa" -- my home is your home. Or rather, my heart is your home. And that comes through trust in God. Real, honest-to-goodness, lay-it-on-the-line trust, relying on God to take care of you, guide you, and love you. That's when it begins to feel like God is "home" in your heart.

I have a friend who has recently been experiencing God at home in her heart as she's had to make some difficult life decisions. Moving across country and starting her life fresh seems scary, but she is reveling in God's love in her heart. She has chosen to trust Him, and she knows deep down that He is there, within her! It is a blessing to witness God setting up housekeeping in her life, bringing a peace that passes all understanding, especially when many would wonder how in the world she can be so at ease, with all the changes going on in her life. But trust has brought God home in her heart. :-) So very cool...

If you want peace and strength in your heart, I have the perfect house guest for you -- One who loves you and knows just how to put your heart home in order. Trust God to be that person in your life. You'll never regret it or wish He'd leave.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Isaiah 40:11

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
~ Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is such a beautiful picture to me of God's loving-kindness to His children! This isn't the picture of a power-hungry God with a baseball bat in one hand and a bolt of lightning in the other, as some think of God. This is tenderness, compassion and patience. Why don't people see God like this passage describes? Perhaps because they've never made an attempt to know Him.

It's kind-of like listening to all the election ads on TV and then making your decision on how to vote, without really getting to know the people and the measures and proposed laws. Often, people are too lazy to become knowledgeable and are, therefore, seriously misled by propaganda that's splashed on the TV. So, too, is their skewed understanding of God. They hear propaganda from people who also haven't taken the time to investigate and desire knowledge; therefore, they're misled into a wrong picture of God. How sad for them. How sad for God.

Yes, God has shown His anger against sinfulness in this world. God's word doesn't gloss over or sugarcoat this. But see, the pure heart of God cannot compromise with evil. That would be like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker getting together for pizza and a movie, enjoying each other's company like old pals. Just ain't gonna happen. Can't happen. And neither can God pal it up with sin. But those who choose to harden their hearts to the big picture of God will see only meanness in Him, and further bury themselves in ignorance and rebellion.

Is God your shepherd? Do you know from personal experience His loving hand, feeding you when you're hungry, guiding you when you're lost, carrying you when you're weak? I hope so. If not and your picture of Him is harsh and mean, I hope you will take the time, along with an honest, open heart, to seek Him out in prayer and by reading His word. Ask the Holy Spirit to make God known to you. I know that when you seek Him, you will find Him when you seek Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

The passion of the Christ is the passion of a shepherd for His sheep, giving His own life in battle for His flock. Don't miss seeing and knowing Jesus' heart for His children -- it is full to overflowing with love.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 3:21-24

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ~ Proverbs 3:21-24 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some time ago, I asked my VOTD readers to share with me their story of how Jesus was working in their lives. And one woman did. I knew nothing about her previously, but found out that God has not only ministered to her through serious life issues, but has also prompted her to delve into a very atypical, yet critical, ministry, called PARTY (Prevent alcohol and risk-related activities to youth). Additionally, the message of grace through Jesus Christ is made known through the active testimony of how one father forgave the man who killed his son through drunk driving, which is a key reason my new friend has spent her time and money on this ministry -- to expose teens to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She sent me the DVD that is shown to teens as part of a 4-6 hour education program in a hospital setting (called, "DUI -- Dead in 5 seconds"), and it's painful to watch! This is, of course, the point for teens who often don't understand the consequences of their actions and the dire risks of foolish behavior. (Please let me know if you are interested in contributing to this worthwhile ministry, saving people's lives physically through teen education and offering them a taste of Jesus in the process, and I will put you in touch with her. Thanks!)

Sound judgment and discernment. Those attributes were sorely lacking when the guy on the DVD who was interviewed from prison drove into the back of another car and killed a teenager. He painfully looks back at his life and realizes now how blind he was to sound judgment and discernment, though he doesn't use those exact words. The people he hung around with, the partying, the idea that driving afterward wasn't dangerous, the idea that all the things that the drunk driving videos he saw in school didn't apply to him, the stress he put his mom through with his behavior as he was growing up. In retrospect, it all became painfully clear how wrong he was. Unfortunately, it took a prison sentence of 17-to-life and the blood of a dead teenager to wake him from his foolish slumber.

God is the giver of wisdom, and wisdom gives birth to sound judgment and discernment. I ask you to take a sober look at your life and see if you have been living foolishly. Analyze your behavior from the standpoint of God's word. Look down the road at potential consequences from all angles. If you've been walking the slippery path of foolishness, I urge you to turn around and ask God for forgiveness and help. Because, although some choices are incidental, others are horribly life-altering.

Listening to God and choosing His wisdom will always keep you on the right path.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 8:37-38

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:37-38 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Beatles had song that came to mind this morning..."All ya need is love...(la-dadada)...all ya need is love....(la-dadada)...all ya need is love, love...love is all ya need." (I can hear some of you out there singing along! :-) And humanity longs for love so badly, they're willing to grab at almost anything, or anyone, to get it. Except God. Earthly relationships are the ones that you can see and hear and touch; therefore, we gravitate to those relationships for our love longings. And yet...they can never love like God can love. And they can never fill like God can fill. Nor ever fulfill.

No, human love is flawed. Desperately flawed. To put your weight fully in human love without God is to step into a holey boat. You will spend your life bailing water and never feel satisfied. But God's love is complete. It's satisfying, and it's lasting. He doesn't bail on us when the going gets rough, as do some people. He doesn't withhold His love for sadistic pleasure, as do some people. He doesn't think of self, as do some people.

It's true -- "All we need is love..." -- make it God's love...complete, pure, lasting, fail-safe. And when we know and embrace His love for us, it can and does change our perspective on how we give and receive human love, too.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Isaiah 14:24

The Lord who rules over all has taken an oath. He has said, "You can be sure that what I have planned will happen. What I have decided will take place. ~ Isaiah 14:24 (NIrV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With only one day left to Election Day, I have a confession to make: I haven't studied my ballot material. Yikes! I meant to this weekend, but just didn't (hmm...the laundry didn't get done either...guess I took my rest days to heart!) But, I've packed them to take to work and will work on it at lunch and this evening as well. I do desire to vote responsibly, with knowledge and forethought, and I hope you do, too.

This election has been precedent-setting in so many ways, and for many, zeal has reached monumental proportions -- regardless of which side of the fence you're on. All people feel that the stakes are high and much is lying in the balance. But do not forget the God-factor, please. God's will is always done, either His perfect will, or His permissive will.

Guess what? If your candidate doesn't get into the White House, God's will will still be accomplished! If Proposition 'this' and Measure 'that' do or don't pass, guess what? God's will will still be accomplished! Yes, we should stand up for what is right, for what we believe in. Yes, we should exercise our right in the electoral process. But we shouldn't wring our hands as if God has no place or power in the outcome -- whatever it is. He is bigger than that. HE IS GOD, okay?!? I think we often forget Who we're dealing with...with God, that is.

He has a plan. And that plan will be accomplished. Trust Him on Election Day and as the results come in. Do not give into fatalism and cynicism if things don't go your way. Give God the credit He is due -- after all, He is the Master, you know...or do you not know?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ~ 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think sometimes we take for granted our salvation and what that really means in the spiritual realm, don't you? I mean, c'mon -- we come to faith in the Lord and yet, sometimes...over time...we become complacent about the miracle that we experienced when Jesus Christ came into our lives --

From darkness into light . . . hmm.

How many of us really think we were in darkness when we took that step of faith in acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, huh? How many of us know in our hearts that we were blinded by darkness before He entered in and turned on the divine light switch?

Here's a reality check: without Jesus, we are walking in total darkness -- pitch blackness. Worse yet, we aren't even alive -- we're alive in the flesh, but our spirits are dead, rotting souls destined for hell . . . now there's a picture for you! We couldn't understand truth (darkness), and we couldn't save ourselves from the wages of sin (death). Pitiful, vile, depraved, and destined for the pit. Please let that sink in a little bit...

For anyone who has called upon the name of Jesus as Master and Savior, you have been transformed! You no longer live with the chains of legal ritual to save you. You no longer live in the darkness of foolish thinking and deception. You no longer live with self as your God. You have entered into real spiritual life through Jesus Christ, where truth reigns, where sin has no hold, where God is your center. And He says you've been brought to spiritual life to DECLARE HIS PRAISES! He is certainly worthy of all of that, and more, for all He has done for us!

One of my favorite TV shows is a reality show called "Clean House", where messy people and homes are transformed into order and beauty. After the transformation is complete, Niecy Nash, the show's host, brings the people back into the home with blindfolds, and asks them to think back and remember what their home looked like before the Clean House crew arrived. And then she says, "Take off your blindfolds, and open your eyes!" Talk about 'shock and awe'...!

I encourage you to ponder deeply the mighty miracle that God has done in your life, and what your salvation really means to you. It is highly significant, and I hope you are overcome by the magnitude of it! And then allow the "shock and awe" of your miracle cause you to declare His praises wherever you go. And not just on church days with your brothers and sisters in the Lord, but with everyone you come in contact with.

Imagine your life before Jesus, and then open your mouth and praise Him for taking off your blindfold and opening your eyes!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 1:18-19

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. ~ Ephesians 1:18-19 (NIV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I read these verses this morning, my eyes and heart stopped at this phrase: "...the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..." And tears came to my eyes as it came so clear to me how treasured we are to Jesus and how rich He is because of His glorious inheritance -- His followers.

That spoke value to me. That spoke longing to me. That spoke love to me.

Of all the treasures in this world, Jesus values His redeemed above all else. We are what He inherits as the Son of God, and because of us, He is RICH! Gold means nothing to Him, but us?...priceless! He went after the redemption plan in full knowledge and with full force, because we matter to Him! He enjoys the fellowship of those who love and trust Him, and I believe He, too, longs for the day -- that great day -- when He is finally and completely reunited with us who believe in Him, His glorious inheritance!

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. ~ John 10:14, 27-29 (NIV)

Do you hear the value, the longing, the love that Jesus has for His followers? Do you hear the commitment and desire in His voice? For those who believe in Him, trust their lives to Him, and choose to obey Him -- they are His glorious inheritance. And I believe He's very excited to come into that inheritance in full when we finally see Him face to face.

If you are a believer in Jesus, I hope you know how precious you are to Him. He values you, longs for you, and loves you. What God has given Jesus as an inheritance is you! And not only you, but every man, woman and child that has chosen Him. No wonder the scene in heaven that John saw in his vision was mind-boggling...

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

I answered, "Sir, you know."

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,

"they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." ~ Revelation 7:9-17 (NIV)

So I ask you: Are you part of His inheritance? If so, let men and angels hear you shout, "AMEN!" And if you're not sure, please talk to me about this. I'd love to point you to God's truth about Jesus Christ's inheritance and how you can know you're a part of it.

Love,
Joelene