Glory and Grace: Ephesians 6

posted in: glory and grace | 0

Ephesians 6

God is strong, and he wants you strong.

So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials.

And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything

the Devil throws your way.

Ephesians 6 – The Message

Are you ever weak in your faith?  Do you ever wonder what God has in store for you?  Are you tempted to doubt?

I have these thoughts.  I know many ladies who fight every day to believe that God is their BEST!

I love knowing that God is true to His Word!

Glory and Grace

Glory and Grace: Proverbs 4:4

posted in: Bible, glory and grace | 0

 

 

There are some phrases that stand out to me in the Bible: therefore, but God, since, remember…and this one

HOLD FAST.

What grips your heart?  Is it fear?  It is loneliness?  Is it pride?  Is it desire?  Why not let it be the things of God and His Word and His promises and His character.

 

“Let your heart hold faGlory and Grace Proverbs 4st my words; keep my commandments, and live!”

Proverbs 4:4

There is great hope when we cling to God and His Word.  A friend, and former pastor, wrote recently on his blog that there is great LIFE in reading your Bible.  He didn’t make it up.  He got it from an Old Testament book.  Read the Bible.  Find hope.  Find wisdom.  Find the God who wrote it.  And live.  Hold Fast to it!

God Loves Colors, Too!

posted in: Arkansas, Bible, Books, Worship | 0

God loves color!

I’m still reading through the OT and making lists of the God the people of the OT encountered, served, feared, and loved. I am loving seeing how God interacts with his people. I know that He is the same God today as he was 8000 years ago.
Currently, I’m in Leviticus, and its not very exciting reading – but still I see that God talks to his people and tells us how we can please him. I see him showing mercy. Here are seven things that I learned this past week.
1. God has a purpose for color. I saw this as I attended the Bloggers in Bloom event last week and as I await the Arkansas Flower and Garden Show. The reports in Exodus about color is that God intended certain aspects of the temple and of the worshiper’s attire to be a certain color. He is an exact and detailed God. But, how he uses color now for our benefits are different. He uses color to express warmth and invitation. He uses color to express that winter is over and spring is finally here. He uses color to brighten moods and take away frowns. All of these are great reasons to use color in your home, kitchen (in what you cook), and in your wardrobe.

Georgetown Cupcakes
2. God is a free-ing God. The If:Gathering was this weekend, and although I wasn’t able to attend in Texas, I was grateful for one of my friends, Sharon Miller, who posted some of her favorite quotes. I particularly loved this one by Christine Caine: “You came out of Egypt, but Egypt is still in you. But God wants to get Egypt out of you so we can walk into the Promised Land free.” This basically means that we desire so often to return to what God has freed us from. But, how much better life would be if we never turned back and desired the old ball-and-chain!
3. The Lord shows mercy to stiff-necked people. I’m not talking about chiropractic care (though I love mine in Raleigh), but I’m talking about the mercy that he shows us when we refuse to give up our sinful ways, when we balk at his correction, when we settle for every day ho hum when he has called us to live the extraordinary!
4. God gives gifts to people to use for his glory! Let’s take a look at the oil maker in Exodus 37. God gave him the talents and abilities to make oil so that a particular type of oil might be used in the worship of God! That is so cool to me. That God might give me a particular gift that I can use to bring God glory in our home, in the local church, and in the church around the country and world. That gets me excited!

Bella Blu NYC
5.  The Lord requires sacrifice for sin.  I often thought in reading all of the lists for sacrifices that I’m glad that Jesus paid my sacrifice once for all so that I don’t have to sacrifice daily or weekly or yearly or anything to recompense for my sin.  The perfect Christ already did that! Oh what a blessing.  And this is how we can use the Old Testament, even in Leviticus, to teach others about the beauty of the Gospel and that the whole Bible points us to Jesus!

6.  The Lord tells us what is pleasing to Him.  He has given us His Word.  That Word, the Bible, is sufficient in us knowing what it means to please Him.  In one way, we stand before God because the Son has pleased the Father in his death and resurrection.  But, we still try to please God in our actions.  Not for acceptance.  No, but for his pleasure.

God's Word

7.  God shows his glory to his people.  He did this many times for Moses, and He dwelt in the Tabernacle with his people.  How we might long for that.  Do you long for Heaven?  Do you long to be worshiping and singing where God and Jesus and the Spirit are front and center?  I was reading a Donald Miller article about why he doesn’t feel the need for church and the first paragraph – singing really isn’t my thing – I just don’t like it.  It made me sad for him because Heaven will have singing in it.  We will get to sing to the Lamb!  Moses’ song will be sung there!

How are your devotions going?  Do you find them dead and lifeless?  Or do you long to meet with God every day?  I’m not quite to the last one – but I am finding the more time I am in the Word the more I want to be in the Word.

 

The Word of God in the Soul of a Child

posted in: mothering, parenting, Uncategorized | 1

parenting

This is where I am. Starting to train up our older son, who is almost 17months and already has the “no” word down pat! Definitely his favorite word. Trying to change it to godlfish, chicken nugget, yes, or something better than no.  Our conversations with our older right now are consisting of “God says to honor our father and mother. And we don’t talk to our mommy and daddy that way” – those conversations don’t seem to be getting anywhere with him – but hopefully one day they will.

One story from my childhood…I grew up attending a Christian school. And I loved Sweet Valley High books in the 6th grade. It was the thing to read in the fiction area. I think I had most of them – and never know what happened to all of them. I had loaned one of the books to a friend, who took it home and was reading it at night by flashlight as to hide it from her parents. Her mom found it, called the school, and I got in trouble. My punishment…to write out Scripture. I would tell you what Scriptures, but I don’t remember what they were. I think I mainly saw it as punishment then.

As I’ve come into being a parent, and shepherding our boys’ hearts with my husband, we definitely want our boys to have hearts that are soft to the Spirit. We want the Word to break the stony grounds of their hearts and give them hearts that desire to please The Lord, love Him, and make Him known.

How we discipline and parent has an eternal impact. Here is how.
If we think that just because we quote Scripture in our home, make them memorize the Word, even for punishment, or memorize Scripture at the table or in family worship – that our children are going to automatically love the Word and have hearts that obey it…we are wrong.
The Pharisees in the NT knew the law and obeyed it – but their hearts were far from them. There are many who know the right words to say but inside they have cold hearts toward the gospel.
Here may be a better way to parent with the soul of your child in mind:
As you have the need to discipline:
1. Pray for yourself as you need to discipline your child. Pray that your heart would be one of correction for the purpose of training in the fear of The Lord and not out of anger, inconvenience, etc. Your heart matters.
2. Identify the heart of the problem. That may mean you first have to stop the outward disobedience, but there is always a heart problem.
3. Know verses that correspond to these heart problems. Whatever heart problem there is – Scripture has an answer! The Gospel is the answer!
4. Tell them those verses with a humble heart. Be humble before your kids. We are all sinners. That will go a long way with your children.
5. Encourage them to learn these Scriptures – and you learn them along with them. That will encourage them that they are not alone in their sin journey – and journey in sanctification.
6. If your children have received Christ – talk to them about how as believers our desire should be to grow in godliness and have hearts that please The Lord. Not out of have-to but out of want-to.
7. Pray for your children. Pray, aloud, in front of them, that the Spirit would soften their hearts towards the Gospel. Pray they would come to serve God as The Lord of their life and that they would obey His Word.
8. Pray for behavior change – but more importantly heart change. And know and rest in the fact that you can’t do anything about the heart change. That is all the fabulous work of the Perfect Holy Spirit.

And in that, as parents and as sinners, we can rest!

Yet Another Bible?

posted in: Bible, Books | 0

I used to work in a chain Christian bookstore. Bibles took over the place. There were so many. And so many have come out since the mid-90s. There is a Bible for teens, children, moms of _______, dads who golf, etc. If you are charismatic – you have a Bible just for you. If you follow certain preachers – they probably recommend a certain Bible. Why is there a need for another one?

I was intrigued by the Gospel Transformation Bible and was excited that we got it in the mail.

Here are three reasons I love the Gospel Transformation Bible and maybe some thoughts that will point you to it if you are in the market for a new study Bible:

1. The design. This may not be the most important factor in choosing a new study Bible, but I think the simple black and white hardcover design is fabulous. Simple and precise. Very easy to read and find what you need inside, too.

2. The preachers and scholars that Crossway chose to use is varied. There are men and women from different denominational backgrounds, some are preachers, others are teachers or professors at seminaries. It is encouraging to see the common ground that the Gospel brings together.

3. The main focus: the Gospel. The notes that you will read in this study Bible will all point to one thing – the Gospel – Jesus Christ. He is most important part of any theological discussion. He is what all the Scriptures point to.

Appreciate Bibles that focus on this one thing – Jesus!

This is from the Crossway website about the Bible: “Focusing on heart transformation rather than mere behavior modification, their points of application emphasize the Hows and Whys of practical application to daily living—in short, how the gospel transforms us from the inside out.”

Book Review: Rob Rienow’s Limited Church Unlimited Kingdom

posted in: Books | 0

I’ve learned over the years that there are many people out there who think they have a handle on Family Ministry, but really just know what not to do or think they have ideas.  I don’t know much about this relatively new (to the modern church world) arena, but I have found one author I like and respect in this area: Rob Rienow.  He is the founder for Visionary Family and Visionary Marriage.  I’ve read several of his other books or writings.  This one is no different: true to what it says.

Let me explain.  In the first few chapters, Rob compels his readers to make sure they know what to do with Scripture.  To let Scripture speak for itself, know it, apply it, and know that the Word of God is true and sufficient – even for determining how to run ministries in your church.  And Rob doesn’t stop with just the first few chapters.  He then proceeds to complete the rest of the book using this method.  He lets Scripture be the driving force behind the remainder of his new book, Limited Church Unlimited Kingdom.

He goes through the Old Testament through the New Testament, Early Church, Reformation to present day in how the family has acted (and in specifics what the Word commands for families).  Rienow gives some great advice on the children in worship services discussion, shouldn’t parents have the main discipleship in their children’s lives, and what role does youth ministry have.  These are all important topics in this family ministry discussion these days.

What I appreciated most about Rienow’s book is that he stated at the beginning of the book that the Word demands that it have full authority (it is sufficient and perfect) and should also tell us how to do our local church ministries.  Then, he actually does it.  He doesn’t then go on to make up his own thoughts – he sticks with what Scripture says and bases his book on that.

Good man.  Good book.

How Should We Respond to Gay Marriage?

posted in: ethics, marriage, sin | 2

Every blog post I wrote has come from personal experience or a conversation I’ve had, etc.  This one is no different.

Yesterday on facebook, I was saddened to find out that a college acquaintance of mine, one who was in youth ministry with me and a professing Christian – now ordained in a denomination, was getting married yesterday to her girlfriend.  This saddened me so much for her.  On our long scenic drive home, the Mister and I were discussing what should be our response.  Here are some thoughts:

1.  A government-sanctioned marriage between two women is not a marriage in the eyes of God.  In our country many states may be allowing same-sex marriage.  This does not make it right in God’s eyes.  God would never rejoice in something that is an abomination or sin to Him.  See Romans 1:18-25, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

2.  Sin does not please God – so how could a homosexual marriage?

3.  We all sin (yes), so we should not counsel the person (if you have a relationship with them in the first place) in a harsh, judgmental tone.  Ephesians 5:14-16.  The reason I chose this verse is because the person in my life that got married yesterday is a professing Christian.  I’m not a judger of hearts.  I am also a sinner – a great sinner.  But, this passage is written by Paul to the church at Ephesus.  He is talking about people in the church who have been diluted and mislead by all sorts of unbiblical teaching.  For any to think that gay marriage is promoted by God, or right, has clearly been mislead by the Enemy.

4.  Show compassion; this needs to be our immediate response.  We need to be like Jesus in this encounter.  When he dealt with the woman caught in adultery, he did not shame or accuse her, but allowed her to be free of the sin and the entanglement of it.  Our God does show wrath and anger toward sin, but he also shows compassion on the sinner.  (John 8)  God the Father shows much compassion on me and I’m a sinner.  I would need to show compassion to my friend and hopefully lead her back to a right relationship with God.

5.  Call to repentance.  One of my favorite Scriptures in the NT says this “…God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.”  Oh that has blessed me and lead me to have a repentant heart so often as I’ve read with tears over my sin this incredible display of God’s love toward great sinners.

6.  What about church membership.  Let me say a few things: first, any denomination that would ordain a homosexual to be a minister of the Word of God and sanction and condone homosexual marriage is no longer a church because they do not hold to the truth of the Word of God.  Second, if this couple were at the church I attend, I would (hopefully) seek to encounter them, provide them with godly counsel about their lives and why their lives demonstrate that they do not believe God or His Word.  If they couple were members and then became homosexual or started living a homosexual lifestyle – that would be cause for church discipline and counsel and a desire for them to turn from sin.

7.  As I’ve been reading in a book about the authority of the Word of God in our lives: this matter of homosexuality (whether it is right or not) is not primarily a question of preference or sexual orientation or anything else for believers.  It is a question about what we believe the Bible to be.  If we believe with the Bible that it is the very word of God and it is profitable and truthful in everything it says and is useful for our lives to instruct us in all truth – and we disagree with what the Bible says about the “rightness” of homosexuality – then obviously we have a disagreement with God.  I have a feeling that I know who is going to ultimately win that disagreement.

As we get deeper and deeper into a country that is living in prevalent sin and as we see sin creep in (or barge in) to our churches – let us pray that we will know what the Word of God says, guard our own hearts and minds, show compassion to sinners, and call them to repentance (just as the Lord has done for us).

 

Tool Tuesdays: ESV Journaling Bible

posted in: Bible, Books | 0

“Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes.” – Psalm 119.5

Continuing with the Tuesday is for Tools idea, I thought I would take one of my favorite Bibles and highlight it.  One of the Bibles I purchased during my time at THE Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was Crossway’s ESV Journaling Bible.  I didn’t use it that much for a while, but now it is the one I constantly have with me (though at this moment it is on my desk at the office, and I am in my bedroom, so not 24/7, but you get the picture).

The view inside the ESV Journaling Bible is a 4 column text (2 on each page) with lines on the outside of the columns to write in.  There are very few reference notes found at the bottom.  At the back there are introductions to each of the books of the Bible, though definitely not as in-depth as in the ESV Study Bible. 

How I use it: Since I write curriculum for my day job, I use it to take notes on passages that I’m writing on, so if I get to teach on those passages or don’t have the curriculum with me, I can know the exact points that I brought out in the curriculum.  Or…if someone is speaking on a given passage, I can take notes because others are more brilliant than I am and come up with more insightful thoughts into Scripture.  I love sitting, listening to someone preach, and just jot away (either with pencil or a fine-tip pen that won’t bleed through the pages). 

The only thing I don’t like about this Bible is there is not a concordance in the back.  The good thing about it is I’m learning to know where certain verses are and trying to keep their addresses tucked away in my brain.

Fun thing about it: on a random day at the offices: you can walk by both my office and my boss’ office and find the ESV Journaling Bible in black laid open in front of our monitors.  And my boss’ wife has one too – but hers is prettier. 

Do you have a favorite Bible?  Are you a person who writes in their Bibles or not?  How long have you had your Bible?  I do have one from my late elementary years, but I don’t think I have one from any earlier than that.

Book 6 of 52: God is Great (Toddler Storybook Bible): Larsen

posted in: Bible, Books | 1

Crossway continues to nail theology and produce Gospel-centered resources for the church and families.  I LOVE this publishing company!

Now: on to the book at hand:

Most faithful readers of this blog know that I love the Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.  This Bible for children is a Jesus-pointed, engaging read for families and children to read together.  Every story points the reader to Jesus, the Hero of the Bible.

Carolyn Larsen has written a Bible very similar to Lloyd-Jones for toddlers.  What a great gift for new parents, or for a child’s 2nd birthday.  What better way to start them out on a journey toward Jesus then to give them this Bible with beautiful illustrations and theology.

Things I love about Larsen’s God is Great:

1.  Succinct.  There are only 17 Bible stories in this toddler Bible.  For toddlers, this is pretty good.  It is digestible.  It is repeatable.  It is simple.

2.  Color.  Toddlers love bright colors.  It helps the pages comes alive!  Caron Turk does a splendid job of using her God-given talents on this project.

3.  Theology.  Larsen bee-lines to GOD in each story.  This Bible is not about how to make your child a better child, neighbor, sister, or brother, son, or daughter.  This Bible takes them where they need to be headed: to GOD.  This Bible, in child-terms, teaches: the eternality of God, God’s righteousness, His goodness, His Sovereignty, His guidance, His truth, His power, etc. Your children need to know these truths.  This is a resource that can help you teach it!

Do you want more resources as parents:

1.  Jesus Storybook Bible – linked above

2.  Catechisms for Young Children

3.  Leading Little Ones to God – Schoolland

And some I have found fabulous for parents:

1.  ApParent Privilege – Steve Wright/Chris Graves

2.  Big Truths for Young Hearts – Bruce Ware

3.  Instructing a Child’s Heart – Tripp

Book Review and Giveaway: Read and Share Bible (Thomas Nelson)

posted in: Bible, Books | 5

The kind folks at Thomas Nelson Publishers recently contacted me about doing a book review on their Read and Share Bible and gave me one to giveaway to one of my readers.  So, to be elegible for this giveaway, just leave a comment about one amazing thing you do in your family worship or children’s worship at church to get the Bible into your children’s hearts.  These comments alone will be a blessing to me in the ministry I’m involved in.

I have to say there is one children’s Bible out there that I use as a plumb line for all others.  Unfortunately, this one doesn’t match up, but it does have some great qualities.  Here are the impressive traits about this children’s Bible:

1.  The amount of stories.  Some children’s Bible only has the “popular” stories or ones that are often told.  This Bible has over 200 stories retold by Gwen Ellis.

2.  I love the user-friendliness of this Bible.  There is a table of contents (including topics, Scripture passages, and page number).  Ok, I know this may not sound like much.  But, I find it difficult in other children’s Bibles to find the story corresponding to the passage in the “real” Bible.

3.  At the end of every story, there is a question.  So what?  This is a helpful tool for parents as they take the leadership in their children’s lives as their primary discipler.  Some parents have no clue what it means to teach their children about worship and Jesus.  Maybe they didn’t grow up in a home with Christian parents who led in family worship?  Maybe they are new believers who don’t know what that might look like.  Thankful these questions are there so parents can have a helpful resource for starting conversations with their children about what it means to treasure Christ.

So, what are your tips for getting the Word in the lives and hearts of children?  Leave your comment and I’ll choose a winner and send out the Bible on Tuesday, January 11th.

Thanks Thomas Nelson!