Sometimes when I am feeling really low, the feeling is like being under a dark cloud.  It feels like shadows are all around, almost suffocating me.  Some important people in the Bible spoke in similar terms.

• Job said “My eyes have grown dim with grief; my whole frame is but a shadow.” (Job 17:7) He was suffering terribly because of all the terrible things that had happened to him, including the sudden death of his children.
• David said “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4).  Even though God had anointed David as King, and Saul had taken David under his wing, David was a hunted man. Saul turned on him and tried to hunt David down. And then later on in life, David’s own beloved son Absalom turned against him and he was on the run again.  David felt as though he was walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
• Isaiah said “So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.” (Isaiah 59:9).  This is how it felt to the Israelites in Isaiah’s day when they were far from God.

Did you ever think about the fact that you can’t have a shadow without light?  So one way to put it is that behind every shadow is a source of light.

• Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
• “….the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16)

My Daddy used to say that the sun was always shining.  Sometimes we could not see it for the clouds, but the sun was still there, above the clouds.  He’s right, you know.  If you are feeling like you are living under a dark cloud, that you are being suffocated by dark shadows, look for the Light.  He is always there.

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27)

Blessings,

Judy

You know the stereotype about men that they are too stubborn to ask for directions?  In my family it’s just the opposite, sad to say.  My husband will stop to ask for directions whenever he is lost, which rarely happens because he has a great sense of direction.  I, on the other hand, even though I am without any innate sense of direction, am very reluctant to ask for help.  I’m embarrassed to admit it; I know that it’s pride that prevents me from asking for directions or help. And if I do ask, it’s after I’ve gotten so flustered that I can’t even comprehend the information I receive.  I know, you are surprised to hear this about me, and I’m surprised that I’m admitting it to you.

I guess this is why I like my GPS so much.  But did you realize that if you input the address inaccurately, you will not get where you intended to go? Another tip, don’t make assumptions.  Before my younger son was old enough to drive, he was invited to a birthday party on Shute Lane.  I drove him up and down Shute Lane looking for the right house number — in Hermitage.  The party was in Gallatin.  Who knew there were two Shute Lanes?  And just one more piece of helpful advice:  a map of Nashville will do you no good in Atlanta, just saying.

As believers, we sometimes get lost on our spiritual journey.  And sometimes we forget until it’s almost too late that we have an excellent set of directions in the Bible, which contains instructions and directions for everything that we need to know in life. The Bible is so much more than a nice book for our bookshelf or something to carry to church.  The Bible is the perfect resource when we need advice or encouragement.   It can be so much more helpful to intentionally study it to know what it contains so that we know where to look when we have specific questions.  Besides prayer, it’s the most important thing we can do to grow spiritually.  Don’t be too proud to rely on God’s word as the map for your life.

 “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation …” (Psalm 25:4)

Blessings,

Judy

In previous Chaplain’s Corner emails, I have emphasized reading the Bible as the most important thing we can do to grow spiritually besides prayer.  This is because the Bible is God’s Word revealed to us.  You may say, rightly so, that God can speak to us in other ways.  In a recent Daily Hope devotional, Rick Warren wrote that God also speaks to us through teachers and through circumstances.

He writes:  “Have you ever been in a church service and felt like the teacher was delivering a direct message from God to you? There’s no way I or any other teacher could figure out exactly what to say to meet every need. But God knows. So before every service I pray, ‘God, you know the people and the needs out there. Give me the right things to say.’ Somehow, in the way only he can, God uses my teaching and the teaching of other pastors to meet the needs of people who are listening.”  And regarding circumstances, Rick says, “If you’re going to live a life of significance, God has to make constant course corrections, and one way he does that is through the circumstances that come into your life.”

While I agree that God speaks to us through teachers and circumstances, I believe we should always examine the teaching from these resources and circumstances to be sure they align with the Scriptures.  In short, the Bible is the benchmark, the standard by which all other teaching is compared.  Even when we believe that the Holy Spirit it speaking to us, know that the Holy Spirit will never contradict what is in the Bible.  As a disciple committed to spiritual growth and living the abundant life, it is essential to be in the Word, regularly and intentionally, so that we can recognize the truth when we hear it, and the false teachers when we hear them.

• Read your Bible according to a plan
• Participate in Bible Studies
• Meditate on the Scriptures

So, in summary be like the Berean Jews that Luke writes about in the book of Acts, and test everything through God’s Word as written in the Bible.  I am confident that  you will be blessed beyond measure if you do.

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalms 119:105)

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

Blessings,

Judy

“We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

Last week in Chaplain’s Corner I listed ways that we show our love for God.  This is the first and greatest commandment, after all, so as believers we want to get this right, right? The first step to loving God is to really realize how much He loves us.  To paraphrase Elizabeth Barrett Browning, how much does he love you?  Let us count the ways:

1. God created you and has ordained every day of your life (Psalm 139):

“¹³For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. “

God has an intimate knowledge of you.  He lovingly created you in his image, breathed life into you, and cares about your future.

2. God actively seeks a relationship with you and me (Revelation 3:20):

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

God is always there.  He is available and taking the first step to be with you.  The only thing you have to do is to hear him and open the door to let Him in.

3. God knows about our sin nature and slavery to sin, but because he loves us so much, he has already paid the price to purchase our freedom, and it was a costly sacrifice.  (John 15:13)

“Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends.”

God could have left us in our sin. Instead, he came up with the perfect plan to demonstrate his justice and his mercy.  All He needed was the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. Can you even imagine what it would take to put your child through a crucifixion? But he did that for you and for me.

4. God forgives us our sins when we confess and ask for forgiveness.  And better yet, he chooses not to hold our sins against us. (Hebrews 8:12)

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

What a relief, right?  Because we have committed some doozies, some shameful deeds.  We all have.  We’ve said and done things we shouldn’t have said or done, failed to do things we should have, and on and on.  And every sin we commit against someone here on earth is also a sin against God.  We hurt him so when we sin.  But repenting and praying for forgiveness is all God requires of us, and because of his great love for us he generously forgives us and chooses not to remember our sins against us.

5. God wants us to have a good life.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

 It might do us all some good to meditate on this scripture:  “We love because He first loved us.”

Blessings,

Judy

I must say that I don’t usually get my inspiration from a luxury hotel, but I have recently been struck by a quotation on the window at the Westin Hotel just up from the Men’s Campus at the roundabout, which reads, “Because to serve is first to love.” This was written by Giuseppe Cipriani, a famous restaurateur.  In researching this quote, I found that the entire quote reads like this “We call on man to display his splendid capabilities.  And we observe with undivided attention, because the little nuances in the quality of his service give a flawless measure of his mind, they tell us frankly what his soul is worth, because, to serve is first to love.”

Even though that is a secular quote about the restaurant business, I believe it to be very true of Christians in our daily service, in whatever we are called to do.  If our minds have truly been transformed by the love of God, then we will naturally exude love.  “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” John 4:8

When we love God, we are obedient:

“But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him…” 1 John 2:5

When we love God, we do right:

“This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.” 1 John 3:10

When we love God, we love others:

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:20

When we love God, we serve others:

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

 When we love God, we lay down our life for another:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16

 However, if we are in a serving role without having the love of God, then that service can have some negative impacts. If we are serving from any other motive than the love of God, then it is a self-serving service.  (If we are not serving God, we are ultimately serving self).  One big problem resulting from this kind of service is burnout because we don’t have the Holy Spirit to sustain us.  Another big problem is pride, and we can even become resentful in our service because we don’t feel appreciated for what or how we have given.

So, if our minds have truly been transformed by the love of God, then we will naturally exude love when we serve.  Just as God is love, we who know God and what He has done for us also love—it is who we are and what we do.  “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” John 4:8

 If you do not know God like you want to, then invite Him into your heart. If you do not know how to do that, then let me know and I will walk you through it.  He is there waiting for you to transform your life.

Blessings,

Judy

Back in January I went on an “audio binge.” I downloaded books and listened to them almost any time that I was not at work, church, or asleep. I listened to books while driving, walking, cooking, eating, working around the house, etc. When I was not listening to books, I was reading them. Sometimes I would listen to the radio or to CD’s, but the bottom line is that I was feeding something into my brain continuously. Although I did do my regular Bible reading and study, the audio and other books I’m referring to were not necessarily religious in nature. I must admit I was also kind of proud to be intentionally stimulating my mind and accumulating knowledge.

I love to read, so books are kind of my thing.  Maybe they are your thing, too. Or maybe you are one of those people who tend to wear headphones or earbuds so you can listen to music or talk radio all the time. Many of us will turn on the television whether there is anything on of value or not, just to get the stimulation or have something to do.

When I finally ran through my backlog of books, I took a break from the audio and began to realize what I had been missing.  I had been missing out on the sounds of life all around me. And I had been missing out on the voice of God. I began to realize that the devil was probably behind my binge “reading.” The devil took something perfectly good—books—and made them into a compulsion that separated me from God. I still had my relationship with God; however, just like my husband was having trouble getting my attention when I was absorbed in my books, so was God having trouble getting my attention.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a (NIV)

I used to think this verse meant to slow down, to take time to pray and listen to God. However, I now know that it also means to quiet my mind, to refrain from the constant input of external words, music, and sounds so as to give myself space and time to hear, to think, to meditate on God’s Word. I am enjoying this quiet time with God. I’m thankful that He rescued me from the constant input of audio books because they had actually been wearing on me. Now that I’m taking this time away from audio books, I feel such refreshment in my soul because I am allowing myself to be renewed by the Holy Spirit.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism contains this dialog:

• Question: “What is the chief end of Man?”
• Answer: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

St. Augustine said, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”

I pray that you will take time and make space to enjoy God, find rest in Him, and hear what He wants to tell you.

Blessings,

Judy

A few years ago, my husband and I took our five older grandkids on a road trip to Chattanooga.  I decided we needed a traveling song, so we learned and sang Chris Tomlin’s “Whom Shall I Fear” song.  They liked it so much that we still sing it.  Audrey likes for me to sing it to her before she goes to bed because she tends to be scared of the dark. The chorus goes like this:

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side.

The one who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies
Is always by my side.

Chris Tomlin’s song references the “God of angel armies.” The Message uses the term “God-Of-The-Angel-Armies” as the translation of the Hebrew phrase “Jehovah Sabaoth,” which is a common name for God in the Bible.  It is translated as “LORD of Hosts” in the KJV and “LORD Almighty” in the NIV.  (See translations of 1 Samuel 17:45-47 about David and Goliath, for example.) Easton’s Bible Dictionary says “It may designate Jehovah as either (1) God of the armies of earth, or (2) God of the armies of the stars, or (3) God of the unseen armies of angels; or perhaps it may include all these ideas.”

Can you just picture this? How many times do we casually use the term “heavenly hosts” without really thinking about the magnitude and power that it conveys?

When I hear this song and the reference to “God of Angel Armies,” I call to mind the story in 2 Kings, Chapter 6: 15-17.  The Arameans were at war with Israel, and the King of Aram was trying to capture the King of Israel.  The people of Israel were getting discouraged.

¹⁵“When the servant of the man of God (Elisha) got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked.

¹⁶ ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

I get thrills when I picture this!  This is a biblical event that I can call to mind when I feel overwhelmed by the enemy.  When I think I have no other options, I should realize that God and His angel armies are all around me.  Even though I cannot see them, I should realize that God is always protecting me, and if I will let him, He will fight my battles for me, no matter how seemingly impossible.

Whom shall I fear?  No one!

Who is always by my side?  The God of Angel Armies!!

Blessings,

Judy

I have really enjoyed Mary’s Sleep Tips, haven’t you? (This is part of the Mission’s Wellness Program.)  I admit, I’m a pretty good sleeper.  However, when I can’t go right to sleep I become very vexed.  Sometimes I just can’t shut my mind down, and sometimes I just don’t feel sleepy (even though I might have dozing in my chair before actually going to bedJ).

I thought I would share with you some things that seem to work for me when I am lying in bed not able to go to sleep:

1. Rather than feeling frustrated, I thank God for the extra time I have to spend with Him.
2. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me with whatever I am anxious about, and try to listen for His counsel.
3. I ask God to please help me go to sleep and to sleep well.
4. I list all the things I have to be thankful for, large and small.
5. I recite (to myself) the Scriptures I am currently trying to memorize and meditate on them.
6. I go over the books of the Bible.

Sometimes these work and I do go on to sleep.  Occasionally, I end up spending hours on the six items above.  When that happens, rather than feeling like I have wasted a night I instead feel like I have had a fruitful and blessed time with the LORD.

I’ll add one more thing to Mary’s Sleep Tip that was posted last Thursday.  If you are anxious about anything, please remember that I am here for you.  You can email, text, call, or come by (appointment or drop-in).  I am a confidential resource for you, and I am always pleased to be able to listen, to pray with you, and perhaps offer counsel if appropriate.  My office hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and alternating Wednesdays (typically the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month) and I am on both campuses as needed.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Blessings,

Judy

 “I know that my Redeemer lives!” We just celebrated Easter, exulting in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead and lives at the right hand of God.  He is our living Lord!! This is the good news of the Gospel, but maybe in the reality of your actual life, this good news doesn’t always seem to be enough?

Do you know about the Job of the Bible? Job experienced terrible physical pain, absolute financial ruin, and the tragic deaths of all of his children at the hand of Satan. I honestly have never known anyone who has had it worse than Job; he lost everything except for his wife and a few “friends.”  And for the first half of the book about him, Job in utter misery cursed the day of his birth, complained about his problems, and wished for death; in fact, he said he wished he had never been born. This is a picture of someone who is completely hopeless (he said his spirit was broken).  Perhaps you can identify with Job, at least at some level.  To add to Job’s problems, his friends tried to “counsel” him and just made it worse.  Maybe you can even identify with that.

However, about halfway through the book, Job arrives at this wonderful statement of faith: “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”  (Job 19:25-27)

When Job acknowledged his trust in God and proclaimed the sovereignty of God, his life changed.  In the end, Job’s fortunes were restored.  Not all of us start out rich, and even if we trust in God we may not end up with earthly riches.  But when we trust in God and acknowledge that our Redeemer lives and that He holds our future in his hands, we will have the life that God intends for us, and it will be worth living. The words of this song by Matt Maher speak to this truth.  Read this (click on the link to hear it).

Because He Lives (Amen)

I believe in the Son
I believe in the risen One
I believe I overcome
By the power of His blood

I was dead in the grave
I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name
He rolled the stone away

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life my future in His hands

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives

Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives
Because He lives

I pray that you will know the perfect peace that comes from really knowing your living Savior and trusting in Him.  Amen.

Blessings,

Judy