Chaplain’s Corner – Rechargeable

Jan26

It is interesting to me to consider how I prepare for a trip now as compared to years ago.

  • I used to leave my destination phone numbers with my family in case they needed to reach me. Now that’s not necessary because I have a cell phone and can be reached anytime.
  • I used to take a stack of books (I like to read), but now I take my Kindle, or I just read on my cell phone.
  • I used to print out directions from MapQuest, now I just check Google Maps on my cell phone.
  • I used to make all kinds of advance preparations, but now I don’t worry so much because I have my laptop and can email or check balances—all that kind of thing; or I can use my cell phone.

These electronic devices are life savers, so long as they are charged! And, as important as it is for me to bring my cell phone, Kindle, and laptop, it is equally important that I bring my chargers. Without these chargers, I am helpless because all these devices that I depend on are useless when the battery runs down.

Now, the important thing is to ensure that my devices are charged before they run down at the most inappropriate time. I must have chargers and access to an electric outlet, or I must have battery backup. These are now essential to my life. Does this sound ridiculous? I hope not. In fact, I’m sure you must agree with me. It’s just a physical fact. We might get mad at our cell phones when the battery runs down, but aren’t we usually more mad at ourselves for not taking the obvious step to get the thing charged?

Guess what: our bodies are no different. They can only run so long without recharging. It is a physical fact of nature. This is how God made us. In most cases, to think we are different is to deny God’s plan for us. Remember, our God gave us the Sabbath, and Jesus said that Sabbath was for man. God desires good things for us, and that includes good overall health.

In fact, there are four dimensions to our overall health. These are mentioned in Luke 2:52 – “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” If we want to imitate Jesus, then we also will see the need to grow and be daily recharged in these four areas.

  1. Physical Health (stature)

“For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).

  • Mental Health (wisdom)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

  • Spiritual Health (Favor with God)

“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, so you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:3-4).

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:32).

  • Relational Health (Favor with Man)

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

I realize that many of you are working so many hours that you can’t think about doing anything else. However, the whole point of this message is to grow more Christ-like and to be refreshed, renewed, and recharged so that we can be our best selves as we serve God. We work hard, but we take care to ensure that we are also making good use of whatever time off available to eat well, work out, sleep, read the Bible, talk to God, and spend quality time with our family and friends. Most of us, if we are honest, waste time; for example, watching mindless television during which we say we are resting. But, is that the best way to rest? Are we really recharged by watching Homeland, Scandal, or even Hallmark?

Just like it seems to be inconvenient to put the cell phone on the charger regularly, it may seem inconvenient to recharge ourselves. However, if we don’t, the cell phone, and ourselves, will become useless over time, and potentially unrevivable. Don’t let that happen. Take care to take care of yourselves. To be an adult is to realize that no one will take responsibility for your health but you.

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:20-24)

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – What Is God Doing?

Jan19

 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” Judges 6:13a

You are not the first person to have ever said or thought this, just saying.

Gideon was a leader in the time of the judges. The Israelites were resettling in Canaan after their exodus from Egypt. Although many of the surrounding nations had been conquered, there were still some remaining groups who were causing trouble, especially the Midianites during this particular time.

Gideon, encouraged by the Spirit of the Lord (Judges 6:33-35) had called his people to arms and had assembled a large army of 32,000 men. What happens next defies logic. God told Gideon he had too many men and proceeded to systematically whittle down the army to 300 men. Yes, you read correctly: from 32,000 to 300 men (Judges 7:16-22). God said that anyone who was afraid could go home, and 22,000 men went home! Then God devised a test based on how the remaining men drank water from a brook. The 9,700 who knelt to drink were sent home, leaving the 300 men who lapped the water like dogs.

With these 300 men, a tiny fraction of the original army, Gideon went up against a Midianite army of 135,000. (This would have been intimidating with the original army of 32,000.)  And here’s what happened (Judges 8:10-12):

“Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. 11 Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the unsuspecting army. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.”

When I read this story in my daily Bible reading last week, I could not help but think about our Nashville Rescue Mission staff. Despite all our efforts, we cannot seem to get to a full staffing situation. With the labor shortage and the pandemic, we have too many unfilled positions and too many who cannot come in because they are either sick or have been exposed. It is disheartening to see our numbers dwindle, and overwhelming when we are faced with numbers of desperate people we are called to serve with such short staffing.

This is what we need to take away from this story:

  • Our work is God’s work. “Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s’” (2 Chronicles 2:15b)
  • God is sovereign. “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:7)
  • God has already won. “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 15:11)

So, I’m going to say something that you may not like, but know that I am talking to myself as much as to you. Because we have this assurance, we don’t need to worry or fret when someone doesn’t show up for their shift. We don’t need to get frustrated. We don’t need to feel defeated. And, we don’t need to complain.

God has chosen us as his “Gideon’s Army.” We may be tiny, but we have the Spirit of the Lord to go with us and fight for us. Therefore, we need to believe that every challenge is an opportunity for God’s providence to be magnified. We need to be confident, joyful, patient, persevering, positive and trusting.

I know this is hard; I know it’s human to feel down when you are so tired and frustrated, especially when you don’t see results or even some gratitude. It seems like it takes more energy to be positive, but that’s not really the case. According to WebMD: “We may not have the technology to measure it, but you probably know what negative energy feels like. It can come from negative people, from your surroundings, or from your own psyche. It can leave you exhausted both mentally and physically. Negative energy perpetuates itself, therefore, breeding more negativity. Learning to deal with negative energy is important for your health and happiness.”

On the other hand, according to this Johns Hopkins website: “…there is definitely a strong link between ‘positivity’ and health. Additional studies have found that a positive attitude improves outcomes and life satisfaction across a spectrum of conditions—including traumatic brain injury, stroke and brain tumors.”

The website references some ways to develop positivity. But the most effective way is to just ask God. If you genuinely want to share this victory with God, just tell Him and then follow His lead. “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Matthew 19:26).

God has a way of taking something small and doing something big. Don’t let the enemy take your joy, no matter what the circumstances. We saw that God reduced the forces of Gideon to prove that the victory would be His. God was fighting for Israel. God is fighting for us. “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Dirty Jobs

Jan12

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

Did you ever watch the series, Dirty Jobs, hosted by Mike Rowe? I was first made aware of it back when I worked for Caterpillar (immediately before coming to the Mission). Rowe thought Cat was ideal for partnership with his business, so he became our spokesperson because our construction equipment was used in the most basic and, let’s face it, dirty, endeavors. As he put it, Caterpillar was there, first on the scene, ensuring that the dirt was moved and the basic infrastructure was put into place for many of America’s buildings, bridges, dams, and highways. When a project is completed, you rarely see the part that Caterpillar played, but the work was essential all the same.

If you were to ask an equipment operator what he was doing while at work, he might say “I’m digging a hole, or just moving dirt.” But he could say, “I’m participating in a project (hydroelectric dam) to ensure that millions of people will have affordable electricity to heat their homes and cook their food.” The latter statement recognizes the big picture, and that vision should keep him going, even when the bulldozer gets stuck in the muck.

From my vantage point, I can’t think of a literally dirtier job than what many of you here at the Mission are faced with daily. And I know it is discouraging because for all your efforts, it seems we never make the progress we would like; we don’t see the life change that needs to be made, it seems like the complaints exceed the gratitude, and it seems like the more we serve, the more helpless and hurting people continue to walk through our doors.

Daily, you are a witness and obedient to the Scripture from Deuteronomy 15:11a “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.”

It can be so disheartening and discouraging. What can we do? How can we go on, working these “dirty jobs?” Here are some reminders that should help:

  1. Remember that God sees everything that you do.

He sees the work of your hands, and he knows the desires of your heart. He sees your circumstances, and the reactions to all your efforts. “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17-18).

2. Remember that God cares for you, even if it seems like no one else does.

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

3. Remember that God will protect you.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2).

4. Remember that God will strengthen you.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

5. Remember that our God is Sovereign.

We may not know His immediate plans, but we know His character and we know the outcome. God says in Isaiah 43:19, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

The reference to dirty jobs above reminds me of the story about the stonecutter, who when asked what he was doing, said he was building a cathedral. All anyone could see were the big rocks he was chipping away on, but he knew his higher purpose. That cathedral probably wouldn’t be finished in the stonecutter’s lifetime, but he was fulfilling his purpose.

It’s the same with us here at Nashville Rescue Mission. The work that you perform daily, mostly unseen and unrecognized, is fulfilling a higher purpose. You are doing God’s work. Like the bulldozer digging the foundation hole, the results of your labors may go unseen; however, know that when you are obedient to His will, He will bless you in His loving way and in His timing. God is Good, All the Time. All the Time, God is Good.“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).  

In Christ

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – We Will Not Be Overcome

Jan5

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:19).

As we have been learning in our weekly Tuesday Bible Study, Jeremiah was called as a prophet to the nation of Judah during its last years before the inhabitants were deported to Babylon. He was active for some 40 years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah in 627 BC, through a total of five kings, to the fall of Jerusalem in 587. He was called to tell his people that they would be punished for their sins. He told them they would be removed from their Promised Land and that they would need to accept this as the consequence of turning away from God. As this was an unpopular message, he was very unpopular and was threatened and attacked many times. For this reason, he was known as the “weeping prophet.”

Perhaps you feel this way, as if you are called to a thankless task. You show up, day in and day out, and minister to our guests, program participants, and staff. It seems like the problems are insurmountable, and no one is grateful. In fact, you may become the object of their frustration stemming from everything else in their lives because you are a convenient target. Like Jeremiah, God has a word for you:

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you.”

The good news for us, as it is for them, is that for all who believe, we will be rescued. In fact, Jeremiah gave the Jews this truthful and hopeful message from the Lord, as recorded in Jeremiah 29:10-14:

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Friends, you have the same promise from God. Your time on this earth may feel like captivity. Have hope. God has better plans for you.

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).

And the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in you. Take heart from these Scriptures and from this encouraging and inspiring song from Jeremy Camp.

Same Power, by Jeremy Camp

I can see
Waters raging at my feet
I can feel
The breath of those surrounding me
I can hear
The sound of nations rising up
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

I can walk
Down this dark and painful road
I can face
Every fear of the unknown
I can hear
All God’s children singing out
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

We have hope
That His promises are true
In His strength
There is nothing we can’t do
Yes, we know
There are greater things in store
We will not be overtaken
We will not be overcome

The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

Greater is He that is living in me
He’s conquered our enemy
No power of darkness
No weapon prevails
We stand here in victory

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Unity

Dec29

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Unity

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I usually write about resolutions and goal setting in January, but I almost always begin thinking about this process beginning around Thanksgiving. I am a planner by nature, and I love to have goals to work toward. As I look to the Bible for guidance, I am compelled by the Scripture above that whatever my goals, seeking first the kingdom should be my first and foremost goal. Which brings me to a big question: How do I press on toward this goal?

The previous four devotions were about four qualities, or virtues: trust, wisdom, love, and joy. We explored each one to understand the biblical definition and what we can do to grow in this virtue. Today we are focusing on the fifth and final virtue, “Unity.”

Some phrases come to mind when I think of unity, such as “one mind,” “one accord,” “better together,” and “strength in numbers.”  Patrick Henry used the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” in 1799 to encourage the new United States of America; Abraham Lincoln used the phrase “A house divided against itself cannot stand” in 1858 when running for President to warn against disunity. Their language comes from the Bible. “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” Mark 3:25).

Many verses in the Bible reinforce the theme of unity. But who are we to be unified with? And why? And then the big question: How?

  1. We are to be unified with Christ and our fellow believers. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). All to often, I think we get confused about what side we are on, or maybe we create too many divisions and begin to segregate ourselves accordingly. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called” (Ephesians 4:3-4). According to Jesus, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). There are only two sides—we are with Jesus, or we are against him. There is no “in between.”
  • The reason for unification is to build up the body of Christ to maturity in faith. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

How do we attain unity? Caution: this is the hard part. We must surrender our pride in wanting “it” to be about us; thinking we are better than our fellow believers, wanting our own way. The Apostle Paul exhorted us over and over regarding unity.

  • He exhorted us to humility: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. (Romans 12:16). “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself” (Philippians 2:3).
  • He admonished us to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing…” (Philippians 2:14). Both actions refer to interpersonal conflict. Grumbling, or making negative comments about others, threatens unity through sinful gossip. Disputing, or senseless debates or confrontational quarrels, threatens unity through sinful confrontation. We are not to threaten unity.
  • He exhorted us to forgive and to love each other: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:13-14).
  • He exhorted us to be intentional about reconciliation with each other:“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20). I can’t think of a more compelling, encouraging, and hopeful reason to strive for unity with all our fellow believers.

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Joy

Dec22

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, as we anticipate the coming of Christ during this Holy Season, I am writing about joy. It is the time to rejoice with exceeding great joy! As in the first three goals of this series (trust, wisdom, love), joy is in our control. We can choose to have joy, to be joyful, just like we can choose to trust, to gain wisdom, and to love.

I’m no psychologist, but I believe that most humans are inclined “go negative” without some intentional changing of the mind. An article from Psychology Today bears this out. So, to be joyful requires an intention, a choice, a follow-through.

Perhaps it would be helpful to describe or define “joy.” One good definition from Christianity Today is this: “Simply put, Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives.” Joy is not being giddy regardless of what is going on, it is not denying our hurts. The fact is that for many, the Christmas season is painful and depressing, and perhaps for valid reasons. So how can we be joyful when we are hurting?

The great news is that we are not on our own. We do have help. Joy is actually a fruit of the spirit, meaning that is a gift or empowerment to all believers by the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our Savior. In fact, not only is it available, but joy is also necessary to our Christian walk and testimony. Christians are known by their fruit. Do you want to be known as a Christian? It’s not enough to say you are a Christian. You and I must walk the talk. So then, how do we exhibit the joy that is the fruit of the spirit?

First: Realize that joy is not mutually exclusive with other emotions. Of course, you will mourn and grieve a loss, but you can still have hope. Of course, you will likely experience pain from sickness or injury, but you can still be thankful. Of course, you will be angry when you see someone mistreated, but you can still allow God to use you. Of course, you will be frustrated when troubles come your way (and they surely will), but you can still be content. In other words, don’t think that to be joyful you should not feel pain, bereavement, anger, frustration, etc. Jesus himself felt bereavement, pain, anger, and frustration.

Second: Remember that as believers, regardless of our circumstances, we always have Jesus. He is in us, and we are in Him. The Apostle Paul reinforces, writing from prison while anticipating execution: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). Jesus himself says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And James tells us to “consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Third: Reframe your mind to have a joyful mindset; in other words, determine to be joyful. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Decide that your contentment will be in your relationship with Jesus. Intentionally look for beauty in your surroundings, whether it be in a flower or a child’s smile or in a kind gesture, and give thanks to God.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth: Reflect on your day, repent when you have failed, and resolve to do better tomorrow, with the counsel of the Holy Spirit. We are disciples on a journey; we are pressing on; we are not there yet, but one day we know we will experience joy that knows no bounds. “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have the best reason in the world to be joyful. Let us rejoice with the Wise Men at this most joyful time of year:

“When they heard the king (Herod), they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:9-11)

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Love

Dec15

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, and seeking first the Kingdom as our priority, today’s devotional will focus on pressing on by working toward greater love. We have already discussed the goals of greater trust and greater wisdom. In the weeks to come we will discuss greater joy and unity.

Today I will write about love. Here are some strong statements, commands even, about love from throughout the Bible:

  • “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
  • “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:28; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27
  • “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
  • “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12
  • “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

How will I focus on obedience to these commands to love God and love one another? I think this is a very challenging goal because we (or maybe I should just speak for myself) are naturally very self-centered. Perhaps that is why Jesus told us that the second greatest commandment (after loving God) is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus also gave us the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

If our standard is how we love ourselves and want to be treated, then we have a guideline for how we should love others. In fact, as he is prone to do, Jesus gave us an even higher command. He said to love others more than ourselves, in that we should be willing to lay down our lives for another. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).  And he was our model.

How do we learn to love like Jesus?

  1. We recognize that every human has been made in God’s image. James confirms this when he recognizes the doubleminded nature of our speech, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness” (James 3:9).
  2. We cannot truly love God and others unless our hearts are in the right place. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). In other words, we love because of Jesus; we love out of gratitude for his love for us.
  3. We make the Golden Rule our baseline: we treat each other better than we expect to be treated.
  4. We commit to love as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
  5. We are especially mindful of what comes out of our mouths. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).

This is just a start, but if we can pursue these objectives we will be off to a very good start in growing in our love for others.

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Wisdom

Dec8

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, and seeking first the Kingdom as our priority, today’s devotional will focus on pressing on by working toward greater wisdom.

I admit I am a sort of knowledge junkie. I love to learn new things, and I love to share that knowledge. However, what I really desire is to be able to impart wisdom. That is, I really want to be able to give sound advice at just the right time.

The Oxford Dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have.” Notice that wisdom is based on knowledge and experience. Logically, then, you can have knowledge and experience without wisdom, but you can’t have wisdom without knowledge and experience. Knowledge alone can even be dangerous, but wisdom is the right application of knowledge.

As believers, we desire an even higher goal of biblical wisdom, which has as its foundation love for God and for others as we seek to discern what is right and how to live godly lives based on our knowledge and experience. If we want our wisdom to be godly, then we must ensure that our knowledge is from the Bible and that our experience is in the context of the church and good Christian leaders. “Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer” (Proverbs 13:20 (NCV)). But first and foremost, if we want godly wisdom, we need to ask God for it. James 5:7 reads: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Wisdom benefits both ourselves and others. The Book of Proverbs is a wealth of knowledge about wisdom. From Proverbs, here are just a few reasons to pursue godly wisdom:

  • To get guidance: “…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…” (Proverbs 1:5).
  • To find the right course of action: “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path” (Proverbs 2:9).
  • To find favor with God and other people: “Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
  • To please God with my life: “For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians in his first letter, verse 1:20 asks: “Where is the wise person? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” Then he answers his own question in verses 30-31: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

To summarize how we press on to gain godly wisdom in support of our desire to press on to the goal of seeking first the kingdom:

  1. We continually remind ourselves and reinforce our knowledge of the wisdom from God by reading God’s Word.
  2. We develop our relationship with Christ by praying to him and thanking Him for his guidance.
  3. We ask Him specifically for wisdom, both daily and in the moment (James 5:7).
  4. We acknowledge the Holy Spirit as our Counselor, and rely on His counsel moment by moment, for each thought that we think, each word that we say, and each action that we take (John 14:26).
  5. We intentionally seek the friendship and counsel of godly and wise people (Proverbs 13:20).

It’s just that simple. If our motivation is to glorify God and edify others, I am confident that God will bless our thoughts, words, and deeds and we will be empowered to act with wisdom. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Trust

Dec1

“Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I usually write about resolutions and goal setting in January, but I almost always begin thinking about this process about now. I am a planner by nature, and I love to have goals to work toward. As I look to the Bible for guidance, I am compelled by the passage above that whatever my goals, seeking first the kingdom should be my first and foremost goal. Which brings me to a big question: How do I press on toward this goal?

Here are five objectives that are worthy of working toward in our efforts to reach the goal:

  1. Trust
  2. Wisdom
  3. Love
  4. Joy
  5. Unity

This Chaplain’s Corner will focus on #1: Trust. Trust in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is foundational to the Christian faith. In fact, “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States of America. But do we?

What do we mean by “trust?” For our purposes, this concept shares some meaning with faith, belief, hope, and surrender. When we trust someone, we have faith in them, we believe them, we hope in them, and we surrender our well-being to them. Or perhaps it’s the reciprocal: when someone trusts us, they have faith in us, they believe us, they hope in us, and surrender their well-being to us. Sometimes trust must be earned. Sometimes, it is there until it is lost by a negative behavior.

Another way to define trust is to consider its opposite: distrust. Why would you distrust someone? Because they don’t do what they say they will do, either because of lying or just not being dependable. One must have character and competence. One without the other just doesn’t work. Also, we distrust someone who doesn’t have our backs; perhaps they have ulterior motives, or just are not concerned for our best interest. When you are relying on someone with something that is important to you, for example, a medical professional, a legal professional, or someone responsible for the care and education of your children, you must be able to trust them.

The Good News is that the most important person in our lives is Christ. In Him we place all our hope, faith, and belief for our eternal lives. And he is entirely worthy of our trust. We can rest in Him, confident that he is willing and able (he has character and competence) to save us. He has our backs. In Him we have our rest.

So how do we exhibit trust? How do we work toward the objective of trust?

  1. We continually remind ourselves and reinforce our knowledge of His Goodness by reading His Word.
  2. We develop our relationship with Him by praying to him and thanking Him for his Goodness.
  3. We go to Him with our needs and refuse to worry about our circumstances, knowing that he has promised to prosper us and not to harm us.  
  4. We let go of our hurts, forgiving others, and resolving to live in peace with other; trusting the LORD to avenge and make everything right.

Over and over in the Bible we are admonished not to trust in kings or other men, but instead to trust in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Let us encourage each other as we commit to growing in how we live out our trust in the LORD.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Gratitude for Provision

Nov24

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2

God made us to have certain physical “needs.” We need food, water, shelter, clothing. Most of us have lived through times of hardship as well as times of relative prosperity (I say relative because prosperity means different things to different people and doesn’t always mean money). I grew up with the essentials but not really any extras. In my adult life we have had times when there was more “month than money” if you know what I mean. But somehow, we always made it.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about our physical needs. Paul, who also experienced his own ups and downs, goes a step farther than just not worrying or even coveting what someone else has. Paul encourages us to be content in our circumstances. He says “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

And what is that secret? Paul trusted God. He knew that “… my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Let us give thanks for a God who answers our prayers, even the ones that seem unanswered. Let us give thanks to God who gives us what we need. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 8:7-11).

Let us give thanks to our Good Father for His provision. Just as he sent manna from heaven to the Israelites (Exodus 16:35), just as he kept Elijah supplied with flour and oil (1 Kings 17:16), God will provide. He is Jehovah-Jireh (check out both the NIV and KJV).

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).

In Christ,

Judy