Author: Marietta Taylor

If Day 1 One God?

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 9:2-7
Hebrews 1
Colossians 1:13-22
Daniel 7:9-14

If, Day 1

Years ago, a certain talk-show host sometimes used his show to attack the faith he’d abandoned. During one show he asked, “If God the Father is so ‘all-loving,’ why didn’t He come down and go to Calvary?” This man traded the truth he knew for a what-if question. I myself have heard it in several forms.

What if Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher? What if Jesus wasn’t really God? Honestly, I’ve asked myself these questions. It wasn’t from unbelief, but a desire to be able to explain my faith to others.

Those questions have one answer: Jesus was fully God and fully man. Therefore God did come down, teach as only God could, and then endure the cross so we could obtain salvation and eternity in heaven with Him.

Want to know what’s good about my answer? I can back it up.

If Jesus isn’t God, then He and John the Baptist would be liars. John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and “the Son of God” (John 1:34). Jesus said of Himself, “before Abraham was, I am,” (John 8:58), echoing God the Father’s statement in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” But let’s go one step further.

If Jesus isn’t God, then God Himself would be a liar.
And let’s be clear.
God is holy.
He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

When John the Baptist was baptizing Jesus, the voice of God from heaven proclaimed, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17) We know from Genesis 1 that the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) was present at creation. They work in tandem with each other. We see an example of this in John 14:16, where Jesus asks the Father to send the Holy Spirit to the believers. Three persons, yet one God, working for our good and our salvation.

Salvation means God working on behalf of man to deliver us from sin and death and give us eternal life in heaven. How does Scripture support this? What a great question! I started in Isaiah 9:6, “For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us.” Then it lists His names, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Who is this Son who is also Mighty God?

Matthew 1:20 says this, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Look, we found Mighty God. It’s Jesus!

You might be wondering why this is important. Well, it speaks directly to several assertions people make about Jesus. Let’s review, shall we?

  •     Jesus was just a prophet or a great teacher
  •     Jesus was a great man, but not God

Colossians 1:13-22 addresses these assertions. Verse 13 reveals God has rescued us from darkness and “transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”
Who’s the Son God loves? Jesus.
Who possesses kingdoms and has authority over everything within them? Kings.
So Jesus was clearly not just a prophet or great teacher.
He was, and is, an eternal king.

I confirmed this in Daniel 7:14, “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” 

Well, what about the “great man but not God” statement? Colossians 1 says this:

  •     “He is the image of the invisible God” (verse 15)
  •     He created everything (verse 16)
  •     He is the head of the church (verse 18)
  •     God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (verse 19)

Friends, Jesus was a great man. But He was also fully God.

But not just any “god.” Jesus is the One True God. He’s the God who reconciled His people to Himself by defeating sin and death. Defeating sin requires a perfect, sinless life. In other words, a person would need to be perfectly and absolutely holy. No human fits that bill. But God, presenting Himself in human flesh could and did, in the form of Jesus. Then, He went one better. He took on all the sin of the world so we could be considered clean before God the Father. We should sit with that for a moment.

To defeat death, we’d have to die and resurrect ourselves. Humans can die, but we can’t resurrect ourselves. But Jesus’ human body died and then was alive again. He, Himself, resurrected. No smoke and mirrors. Just the power and authority of God. Thus, Jesus earned the title of Savior.

God said this about Jesus, “And let all God’s angels worship Him.”
I say, let all of us worship Jesus, our one True God. He is more than worthy!

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Ready Day 1 Trade Routes

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Thessalonians 4
2 Thessalonians 2
Acts 17:24-31
Romans 8:35-39
Isaiah 66:1-4

Ready, Day 1

As I sit savoring my tea, I recall learning about ancient trade routes in school. Of interest to me back then was The Tea Horse Road. Now I take particular interest in the most famous trade route linking ancient China to the Roman Empire, “The Silk Road.” It was for more than just trading silk, produce, leather, gold and grains; it also facilitated the exchange of knowledge, technology, arts and intellectual ideas.

Most importantly, it helped spread the Gospel. And Paul was one of the main “traders.”
I learned recently the Silk Road may have been instrumental in the spread of Black Death. How significant then that Paul was spreading the good news of “The Life,” Jesus Christ! (John 14:6)

In the church Paul planted in Thessalonica, there were a few Jews, “a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.” Paul wasn’t able to provide extensive teaching because the Jews from the synagogue threatened his team’s safety. So, the church sent Paul and Silas to Berea. (Acts 17:5-10) As a result, the new believers in Thessalonica were left . . . alone.

As newcomers to anything, our knowledge is limited and we need guidance. For example, if I don’t read the instructions for steeping time, I’ll brew bitter, nasty tea. Similarly, without experienced leaders present to offer instructions on how to live new life in Jesus, the church fell into discouragement and disarray due to persecution and bad theology. This made Paul’s two letters critical, because they instructed, corrected, and encouraged during his physical absence.

Discouragement. Troubles. Suffering. Even today, first-world Christians have a hard time believing we’ll endure such hardship. After all, we belong to Christ. Surely we should be exempt. Likely, these babes in the faith at Thessalonica thought and felt the same.

Here’s the rub. As a believer, suffering is certain. Jesus told us in John 16:33 to expect trouble in this world because we follow Him. Throughout his letters, Paul mentions the Thessalonians’ suffering and persecution, as well as his own. Consider Romans 8:35, which speaks of affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword. Honestly, by itself, this list scares me a little.

But suffering is not the end of the story. Jesus completes His thought in John 16 by declaring He has overcome the world! Jesus suffered on the cross, but He rose victorious over sin and death. 

For us, we endure “by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
We become imitators of Christ through suffering. (1 Thessalonians 2:14)
We are “counted worthy of God’s kingdom” when we suffer for it. (2 Thessalonians 1:5)
In the end, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” Jesus. (Romans 8:37)

Yes, suffering is certain, but so is hope, for when we suffer well, we imitate Christ and become examples to others. In fact, Paul tells the Thessalonian church, “you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7) This was especially significant for the Thessalonian church, because their position as a seaport, allowed influence to reach not only other believers, but also those still following other religions. Recognizing this immense opportunity for spreading the Gospel, Paul sent Timothy to encourage and instruct them. They needed the encouragement to continue to hold strong in their faith. But what about instruction?

Both Paul and Timothy gave instructions on how to live as believers. Thessalonians needed to be anchored in the truth of the gospel so they would not be deceived and influenced by false teaching, flawed doctrine, and a polytheistic culture. There were two particular points of instruction. One was how to live as they waited for their ultimate hope, Jesus, to return. The second was regarding the Day of the Lord (the return of Jesus).

Our hope is in Jesus’ return, for which we expectantly wait. But, like the Thessalonians, we frequently view waiting as passive. They had false teachers who convinced many the Lord’s return had already happened. So why continue preparing for the Lord’s return or live faithfully?

Paul corrected this lie. He said, until Jesus returns, believers are to not be lazy but instead, to love one another, “to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands” (1 Thessalonians 4:10), to “stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote,” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and to “stay awake and be self-controlled” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).

Sisters, we also need to wait expectantly for Jesus’ return, by engaging in active readiness, not just sitting around twiddling our thumbs. There won’t be time to get ready when He comes. (1 Thessalonians 5:2) We need to be ready!

It’s been over 2000 years since Jesus left earth. Let’s not become lazy in our wait for His glorious return. Instead, let us be humble, submissive, and honor His word, thereby experiencing His favor. (Isaiah 66:2) I encourage us to read Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and determine how we will go about being ready for His return. How can we be traders of the gospel? Let’s each settle on actions through prayer and study and then live ready!

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Nations Day 3 Black Sister In The South

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 3:14-22
Psalm 13
Ephesians 4:1-16
1 Corinthians 9:19-27
Revelation 21

Nations, Day 3

I was born in  Mississippi and currently live in North Carolina. Both states are part of the Bible Belt, “an area chiefly in the southern part of the U.S. where there are many people who have very strong and strict Christian beliefs.” (Merriam Webster)

The Bible Belt is well-known for church attendance, and I remember attending my grandma’s Baptist church in Mississippi during summer visits. Mind you, I was raised in Chicago, as a member of a Catholic Church.

“North” church equaled a scripted, subdued, short service in comfy clothes.
“South” church equaled a long, exuberant service in my “Sunday best,” whether comfortable or not.

At my grandma’s church, there was much shouting, clapping, and spreading contagious joy in knowing the Lord and His faithful goodness. But sometimes, they’d peel back a layer to reveal this praise was how they survived the hardships accompanying being Black in America. This is especially true in a South where Christians historically not only upheld slavery, but where racism continues to thrive in the present day.

Psalm 13 begins, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

I heard this lament during hot summers at my granny’s church when the pastor preached on persevering in the face of trials, difficulty, and unfair treatment. I didn’t realize then how personally this passage would address my experiences in life and church. It wasn’t until I was older I understood how much African Americans still dealt with the roots of racism.

It was a turning point for me to realize that as African Americans, our faith was born out of a need to find unconditional love and hope. We weren’t going to get it from the world. So we gathered in churches and we leaned into Jesus, Who didn’t rebuff us because of our melanin. The first verse of Psalm 13 has been read and prayed for hundreds of years in the Black church.

But let’s not forget the end of the chapter:
“But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
I will sing to the Lord
because He has treated me generously.” (Psalm 13:5-6)

I realized no matter what the world thinks of me or does to me, God loves me and I can trust Him. He sent Jesus to die for me. And not just me, for everyone.
John 3:15 says, “so that everyone who believes in Him”. (emphasis mine)
John 3:16 goes on to explain, “For God loved the world.” (emphasis mine)
Finally, John 3:17 tells us, “Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned.” (emphasis mine)

The message of Jesus’ sacrificial love and redemption is for every. single. person.
When we embrace Him as our Savior, we enter into His eternal victory, regardless of our present struggles.

Ephesians 4:11-13 reveals God has equipped us to do ministry for the growth of the church and unity in Christ. I remember the first time I volunteered with my church serving “under-privileged communities,” which translated to African American and Latin communities in Raleigh. I volunteered to teach kids’ Bible lessons.

Reading through the material, I realized the “canned” examples wouldn’t work, because the kids couldn’t relate; their experiences were nothing like those the lessons referenced. Some examples would even be offensive. Therefore, when I served, I would change the “life situation” examples and the kids would light up with recognition of their own lives in the lesson.

I have frequently encountered this problem with cross racial ministry. If you haven’t walked in another’s shoes, or taken time to learn about their experiences, you’re ministering from a blind spot. I think of Saul, who believed in Yahweh, but not “The Way.” Once he met Jesus and became Paul, he made it his business to walk in other’s shoes when ministering. To the Jews, he became like a Jew; to those under the law, like one under the law; to the weak, he became weak. (1 Corinthians 9:20-22)

Why? Paul says, “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22) This, sisters, is where the Church often goes wrong. The Church often ministers to communities based on what we think they need. Instead, we should intentionally devote time to understand what the need truly is.

Want to minister to a “not like you” community? Partner with and support a church already on the ground. Paul demonstrated this idea by working alongside Priscilla and Aquila, who had already been in Corinth. (Acts 18:1-4) I would venture to say that sometimes when we don’t lead with empathy and authentic relationships, ministry comes off like we’re trying to be a savior. But Church, there is only one Savior, and His name is Jesus.

Please don’t misunderstand. I love the Church.
But sometimes, she doesn’t act like she loves me.

For instance, during an online racial unity discussion, a woman I considered a friend asked, “Why can’t Black people just get over it, like the Jews did with the Holocaust?”

Unfortunately, in the American Church, this is not an uncommon sentiment. Therefore, it can be hard to attend church, knowing the people there might be against us just because of our race.

Despite the hardships, I fix my mind on this: in the new heaven and new earth, Jesus will wipe away every tear and death, grief, crying and pain will no longer exist. (Revelation 21:1-4) The city’s gates will never close and “Nothing unclean will ever enter it [. . .] but only those written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:27)

On that day, all nations will come and worship Jesus. (Revelation 15:4)
So I live for the day when we’ll be one before our King.
Amen and Amen.

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Enough Day 15 Promised Land Restored

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Read His Words Before Ours!

1 Corinthians 13
Isaiah 65:17-25
Philippians 2:5-11
Revelation 21:1-8
Revelation 22

Enough, Day 15

A friend made a sign for me reading, “You are enough.” She meant to encourage me not to feel burdened to live up to anyone else’s expectations. It sounds great, but not one of us is enough on our own, least of all me.

“You are enough” sounds easy and available for our immediate gratification.
But let’s not settle for the immediacy of what we can muster up
when what God has promised is glorious.

You see, God is love. He is worthy. He is Lord.
God is enough.

Any hope we have should be placed in Him, not ourselves. He alone can satisfy our every desire, heal every broken place, give us victory, and gather us to live with Him forever. Only He can fulfill every promise.

I know I’ve made some lofty statements here. But friends, they aren’t mine. They are God’s, breathed into the hearts and minds of men, and penned on the pages of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16) Shall we explore a little?

God is love.
1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of biblical love, explaining love is patient. Furthermore, 2 Peter 3: 9 tells us God is patiently waiting to fulfill His remaining promises, so more people may repent and join Him in heaven. Y’all, it’s been over 2000 years since Jesus came. Patient? Check.

We also see love is kind and not self-seeking. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, taught thousands, raised the dead, forgave sins and most importantly, died on the cross to conquer sin and death! Yet, He didn’t go around announcing His miracles and acts of kindness. In fact, He usually instructed people not to speak of their interactions. (Luke 8:56 and Matthew 8:4)

1 Corinthians 13:6 says love rejoices in truth. In the New Testament, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth” over 70 times!

Clearly, God is love.

God is worthy.
There are many verses I could point to, but I’ve settled on two. First is John 1:1-5, where we learn:

  •     God is eternal
  •     Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit created everything.
  •     Jesus is the light of men and cannot be overcome by darkness

Then, there’s Revelation 5. Verse 12 gives us a glimpse of the throne room of heaven when the Lamb (Jesus) takes the scroll, thousands upon thousands of angels, the living creatures, and the elders will loudly say, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

In verse 13, we see “every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth on the
sea, and everything in them say,
Blessing and honor and glory and power
be to the one seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

I can’t add anything to this. Quite simply and wonderfully, He is worthy!

Jesus is Lord.
God could have saved us from our sin and from death any way He wanted; He chose to send His Son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross.

Because Jesus was obedient to do the Father’s will,
“God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name
that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

And when we reach the end times, written on the robe and thigh of Jesus will be His name “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (Revelation 19:16)

Speaking of the end times, did you realize they bring fulfillment of an early promise God made to Abraham? God promised Abraham would be the father of many nations, but He also promised actual land. However, because God’s perspective is eternal, there is an even greater land we’ve been promised! Revelation 21:1-8 tells us of the “land” where God will dwell for the rest of eternity with “those written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).

In this New Heaven and New Earth, we find:

Gather us to live with Him forever? Check.
Abraham never saw the extent of the land he was promised, but his offspring did. Now we can wait expectantly with the hope of God’s eternal Promised Land.

Friends, I hope you feel the same longing as Abraham. While we wait on the God who is enough, let’s get to know Him better. Let’s share Him with others, so they, too, will be in the Lamb’s book of life.

This world we live in is hard, but it’s not our real home. Can we agree to live in anticipation of the glorious day when everything is restored and we are eternally and blamelessly in the presence of our holy God? Let it be so.

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Worship VIII Day 1 The Why

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:2-6
Psalm 73
John 1:1-18
Psalm 91
John 17:20-24

Worship VIII, Day 1

I get up in the wee hours of the morning, or stay up well into the night, to spend time with them. I connect with them every chance I’m given. More of my money has been invested in them than I even realized. Sometimes I plan my schedule around activities related to them.

Who is “them”?

I wish I could say these statements were about God or my church. But they aren’t. They are about my three favorite Korean Pop (K-Pop) groups. Clearly, there is a reason their music industry and culture call their pop stars idols. There is a plethora of access to them, a lot of content, and merchandise galore. Before fans know what’s happening, our time and money are more invested there than in important things, like God.

I don’t think people intend to have idols, but if we don’t pay attention, it happens. Like when we center our lives around working out. Or our jobs are all we think and talk about. Partying and hanging out with friends can become the single driving force in our lives. Or playing video games takes up most of our time and money.  What about needing to be “in control” of everything, all the time? These are just a few examples.

So the question is, how and why does this happen?
Simple. We were made for worship.

The Westminster Catechism states the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We were made to worship God. To verify this, we only need to read Exodus 20:3-5, where God says, “Do not have other gods besides Me” and “Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”
Clearly, God made us for worship. But worship should only belong to Him.

And we should want to worship Him. Did you notice God mentioned He is jealous? He is jealous for several reasons. Let’s start with this fact: He created us. (John 1:3, Genesis 1:26-27)
I remember when my daughters were frequently hanging out with two friends, sisters their same age. Their friends’ mom was more lenient than I, and my girls frequently raved about how great this other mom was. Needless to say, I became jealous.
What about our relationships, ones I’d been cultivating since before they were born?
What about my concern for their safety, development, care, and keeping?
I think this is similar to God’s jealousy. He made us; that alone should be enough to warrant our worship.

But let’s go farther and deeper, shall we?

God initiated a relationship with us by revealing Himself to us in many different ways. He is the One who perfectly loves and protects us. I love how Psalm 73 gives us a glimpse of all God offers us:

  •     He holds our hand
  •     He guides us with His wisdom
  •     He will take us to heaven with Him
  •     He is our strength
  •     His presence is our good in this life
  •     He is our refuge

Then, John 1:5 tells us He is the light shining in the darkness, and He cannot be overcome. Additionally, John 1:17 reveals Jesus brought us grace and truth.

Oh and let’s not forget, He loves us. In fact, God’s love for us is a central message of the Bible. That familiar verse, John 3:16, explains, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Still not convinced? Listen to Jesus’ own words in prayer to God the Father: “I am in them and You are in Me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as you have loved Me.” (John 17:23)

The time I invest in video games, cooking shows, or even K-pop might bring temporary happiness and a bit of fleeting satisfaction. The same is true for anything we worship besides God. But this God, this Jesus, who loves us, is the only source of true and lasting satisfaction. We are at our best, and receive the best, when our worship is directed to the One for whom we were created.

I’d like to close by sharing two passages I think can settle this in our hearts better than my words ever could. Let’s pray over them, and then worship the only One who’s worthy of our praise.

“The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry.” (Isaiah 58:11)

“Because he has his heart set on Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name. When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91:14-16)

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Fervent Day 8 When All Seems Lost

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 1
Psalm 71
1 Peter 1:3-9
Psalm 31

Fervent, Day 8

Y’all 2020 was THE most trying year. Everyone, including myself, has been looking for a ray of hope in these troubling and difficult times. The coronavirus, racial unrest, political divisiveness, financial problems, isolation, and on and on the list goes. So many distressing and depressing issues to deal with every single day. How do we endure what seems to threaten our very survival?

We press into hope, that’s how.
But in the dark valley, how do we find the hope we need?

One word.
Jesus.
Jesus is our hope.

Psalm 71 tells us Jesus is our rock, refuge, fortress, deliverer and confidence. It says He is our hope, Who is always available. Don’t miss that. Jesus, our hope, is always available. I have some really reliable friends I can lean on, but I wouldn’t expect them to fulfill those roles, because it’s too much to ask of any human.

Here’s the good news. We don’t even need to ask it of Jesus.
He just is those things . . . all the time.

Jesus is also our anchor. We know this from Hebrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Anchor for my soul. Yes, please. Because Jesus is our anchor, our rock, and our deliverer, we never need to be uncertain. He is firm and secure; therefore, when we place our hope in Him, we are secure.

Recently, I was furloughed for four months and then laid off. It got a little scary when the bank account got really low. Or when a bill came and we weren’t sure how to handle it. But every time I started to feel like I was on shaky ground, I remembered Jesus is “far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given” (Ephesians 1:21), so this situation was a piece of cake for Him. My job was to continue to hope and trust in Him. And every single time, He provided. There were gift cards, unexpected checks, surprise grocery drops-offs, and even job leads. We never went without.

Do you see what happened? I did not agree with my scary feelings. Instead, I agreed with what I knew to be true of God. A couple of years ago, I studied Ephesians and was particularly drawn to Ephesians 1. While this chapter says a lot about us, it shares even more about God. For instance, God chose us “before the foundation of the world” to “be adopted [. . .] through Jesus Christ for himself” (Ephesians 1:4-5).

As His children, we receive redemption, an inheritance, wisdom, understanding, and the seal of the Holy Spirit. He “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.”

This is the God to Whom we pray.
This is the God we should trust more than any human advice, feeling, or methodology. We can pray with confidence, with hope, because Jesus is able to provide.

But what does that look like in our everyday prayers? Because, let’s be honest. Saying we should pray with confident hope is easier than actually doing it.

We can look at Psalm 31 as a model. David starts out telling God of his despair, while simultaneously declaring his trust in God. Then, in verse 19, David starts to praise.

He tells of the goodness God has stored up for those who fear the Lord.
He tells of God’s protection, faithful love, and ever-attentive ear to His children.
And he ends with some advice I think we all need to heed.
“Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24). So that’s our “old school” example. And it’s a good one.

Now let me share a personal prayer. I think it’s a good one, too.

God, I know You’re in control and that’s a good thing. But God, sometimes it just doesn’t feel good to me. Today while I was planning a celebration dinner for Rick, he walked in and said he didn’t pass the test, because his mind went blank. This means no new job for him. Back to the job that keeps causing health issues. And I struggle to not demand an explanation from You. 

I don’t know Your plan. But I do know You and Your character. So even though right now this looks like a defeat, I know it’s not. Because You love us, I trust You have something else in mind. Help us to be open to whatever that is. Help us to be prepared for whatever it is. And while we wait, help us trust not in what we see, but in what we know about You. I love You, Lord. Thank You for loving me, us, always. Amen

Friends, our God is for us. Our hope is never lost when we place it in Him and His plans for us. By the way, my husband got a retest two weeks later and passed.

Jesus . . . He Only Provides Everything.

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Questions 2 Day 3 All Roads

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 14
John 1:1-18 
Genesis 1
Romans 3:9-26

Questions 2, Day 3

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

These words, spoken by Jesus in John 14:6, are the foundation of Christianity. In this statement, Jesus disputes the arguments of many religions both in His time and ones to come. A non-Christian coworker told me, “All religions are basically the same. They all lead to heaven.” But is that really true? Do all the different roads of faith lead to that one coveted destination, heaven and eternal life with God?

In short, no. Let’s go back to John 14:6 and note the word choice. Jesus says He is the way, the truth, the life. He says we can only get to heaven and thus, God the Father, through Him. There is one road. And His name is Jesus.  

So, why is Jesus the road?

Well, let’s go back to the very beginning of the Bible, Genesis. The first verse, Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” No Jesus there, right?

But verse 26 (emphasis mine) says, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.”
So God was not by Himself, but who was with Him?

John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” To further identify this person, we look at verse 4, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Remember John 14:6? Jesus said He is the life.

What about the light? Well, in John 8:12, Jesus tells us He is the light of the world. Now we’ve learned Jesus is the light, the life, and the Word who was with Father God at creation. 

But we know there had to be another present at creation, because Jesus speaks of Him later in John 14. He tells us of the Holy Spirit, whom He refers to as “another Counselor” (John 14:16) and “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17).

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Holy Trinity. He is our counselor, who is also holy and divine. As the Spirit of Truth, he empowers us to live godly lives.

When we accept Jesus as the way, the truth and the life, Father God then sends us the Holy Spirit to help us live for Him and like Jesus.

This is important because many other religions are performance-based. In some, when you die, your “good deeds” are counted against your “bad deeds.” If the bad outweighs the good, you are reincarnated to “try again.” Others say that as you live each reincarnated life, you should become more humble and eventually you’ll earn salvation. In others, you have to stop desiring all things in order to stop suffering and earn enlightenment.

All these variations depend on you saving yourself.
It is your work and effort.
There is no helper like the Holy Spirit.
There is no Savior who sacrificed Himself to pay for your sins.
There is no Father God who loved you enough to make a way back to Him.
In every other religion, you are on your own, trying to figure out how to reach nirvana or enlightenment.

I don’t know about you, but this one life is quite enough. I don’t want a do-over, and certainly not an indefinite number of them. And as Christians we don’t need a do-over. Romans 3:10 tells us, “There is no one righteous, not even one.”
Thank God, hope is not lost because we do not need to manufacture our own righteousness. God already worked it out. John 1:14-16 explains that The Word (read: Jesus) came here to earth, dwelt among us, and gave us grace and truth.

Romans 3:22-26 gives us the details:
Every person sins and falls short of the glory of God.
The righteousness of God is given to us when we believe in Jesus Christ.
We are justified in God’s sight by God’s grace.
We receive God’s grace by the redeeming power of Jesus’ blood shed on the cross.
Our sins are eternally removed when we are justified by faith in Jesus.

We are saved, not by our own work, but by grace (Ephesians 2:8). We are never righteous, but righteousness becomes ours through Christ. It is Christ’s perfect righteousness that welcomes us to salvation. I’m so glad my entrance to eternal life is a one-time deal and it does not depend on my perfection! If it did, I’d never get in.

Speaking of heaven, we know we’ll see Jesus there. Romans 8:34 says, “Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.” No other religion teaches of being loved and cared for by God while we are here on earth. Jesus died for us, was resurrected, and went to be with God the Father. We will worship the fullness of the three-in-one God in heaven (Revelation 4:1-11). I look forward to offering praise in the very presence of God. I can’t wait to see His glory and be surrounded by His love. I hope you’ll join me!

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Reveal Day 3 Heartache’s Hope

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 147
Hosea 11:1-8
Isaiah 60:1-7
Isaiah 61:1-4
John 3:14-21

Reveal, Day 3

This will be a tough Christmas for me and my family.
We lost my uncle in February.
My sister, only 48 years old, went to be with Jesus on Easter morning due to Covid-19.
My grandmother is entering hospice care.
Tears come unbidden as I write. 

It’s been an incredibly traumatizing year and for the first time since my dad died twenty years ago, I can physically feel my heart ache. It’s like part of me is missing. Do you know that feeling? I don’t like it, but it’s here to stay for a while.

I anticipate that as Christmas arrives, this ache will be worse. It was my sister’s favorite holiday. Elaborate decorating . . . many gifts lavishly wrapped . . . all born of a genuine love of giving and sharing, especially during Christmas. She was like a bright star in December. I know my holiday, my world, will be a bit dimmer without her.

As I write about heartache, I think about the Israelites. I cannot imagine the pressing ache of waiting, generation after generation, for a promised Savior who would crush the enemy underneath His feet. (Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20) I have a hard time waiting 17 days for something, so 1700 years seems unimaginable.

They endured so much during those 1700 years. They were exiled several times because they just couldn’t follow God with all their hearts. After one exile, when they returned and were trying to rebuild, rich Israelites took advantage of poor neighbors. They were so ruthless, they accepted their kinsmen’s daughters as payment for taxes! (Nehemiah 5:5)

They should have worked together to help rebuild, not just their city, but also their relationship with God. Instead, they tried to soothe their heartache with money and power over the weak and poor.

And you know what?
Their actions broke God’s heart.
Just read Hosea 11:1-8 again.

Can you feel the hurt and heartache of God? But God is merciful and loving. As He always does, He gave them a way to return to Him, to be His people again:

“If [. . .] my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

God knows we can only be whole through Him, so He has provided an eternal road back to Him, even when we break His heart.

When the 1700 years was up, God delivered His promise.
But His promise wasn’t just for Israel.
It was for us, too.

Jesus came to “bring good news to the poor [. . .] heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Isaiah 61:1-2)

This promise from hundreds of years earlier was for Jews and Gentiles alike, which includes us. Jesus came to free us from looking to anything or anyone else for freedom and healing because He “is the way, the truth and the life.” Just like the Israelites, we can get caught up longing for something better, instead of looking to the One Who is better.

Let’s face it, living in this world is hard. There is no living without heartbreak and heartache. Sure, it points to the brokenness of the world. But it also points to our own insufficiency: we cannot heal ourselves.

We try, though. We shop, eat all the comfort food, drink, use drugs, isolate, or even deny our pain, but none of these will bring light to our darkness. Similarly, not one idol, power play, or act of rebellion brought light to the Israelites’ darkness. Instead, Jesus came, died, and rose to free us from sin and death. (John 3:16-17) And that’s not even the full picture!

If we look to Isaiah 60, we see God’s full promise to the nation of Israel, and to us. Israel will no longer live in darkness. Jesus will reign there and the glory of God will shine so brightly, darkness will be cast out. Forever. He will draw in other nations, who will find the light they’ve been searching for everywhere else. What a wonderful picture!

Even better, we don’t need to wait for eternity to experience the light and healing of Immanuel, God With Us. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Further, if you have accepted Christ, the light of the Holy Spirit lives within you.

Sisters, let us connect with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us be radiant and rejoice in Jesus, the light of the world. (Isaiah 60:5)
Until He returns, let us look to Him for our comfort, healing and light.

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Worship VII Day 10 King Of Kings

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Read His Words Before Ours!

John 1:1-23
Ephesians 1:3-14
Luke 4:14-21
Isaiah 53
Acts 2

Worship VII, Day 10

I’ve had the opportunity to speak at several of my church’s womens’ ministry events. One phrase I use almost every time is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” There is something about the majesty, power, and authority of His title that grounds me in Who Jesus is. One of the reasons I love the song “King of Kings” is its rich evidence of Who Christ is, as well as Who and what He should be to us.

“In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
‘Til from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt”

The last book of the Old Testament is Malachi, and the first four books of the New Testament are the Gospels. Throughout the Old Testament, there are hundreds of prophecies of the Messiah, the Deliverer of the Israelites, Whom we meet in the Gospels. For example, Isaiah 61:1-3 speaks of the Messiah coming to comfort, provide, and make righteous. Jesus quotes it in Luke 4:18-19. Then in verse 21, He announces the prophecy has been fulfilled. Can you imagine being present for that? The long-awaited Messiah is standing in front of you!

Malachi ends by proclaiming a messenger will come ahead of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6), which echoed Isaiah 40:3. John the Baptist quotes this prophecy in John 1:23 to identify himself as that messenger. After Malachi’s conclusion,  four hundred years pass. Can you imagine waiting so long? I can barely wait 4 minutes! But were they truly waiting in the darkness with no hope? They were invaded and ruled by the Greeks, briefly gained their independence, then fell to the Romans in 63 BC.

So the New Testament opens with the Israelites still waiting for the Messiah to save them from oppression by another foreign nation.

All the while, their sins remained an insurmountable barrier between themselves and their God. And let’s not forget the oppression of the corrupt, self-righteous religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

I cannot imagine their despair.

But Jesus was on the way! The Messiah had awaited this moment, willingly surrendering His heavenly throne to put on flesh and save His people. (John 1:14-18) Enter a young virgin, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus, the Word Who fulfilled every. single. word. of prophecy. (John 1:1, Matthew 1:18-24, prophesied in Isaiah 7:14).
Hallelujah!

Why would Jesus make such a sacrifice?

“For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died”

The answer is found in a treasured verse of Christians, John 3:16:

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

God loves us so much, He would not leave us separated from Him. Through Jesus, we are reconciled to Him despite our sin. There is no animal, ruler, or leader who could grant us salvation. Only the Lord of the Universe could accomplish it. So the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords came for each of us.
Praise Him!

But Jesus’ death is only part of our redemption story:

“And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death”

Jesus is Lord over death. It had, and has, no power over Him. On the third day, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords rose from the dead. (Matthew 28:5-7) With His resurrection, our redemption was sealed. Our place in heaven is reserved, if we trust in Him.

Not only did He conquer death; Ephesians 1 says He went beyond salvation. He also gave us “every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (verse 3), a glimpse into God’s plan (verses 9-10), an inheritance (verse 11), and the seal of the Holy Spirit (verse 13). I could cry in amazement that the One Who created all, and is over all, cares so much for us.
Glory!

“And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame”

Christ’s church was born on Pentecost, when the disciples received the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), Whom we also carry as Christians. Peter, in his love for Christ and the power of the Spirit, explained to the gathered crowds how Jesus fulfills every prophecy of old. (Acts 2:17-36) Thousands of people believed, and became the first church. This is the same church, the same family, into which we’ve been adopted (Ephesians 1:4-5) in Jesus!
I am honored to be your sister in Christ.

Truly grasping Who Christ is, and Who He is to you, is highly personal. I beg you, sisters, to reread the passages and verses listed here. Read cross references. Ask God to make you more aware of Jesus as King of Kings. And when He does, praise Him!

“Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings”

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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