Tag Archive | Nashville Rescue Mission

Chaplain’s Corner – Responsive Hearts, Step 2

Mar23

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).

This Lenten season we have been focusing on the heart, which we define biblically as “the ‘basket’ term for our mind, our will, our emotions, and our conscience.” We are describing the pathway by which our hearts respond and therefore change from rebellious to renewed during the remainder of these Lenten devotionals.

The first step on the pathway is recognition, which means that we see our sin the way God sees our sin. Only God’s viewpoint is totally objective as He is the standard of true righteousness.

The second step on the pathway is responsibility.

Have you ever noticed when someone at a prominent level apologizes for something that went wrong—they say something like “Mistakes were made”? That is NOT an apology. That is not an admission of any personal responsibility.

  • Remember what Adam said when God confronted him about the apple: “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree.”
  • Remember what Aaron said when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf? Read Exodus 32:17-24 for a sadly amusing example of abdicating responsibility for blatant sin. And we are still dealing with the disastrous consequences.

“Maybe we say, I don’t know how that happened, it is so NOT like me!” Well guess what: it is just like you. Jesus tells us In Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”  Our reactions to our environment and circumstances reveal what is in our hearts.

Only a responsible heart will take ownership and therefore be broken because of sin. A broken and contrite spirit goes beyond confessing. Confession is rooted in the knowledge of sin. Contrition is personal responsibility for sin. David had a contrite heart. He wrote in Psalm 51:17 –

“My sacrifice, O God, isa broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

In the literal sense, contrition means crushing. Have you ever had that realization of the crushing nature of your sin? Can you identify with David when he realizes the truth of Nathan’s charge against him, “You are that man!” Count the personal pronouns in Psalm 51 (I counted 36 times in 19 verses). This psalm was written by a man who took personal responsibility for his sin.

When we blame others, then nothing changes. But when we accept responsibility, we can run to God, begging for his forgiveness, and he will not withhold. This is the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of recognizing and owning our sin. Praise the Lord who is a loving and forgiving God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Responsive Hearts, Step 1

Mar16

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).

This Lenten season we have been focusing on the heart, which we define biblically as “the ‘basket’ term for our mind, our will, our emotions, and our conscience.” Week One we talked about God’s heart. Last week we talked about our hearts, and how they cannot initiate any good thing but only respond to God’s love. During the remainder of these Lenten devotionals, we are going to identify the pathway by which our hearts respond and therefore change from rebellious to renewed.

The first step on the pathway is recognition.

Recognition means that we see our sin the way God sees our sin. No other viewpoint matters—not our own, not the other party’s viewpoint, not any onlooker’s viewpoint. All those are subjective viewpoints, and often uninformed. Only God’s viewpoint is totally objective and totally informed, as He is the only standard of true righteousness.

We often want to make excuses or rationalize our sin. We jokingly say, “The devil made me do it.” But seriously, when we sin, our sinful nature tries to make excuses for our actions without recognizing that it is really our sinful nature that is the culprit. When Peter got to know Jesus as the righteous God, he then recognized the extent of his own unrighteousness and proclaimed, “I am a sinful man.” The tax collector said “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Notice he did not say, I am sorry for the sinful things I have done; instead, he recognized that he himself was sinful and asked the only one who could offer the only thing that would deliver him: Mercy.

When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he could have blamed her for taking a bath on the roof where he could see her. He could have rationalized that as the king, he could/should have anything he wanted. When he had Uriah killed, he could have said he was going to die anyway since they were at war. In fact, it was not until David was confronted by the Nathan who used a story to help David to understand the extent of his sin that David said, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:11).

Then, David wrote in Psalm 51:3-4, “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight….”

Don’t we have similar tendencies? When we are angry, we blame the person who provoked us. When we exhibit greed and gluttony, we blame our circumstances. On a good day, we will tell the person to whom we were rude how sorry we are, but we might just go as far as to say, “I’m sorry you were offended.” How is that an admission of guilt? So, it is their fault we responded unkindly? Perhaps we blame our inappropriate conduct on the fact that we were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but whose fault was that? It all comes back to the fact that “I am a sinful man.”

This goes against so much popular psychology where the goal is to protect our self-esteem. Popular psychology would have us to affirm ourselves, even our sinful selves, rather than recognizing the real root of the problem. How can this bring healing? When we do not confront the real problem, how can we ever progress along the path to healing and renewing our hearts?

Our sin separates us from God, but the good news is that the Gospel brings us back into relationship. The good news is that our sinful nature can be covered by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we believe. Although Peter did not feel worthy to be in God’s presence, notice in our key scripture where he positioned himself—at Jesus’ knees. That is where we also belong.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – God’s Heart

Mar2

Today is the first day of the season of Lent in 2022. While this season is not observed by all denominations–including mine–I like to observe it because it gives me a time for focus and preparation leading up to Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A good starting point for this time of preparation is to meditate on God and his character, his heart.

In this case, the heart is more than the organ that pumps blood. Biblically, the heart is our soul; it is “basket” term for our mind, our will, our emotions, and our conscience. When we say, “I know her heart”, this is what we are referring to—the mind, will, emotions, and conscience. So, how can we learn about God’s heart? A good way is to read the Psalms, especially those written by David. We know that God considered David to be “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). When we read David’s Psalms, we learn about David’s heart; and therefore, we learn about God’s heart.

Here is one of my favorites: Psalm 103. We can learn so much about the character and heart of God from meditating on this Psalm of David.

1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,  and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Lost and Found

Feb23

“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”  (Matthew 18:12-14)

This story demonstrates the value God places on each human being, and Jesus encourages us to reflect the same care. God so loved the world, and he is concerned for each person, even the one that strays.

This is what is so wonderful to me about Nashville Rescue Mission—the rescue part. I am mindful of a quote from Charles Spurgeon:

“Oh, how we ought to love sinners, since Jesus loved us, and died for us while we were yet sinners! We must care for drunkards while they still pass round the cup; swearers even while we hear them swear…We must not wait till we see some better thing in them but feel an intense interest for them as what they are – straying and lost.”

Isn’t that what we do so well. And isn’t that just a reflection of what God does? And not only that, but God also rejoices when each sheep comes back into the fold. It reminds me of the stories of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son in Luke Chapter 10.

Many years ago, I was at a company Christmas party at one of the nicest hotels in Nashville when I absent-mindedly started rubbing my ring finger. With growing horror, as I pretended to listen to the person I was talking to, I realized that the diamond to my engagement ring was missing and all I was feeling were the prongs to the ring. I could hardly wait until the conversation ended so that I could break eye contact and look down to confirm what I feared—my diamond was missing! This was the engagement ring that my husband-to-be had given to me a year before our wedding. Although it was a tiny diamond, it meant the world to me. I had polished my nails right before leaving the house, so I just knew I would have realized its absence then, so logically it must have fallen out in the car or at the hotel.

As soon as I could break away, I confided in Barbara, a co-worker, and she immediately dropped to her knees to retrace my steps from the ballroom back to the entrance. Mind you, she was dressed elegantly in a long dress and high heels, and so was I, but I felt I had no choice except to imitate her, so I also dropped to the floor. Just picture this sight: at this very fancy party in a very fancy hotel, she and I crawled our way down the carpeted hallway back to the elegant front entrance, in our festive attire, looking from right to left all along the hallway. Finding nothing, I then went to the car and searched, and again, found nothing.

Weeks later after I had given my diamond up for lost, I was changing out my pocket calendar for the new year (this was before we had any electronic devices), and somehow or other, my little diamond was in that pocket in my purse! You cannot imagine my joy!! I jumped up from my chair (I was at work), and I ran around the office showing everyone my diamond. I called my husband, and I’m sure I would have put it on Facebook if there had been such a thing. This story seems a bit silly to me now, but I still remember the joy I felt when I found the diamond that had been lost.

Think about something precious to you that you feared you had lost, only to find it later or have it returned to you. But here’s where the similarity ends between my story and God’s story. I had no idea where my diamond was or that I would ever find it. And my diamond was an object with no will of its own. But God knows exactly where you and I are. And all God requires is that we surrender to his pursuit, in other words, all God requires is our repentance and willingness to be found. And then, nothing can compare to the joy God feels when we are found by Him, and the celebration begins! God’s Great Dance Floor (Chris Tomlin)

I have been focusing these past few devotionals on God’s heart for us. It’s a tendency sometimes to feel lonely, alone, distant from our family, friends, and coworkers. We can feel like no one loves us, no one really cares. But–and not to minimize–these are feelings which are not always reliable. What is reliable, what we can trust with our lives, is God’s love for his Creation, His love for you and me. He loves us, he pursues us, and nothing makes Him happier than when we fall into His arms, allowing Him to rescue us.

“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 10:6-7).

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 10:10)

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 10:32)

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – One Thing

Feb2

Last week, the Chaplain’s Corner was about recharging yourself for God’s work. I imagine that if you even had time to read this, your first thought was “when will I have time to do all this? Don’t you realize the hours I’m already working?” Let me just respond by suggesting that you look at the life of Jesus. A participant in one of my Bible studies made a remarkable statement last week about the life of Jesus. She said something like this:

“Even though Jesus knew he would only have about three years of ministry, and even though he know more than anyone the scope of the need for his ministry, he was never in a rush.”

I’m telling you, that really spoke to me. Just give me a deadline and I become a whirling dervish of activity. I can easily become more concerned about the doing than who I am doing it with or for, just being honest.

What was Jesus’ secret? How could he be so “in the moment” and unharried? Let’s look at some examples

  • “My job is to the ones my father gave me. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38-39).
    • Jesus knew what his priorities were, and who he answered to.
  • “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love (Lazarus) is sick.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’” (John 11:3-7)
    • Jesus knew that God was ultimately in control of his schedule.
  • “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). “Therefore Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am notgoing up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” (John 7:6-8)
    • Jesus knew that God was sovereign over his time.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus often got alone, not just for some rest and a change of pace, but also that He might spend time in communion with His heavenly Father. Notice these observations by His disciples:

  1. “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, and He was alone there for forty days, except for when the Devil came to tempt Him” (Matt. 4:1–11).
  2. “After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” (Matt. 14:23).
  3. “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
  4. “When it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place” (Luke 4:42).

Jesus often sought solitude to have time alone with his Father. Jesus not only modeled prayer in solitude, He exhorted us to do the same: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matt. 6:6).

Jesus also found time to be with his disciples, with his friends, and even with sinners and Pharisees. It seems that he liked a good party. There are stories about his inviting himself to Zacchaeus’ (tax collector) house and also having dinner at Simon’s home. His first miracle was at a wedding, which was always a large family affair.  Here’s a passage about dinner with Matthew:

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”’ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.’”

I mean, shouldn’t he have been at the synagogue reading the scrolls? Or just maybe this dinner party was the better opportunity, and he took advantage of it.

When Martha got upset about Mary who just wanted to hang with Jesus rather than helping in the kitchen (after all, it was nearly time for dinner and all these people are coming), Jesus chided her, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” In 2022 I am challenging myself to live more like Jesus did, and to be concerned about the One Thing that is worth being concerned about, and that is to seek the presence of my heavenly Father.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4).

In Christ,

Judy

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 – 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