Isaiah 6:9: “And he said, ‘Yes, go. But tell my people this: though you hear my words repeatedly, you won’t understand them. Though you watch as I perform my miracles, still you won’t understand them.”’ When my son was a baby, my husband and I took him to the local mall. In an effort to give me some alone time, my husband took my son while I was left to shop. An hour later, I walked into the store, only to hear a shriek coming from the entrance. I whipped my head around to find my son waving his hands wildly and smiling. I knew that sound anywhere. As his mother, we have a special connection. He knows me and I know him. According to an ABC news poll, “Eighty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians.” Many people claim to be Christians, but how many can identify their shepherd’s voice? John 10:26-28 says, “But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” True Christians not only hear God’s words, but they understand them because He is their shepherd. They show their love for him by obeying those words. To the rest of the world, it’s nothing but indistinguishable chatter. Can you hear your shepherd’s voice among the noise and chatter of the world?
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Jeremiah 31:33-"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” “How many times do I have to tell you to pick up your things?” I reminded my kids all the time the rules of the house, but they never seemed to obey them. I didn’t make the rules just for them to have something to do. I did it because not only does it make them responsible adults in the future, but it is also a sign of respect. It shows me that they respect me as their mother, not as their maid. I want them to respect me not because of what I do for them, but because of who I am. It was the same in the Old Testament. God didn’t establish rigid rules just to give them something to do. He gave them so when they obeyed it demonstrated their love for Him. The word covenant is important because God desired to have a loving agreement between Himself and His people. He didn’t want to force them into obedience. He wanted them to choose obedience. They demonstrated their obedience by following the law God had set forth. Just like I want my kids to choose to obey the rules so does God wants us to choose to obey him so that He can resume His place as their God. How do you demonstrate your love to God? Do you choose to obey God’s word? Habakkuk 2:2- Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run to tell the others.” I have had poor vision since I was in 6th grade. I didn’t realize my vision was getting weaker until I began having difficulty seeing the blackboard at school. I resolved the issue by asking my teacher if I could move my seat to the front of the classroom. Despite my new move, I also began to get headaches too frequently to hide anymore. Once I told my mother, she made an appointment for me to see the eye doctor. Just as we suspected, I needed glasses. I chose a beautiful pair of bright purple glasses—my favorite color! I placed them on my head with my new lenses. I remember seeing so much more that I had not noticed before. It was like a whole new world! Although I feared being made fun of by my friends, reclaiming my vision was more important than my vanity. Just as we all need our physical vision to see the world around us, Christians also need to have a vision, not only for themselves but for their churches as well. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Without clear vision, I was lost. Without clear vision, we would be lost, too. Writing down the Lord’s vision for them gave them a clear purpose to tell others about His goodness. Make a habit of writing down your vision each year. It doesn’t have to be at the start of the New Year; it can be at any time. What do you feel is the vision the Lord has given you? Write it down and put it in a place where you can review it frequently. After six months, evaluate that vision. Tweak if necessary. Do what you need to do to fulfill the purpose God has given you for your life. Have you achieved the vision God has given you? What changes do you need to make to achieve that vision? Joshua 24:26- “And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.” At a men’s retreat, my husband spoke about the Old Testament’s emphasis on writing things down so they could remember the good things the Lord had done. He gave each member who attended the retreat a stone had had them paint the following verse: “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15)." Like the Israelites, each man was supposed to place it somewhere in their home that would visually remind them of their commitment to lead their homes in service to the Lord. It wasn’t enough for them to speak the words; writing it down solidified their commitment. As a writer, I experience the joy of seeing an idea come to life through the pages of a book. It’s not enough for me to say I have an idea; the word becomes alive when written down. Just as my words become alive when written down, the Word of God also become living and active through the pages of the Bible. It is not enough for us to say we are Christian; we relive our commitment each time we open the Bible. In what ways have you been impacted by the written word? Do you have Scripture verses written down in your home as a daily remembrance? Proverbs 16:24- “Pleasant words are a honeycomb. Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I've struggled with back pain for over twelve years. Although it has never been debilitating to the point of inactivity, there are times when I have to take time off to rest. A few months ago at a conference, I identified several areas where my spiritual state was affecting my emotional state. One of the biggest areas I needed to work on was my anger. I was angry with people for circumstances that had occurred in the past, but I never dealt with it. Instead of talking with the person, I allowed negative thoughts to swirl in my head: Why does she have to be so mean? Why can't he help me when I ask him to? Why can't they pick up after themselves? I never said the words, but I allowed the words travel from my head to my heart, and they were affecting my physical state. After I let go of my past hurts, my back pain was healed! If I had realized how the negative self-talk and the words I had said to myself were affecting my physical wellbeing, I would have resolved it years ago. Words don't have to be said out loud to bring healing or sickness to someone's soul. Words we internalize can bring just as much benefit to us as to those we verbalize. Words are a choice. Choose wisely. "Let this be written for a future generation so that the people not yet created may praise the Lord." Psalm 102:18-20. Last week, my husband took my son on a special trip. They went to a hotel, ate lots of food, rode go- carts and swam in the hotel pool. But when the fun was done, my husband talked to my son about what it means to be a man. They took out their Bibles and explored what God's design was for sex, the changes that would take place to his body during puberty and when was the proper time to start dating. My husband and I never received that kind of talk when we were growing up, so we wanted to not only educate him at home, but also incorporate a biblical perspective. Too often, however, Christians separate God and life into separate categories—sometimes they intertwine but mostly remain separated. On Sundays, families worship God together, but the rest of the week is reserved for secular activities, almost never bringing God's word into their lives. The key to preserving the word of God for the next generation is not attending another Sunday school class, but applying what they have already learned there in practical ways. Preserving the Word is essential in ensuring the next generation loves God. But knowledge of the Bible can't remain in the head; it has to travel to the heart. In what ways can you help your child preserve the word of God in his/ her heart so that the next generation can learn to praise him? "Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for me against the sons of Israel.”- Deuteronomy 31:19 What started out as a normal conversation one day between a friend and I ended with us embroiled in a battle with both parties unarmed. No matter how hard I tired to resolve the matter peacefully, the worse the situation became. Both of us ended the conversation with hurt feelings and feeling personally attacked. For a few moments the peace in my heart was replaced with hurt and anger. But then I quickly realized that the friend I was speaking to was not himself. My friend quickly revealed there were other personal issues plaguing him. The exchange was dividing us instead of us dropping to our knees in prayer for each other and our ministries. So I decided to change my response. The next morning, I got up, put on the Christian radio station, and worshipped. Worship lyrics can transform even the hardest of hearts. Taking the focus off of me and onto God allows me to cast my cares onto God because He cares for me. It allows me to resist being selfish and embrace selflessness. It allows me to recite scripture and meditate on it so it penetrates my heart. Lastly, it allows me to give God the glory He is due. The enemy would love nothing more than for us to focus on ourselves rather than God. But identifying Satan’s attacks and rebuking them with the beauty of worship defeats the enemy that is trying to steal our joy. What is your favorite worship song or hymn? Share in the comments section below. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it…” Deuteronomy 30:14-16 (NASB) “I’ve had enough. I can’t take it anymore, Go to your room!” I shouted to my oldest child in a fit of rage. I noticed my fuse was getting a little short. But mounting bills, work demands and the sound of my son laughing and screaming in delight had sent me over the edge. I tried to be careful to be encouraging with my words to my children, but the furrowed brow and look of sadness that overtook my son’s face said it all. I had, in one sentence, wounded him. And like a spilled tube of toothpaste, I couldn’t take those words back. Like the above passage demonstrates, we have the power to speak life or death into others’ lives. As a mom, I have used my words to encourage others and also used them to cut, hurt and wound. If you are like me, you have difficulty forgiving yourself for saying those hurtful words in the first place. But there’s hope. You may not be able to magically erase damaging words, but you can mend the wounded relationship that comes as a result. Jesus, through his death on the cross, provides us an opportunity to redeem and mend the brokenness that results from damaging words. Here are some things you can do to mend the brokenness of your relationship: Exhibit humility- Begin by apologizing for your words. Ask forgiveness from your child. It not only teaches them parents make mistakes, too, but also helps them to extend and experience the gift of forgiveness. Create a choose life jar- If you have difficulty controlling your tongue, create a visual reminder. Decorate an ordinary jar and write the words “choose life” for everyone to see. Every time you catch yourself saying something unkind to your child, or hearsiblingscalling each other bad names, place a quarter (or a dollar) into the jar. At the end of the month, make a point to use the money to benefit the family by donating it to charity. Go out to dinner to celebrate when you’ve noticed an improvement in the amount of kind words used. Do some soul searching- Bad words come from a wounded soul, which can manifest as displaced anger. Journal your feelings and seek the Lord’s guidance. Ask the Lord to reveal to you the source of your anger. Are there unresolved hurts or wounds? Work to resolve them promptly so that you can replace your anger with peace and joy. We all have the power to speak life or death into our children’s souls. With a little help, we can turn the brokenness damaging words cause into words that breathe life into others' lives. “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."- Deuteronomy 30:19 In the final episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, Debra attempts to make amends with her mother-in-law, Marie. After she expressed her tearful remorse at the many years they spent butting heads in conflict, Marie responded with these words: "You know what your problem is, you're always so dramatic." Words come in many forms and under many guises. Some are encouraging and heartfelt. Others sound that way, but sometimes words clothed as encouragement are actually harsh criticism in disguise. My words have the ability to bring life or death to those who hear them. Just as I breathe in life giving oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, so my words should give out the same life that I take in. If I am the new creation in Christ that Paul tells me I am, then I need to act like it. That starts with my words. Do your words give life to those who hear them? What ways could you give life to others with your words? SAnd God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” Genesis 1 During my sophomore year of High SchooI, I ran for Student Council representative. Being an introverted teen, I hesitated to run, especially when I had to give a speech to the rest of my classmates. Walking up to the podium, I trembled as I grabbed the microphone, eyeing the bored faces staring back at me. "For those of you who don't know me, Let me explain you who I am," I began. "I'm the one sitting behind you in Spanish class who has no clue what our Spanish teacher just said. I'm the one struggling to find my seat in the cafeteria just like you. I'm the one shaking the vending machine in the cafeteria because it never works right. I am someone like you, and if you vote for me, I promise to listen to what you have to say. I can't promise that I can honor all of your requests, but I do promise to bring all of your requests to the council. Together we can work to make our high school the best it can be." When I stepped off the podium, my fear was met with cheers as the audience erupted with applause. With just a few words, I brought myself out from obscurity and into existence and brought light into an otherwise dark student council. Isn't it amazing that God chooses to use words to bring forth his creation? He could have waved his hand or snapped his finger. Instead, he uses the power of the tongue to bring forth the world. We are invited to be a part of the creative process as well and bring his goodness into the world. As a writer, I am grateful that my words can have the power to bring forth the gospel message to those that need to hear it the most. Whether I am deepening someone's spiritual walk or presenting the Good News for the first time, I, created in God's image, imitate his actions when I use my words to bring light into a dark place. Where can God use you to bring His light into the darkness? Share in the comment section below. |
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