Giving Him All the Glory

     Looking back over my life, I have come to realize just how God has put so many things together that I could never have imagined.  I bet that has happened to you as well.  We make our plans, as the Bible tells us, but it is God who directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
     When I graduated from high school, I fully intended to become a high school teacher.  My area of study was in communication (public speaking, debate, theater, radio) with a minor in English.  Upon graduation, I applied for and was accepted for graduate study at The Ohio State University, but by then, I had met my future husband who also would be going to the same college.  After a year of graduate study, I stopped pursuing my master's degree, and we were married.  People have asked if I ever regretted not completing
that degree and the answer would be no.  However, I did wonder if I would ever use my teaching skills.  Little did I know what God would do.
     While at Ohio State, both my husband and I became committed to the Lord Jesus Christ just three months before we married.  This changed the course of our lives in ways we could never have anticipated.  For example, I never dreamed I would be homeschooling our four children one day.  Yet God directed our steps both as a couple and individually.
     Many of you have been plunged into the new world of homeschooling your children and working from home.  No one saw a pandemic coming that would seemingly shut down our lives for a while.  Behind it all, though, God is at work.  He gets all the glory, and when this time is over, we will see more clearly how He has been at work.
     Recently, my Son posted a wonderful tribute to my ability to home educate, and also work at my husband's optometric practice off and on as needed.  He said "I was a saint".  To that I say a humble thank you as I am a "saint" as far as my relationship to Christ, but I give God all the glory for giving me the ability to do what He called me to do both in the home and out of it.  Each of us has talents, gifts and abilities to serve one another and the Lord.  So when we succeed, all the glory goes to God for allowing us to use them to be a blessing.
     In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes:  "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."  This is the secret of our success.  It is the power of God living in us to help us to fulfill what He has called us to do.  William Gurnall, an Anglican clergyman who lived 1616-1679, wrote in his book "The Christian in Complete Armour", the following:  "True faith is full of self-denial.  Faith keeps us low.  Paul didn't want us to be mistaken - 'It is Christ that lives in me, I don't live in my own power.  It is Christ that keeps house.  I mortify my corruptions and vanquish my temptations, but I am a debtor to Christ for the strength'" (11: 35-36).  What wonderful words for us to remember.
     This life is not about me and how many trophies I can accumulate.  Certainly, that is the message of this world, but if you believe that, you are headed for a burn-out eventually because you are running on your own steam.  However, when God calls us to a job, a vocation, or even to pandemic caused homeschooling, we have to turn to Him for the strength to do what is needed.  Why?  Because He receives the glory by our obedient efforts and He supplies what we feel we may lack.
     When people are blessed by what I write, I give the glory to God if it assisted them in their faith.  I don't do it for me...but for Christ.  In the same way, our pastors preach not to call attention to themselves but to share from God's Word that He may be glorified in our lives.  It is not about us at all.  Recalling the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it reads: " What is the chief end of man?"  Answer:  "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever."  For this purpose, we were created!  We find our satisfaction, completion and wholeness when we are found in Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, when we bring glory to Him, we are fulfilled.
     Let us remember that when we succeed as a Christian in whatever way God has called us to serve (at home, in a job, or in some other capacity) we are to give Him the glory.  Paul writes in Colossians
3:23-24:  " 23Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, 24because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.…"  Remembering this will keep us humble and allow us to shine for Christ.  Selah!
   

There is Power in the Blood

     This is Holy week for Christians.  A time of preparation for the greatest story ever told:  the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Yet, this year it is very different for all of us.  We are not able to attend services and fellowship as we would normally do but we can meditate on what Jesus did for us in the quiet of our own homes.  Like those in the persecuted church,  we must confine our faith within the borders of our own four walls until the current illness passes; so this should be a time to think on what Jesus did for us.
     After my walk this morning, I started singing a song I haven't heard in a number of years written by Andrae Crouch called "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power".  The first verse is so true:
     The blood that Jesus shed for me
     Way back on Calvary
     The blood that gives me strength
     From day to day
     It will never lose its power
     It reaches to the highest mountain
     It flows to the lowest valley
    The blood that gives me strength
     From day to day
     It will never lose its power.
     No matter what our circumstances, the blood of Jesus Christ made a difference for you and I.  It tore the curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the people meaning that we can now approach God directly through the blood of Christ.  Having that access means that God sees us as righteous because of our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  He no longer sees our sins.
     When I picked up a daily devotional book
("Voices from the Past" Vol. 2 pg. 98)  I read this Scripture:  2 Timothy 4:18:  "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom."  Then Thomas Brooks (a voice from the past) wrote these words that lifted me up:  "The imputed righteousness of Christ will answer all of the fears, doubts and objections of your soul.  How shall I look up to God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I have communion with a holy God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I find acceptance with God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I die? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I stand before the judgment seat? - In the righteousness of Christ" (Thomas Brooks, Works, v.:238-240).
     Because of what Christ accomplished in his life, death and resurrection, we are now accepted by God as righteous when we believe in Jesus Christ His Son.  He paid the price for our sin, and now we have access to God every day no matter where we are.  This is the wonder and message of Holy week.  We may not be able to gather as we normally would, but we can rejoice in the knowledge that our salvation is complete in Christ.  There is nothing we can add or take away.  As Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished."
     Thomas Brooks went on to say something we need to meditate on this week:  "The righteousness of Christ is your life, your joy, your comfort, your crown, your confidence, your heaven and your all. In righteousness you may safely and comfortably live, and happily and quietly die."  His blood has given to us the strength for each day.  Yes we shall get through this time of isolation because the blood of Jesus Christ will never lose its power.  We are free in Him and His righteousness!  Selah!

Being a Light in the Dark New Reality

     In the last few weeks, we have all experienced some changes we never thought we would see in our lifetimes.  No longer do we gather in our churches for worship.  Now we watch our services online.  Even Bible studies, home groups and youth groups are meeting online due to the pandemic spreading across our country.  Certainly this is something none of us ever considered a possibility.  However, there has never been a better time to use the technology that God has allowed us to develop over the years.  While safely remaining in our homes to limit exposure, we are able to see others over the internet and even pray together.  Certainly, it is not as warm as when we can be near one another, but it certainly beats the isolation people must have felt during the Plague.  With this in mind, lets look at the positive things that God is doing through this calamity.
     First, families are being together for longer periods of time than ever before.  Those of us who are working or have worked at some point often longed for more time with our spouse and children.  Like it or not, God has given us time to grow in this area.  For those who are now having to home school their children for a while, the Bible can now be taught daily in the curriculum.  There is time for prayer and eating together rather than running in ten different directions.  Children can learn new practical skills like cooking, baking, cleaning the house, and helping with the laundry.  On top of all this, there is time to have family devotions.  Deuteronomy 11:19 tells us this about teaching our children God's truth:  "Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  Now is the perfect opportunity.
     Secondly, this is a great opportunity for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ over social media, and when we encounter our neighbor (while observing social distancing).  Being on Facebook, Instagram, Parler or Twitter, there are many ways we can share Scripture, point to Christ, and proclaim our faith.  Each day, I have been uplifted by hymns, Christian musicians, and even pastors who take the time to offer a moment of prayer for our nation via Facebook
.  This is happening all over the internet. I have been surprised that even on Twitter, which is usually very contentious, people are talking more and more about prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ and how we can help one another at this time.  Remember the admonition that the Apostle Paul gave us in 2 Timothy 4:2:  "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction."  This is our call and especially now when we have a captive audience so to speak on the internet or even in our neighborhood.  We have prayed for a revival.  So let it begin with us.
     Finally, God has given us an opportunity to build our trust in Him through prayer.  This current pandemic is beyond our control.  No one can wave a magic wand and make it go away.  The doctors, nurses, first responders and military are doing all they can along with our leaders to stop this infection, but ultimately, God is sovereign.  He controls all things and desires that we depend on Him.
As the Apostle Paul clearly told Timothy (in 2 Timothy 1:7):  "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control. "  Other versions say "a spirit of fear".  We are not to be afraid of the things we are seeing.  Instead, this is a chance where we can lean into the everlasting arms for comfort and strength.  He is our refuge and our rock and we cannot be shaken.
     As we think on these positives, lets remember that the world and the Enemy of our Soul would rather drag us down into fear and insecurity.  Since Jesus has overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil by His death and resurrection, we, too, can be overcomers at this time on the earth since we belong to Him.  May we shine as lights in this dark world right now and add salt to our world by standing strong in Jesus Christ and using every opportunity to do good while we can.  Selah!