Verse of the Day - 2 Chronicles 14:11

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you." ~ 2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV)

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2 Chronicles 14:2 says that King Asa "did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God." -- A far cry from many previous kings, who did what was evil in the eyes of God. He took down the areas of idol worship (Asherah poles, sacred stones, "high places") and called the people of Judah to worship the Lord their God. He was a good king, and God gave peace for the people for 10 years during His reign. And when a vast enemy threatened his people in verse 9, Asa knew where to go for help: "Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty..."

So I ask you who follow the Lord: Do you feel threatened by a force greater than yourself? Do your circumstances feel like a vast army advancing on your territory? Do you feel powerless against the mighty?

If so, do what King Asa did: Call on the Lord! Seek His help in your circumstances and believe He can help you! His ways are not our ways, and He may choose to move in a way we don't understand, but we must trust Him to be our Aide, our Guide. We truly have nothing and no one better to rely on than our Creator God who loves us, who has all power and wisdom and truth.

Don't cower before a vast army that comes out to face you. God is for the underdog, when the underdog is for God.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 11:33

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
~ John 11:33 (NIV)

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I'm sure you've experienced this: You see someone or even hear someone crying, and it can make you cry, too. Your heart is moved by their emotion, their pain. Do you wonder why that is? Well, it could be because we are made in the image of God, and He is moved by emotion, by the pain of humanity. He cries, too.

You may be going through some really trying, painful times right now, and I want you to know that Jesus cries with you. You are not alone if you have Jesus. He sees and hears all that you're going through. Many things in this life really suck, to be blunt, and His life was no exception. He suffered greatly, from loneliness of missing His Father to the excruciating torture from angry men. He knows what it's like to cry tears of emotion, both for Himself and for others, like His dear friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. You, also, are His dear friend, if you are His follower.

Please confide in your divine Confidante -- Jesus, the lover of your soul. Lean on His loving shoulders and pour out your pain into His loving ears. Let Him do a divine work in your life, so that you can come out on the other side, whole and well, able to praise God for His amazing love and restoration.

Never think that your negative and difficult times are wasted. God uses our life experiences to test our faith -- are we committed to Him for real, or does our faith wither in the face of difficulty? Do we trust Him, or give in to worry and despair?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Some tests are difficult. Some exams are downright grueling. But we must take the challenge, so that we grow spiritually on to maturity. Little kids cry when they get a sliver; adults might not even notice they have a sliver. We need to take on the challenges and learn from God what it means to endure hardships as discipline/teaching, what it means to give thanks in all things, what it means to know without a shadow of a doubt that God loves us even when life is at its worst. To go from a child to an adult in spiritual matters.

Jesus cries with us, but He also takes us by the hand and helps us keep going. He is not about to let us sit in a heap of tears and refuse to go on. I pray you can take His hand today and start walking with Him, tears and all.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 11:3-7

So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”
~ John 11:3-7 (NLT)

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Here's yet another example of God's sovereignty and plan that supersedes our understanding and comprehension. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus because their brother, whom Jesus loved, was sick. And Jesus didn't ask, "How high?" when they said, "Jump." Does that shock you? Does it anger you?

Because you can read the story and see God's plan unfolded in John 11, you are probably content to accept this story and God's sovereign hand in it. But what about your own story? What about when you have called on God to help you, and He has delayed? Does that shock you? Does it anger you?

Part of real spiritual growth is coming to an understanding and acceptance of God's complete sovereignty in your life and the lives of those in the world. We can ask the Lord for anything, but His response -- whatever that is -- is for teaching us many things, as well as fulfilling His purposes. We need to get this through our heads: We are not the center of the universe...! God's world doesn't revolve around us, despite what our self-centeredness would lead us to believe.

Bigger picture, folks. Bigger picture. We need to be willing to see the bigger picture, and be willing to be a part of it, instead of dragging our feet and stomping the ground when our world gets uncomfortable.

Here's the amazing thing: When we allow our spirits to completely submit to God's authority and accept His hand in our lives, there is a peace that can't be explained. We don't have to wrestle with why He didn't heal this or that illness, or why this or that has happened to us. We trust His judgment in all matters, and our spirits can rest, instead of wrestling. We submit to His teaching, as a willing student to his trusted rabbi.

If you are Christ's follower, trust your Rabbi.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 62:8

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah. ~ Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

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Learning to trust God is a process. It is a practice. People you know who have great faith in God weren't born with it nor got it through osmosis. They made a decision to trust God for their circumstances, for their lives, over and over. And God was faithful, because He is always faithful to those who put their faith in Him. And so, they become people of great faith through the discipline of trusting God.

We can look at people of great faith and think, Gee, I wish I could be like them. But wishing doesn't make it so -- trusting does. Real faith comes from real trust. And God will never fail -- He will be your refuge if you run to Him and trust Him enough to pour out your whole life, with all your fears and doubts, warts and all. He'll never turn His back on you when you place your trust in Him.

So, where is the worry in your life right now? Whatever that is, I pray you can seriously consider giving that situation or person or prospect to the Lord. Trust Him to give you wise counsel. Trust Him to lead you where you should go. Trust Him to have your back. Trust Him to be in charge. Trust Him.

I guarantee you, there's no better position to put yourself in than to trust God with all that you have, 100%. Not 49% or 76%. 100%. Therein lies peace.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. ~ Acts 20:24 (NIV)

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I remember going to a garage sale at a little old Methodist church a few years ago. They had the sale in their sanctuary, as I recall (which is really weird...where did the pews go?....maybe my recollection is failing me...lol!...but I do remember buying some cute coffee mugs from them.) But what struck me was that it seemed like this church was stagnant. The people were old, the building was old, the parking lot was in disrepair, and there was no growth anywhere to be seen. I thought, This church is gonna die pretty soon and implode on itself...

Have you ever seen experts in demolition implode a building? It's amazing. In the middle of a city block, they can demolish a building with little-to-no influence or impact to the surrounding structures and neighborhood. So I ask you: Do we have an 'implode' or 'explode' mentality? I ask this from a personal standpoint, as well as a corporate standpoint. Because if we are personally content to simply minister to each other at church, staying in our 'holy huddle', having no real concern for the outside world, that will trickle down to the corporate mentality, and the congregation is threatened with stagnation and an imploding death. And Paul declares in the book of Acts that that is NOT what Christ's body is about. We're to be about EXPLODING!

Paul wanted to be like this light bulb -- an explosion of transparency, so the world would see the light. Jesus is asking us to run the race, spreading the gospel of light and truth to the world like a magnificent explosion, impacting those around us with the Magnificent One.

Implode, or explode. How will you live?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 3:30

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. ~ John 3:30 (NLT)

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I was poking around the internet for a friend of mine yesterday, looking for some music, and I ended up on this popular worship leader's website. One of the tabs on top said, "store", which would hopefully lead me to the album I was looking for. Sure enough, it did. But then I saw another tab I thought was interesting..."clothing". What? So, I clicked on it, and lo and behold, there were t-shirts with this leader's picture on it. I was rather shocked and amazed. Really? Dude, you're not that cute, and 'no', I don't want your mug plastered on the front of my shirt...! That was just a little too self-promoting, in my book.

How often, though, are we being self-promotional in our lives? Are we trying to make a name for ourselves, or a name for God? How easy is it to take the praise of men for ourselves, and not turn a stitch of it toward our Creator? Rather easy, if we're not careful to keep our ego in check, I'd say.

John the Baptist's very life was purposed by God to prepare the way for Jesus. His birth and life was prophesied by the angel Gabriel:

" . . . He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” ~ Luke 1:15-17 (NLT)

And as he grew, he recognized his call -- his need to be 'less', while the Messiah became 'more'. And I believe that John was fulfilled in life as the 'lessor'. I don't think he struggled with where his ministry was going, and why weren't the cameras on him like they used to be, and where were the big crowds that used to gather, and how come I don't get the fan mail like I used to . . . He knew His purpose, and that purpose was to exalt Jesus Christ.

That is our purpose, too. So, are we? Is it our goal to step aside so that people see Jesus, instead of us? Hmm, that might just go against a few grains, huh?

"Greater love has no man than this, than he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, NIV) We say, "We love You, Lord..." with our mouths, but then don't want to lay down our egos and the praise of men before His feet. We want our picture on a t-shirt, so people will look at us and say, Oooh, look! There's so-and-so! Aren't they great? Don't they (insert talent) AWESOMELY? Don't they do an A-MAZ-ING job? We want to be on youtube and have a bazillion hits on our videos -- oooohhh, we're sooo popular...

In the math world, it's called the "less-than" sign. >
In the music world, it's called the "decrescendo".

(decrescendo symbol used from http://www.mymusictheory.com/)

Although these symbols appear to lack power, the mystery of spiritually becoming less of ourselves and more of Christ is the true "greater-than" -- the highest "crescendo"! To have the fullness of Christ because we have chosen to lay ourselves down is the greatest height we could attain to.

So, I ask you: Who's getting the glory in your life these days? Are you crescendo-ing for yourself, or decrescendo-ing for Jesus? Let His name be on the marque of your heart and mind, so that the world will see His name in lights! He deserves all praise and glory, for only He is worthy. Only He is holy. Only He loves with an everlasting love. Only He. Only He...


Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 9:1-3

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. His followers asked him, "Teacher, whose sin caused this man to be born blind—his own sin or his parents' sin?" Jesus answered, "It is not this man's sin or his parents' sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God's power could be shown in him." ~ John 9:1-3 (NCV)

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All of us are born with limitations. For some, it might be a physical issue, such as blindness, cerebral palsy or a heart defect. For others, it may be fears, ADHD or bi-polar disorder. And then there are the issues that crop up as a result of life experiences -- these, too, may be physical (e.g. stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of your life as a result of a car accident) or mental (traumatized by war or domestic violence). A myriad of junk -- the fallout of sin -- is a part of our everyday lives.

But not necessarily are these the result of our sin, or the sin of our parents, like the disciples presumed in John 9. Yes, they are the fallout of the sin of mankind, but God allows us to have weaknesses, so that His power can be revealed! Like Paul declared...

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

~ 2 Corinthians 12:7-10(NIV)

Whatever it is that you have in your life that is considered a handicap or disability or "thorn", God can use for His glory, to show His power. Does that mean that you will be healed? No, as Paul discovered. It may mean that God will show His power through the weakness. Many in life were not healed by their Creator . . . I think of Joni Eareckson Tada, who became a quadriplegic after a diving accident as a teenager. Check out her life since this seemingly tragic, life-altering accident. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joni_Eareckson_Tada

Her life-altering accident became life-altaring worship and glory to God. Joni did not let her trying circumstance squelch God's power; rather, she allowed it to reveal God's power. I think it is very possible that she wouldn't have nor could have EVER reached the people she is reaching for Jesus today with such power had she not had her debilitating accident. Our weaknesses truly are God's strength revealed.

I pray that you can take comfort today in the story of the blind man and people like Joni Eareckson Tada. Whatever your weakness, God can show His power through it. You may wish to be healed, but God may wish for you to thrive through it, in the midst of it, in His power. We are so quick to make up God's mind for Him when it comes to us or our loved ones, but His mind is beyond comprehension -- we must trust Him in the decisions He makes for us, and commit to being His servant all the way -- for better or for worse.

Like I've said before, our lemons are God's lemon-aide. Try opening your eyes to the possibility that your limitations are expressly given to you for the purpose of revealing His power to others! Our weaknesses can be tools to point people to God, if we are willing to allow His glory to shine through the cracks and potholes of our lives, instead of discarding our lives as defective.

God doesn't have a junk pile; He's the Master Recycling Artist! So, be the art that God has created, and let the world see the Master...

Love,

Joelene

Verse of the Day - Hebrews 13:10

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ~ Hebrews 13:10 (NLT)

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I believe in evolution...of thought, that is.

I remember a time when I thought that Jesus had a beginning, and that beginning was the manger. I'd heard the Christmas story a million times, for heaven's sake! Despite the fact that we read and hear that Jesus is God become a man, it was a little different to actually assimilate that thought. But as I continued to read the Bible (Old and New Testaments), my thoughts evolved to understand more fully the fullness of Christ, the Messiah.

I remember a time when I wondered why Jesus had to rise from the dead. What was the big deal? But as I continued to study the Scriptures, my thoughts evolved to recognize that it wasn't so much that He had to rise from the dead, but that He couldn't help but rise from the dead, because death has no hold on an eternal God. He is as He was from before time began...God. My thoughts evolved and changed to embrace my fuller understanding of a God who doesn't change.

There are many things we may not understand about Jesus. But if we are willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit, He will teach us the fuller and deeper things of God. One of those mysteries is the nature and essence of Jesus. Our thoughts will evolve and change to embrace Him who is unchangeable. We can gradually grasp the concept of an eternal God who was from before time began . . . who conversed and conspired with the Father to salvage and save the loves of His life (humanity) . . . who took on flesh for one reason yet many at the same time . . . who battled the death of his flesh and the death of death itself on the cross . . . who rose from the grave to stand as the only one worthy to open the scrolls -- a lamb that was slain before the eternal throne of God (Revelation 5, one of my favorite chapters of the Bible!) . . . who sends the Holy Spirit to those here on earth who are willing to give up self in exchange for God . . . who loves the unlovely . . . who gives grace to the ungracious.

Mystery after mystery after mystery surround Jesus -- yet it is us who changes, not Him, when we are granted vision to understand these mysteries. I pray you take the time and energy to dig into Jesus -- read God's word, both Old and New Testaments, and evolve your understanding of the Christ who never changes, in a world of constant change.

Christ's constancy can be your comfort when change is chaotic. So evolve your thoughts about Him. Make the change to grasp the Unchangeable.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 4:10

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NLT)

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One time several years ago, I was alone in my apartment cooking dinner, cutting green onions (ya know...it's always the green onions...!) with my very sharp Cutco chef knife, when...slice! I cut my left index finger tip quite badly. I immediately applied pressure with my thumb and held it there for what seemed like a very long time. I went into the bathroom and removed my thumb. Immediately, blood began to pour out of the cut, and something happened to me that had NEVER happened -- I almost passed out. I instantly went into a cold sweat and quickly sat down on the toilet seat (while reapplying heavy pressure on the wound...!) I could hardly believe what had happened and was NOT feeling well at all. I wondered if I needed to go to the doctor, and would I even be able to drive myself? I was alone, and it was not a good feeling. (Fortunately, I didn't require medical attention for my self-inflicted cutlery wound, but it took a long time to heal and even caused some nerve damage in my fingertip. Yikes!)

Can I get a show of hands of how many of you have been helped up by a friend when you were down? I thought so. Y'all raised your hands, didn't you? :-)

God doesn't want us to live this life alone, and if you think you should, as some weird sort of bravado, you're cutting your own fingertip with your own knife---alone! We need other people, to help bounce ideas off of, to get perspective, to provide strength where we are weak, to listen and cry and love. And God brings people into our lives to meet those needs....to show His love through them.

If you are someone who doesn't open up to others and tend to be a loner, I beg of you to please allow others into your life. You need them, whether you want to admit it or not. And if you are one with many friends, let them know how much you appreciate them in your life and nurture those friendships with godly wisdom.

One of God's greatest gifts is the gift of friends.
Make one. Be one.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Galatians 5:17

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ~ Galatians 5:17 (NIV)

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How cognizant are you of the spiritual battle that is being waged in your life? Do you see it played out, or are you clueless?

If you have a pulse, you're in a battle. Whether you are sixteen or sixty, your life is not only the battle field, but the territory to be conquered, the prize to be won. And if you are a believer, the amazingly tragic thing is that you are part of the mix! It's like an auto-immune disease, where the body turns on itself as if it is the enemy -- although we give ourselves over to Jesus, our 'natural man', our 'flesh' still lives. So we often sabotage ourselves in decision-making, either by making the willfully wrong choice, or sit back in complacency and make no choice. Either way, the line in the sand is breached and territory is lost. One step forward, two steps back. Or two steps forward, one step back.

Hopefully, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we gain ground in the war against our flesh. By being willing to recognize our weaknesses and turn over our sinful, selfish desires over to God, He can and does make change. He gives us the desire to want what He wants, and gives us power to resist sinful urges when they crop up. And believe me, they will crop up -- sometimes when you least expect it. Half of the devil's strategy is based on the element of surprise, when believers are asleep at the wheel.

I pray that you can be victorious in the Lord as you fight the battles in, and for, your life. Trust in God's powerful Holy Spirit to fit you with sufficient spiritual armor and a shrewd mind toward the devil's schemes. Know that the Lord your God is with you and will never leave you. And rest in the knowledge that, although you might not always "get it right", "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Nehemiah 8:18

Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.
~ Nehemiah 8:18 (NIV)

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This story in Nehemiah 8 is an amazing display of God-consciousness. Those who had been exiled from Jerusalem had returned, and gathered together to listen to the Word of God. And they were weeping because they understood what was being said! Weeping, my friends, for the Word of God! How many of us can say that we cry when we hear someone read the Bible, or when we are studying it for ourselves? Does God's word drive deep into our spirit and cause a stir of our soul?

I believe it can, and, dare I say, should.

What if someone got up in your church and said, "Today, for the next hour, I will read from the book of Isaiah." How many would say to themselves, An hour?! Are you kidding me? Where's the music? Where's the sermon? How 'bout a video? C'mon -- an hour? Sorry, but that'll put me to sleep....(yawn)...See what I mean?!?

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

When your spirit latches on to God and His word, watch out, because the Bible is gonna come alive, and you will eat it up! It will cause you to weep and laugh, get on your knees and jump up with joy! Why? Because it is God's word . . . God speaking to you . . . words of absolute truth that cut through the junk of the evil one. It is light and life in a world of darkness and death.

A friend wrote me yesterday a beautiful testimony of what God's Word is becoming to him. He said, "It still amazes me that all the answers I need for a quality life have been in this book. Thank you, Jesus..." Here is someone who recognizes the significance and wonder of God's word, and it's power in His life. Yes, Thank You, Jesus...

I pray that we can revitalize our heart for God's word, and give it the attention and honor it's due. May we listen with our heart and not just our ears -- may it cut to the core of who we are and let it do the work that God knows needs to be done in us for spiritual growth and change.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 46:1

God is our place of safety. He gives us strength. He is always there to help us in times of trouble. ~ Psalm 46:1 (NIrV)

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I have a number of people in my circle of friends who are struggling with difficult situations in their lives. And there are probably numerous others I know for which I'm not fully aware of their struggles. But my first thought is to pray. Pray to God for help. And I encourage them to seek God for wisdom and comfort and strength and peace. I mean, seriously -- where else can we go?

Although He may not rescue us in the way we wish Him to, God is always there and working on our behalf. He does "work all things together for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) To look at our circumstances that are difficult and which don't seem to change, and accuse God of not working or not caring is to misunderstand Him and His purpose. We must never confuse our circumstance with His character --

God is a refuge and an ever-present help in times of trouble. Please don't let discouragement in your difficult situation let you turn your eyes from His face or your trust from His hand. Let Him teach you the deeper things during your trial and know that when you come out on the other side, you will know with a greater understanding what it means to walk with God.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - James 3:17

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
~ James 3:17 (NIV)

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People look for advice in a variety of places. There's the ol' advice columns, with Dear Abby and Ann Landers giving their two cents about what people should do for this or that. There are the horoscopes and fortune cookies and psychics. There are friends -- some are trustworthy, and others are sadly not.

When you look for answers as to what to do in a particular situation, you want the best outcome. You want wisdom. And the Word of God says that wisdom comes from heaven...i.e. God. So, when you're scouring the advice columnists and picking peoples' brains for direction, God says, This is how you'll know if the wisdom you're hearing is from Me:

~ It is pure, like My character.
~ It doesn't desire to wage war.
~ It considers the feelings of others.
~ It submits to leadership as I have instituted.
~ It loves and seeks mercy, and supports loving others by doing good to them.
~ It doesn't tell you what you want to hear just to make you happy or to feed your negative emotions.
~ It is sincere, from an honest heart.

I hope that you are listening for God's wisdom, and are discerning when it comes to what people have to say. Does it stand up to God's criteria? And, are you willing to accept wisdom that is pure, even if it goes against your willful flesh?

God's wisdom will always sharpen and strengthen us in our spirit and send us in directions that are healthy and God-honoring. So, what and who are we listening to? May it be the Lord, the God of all wisdom, who loves us enough to tell us what we need to hear, not always what we want to hear.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. ~ Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)

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Do you wonder if the God of the Bible is worth trusting in (i.e. trustworthy?) Do you wonder if other gods could be the answer to today's problems and tomorrow's concerns?

The Israelites seemed to think so. Read the Old Testament and see how they went from god to god, looking for something to satisfy, trying to gain their footing in this human rat race, succumbing to evil temptation to sin in their religious worship. And when they turned from the Creator God, dividing their hearts and minds and engaging their spirits with the evil one through gods made of wood and stone, things went from bad to worse in a hot second! They opted out from the God who made them -- who lives forever and who loves forever those who love Him and follow His commands -- to serve and pay homage to the inanimate. Blind stones, deaf wood. Seriously, does that make any sense at all?

Today, we are still given many choices for our worship and our homage. What god do you serve? The god of money? Time? Self? Do these gods satisfy, or do they simply suck the life out of you, and leave you wasted, like dry bones in the desert? Do they love you with an unconditional, eternal love like the Almighty offers? In case you're still thinking, the answer is no. They don't.

Don't be misled by false gods. There is only one true God, and He offers the most magnificent package deal on the planet -- eternal love down to the core of your soul. Cut a deal with Him and you are sealed for life -- eternal life! (John 3:16)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 11:33

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ~ Romans 11:33 (NIV)

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How big is your God? How awed are you by Him? Do you stand amazed, shaking your head in wonder, at all that He is and does?

You should.

This past week, as I ate my breakfast at my office desk, I peeled my banana, and thought, Wow, God is so amazing. He makes certain fruits grow in different parts of the world, but not in other parts. Like the banana -- it doesn't grow in California naturally, but is like a weed in tropical venues! He created soooo many different fruits -- I can't even count them all! And they all have their place in the world, to meet our needs. Wow!

God is the source of all things...things tangible, like fruit, and intangible, like wisdom and knowledge. King Solomon, in all his wisdom, was just a drop in the bucket compared to God! Einstein and other great masterminds make us go, "Wow..." -- but God is as superior to these menses as an ant is to King Kong! God gives all these superbrains their wisdom and knowledge -- they are NOTHING without Him! He is the one to be applauded and awarded and awed -- the God of the Universe, Maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them, amen?!?

And then there's the way He does things -- the way He judges men and operates in and among them. These things we just shake our heads at, too. We don't understand when evil men succeed. We don't understand when 5-year olds get leukemia. We don't understand why we are given grace when we are sooo sinful. Face it -- we can never understand or fathom the mind of God. It is too awesome. Too big. Too complex. Too wonderful.

Yet in all His bigness, He asks to be our friend. He desires an intimate love relationship with us, based on faith in His Son, Jesus. Be a friend with God? That's like chatting it up over pizza with Gandhi or Babe Ruth or the Pope (insert iconic hero of your choice). These are people you just don't have lunch with and talk about the weather, your upcoming root canal, and why your Dad didn't treat you right when you were growing up. They're too "up there" on the humanity ladder --

But not the God of the universe. He's "up there", yet He's so "down to earth". Right down to a manger in Bethlehem. Right down to being a carpenter, a friend of fishermen and tax collectors. Right down to dying a criminal's death by way of Roman crucifixion. He was "down to earth" all right. For you, and me. That's the kind of god God is. Like I said, too much to fathom.

I hope and pray today that you will ponder your God. Blow your own mind with the depths of His wisdom and knowledge, and His untraceable judgment and ways. And then bow before Him, giving Him the honor He is due. He is worthy of all the praise we can give Him -- let's not hold back one ounce of amazement and adoration for our God!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 5:16-17

So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” ~ John 5:16-17 (NLT)

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I love going to the American River to walk -- it's so peaceful, so beautiful! And the river runs constantly, ever flowing day or night. I remember the first time I realized that the river flows in the dark, even when I can't see it, even when I'm sawing logs in 'nigh-night' land. I think sometimes we get so self-centered that we think, If we can't see it, it must not be happening...as if we are the center of the universe and only what happens before our eyes is alive and functioning.

Rivers run 24/7, whether we look at them or not. Stars shine, whether we see them or not. Plants grow, whether we observe the growth or not. And God is at work, whether we detect it or not. Jesus said He does what He sees His Father doing, and that is, working all the time. Not just when we are awake, not just when we see something miraculous occur, not just on certain occasions or special days. God is working all the time. Do you believe that? Do you live like you believe that?

If God is working all the time and we are His children who are commissioned and empowered to follow suit, then we should be living in a 24/7 air of expectation! We should expect God's hand in all things, looking for the evidence with anticipation at the things He does when we're asleep, and stand ready with wonder at how He plans to use us when we're awake.

And please don't feel that your life doesn't count for God because you're "asleep and don't see the river running." God's working is sometimes visible, but very often invisible to the naked eye. How He works to touch the hearts and minds of humanity is like the river when we sleep -- unseen, yet always on the move. And we are a part of that unseen process, guaranteed.

So, honor your Father in heaven by living well and living for Him, and know that you are a part of God's 24/7 river, ever flowing for His kingdom.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Psalm 47:1-2

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth! ~ Psalm 47:1-2 (NIV)

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I attended a concert at our church Wednesday night to hear a large (60+) girl's chorale from CBU (Cal Baptist Univ). My, my, my, they were good! The vocals were superb, the lyrics were awesome, and I praised God for the worship I saw on their faces and in their body language. I worshiped mightily in my heart that night, tears flowing freely for me the entire evening. During one song, I clapped loudly right in the middle of the song -- not because of their beautiful performance, but because I just had to acknowledge and applaud the truth they were singing about my God! My clapping was my "AMEN!" to their testimony about our Creator.

We should feel free to clap and shout for joy at the awesomeness of our God! He is A-MAZ-ING, amen?!? Just look around you -- see the beauty of nature, the complexity of humanity, the compassion of the cross of Christ. The list goes on and on of how awesome our God is. How can we keep silent? How can we not praise Him with our lips and our hands?

Take a look and listen to the shouts of joy and the clapping that goes on in this auditorium for the Lord of the Universe...! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvCd_ANIKys


Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. ~ Psalm 150:6 (NIV)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 5:15

We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.
~ Ecclesiasted 5:15 (NLT)

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Grave-robbing has been around about as long as graves have been around. But the practice became really popular when people started thinking they could take their riches with them into the next life. Egyptian tombs were scavenged for treasure, and, boy, did those robbers make bank! It's kind of sad to think that those kings were so deceived -- not a single thing they put in their vault left with them when their spirits departed from their body. Not one single thing. Earthly robbers got it all.

It is a humbling thing to consider how we enter this world. Naked. Without anything. No attachments. And it can be a scary proposition to consider how we leave this world -- naked, without anything, no attachments. But, for those who are secure in the knowledge of their eternal Savior, Jesus Christ, this reality can be extremely liberating! No shame that needs clothing, no needs or wants that require money, no "baggage" that needs carrying. All of the cares and worries and junk that we accumulate in this earthly life is left behind -- gladly! And that which is of God that we have grasped and attained to in this earthly life will remain with us on into eternity with God and the saints...

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

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. ~ Matthew 6:20-21 (NLT)

Money is a tool, and you can't take it with you (you never saw a U-Haul trailer on the back of a hearse). Make the best use of what you do have by faith in God, focusing your energies and hope in the stuff that really lasts. Then, let the liberation begin!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 2 Kings 17:33

They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. ~ 2 Kings 17:33 (NIV)

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Straddlin' the fence . . . one foot in California, one in Nevada . . . a little bit of this, a little bit of that . . . don't wanna put all the eggs in one basket, ya know...

Hmm. Is this how we live our Christian life? Is this how we worship the Lord?

I think it's interesting, and yet sad, that some believers dabble in what I'll call idol worship. Horoscopes, for example. How can someone who says they worship the God of the universe be swayed to "consult the stars" for knowledge and wisdom? Which God are they listening to with that?

Or what about those who subscribe to the practice of Eastern meditation? Why isn't communicating with the Creator God through prayer enough to cleanse and refresh their soul? The concepts and philosophy/theology behind many meditation and yoga classes are rooted in Eastern religion -- and trust me, they do not worship the one and only true God.

So, somehow, we have been duped into thinking that mixing our gods is okay -- like mixing our cereals, or mixing our investments. But God says, No! You can't have your cake and eat it, too. You can't straddle the spiritual fence with a little Zen Buddhism and and a little Me. Why are you consulting the stars and also reading the Bible? I don't get it. True worship of Me is pure, 100% commitment and reliance on Me -- not some strange mixed bag of spiritual nuts.

The devil is very subtle in how he introduces idolatry. So, be careful and be savvy. Consider your resources and your dependence on them -- be sure you are clinging to God and Him alone, because a watered down worship is tasteless to God and useless to you. But God worship that is pure and unadulterated is pleasing to Him and truly satifies your heart and soul.

Worship -- keep it real and keep it pure for God.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Esther 4:14

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?
~ Esther 4:14 (NIV)

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Ten years ago, after I'd only been at my current church for three months, I considered joining the choir, and observed one of their rehearsals. The church was in the midst of a building program at that time, and the theme song was, "For Such a Time As This"...

For such a time as this
I was placed upon the earth
To hear the voice of God
And do His will
Whatever it is
For such a time as this
For now and all the days He gives
I am here, I am here
And I am His
For such a time as this
~ Chorus of For Such a Time as This, by Wayne Watson

As I joined that choir and sang that song over the next few months many times, the concept of destiny began to sink in. I began to realize that God had placed me where I am for a purpose. It was actually rather epiphanous.

But I would not have been there at that time and place except that some other difficult things had happened in my life to bring me there. I could not and would not have orchestrated that time in my life that way! But, you see, God allows circumstances and uses our own choices (good, bad or otherwise) to conform to His destiny for us, and His ways continue to boggle my mind with their brilliant complexity.

As Joseph would've never been able to save the Israelites from famine if his wicked brothers hadn't sold him into Egyptian slavery...as prophesy wouldn't have been fulfilled for Jesus' birth in Bethlehem if Joseph and Mary hadn't been forced to travel for the census...as you would not know the people you know if your life had taken a different turn than it did, remember that God has a plan. And that plan includes YOU.

You have a destiny and, though it may not unfold the way you would like it (in all comfort and security), God is doing His work through you. Can you open up your mind to the possibility that the road you've traveled, with all it's bumps and curves, is for a purpose, that where you're at is exactly where God wants you? Can you turn the light bulb on in your heart and mind, and see it?

Go ahead, have an epiphany. It'll blow your mind. :-)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ephesians 4:3

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
~ Ephesians 4:3 (NIV)

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Our church has gone through some rather significant changes recently...good changes, but changes nonetheless. And with change comes challenges. Challenges to keep Christ the focus, challenges to remain kind and loving when time and resources get stretched, challenges to "keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Perhaps your church has gone through this, too.

If we're not careful, we can lose that unity.

With three back-to-back services now on a Sunday morning with only 15 minutes in between, there's not a lot of time to transition the stage -- it's unfortunate, but everything revolves around the clock. And if one service runs a few minutes late, that makes things very tight for the next crew to do what they need to do. And it's easy to get in a "zone" and forget to keep the unity of the Spirit. This happened at our church a couple of weeks ago, and it was distressing. Feathers were ruffled, and some grumbling ensued. What I love about the local church body that I'm a part of now is that the issue was recognized and discussed with those that needed to hear. Additionally, those who'd been ruffled were exhorted to be examples of peacekeeping. This past Sunday, when the services transitioned, we kept "the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." There were smiles and conversation, encouragement and hugs. It was a BEAUTIFUL THING!

It's easy to allow grumbling and complaining and bitterness and resentment to enter into our spirits and cause wicked shock waves through a church body. I pray that you can be a torchbearer of peace in your church fellowship, and lovingly help others nip disharmony in the bud. Unity in Christ's body is so glorifying to God, and isn't that our reason for existence? Amen, and amen.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Proverbs 31:30

Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the LORD deserves to be praised. ~ Proverbs 31:30 (CEV)

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This verse comes from the passage entitled "The Virtuous Woman", which talks about examples of how she lives. But this verse sort of sums up the essence of the passage.

Women have a lot of pressure put on them to look a certain way. There are wrinkle creams and rejuvenating makeup. Endless weight-loss plans and ads for cute clothes at Macy's. And, heaven forbid -- the Size 0 runway models that sashay to and fro in designer clothes and 6" heels. I think women, in our fallen state, more often than not have a less-than-stellar opinion of ourselves, and the comparison game just makes it worse. We desire to please those around us and work hard to feel good enough.

But God has the secret that doesn't come in a wrinkle cream or a designer dress. The secret is in a godly heart, which is regarded much more highly in God's eyes than looking drop-dead gorgeous. A woman that loves and reveres God has something about her that is appealing, both to God and to humanity -- they exude the image of Christ! It matters so little what they look like on the outside when they have a loving heart for God on the inside.

For all you women out there, I say this: When you look in the mirror, ask yourself, "Do I see acne, wrinkles and fat...? Or do I see Jesus?" It might be a stretch at first to use the mirror that way, but reflect on what God does on the inside of your heart and see the beauty of that magnificent transformation, and learn to let the outward picture be less of an issue.

And for you men, I say this: Do you know godly women in your life? Please let them know how wonderful it is for you to be blessed by their presence in your lives! Let them know the beauty you see in them, as they draw close to God and model their lives after Him. Surely, you see the difference between worldly women and those that follow the Lord -- let them know that is BEAUTIFUL to you, because often, a woman's pursuit of God is difficult and can get overshadowed by the temptation to focus solely on their outward appearance.

"I do not look at the things people look at. Man looks at how someone appears on the outside. But I look at what is in the heart." ~ The Lord to Samuel, in 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIrV)

Despite what all the advertisements and inner comparisons scream, this is the highest calling for a woman. No amount of external beauty treatments or fancy clothes can compare with the true beauty of a godly heart.

True beauty -- women should seek it, and men should praise it.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 6:22

But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.
~ Romans 6:22 (NLT)

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There are two components to this verse, and sometimes, I don't think we "get" either one.

Free from the power of sin...

As believers in Jesus Christ, the invisible chains to sin are gone. But do we live like that? Do we recognize and act on the fact that we are no longer bound to and obligated to obey the sinful nature? Often not, I think. The temptations are there, but we have the freedom to say 'no', to push away from the donuts, the porno magazines, the alcohol -- whatever it is that causes us to sin. But do we? I think somehow we don't always have a clear understanding of the radical change that has come over us when we are filled with the Spirit of God. It is spiritual, which means it's intangible and sometimes forgettable, but it's real -- and we need to recognize!

Slaves to God...

Becoming a slave is not usually considered a good thing. But being chained to God and realizing that our lives are not our own any longer really is a good thing for us! But do we live like this? Do we do whatever He asks of us because we're His slaves? Do we say, "How high?" when He asks us to jump, or do we forget our new position, and say, "I'll get back to you on that one..."?

We are free, yet we are chained. It's not a contradiction, but rather a trade. Freedom, then, is a mystery for those who follow Christ. We say that Jesus sets us free when we choose to believe in Him, but we're not really free -- not free to do as we please, that is -- we just have a different master. But the good news is that our new master is a true jewel, a good king, a lover of our souls. Out of love and thankfulness, we should welcome our chains of connectedness to Him, and obey His commands out of the utmost respect, gratitude and love.

We all have chains. Some chains cause pain and guilt and are tied to a wicked master, but some chains bring joy and peace and are tied to the one and only Good Master. Believers in Jesus need to look down and recognize who and what is holding them in this life -- and then live large in that beautiful, divine reality!

The lyrics to "I'm Feelin' Good" should be our anthem, as believers in Jesus! Take a listen...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSK9kkM7GL4

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 John 2:28

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. ~ 1 John 2:28 (NLT)

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Here's a scenario I'm sure you've experienced: You're tooling through the local grocery store of your hometown, when you look up from the bottle of ketchup you were staring at, and down the aisle you see an old school friend, and think to yourself, Oh, my gosh! It's...uh....lemme think...um....Jeremy something-or-other....or is it Justin? Gee, I haven't seen him in AGES! But because you can't even remember his name for sure, which is really embarrassing in your eyes, you put down the ketchup bottle, quickly turn your cart in the other direction, and hope you don't bump into him at the checkout line.

Or worse yet, you lose contact with a good friend. Life being what it is, with all the busyness of it all, the friendship falls by the wayside. And then one day, you see them at the mall or some other random event, and there's a huge awkwardness -- neither really knows what to say, with so much nothingness between you for so long. Small talk ensues, and you part, saying, "We really need to get together soon and catch up!" But the reality is that it probably won't happen, as the connection was lost a long time ago, and it's a lot of work to get it back.

John tells us, Don't let that happen with your relationship with Jesus. Don't risk that dreadful awkwardness when He returns for His people. Keep the ties strong so that you welcome Him with open arms, and He you.

Can you imagine wanting to quickly turn your shopping cart in the other direction if you saw Jesus at the end of the grocery store aisle? Would you want to put on your dark sunglasses and head for the "quick-check" 10-items-or-less counter, so you could get outta there fast?

I pray you can stay connected with Jesus daily, with open, honest communication -- friend to friend -- so that seeing Him won't be a shock, but a joy!

Hey, I wonder if Jesus is on Facebook... :-)

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

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Is it possible that the trials we go through, in part, are a testing ground, to see if we will praise God in the midst of them? The Bible says this is God's will for us who are in Christ Jesus.

When trials come, do we hang our heads in despair, or lift up our heads to the Sovereign God who holds us in His hand?

Although this type of spiritual living is difficult, it is, at the same time, rather simple. Give God the praise, all the time. Thank Him for circumstances, all the time. Be glad He is in charge and not us, all the time. Show God, yourself, and the world, that you are trusting God 100% for your life -- all the time.

They say "practice makes better." When are we going to get off the worry wagon and start practicing faith, start really trusting God, believing in Him as you would believe in anyone you entrust your life to? You get into an airplane and fly away, entrusting your very life to that pilot. You go into surgery and entrust your very life to that surgeon. People, God is the Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen! He is holy, righteous and pure. He is eternal and constant. The time is NOW to walk in faith and trust Him from deep within our souls when times are hard. Practice daily the sacrifice of praise, because that is God's will for us who are in Christ Jesus.

Many of my friends are going through very difficult struggles right now, and I'm sure you know many in your circle of influence that are, too. I pray for their healing and their comfort and their peace. But I also pray for their faith in God, that they can grow spiritually in the very midst of their trials, that they can take the "high road" in their heart and mind and give God the thanks and praise, even when life sucks. 'Cuz it does sometimes. Sometimes, more than just sometimes.

May God give you the strength to praise Him in the storm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i5MzJ9nLjo

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Galatians 2:20

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)

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Something has just occurred to me. I just put two and two together -- wow! When Jesus said in John 15:13 that "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend...", is it possible he was speaking of our laying down our lives in sacrifice for Him, our best friend, and not just giving ourselves for our fellow man?

Paul got it. He talked in Galatians about dying to self as Christ died on the cross . . . of giving up everything and being completely enveloped in Christ . . . of being indwelt by Jesus, the Living God. Because Jesus set the example of laying down His life for His friend Paul, Paul lays down his life for his friend Jesus.

So, where are we on the self-sacrifice scale, huh? 40%? 64%? 83%?

Holding on to what self desires seems to be the epitome of "living" in our human eyes -- entertainment, leisure, sexual pleasure, travel, food -- but are we missing out on real living? Are we being duped in our understanding of what it means to really live? Real living comes through real dying . . . dying to selfish wants and pursuits, dying to our own ideas of truth, dying to self-righteousness (which, in reality, is no true righteousness at all). Giving all that up for a life that is embedded and infused with Jesus Christ. We die, yet we live. A divine mystery, indeed!

I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way. ~ Jesus, in John 10:10 (NIrV)

Jesus says this, and then He says to die. As a seed dies before it brings life again in the Spring, so we die to self, so we can live in Christ. Pretty radical concept, huh?

I say, go ahead -- be radical. Be a seed. Die for Christ, and live through Christ. That is real living!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Philippians 3:21

He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
~ Philippians 3:21 (NLT)

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I have a skin disease called vitiligo, also known as the "Michael Jackson" disease, a progressive condition where skin cells stop producing pigment, and white patches are the result. I've had this disease almost since I can remember, maybe 6 or 7 years old. Most information says it's an auto-immune disease, but so much is still unknown about it's cause and cure.

My mom did seemingly endless research when I was a kid, looking for anything to help me reverse this leoparding of my skin. When she heard that raw liver might help, I was in trouble -- lol! She cut it into teeny-weeny pieces and then froze it, and I sorta half-chewed/half-swallowed it, slathered in catsup. (Wow, that was a repressed memory I just dredged up... :-) To this day, I keep thinking there's a nutritional reason for this, and that I might finally unlock the mystery. Last night, I took some pictures of my hands and feet, very prominent places where spots are taking over. In case the vitamin regimen I'm on now might work, I want to have some proof of improvement!

But as prominent as these leopard spots are, they don't define me. This weak body of mine won't be carried into eternity when Jesus comes -- praise God! Do we see ourselves as forever having the weakness of our mortal bodies -- whether that's painless leopard spots, or debilitating diseases such as cerebral palsy or macular degeneration? They can become so much a part of our thought processes and how we see ourselves that we can become consumed by them . . . but are we missing the forest for the trees? Are we getting bogged down with the weakness of our flesh, so that we lose sight of our walk with God and our calling to serve Him, in spite of our weaknesses? Hmm...

For those of us who choose Jesus Christ as Savior, we're not bound to the weakness of this flesh forever. But in the meantime, while we wait for the return of our Lord and the transformation of our flesh, let's keep our mental and emotional balance by realizing that sin and it's fallout on our human bodies does not define us. Our focus should be on that which lasts throughout eternity -- our love relationship with Jesus Christ, and the spiritual fruit He calls us to produce here on earth.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Titus 3:2

They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
~ Titus 3:2 (NLT)

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The Lord stepped into a difficult situation on Saturday evening, and helped me and my friends remember the essence of this verse.

We had a ladies event at church last Saturday and the singing group that my friends and I comprise were providing the worship music. We arrived an hour before the event, to do a sound check and warm up. Unfortunately, from the beginning of the sound check, we had problems. Big problems. Couldn't get all four mics to be live at the same time, and even when we did, they were cutting out on us. One song used a CD track, and that was cutting out. We couldn't even get through one song for warmup because of the sound problems. Talk about stressful! And it was easy to fling our frustration on the sound guy, who was doing his very best to figure out the problem. It wasn't his fault, but our stress was no respecter of persons, and it was easy to affix blame on him.

As the clock kept ticking with no solution, I stood up and gathered my friends and told them we needed to get our heads together and not put blame on the sound guy. We needed to work with what we had, and if we had no sound, we simply needed to tell the ladies in the room to sing LOUD :-) And then we went to pray (which ended up being in the bathroom, since one of our gals was still putting on makeup... :-) ....believe it or not, God hears our prayers even when spoken in a bathroom..... :-) We asked God to give us peace about the situation, to forgive us for stressing out to our sound guy, and to help us be good with whatever happened that evening.

(btw, I did call for some troubleshooting backup 15 minutes before the event was to begin, and our youth pastor graciously jammed down to the church to find that there were some cable connections that appeared to be loose...)

When stressful situations occur, it's so easy for us to get hyped up and lay blame on others, sometimes being demanding and less-than-kind. The Holy Spirit spoke to me about this issue that night, and the Lord helped us all seek humble hearts in the face of a difficult situation. And God was soooo faithful! The sound that night went off without a hitch -- it felt like a miracle! But even if it hadn't, God worked on our hearts, so that we could be kind and gracious and go on in spite of whatever challenges we might face. That truly was a miracle, God's intervening in our spirits.

I thank God for how He constantly provides teaching opportunities for us to grow in our spiritual walk...that is, if we're willing to listen to His voice. I challenge you to open your spiritual ears and listen to Him today.

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ~ Romans 12:12 (NIV)

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This pretty much sums up a big part of how we're to live in Christ, huh?

In one verse, Paul gives us three things to help us be the witnesses for God that He calls us to be, and at the same time, helps us keep our sanity in the midst of this chaotic world....

~ He reminds us to declare a state of joy in our hearts as we remember the hope we have in Christ -- new life through the salvation of our souls, and our eternal home with Him...

~ He reminds us to wait on the Lord in patience when we are afflicted, whether from outside sources or from inside our own mind and body -- not to demand an "out", but seek the lessons God will teach us, if we're willing to listen and learn...

~ Most importantly, he encourages us to cling to God and our commitment to our relationship with Him by being vigilant in prayer -- crying out to Him authentically and honestly, knowing that He is the lover of our souls...

I think I'm going to write this verse out on a post-it note and put it up on the bathroom mirror, so I can remind myself of these words, which are both my calling and my cure. I hope you can take these words from the Lord today, and apply them to your life. These three exhortations from Paul are all part of the road we travel in this life, as we walk with God and for God.

May God bless you in your spiritual travels today!

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - Ezekiel 11:19

I will give them a desire to respect me completely, and I will put inside them a new way of thinking. I will take out the stubborn heart of stone from their bodies, and I will give them an obedient heart of flesh.
~ Ezekiel 11:19 (NCV)

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This morning, as I was looking at several websites for a Bible verse to write on, I saw something on Air1's website I hadn't seen before: "What's Your Story?". So I clicked on it.

Tissue time...

I sat at my computer this morning reading story after story of people writing in to share how God has invaded their lives and embraced them, despite really bad choices in life, and how difficult circumstances had caused people to turn from God until He got their attention and brought them to Himself. They were turned from hearts of stone . . . to hearts of flesh.

Like I said, tissue time...

I am so awed and moved when people share honestly what their life is about and how God has entered in and made a difference. That's why I wish we could have more testimony time in church -- we all need to see how God moves in people's hearts, to make sure we don't forget how great our God is, and how amazing is His grace!

And just because you're a church-goer doesn't mean you have a "heart of flesh" for God. I read a number of stories today where people shared how the song, "Motions", really got their attention and led them to recognize they were just going through the motions, that their heart was stone, and asked God for a heart of flesh for Him. I could relate, as that is part of my story. How about you?

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions...
~ from Motions, by Matthew West

God is so faithful to those who come to Him with an honest, open heart. I encourage you to check out some of these stories today (http://www.air1.com/). Read and be amazed by God! Then ask yourself: What is my story? Has He invaded my life, turning my heart of stone into a heart of flesh for Him? Have I given everything to Him, or am I going through the motions?

Love,
Joelene

Verse of the Day - John 3:17

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ~ John 3:17 (NLT)

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After I got married and officially became an "adult" (yet still a teen), I'll never forget the first time I was driving along and saw a cop in my rear view mirror. My first instinct was, He's a bad guy...someone to pull me over and give me a ticket or otherwise harass me. That had been my reference in high school toward cops -- they were out to throw the book at you and slam down the gavel! But, it was weird. As I drove along, it suddenly occurred to me that this cop is really a friend of the citizen, to protect people and keep the streets safe. It was an epiphany, really. Suddenly, I had a change of perspective of police -- not to be feared, but be thankful that they're out doing their job, because they're out here for me (my benefit), not out here "for me" (to get me).

Jesus was trying to get people to understand and grasp that same perspective about Him, too. He came not to get people, in the sense of condemning them, but came to get people, in the sense of rescuing them. Just as a cop would say,Yes, I wear a uniform and carry a tazer and a gun, but you don't need to fear me...I'm hear for the good of the people, Jesus is saying the same thing. I'm God, true. I hold all power, true. You are sinful before a holy God and deserve death, true. But I hold out to you salvation from death, not condemnation to death. See the difference? Can you change your perspective and see Me for who I really am?

I pray that you know Jesus for who He really is and for what He really came to do for all of humanity. His compassion overflows for people and runs down the cross as proof. Believe it today and be saved forever! Hallelujah!

Love,
Joelene