After grad school, I was determined to find a job as an athletic trainer in professional baseball. I was so determined that I sent my resume to every professional baseball organization whether they had a job opening or not!

Soon after I sent my resume out, I received many letters back from these organizations stating that they had no job positions open. Funny though…these letters that were sent back were addressed to me as Mr. Taleen….instead of Miss Taleen!

You see I was trying to break into a very male-dominated field…having a woman athletic trainer in professional baseball was unheard of! These organizations saw my name…had no clue I was a woman…and just assumed I was a man. I even had one organization call me for an interview and ask to speak with Mr. Taleen… How quickly their tone on the phone changed from enthusiasm to disappointment upon the discovery that I was a woman!  FYI…I didn’t get that job.

After all my efforts and determination, I actually did get a job offer and worked for the Chicago Cubs professional baseball organization for 3 years. Because it was very uncommon for a woman to have this job position in professional baseball, I had multiple TV interviews and newspapers contacting me to do stories about being a woman in this male-dominated field.

And while I was breaking these barriers, my goals of being the first woman in my position to hopefully move up to the Major League level began to define me. I found value in the attention I received and the accomplishments I was achieving. I was a woman breaking the barriers in a male dominated field. That’s who I was…

So what about you? Who are you? Who are you …really?

Are you really the person that people think you are? Are you really the person that you think you are?

Where do you find your identity?

Our identity is…what defines us…what gives us our value…what gives us our worth.

Oftentimes, we find our identity in our jobs/occupations (like I did)…in our accomplishments and achievements (like I did)…in our material possessions…in social media…in who others think we are…and even in who you think you are!

In addition…as women…we can base our identity and value on certain roles and tasks that we do…for instance, our role as a wife or a mother. And we can evaluate our worth as a woman against how well we perform those tasks.

We may compare ourselves with others…judging our performance against others’ performance. If we are doing well relative to others, we feel good about ourselves …but if we aren’t…we often feel like a failure.

I have experienced this personally as a mother. It’s easy to compare yourself to other mothers and think… “Wow, she is so patient with her children! I can’t do that!” or “Wow, she is such a good mother…her children are so well-behaved!”

In Luke 10:38-42 we find the story of Jesus visiting his friends…2 sisters named Mary and Martha. And it is in this passage that we will see how one of these women struggled with her identity.

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” NIV

Now it may not seem so obvious but Martha…although she had been touched by the love of Jesus… believes her significance and value are found in doing…doing many things…making preparations like cooking and cleaning!

The key to seeing Martha’s identity crisis is actually found in Luke 10:40. Martha shows frustration not only in the fact that her sister Mary is not helping her but also in that Jesus doesn’t seem to care or recognize all that she is doing!

And to top it off, Jesus commends her sister Mary for choosing to do what is better!

Can you imagine how Martha felt? She was cooking and cleaning and making preparations. She was serving Jesus!

Even though what Martha was doing was certainly honorable,  Jesus had to remind her of something that can easily be forgotten in the midst of our busy lives…our value…our worth…our identity…are not determined on how we behave or perform on a daily basis.

Our value and identity are not based on what we have done…or will do…but on who we are in Christ. Our identity in Christ is a gift of God’s grace…not a standing we can earn by hard work and good intentions.

Your identity is in this constant state of chaos and change and influenced sometimes positively and sometimes negatively. What this leads to is a very inconsistent emotional and spiritual life. These are the things that may explain you, but they do not define you. Mark Driscoll

Our identity is in Christ and who He says we are!

So who exactly does Christ say we are?

Well, for starters, we were bought at a price! (1 Corinthians 6:20) What price? At the price of the blood of Christ being shed…At the price of Jesus dying on the cross for us! God sacrificed the life of his very own son for us…if that doesn’t make you feel valuable I am not sure what will!

Psalm 139:14 also states that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The context of the word fearfully here refers to the respect and reverence God has for us when He created us! This also demonstrates the value we have in God’s eyes!

Check out these scriptures to further understand who God says we are!

We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. 1Peter 2:9

He chose us in Him before the creation of the world…Ephesians 1:4

He predestined us to be adopted as his [daughters] through Jesus Christ…

He gave the right to become children of God… John 1:12

We should be called children of God…1 John 3:1

You are all [daughters] of God through faith in Christ Jesus… Galatians 3:26

You are fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…Ephesians 2:19

Our citizenship is in heaven…Philippians 3:20

He set His seal of ownership on us…2 Corinthians 1:22

We are God’s workmanship… Ephesians 2:10

God made you alive with Christ… Colossians 2:13

God has made also an heir… Galatians 4:7

I have called you friends… John 15:15

If anyone is in Christ, [she] is a new creation…2 Corinthians 5:17

We are therefore Christ’s ambassador’s… 2 Corinthians 5:20

[God] seated us with Him in the heavenly realms… Ephesians 2:6

Doesn’t that just blow your mind?!! To be bought at a price…to be made fearfully…to be chosen…to be God’s daughter…to be considered royalty…to be an heir…to be seated with Him in heaven…just to name a few!

As you read through these scriptures, you can see not only who you are…but whose you are!

Allowing your identity to be in anything other than Christ will leave you disappointed. Because everything in this world is subject to change…but only Christ is unchanging.

I continue to attend athletic training conferences to keep up my credentials…and I still have young ladies come up to me sharing how they know who I am…one of the first women athletic trainers ever in professional baseball!

I just smile…My identity is in Christ now…because that’s what defines me…because that’s where my value comes from…because that’s who I am now.

Reflection Points:

1)      Who are you really?

2)      Where do you find your identity?

3)      Is your identity in Christ?

4)      Who does Christ say you are?

Action Points:

1)      As Christians, it is important that our identity is in Christ. If we put our value and worth in anything other than Christ we will be disappointed.

2)      We can easily put our identity in other things but by understanding and studying what God says about us, we can accept who we are in Christ.

3)      Review the scriptures listed to gain a better understanding of who you are…and whose you are!

When I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior a number of years ago, I vividly remember how excited I was!  So excited that I couldn’t wait to share the news with my family and friends…hoping they too would accept Jesus! So excited that I was ready to quote them Bible scriptures and point out their sin…explaining their need to accept Jesus!

I remember sharing my excitement with my brother who was experiencing some difficult circumstances in his life at that time. I thought to myself… “If he just accepted Christ, his life would get better!” He pushed me away and didn’t want to hear about Jesus.

I remember sharing my excitement with my friends and hearing them say I was going through a phase and thinking I was part of a cult now. They too pushed me away and didn’t accept my life-changing experience of becoming a Christian.

I even recall sharing my excitement with my mother. Her response?  “So what does that mean…are you gonna marry a Pastor now?” …showing no enthusiasm for my new life with Christ.

I had encountered Jesus and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior…and my heart’s desire was to see others come to know Him as well!

Although my excitement was certainly warranted about sharing the message of Christ, my methods in sharing this truth with others were quite possibly not the best. Do you share any similar experiences too?

One of the most truly amazing encounters with Jesus recorded in the bible is the encounter between Jesus and an unnamed woman at a well. It is referred to as…the story of the Woman at the Well…also known as the story of The Samaritan Woman.

It is a story of a woman whose name and age we do not know…a story of an unnamed woman who has a life-changing conversation with Jesus…a conversation considered to be the longest one on one chat recorded in scripture! That just might be enough to spark our curiosity of this story’s significance!

This encounter between Jesus and this unnamed woman…recorded in John 4:1-26… is full of many important lessons for us today… but one lesson may not appear as obvious.

If we examine this encounter more closely, we will see something very interesting…something we can so quickly overlook…something we can so easily miss…a hidden message that certainly has practical benefits for us.

And that is the way in which Jesus brought the truth to this unnamed woman.

Jesus comes and sits at the well for a moment while his disciples go into town for food. While Jesus sits and rests, our unnamed woman comes to the well to draw water. Jesus asks her for a drink. (John 4:4-7)

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” John 4:7 NIV

Practical Point 1: Even though Jesus knows who she is and what her issue really is, He first establishes a relationship with her.

Many times we think it takes time to build a relationship but it may only take a few moments to establish rapport with someone. Here we see Jesus developing a rapport with this woman so that she would be more open with Him.

Check out the woman’s response after Jesus asks her for a drink.

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) John 4:9 NIV

The unnamed woman is surprised when Jesus asks her for a drink! Why?

Well, not only was it unheard of for a rabbi to speak to a woman in a public place, but Jews looked down on Samaritans because they had intermarried with the nations around them and were no longer “pure-blooded” enough to be considered true Jews.

Practical Point 2: Jesus demonstrates His love for her. It didn’t matter to Him that she was woman or a Samaritan.

When we share the truth with others, love should be our motivating factor. A person’s socioeconomic status, race, age, or any other stereotype should not prevent us from sharing with others the truth about Jesus.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10 NIV

Jesus points out that if she knew who He truly was she would be willing to ask for the living water which can only come from Him. It is this living water that ultimately and forever quenches your thirst and satisfies the soul’s desire.

Practical Point 3: Jesus speaks of normal and ordinary things but leads her to talk of spiritual things.

When sharing the truth with others…like Jesus did…it’s important to be relevant and relatable. It is so easy to jump into spiritual things…it’s so easy to point out a person’s sin…it’s so easy to throw bible scriptures out…but to really impact others who don’t know Christ, we should talk about normal and ordinary things in life and find that common ground with them first.

Now the woman asks Jesus for the living water that only He can give… but check this out! Look at Jesus’ response!

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” John 4:16 NIV

He is getting to the point by revealing the truth of her spiritual condition…her sin which is now coming out of the darkness and into the light. And Jesus is doing this without being combative or judgmental!

He isn’t wacking her over the head with the Bible or beating her down with scriptures about her sin…He isn’t accusing her of being an adulteress or harlot…He isn’t telling her that she is a sinner and is going to hell. And note… He isn’t compromising the truth here either.

Practical Point 4: Jesus gets the truth revealed about her sinful life in a manner that doesn’t beat her up and abuse her spiritually. He does it in love…leading her to spiritual things…leading her to the living water…leading her to the truth.

What a great story for us in presenting the truth of Jesus Christ to others! In this story of the Samaritan woman, Jesus spoke the truth but did it in a way that was respectful and with love.

1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV

I know sharing Christ with others can be difficult at times…especially with our families and close friends. Jesus presents an example for us to follow. Every situation will not fit exactly into this example and timetable… but the principles can certainly be applied and followed. The message of Jesus Christ never changes…but for some of us…the method of sharing Jesus may need to change.

Jesus demonstrates the importance of building relationships and rapport…Let others see your walk…not just your talk. In time, they will see your changed life and new heart.

Jesus demonstrates His love for this woman. He chose to travel through Samaria…He didn’t have to…but He loved her so much. He went against what a respectable Jewish man would do…He spoke to a woman of the hated Samaritan race…but He loved her so much. He knew she was a social outcast…He knew she had a bad reputation…He knew she was a sinner…but He loved her so much.

Love should be our motivating factor in sharing Christ with others. And that love can be seen through our actions in serving and going out of our way for others…like Jesus did.

Jesus demonstrates the importance of being relevant and relatable. Meet people where they are at. Show interest in their life and be relatable.

I may not have started off with the greatest wisdom in sharing the truth with my family and friends…and that’s ok. I have learned a few things since then.

Update: After my bother showed no interest when I shared the truth with him, I prayed for his salvation every day. Three months later, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior when a Harley Davidson minister shared the truth with him. And He has continued to live his life as a Christian for over 10 years now!

My mother accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior after her hairdresser shared the truth with her. Two years after her salvation, my mother passed away. I am so thankful I will see her again in heaven one day.

Our job is not to save people…that’s Jesus’ job. Our job is to develop relationships with others and share the truth with them in a loving, respectable, and relevant way.

And only God knows the encounter that will one day set them free…like the unnamed woman at the well! Let the example of this encounter serve as one practical method for us to follow in sharing Jesus with others!

Reflection Points:

1)      Were you excited to share with your family and friends the truth about Jesus after accepting Him as your Lord and Savior?

2)      How did they respond?

3)      Did you point out their sin and give them bible scriptures explaining their need to turn to Jesus?

4)      How effective is this method of sharing the message of Jesus Christ?

Action Points:

Review the story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well and allow it to serve as a method to share the message of Jesus Christ with others.

A number of years ago I was flipping through the channels on the television when a woman speaking on a Christian station caught my eye. She was sharing her story of how she had come to know Jesus. For many years, she had worked at an abortion clinic and assisted physicians in performing thousands and thousands of abortions.

One day, someone shared with her the Gospel of Jesus and she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Immediately after this life changing moment, she went back to the abortion clinic and shared Jesus with the physicians and her coworkers…explaining the importance of not performing these abortions. They wouldn’t listen to her.

She walked away that day from her job…a different person…a new creation…a child of God…a changed life.

She continued to explain how afterwards she experienced many years of shame and guilt as she would replay in her mind the many babies that she had helped abort. She had confessed her sin to the Lord…but she couldn’t forgive herself. How could she?!! I mean all the lives that were taken away because of her hand …

Are you carrying shame…guilt…regret today…even after confessing your sin to the Lord? Are you struggling to forgive yourself from past mistakes and failures? Is the burden of guilt weighing heavily upon your shoulders?

Jesus’ disciple…Peter…aka Simon Peter… is a great example in the Bible of someone who made some mistakes…some big mistakes… and who most likely struggled with guilt and regret too.

So what exactly did Peter do?

John 18:25-27 records the account of Peter denying that he knew Jesus…not just once…but 3 times! He knew Jesus personally as his friend, his teacher, and his Master. He spent a lot time with Jesus…and yet his fear drove him to failure…and denying his association with Him!

Can you imagine what Peter must have thought… how he may have felt…after denying Jesus 3 times?

Peter…realizing his mistake…demonstrates afterwards his deep sorrow and repentant heart as he “went outside and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:62 NIV

Peter said he would never deny Jesus and he blew it! He probably thought that now he would be disqualified from ever doing the Lord’s work again…wouldn’t you?

After Peter denies Jesus 3 times, we see in John 21:1-14 that Peter decides to go fishing. You may be thinking…so what is so significant about that?

Well, considering that Peter’s decision to go fishing occurs after he denies knowing Jesus, we can assume that Peter is more than likely not feeling too good about himself at this point and not really sure if Jesus would want him as his disciple anymore. Why?

Because by saying, “I am going out to fish.” John 21:3… Peter is going back to his previous life as a fisherman. He may have thought… “I have totally failed the Lord…I feel so guilty and ashamed… I can’t forgive myself …I will just go back to fishing.”

With the weight of guilt hanging heavy on his shoulders…Peter returned to his old life of fishing. He probably replayed the tape of denying Jesus …over and over in his mind. He couldn’t forgive himself and maybe he wasn’t even sure if Jesus would forgive him either.

Sound familiar?

Have you ever felt guilty for something you have done and wondered how God could ever forgive you?

Do you know that no sin…mistake…or failure is too big or too great for God to forgive?

Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from EVERY lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:14 NASB

Do you tend to replay your mistakes and failures over and over again in your mind…even after asking for God’s forgiveness…but just can’t seem to forgive yourself?

It isn’t always easy to forgive ourselves for a wrong that we may have done. And there are certain things that we may have done or we punish ourselves for…over and over and over again! The shame …the guilt…the regret…can seem unbearable and almost impossible to overcome!

So how can we get past these feelings of shame…guilt…and regret…that keep us chained to our past?…that keep us focused on our mistakes and failures?

The answer…accepting Jesus’ invitation to “Come and have breakfast.”

Check this out! What is truly amazing is that after Peter and the disciples went fishing, Jesus says, “Come and have breakfast.” John 21:12.  Jesus took initiative to invite Peter to breakfast.

Unfortunately, too often, especially when we are experiencing guilt and deep regret, we do not pick up on the Lord’s invitation.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 28:11 NIV

We may not hear the Lord’s voice and invitation because we are too busy beating ourselves up over our past and are stuck in our shame….stuck in our guilt…stuck in our regret.

Peter could have refused Jesus’ invitation to breakfast. He could have said, “I am going to stay right here. I am not going to risk it….I am not going to risk failure again. But he didn’t…he accepted the invitation and came to breakfast with Jesus.”

The biggest obstacle in self-forgiveness is the tendency to stay focused on our own self-guilt.  God doesn’t want us to dwell on our past mistakes, failures, and sin…He wants us to be free!

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1NASB

God says that He will trample our sins under his feet and cast them into the ocean depths (Micah 7:19)…and that He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more! (Psalm 103:10-13)

If God removes our sin and remembers them no more…then who are we to remember and carry the burden of shame and guilt?

True freedom from shame and guilt comes because of what Jesus endured on the cross.

Simply put…when we can’t forgive ourselves, then what we are really saying is that what Jesus did on the cross wasn’t good enough! The beatings, the torture, the blood that was shed…the death, burial, and resurrection…wasn’t good enough!

It wasn’t good enough? Really?

Of course it was! …We can be free of all guilt and shame… and the Lord will even heal our hurts/pains when we confess our sins…ask for the Lord’s forgiveness…and accept Jesus invitation…like Peter…to come and have breakfast.

Accept Jesus’s invitation that His grace is sufficient and our slate is clean!

My grace is sufficient for you… 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Jesus’ invitation to Peter to Come and have breakfast is a demonstration of Jesus’ love, compassion, forgiveness, grace, and mercy towards us!

Let’s move forward today…be free of all shame and guilt….accept Jesus’ invitation of forgiveness…and forgive ourselves!

Reflection Points:

1)      Have you ever felt guilty for something you have done and wondered how God could ever forgive you? Do you know that no sin…mistake…or failure is too big or too great for God to forgive?

2)      Are you carrying shame…guilt…regret today…even after confessing your sin to the Lord? Are you struggling to forgive yourself from past mistakes and failures? Is the burden of guilt weighing heavily upon your shoulders?

3)      Do you tend to replay your mistakes and failures over and over again in your mind…even after asking for God’s forgiveness…but just can’t seem to forgive yourself?

4)      So how can we get past these feelings of shame…guilt…and regret…that keep us chained to our past?…that keep us focused on our mistakes and failures?

Action Points:

1)      The first step is understanding that no sin…no mistake…no failure is too big or too great for God to forgive.

2)      The next step is asking Jesus for forgiveness by confessing and repenting (turning away from your sin.)

3)      We must then accept and understand that God removes our sins and remembers them no more. It is accepting that God’s grace is sufficient and Jesus’ death on the cross is enough to cover all our sins…every single of one of them!

4)      God doesn’t want us to carry the burden of shame and guilt. He doesn’t want us to condemn ourselves for our past mistakes and failures. (Romans 8:1)

5)      Nowhere in the bible does it talk about us forgiving ourselves. By understanding this…we can then forgive ourselves and accept Jesus’ invitation like Peter to come and have breakfast.

A couple of years ago, my husband Billy was loading up the back of his SUV with baseball equipment. It was a windy day here in Arizona…what we call monsoon season. (FYI…for my non-Arizonians…Arizona monsoons range from minor dust storms to violent thunderstorms characterized by heavy winds and accompanied by thunder and lightning often leading to heavy downpours.)

All of sudden, I heard Billy yelling for me. I ran outside and I couldn’t believe what I saw. Our next door neighbor’s tree had fallen on top of the SUV! With Billy inside of it! No joke! Thankfully, no one was hurt and there was very minimal damage to the truck considering the size of this tree and its long branches!

I remember this tree in our neighbor’s yard because it always looked very interesting….as it grew up vertically it also grew out horizontally. I was so shocked and amazed that a tree of this size had actually uprooted from the ground and had fallen over. I would have bet any day that its roots dug down deep into the ground! I was apparently wrong.

What a great metaphor for our own lives as we grow in our relationship with Jesus! The importance of being rooted deeply in Christ so that when the wind blows and the storms of life come we will be able to withstand them and not fall over.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

Colossians 2:7 is a great biblical scripture that I find so fascinating because it is full of metaphors. And if we dig deeper into this scripture, we can not only gain a greater understanding of these metaphors for growth but also see how to apply them to our lives!

Grow Downward

Let your roots grow down into him… 

Paul…the writer of Colossians…uses an agricultural image here…Unlike the tree that fell on my husband’s SUV, a tree must put down deep roots in order to find nutrition and to provide stability.

Just as a tree is “rooted,” we are to be grounded in the soil of God’s word. We must go deep with Christ in order to find the fuel we need to flourish and for stability to withstand the storms of life.

They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:8 NLT

One commentary states…Believers are sometimes compared to trees, and are trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord; and their root is Christ, from whence as such they spring, and by whom they are filled with the fruits of righteousness; in him they are to abide, keep close unto him, and walk in him; deriving all their life, nourishment, fruitfulness, grace, and perseverance in it, from him as their root. Gill’s Exposition

Grow Upward

…and let your lives be built on him.

Paul moves to a construction image here to show that as our foundation is built on Christ, we must continue to add on so that we are “being built up in him.”

…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ephesians 2:20 NIV

So what exactly does it mean that Christ Jesus is the chief cornerstone?

In biblical times, buildings were often made of cut rock. A cornerstone was a big stone placed at the intersecting angle, where two walls of the building came together. By uniting these 2 walls, a cornerstone helped align the whole structure and tie it together tightly.

And so similarly, Jesus… the chief cornerstone…holds everything together and provides alignment and stability to our lives!

They [believers] are also sometimes compared to a building, to a house, a temple, an habitation for God; and Christ is the sure and only foundation on which they are laid, and where they are safe and secure; and, being fitly joined together, grow up as an holy temple to the Lord; and this being their case, they are to go on laying the whole stress of their salvation on him, building their faith and hope of eternal glory entirely upon him; Gill’s Exposition

Building our foundation on the chief cornerstone…the solid rock of Jesus Christ… is so important for our spiritual growth. As Christians, we are in no way exempt from crises or storms coming our way and so by putting God’s word into practice, we can stand firm when our foundation is tested!

As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. Matthew 6:47-48 NIV

Grow Inward

Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught.

We must be taught the word of God in order to grow in our faith.

It is so important that we are not just attending church on Sundays but also participating in weekly bible studies, small groups and studying God’s word daily on our own.. We are to be students of the Word and as a disciple…always learning.

It is important that we are putting ourselves in an environment where we can study God’s Word and be strengthened on a regular basis.

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJB

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 KJB

Grow Outward

…you will overflow with thankfulness.

The more we study God’s Word, the more we understand God’s grace. The more we understand God’s grace, the more we will overflow with thankfulness.

A thankless person betrays a life which is no longer focusing on the greatness of Christ. Author and Pastor Kent Hughes

A heart that overflows with thankfulness stays focused on God…not on ourselves or our circumstances. It is only by grace and the appreciation of what we have received though Christ’s death on the cross that we will overflow with thankfulness in all circumstances.

Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

So are you growing downward…growing upward…growing inward…growing outward in your relationship with Christ?

Colossian 2:7 provides great metaphors for growth in our lives as Christians…

Grow downward…by being “rooted”

Grow upward…by being “built up”

Grow inward…so we can be “strengthened in the faith”

Grow outward…as we “overflow with thankfulness”

Reflection Points:

1)      Are you Growing Downward? Are you “rooted” in Christ? Are you letting “your roots grow down” in Christ for nourishment and stability in your life?

2)      How do you respond when crisis or the storms of life come your way?

3)      Are you Growing Upward? Is your foundation built upon the chief cornerstone…the solid rock of Jesus Christ?

4)      Are you Growing Inward? What are you doing to grow and be strengthened in your faith?

5)      Are you Growing Outward? Are you overflowing in thankfulness? Or has your focus turned from God to your circumstances?

Action Points:

Review the paragraphs above to understand the metaphors for growth depicted in Colossians 2:7 and apply them to your life.

There are certainly no dull moments having 2 little boys! My oldest son Connor is 5 years old and my youngest son Bryce is 3 years old and even though they have many moments of not getting along, they do have moments where they play together wonderfully…what I would consider “happy mommy moments!”

Oftentimes, my boys pretend to be warriors and run around the house with Styrofoam swords. And Connor…being the older brother…tends to take advantage of his little brother…not surprising.

When Connor chases Bryce…I have observed… that Bryce will not draw his sword to either defend himself or strike Connor back. He runs away! (I guess I would too if I was 3 years old!)

When Connor catches up to Bryce and strikes him with his sword, Connor will then run and hide. Bryce feeling defeated, begins to cry. Ok, game over…

As I began to reflect upon this scenario with my boys, I thought…Gosh, Bryce has a weapon…his sword…to fight Connor back with!  But he won’t draw his sword! He won’t pull out his sword and actually use it! (Ok, I know he’s 3 years old but stay with me here!)

Just as Bryce has a weapon…this sword…in his possession to fight…

We too as Christians have a weapon…not a Styrofoam sword…but the Sword of the Spirit…to fight…to fight against the enemy and his lies, deception, and schemes!

And let’s not fool ourselves…there is an enemy…Satan…the devil…whatever you wish to call him…who wants more than anything to defeat us as Christians and make us less effective in spreading the Good News of the Gospel and salvation to others.

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Ephesians 6:10-12 Message

So what exactly is this sword of the Spirit? It is the Word of God! The Bible!

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesian 6:17 NIV

The sword of the Spirit is actually the final piece of armor we are to put on in the Armor of God. (See Ephesians 6:10-17) And the sword of the Spirit…the Word of God…is the only piece of armor in the entire Armor of God that can be used offensively in fighting and attacking the enemy.

Did you get that? The Word of God is our weapon to fight against the enemy!

Why is the Word of God such an effective weapon?

The Word of God refers to God’s written Word, the incarnate (or comprehensible) Word, and His spoken Word (John 1:1-14). In addition, the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). What is truly amazing is that when God breathes, life comes into existence! (Genesis 2:7)  Way too cool!

The Word of God is alive and so powerful! God created all things out of nothing by simply speaking! And therefore, the best offensive weapon in spiritual warfare is the truth of the Bible!

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV

Clearly, God’s Word is truth and in it there is great power.

So, are you drawing your sword? Are you drawing this powerful weapon…the sword of the Spirit…the Word of God?

The Greek word translated “sword” refers to a near razor sharp double edged sword (about 18 inches long).

Roman soldiers did not use long and heavy swords. Their swords were short and stubby and razor sharp on both edges… designed to be ideal for very close quarter combat. Roman soldiers practiced frequently with this sword because their life depended on perfecting its use. They had to become strong, quick and dexterous to use this weapon intended to thrust and penetrate.

So how about you? Are you studying…memorizing…God’s Word…or just merely reading it? Are you learning and meditating on God’s Word …like your life depended on it?

The passage in Matthew 4:1-11 is a perfect example of the power in using God’s Word to fight against the enemy…and even more amazing…it’s Jesus using God’s Word to fight the devil!!!

The devil tempted Jesus 3 times in the desert while Jesus was fasting. Jesus fought each temptation by stating, “It is written…” referring to the Word of God.

What more reason for us to study, know, and use God’s Word to fight the enemy…If Jesus did, so should we!

We must fight against the lies of the enemy…the deception…and his schemes that may come to us in feelings and thoughts of discouragement, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and temptation.

What are you doing to fight the enemy? Is it game over…like with my son Bryce? Or are you drawing your sword and using it?

You can’t draw your sword and expect to win without studying God’s Word.  We must be ready so that when we draw our sword, we can use it with confidence because we have studied and memorized the Word of God.

I can undoubtedly say that I have used the Word of God to fight against the enemy in my own personal life…and won!

Let’s not wait to come up against the enemy and then begin to study the Word of God. Let’s get the Word of God inside of us. Let’s be ready right now! Let’s draw our swords and stand against the enemy…his lies, deception, and schemes…right now!

Reflection Points:

1)      What are you doing to fight the enemy? Are you drawing your sword and using it?

2)      Why is the Word of God such an effective weapon?

3)      Are you studying…memorizing…God’s Word…or just merely reading it? Are you learning and meditating on God’s Word …like your life depended on it?

4)      What are you doing to get the Word of God inside of you so you can be ready to fight the enemy’s lies, deception, and schemes?

Action Points:

1)      Use the sword of the Spirit…God’s Word to fight against the enemy. It isn’t enough to just draw our swords…we must be ready to use it!

2)      Begin studying and memorizing scriptures so that you will be prepared when the attacks come. And when you fight back…SPEAK the word of God out loud! I have experienced great power in speaking God’s Word out loud!

3)      Pray that the Lord would show you specific scriptures to memorize and have in your arsenal…specific scriptures for such feelings and thoughts as discouragement, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and temptation.

4)      Don’t wait until you are up against the enemy to begin studying and memorizing God’s Word. Be ready NOW!

I recently heard a story of a lady who had a small house on the seashore of Ireland at the turn of the century who was quite wealthy but also quite frugal. The people were surprised, then, when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home.

Several weeks after the installation, a meter reader appeared at her door. He asked if her electricity was working well, and she assured him it was. “I’m wondering if you can explain something to me,” he said. “Your meter shows scarcely any usage. Are you using your power?”

“Certainly,” she answered. “Each evening when the sun sets, I turn on my lights just long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”

Ok Really? Sounds kind of silly, doesn’t it? I mean I know she was frugal but she had access to the power of electricity yet she didn’t use it…or barely!

As silly as it sounds, this story is a great parallel for us as Christians. We as Christians are given power as well …great power…Holy Spirit power…yet many times…most of the time…we don’t use it!

Everyone who trusts Christ to save them receives his Holy Spirit in their lives, but few people experience the power of the Holy Spirit because they still depend on their own power instead. Rick Warren from “The Daniel Plan”

I will be the first to say that being a Christian is not easy! But who said it would be? If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Right?

But God already has this all figured out! Not surprising…

God doesn’t expect us to live our lives as Christians in our own power and strength. It would be impossible…and that’s why when we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes and lives inside of us…in order to empower us.

So why do we keep trying on our own?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NIV

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father. Romans 8:15 NLT

Are you relying on yourself…your own power…your own strength…to walk out your life as a Christian? Why? Is it your pride, need for control, or lack of trust in God causing you to depend on yourself?

So many times we try to please and obey and do what is right in God’s eyes… in our own strength…in our own power… whether we are trying to be a better wife, a better mother, or a better Christian woman…

And we become tired…worn out…discouraged…and eventually we give up. We realize that our own power can only go so far.

But do you know about this power that you have as a Christian? Do you know about the power of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of you?

I am not talking about just any kind of power….I am not just talking about the man power (or woman power) …our will power…that we are so accustomed to…

I am talking about God’s mighty power…His great power…His “dynamite” power!

The word “power” can be translated as the Ancient Greek word dunamis which means “miraculous power, force, strength” depending on the context. Dunamis is the root of such modern English words as dynamite, dynamo, and dynamic.

And interestingly, dunamis is used 121 times in the New Testament and translated into some of the following English words: ability, abundance, power, strength, might, mighty, virtue, mighty deed, wonderful work, worker of miracles

That sounds like some great power! Certainly more power than my own power or any human power! Doesn’t it?!

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4 NLT

But you shall receive power [ability, efficiency and might] when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends – the very bounds – of the earth. Acts 1:8 AMP

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 NLT

It really is impossible to live our Christian life apart from the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever. John 14:16 NASB

Depending on the Bible translation, this scripture refers to the Holy Spirit as our Advocate…our Helper…our Comforter…our Counselor…our Redeemer.

One commentary states:

The word used here, signifies an advocate, counsellor, monitor, and comforter. He would abide with the disciples to the end of time; his gifts and graces would encourage their hearts. The expressions used here and elsewhere, plainly denote a person, and the office itself includes all the Divine perfections. The gift of the Holy Ghost is bestowed upon the disciples of Christ, and not on the world. This is the favour God bears to his chosen. As the source of holiness and happiness, the Holy Spirit will abide with every believer forever. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

So how can we rely on the mighty power of the Holy Spirit?

1)      Relying on the Holy Spirit’s power means not depending on your own power. Surrender your will to Him. Surrender your willpower to Him…and by the way…this includes our pride.

2)      Relying on the Holy Spirit’s power means praying for the Holy Spirit to help you. Check out what the bible says about the Holy Spirit helping us…

When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking–it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Matthew 10:19-20 NLT

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:16 NASB

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. John 16:13-14 NIV

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Romans 8:14 NIV

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8:26-27 ESV

These scriptures clearly depict how the Holy Spirit helps us by…giving us the right words to say…teaching us…guiding us…leading us…and helping us in our weakness.

3)      Relying on the Holy Spirit’s power means having faith in God. It means trusting that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.

I will ask the Father to give you another Helper, to be with you always. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor recognizes him. But you recognize him, because he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 ISV

I don’t know about you but it gives me great relief to know that I don’t need to walk out my life as a Christian in my own strength but that I am empowered by the Holy Spirit!

My prayer and desire is that we all as Christians will experience the power of the Holy Spirit and be encouraged that we don’t need to depend on our own power. Recognizing our limitations and weaknesses is the first step in God demonstrating His power through us!

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

Reflection Points:

1)      Are you relying on yourself…your own power…your own strength…to walk out your life as a Christian? Why? Is it your pride, need for control, or lack of trust in God causing you to depend on yourself?

2)      Do you know about the power of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of you?

3)      How can you rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?

Action Points:

Review the outline above about how we can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

A few years ago, my son Connor was invited to a birthday party at an indoor playland. One of the birthday activities was the opportunity for the kids to climb a rock climbing wall that was as high as the ceiling inside the facility.

This was Connor’s first attempt at a rock climbing wall…and due to his very cautious nature…I wasn’t sure how he would respond.

Would he see the other children’s unsuccessful attempts and change his mind? Would he feel afraid as he looked down and realized he was so high off the floor? Would he think, “I am just not strong enough to climb a wall so high.” …Or would he stay focused on his climb…stay focused on the goal to reach the top of the wall?

After the attendant harnessed Connor, I watched intently as he began to climb higher and higher…carefully weighing his decisions of which pegs to grab with his hands and which pegs to set his feet on. And before long…guess what?  He had reached the top! He was focused on his goal…he was believing to reach the top…and he made it! Yes certainly a proud mommy moment!

What are believing God for today?

A physical or emotional healing…a job…a financial burden to be lifted…restoration in your marriage…a child to bear…an addiction to overcome…salvation for a loved one?

What obstacles are standing in the way of your faith?

Mark 5:25-34 depicts a truly amazing example of a woman with great faith. She didn’t have great faith because she was someone special…She had great faith because she was desperate and wouldn’t allow her obstacles to stand in the way of her faith and trust in Jesus…the one who would ultimately heal her.

24…A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” NIV

This woman’s need? This woman’s focus? This woman’s goal?…to touch Jesus and be healed.

If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. Mark 5:28

But this woman certainly had some obstacles in the way of her healing…in the way of her faith…on her way to the very source of her faith…Jesus!

This bible passage is so awesome! As we dig deeper,  three important and interesting obstacles and aspects of this woman’s strong faith in Jesus become apparent.

Point 1: There is a large crowd following Jesus…so large that they pressed all around him. This same account recorded in Luke actually says… the crowds almost crushed him. Luke 9:42 NIV

Obstacle 1: This woman could see that there was a pressing…a crushing…large crowd that she had to overcome to reach Jesus.

Point 2: This woman had been a subject to bleeding for 12 years.Mark 5:25 Let me break this down further…That’s 4,383 days…144 months…624 weeks…105,192 hours. Can you even imagine?! I can’t stand not feeling well for just a few days! Let alone weeks…months…years like this woman!

Obstacle 2: This woman could feel weak and not well physically…and there’s a good chance that she did probably feel a lack of physical strength after losing so much blood and her body fighting for so many years.

Point 3: And finally, what about the fact that she spent all she had on doctors who couldn’t figure out how to help her and she even got worse! That would make me very frustrated…hopeless…and very bitter! How about you?

Obstacle 3: This woman could easily think… “If the doctors can’t figure out how to heal me, how can Jesus heal me?” She may have thought that there was no hope for her.

This woman clearly had a number of faith obstacles to overcome.

She could have easily given up on faith and gone home after seeing the large pressing crowd around Jesus.

She could have easily given up on faith and gone home because she felt too weak to push herself through the crowd to Jesus.

She could have easily given up on faith and gone home knowing that no one has been able to heal her thus far…so how could Jesus.

But she didn’t! She didn’t allow what she saw…how she felt…what she thought…stand in the way of her faith and for what she was believing Jesus for!

Are you?

Are you focused on what you see? …Are focused on how you feel? … Are you focused on what you are thinking? ….maybe all 3?

Are these obstacles standing in the way of your faith…in the way of what you are believing God for in your life today?

Sometimes it can be easier to focus on what we see…how we feel…what we think…and feel discouraged and lose hope.

This woman stayed focused on her goal…being healed. This woman stayed focused on getting to Jesus.

Oh, and did I mention the fact that her seemingly incurable condition made her ritually unclean (Leviticus 15:25-27) and excluded her from most social contact?! And her goal was to push through a crowd of people (thus touching people) to touch Jesus…thus making Him unclean under Jewish law?!

I don’t believe that she didn’t actually care about Jesus or anyone else in the crowd becoming unclean…but her faith was so great that again it overcame these obstacles!

Just like my son Connor…Just like this woman…We too can overcome these obstacles of faith if we stay focused on Jesus…by not allowing what we see…what we feel… what we think…get in the way of our faith.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NIV

We  need to stay focused on our faith in Jesus as we are believing Him for things in our lives…whatever that may be.  Let’s not allow these obstacles stand in the way of our faith…because they certainly don’t stand in the way of Jesus…as we see it was ultimately this woman’s faith that healed her.

Jesus said to this woman, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” Mark 5:34 NIV

Reflection Points:

1)      What are believing God for today?

2)      What obstacles are standing in the way of your faith?

3)      Are you allowing what you see…how you feel…what you think…stand in the way of your faith today?

Action Points:

1)      Stay focused on Jesus instead of what you see happening around you…what you feel…and what you are thinking. You can stay focused on Jesus by praying, reading His Word, and relying on other Christian women who will encourage you and continue to point you back to Jesus.

2)      Study and memorize scriptures about faith. Then when you have a moment and you lose your focus you can confess these scriptures to help you and encourage you to stay focused on Jesus.

3)      Study other biblical examples of people who trusted in God and how their faith was rewarded. Read the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. You will be encouraged when you hear what God has done for others and your faith will increase believing that God will do it for you too!

Who likes exams? I mean…really? I recall the many exams I endured through in grade school, college, and then grad school…and I can’t say that I really enjoyed any of them! Can you?

Of course, there were exams that you walked away from feeling pretty good…feeling that you may have gotten a decent grade. Those exams may not have been so bad.

But then there were exams that you walked away from feeling just terrible…feeling like you guessed way too many times or left way too many blanks…those are the exams I certainly don’t miss! And then the days of worry and anxiousness afterwards…as you wait for what seems like forever… to receive your grade…hoping that the teacher instituted a curve.

Now after you have completed all your schooling…at least for some of us…just when you thought the exams were over… they really aren’t! I mean life is full of exams and tests…some you pass and some you fail.

And just as life is full of tests, so too is our spiritual life as Christians…full of tests, full of exams…as we try to do what is right…as we try to do what is pleasing in God’s eyes…as we strive to ultimately seek God’s righteousness.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matt 6:33 NIV

We are certainly far from being perfect but as Christians we should still strive to seek God’s righteousness whether we succeed…or fail.

Righteousness means “to be in right relationship with God; to live righteously.” And thank goodness for God’s grace because living righteously is not always easy!

And the tests, oh yes, they do come, don’t they? …Tests of our character…tests of our commitment…tests of our love…tests of our patience…tests of our self-control…this list is far from over if you know what I mean!

Even now as a wife and mother, I may not sit down and take any formal exams but I can certainly say I am tested. Tested in my marriage…tested with my children…tested in my job…tested yup pretty much in life!

A great biblical example of a man who faced many tests in life…a man who passed some but also failed some…a man who desired more than anything to stand approved in the sight of God… a man whose main priority in life was to seek righteousness… a man considered to be after God’s own heart…was David.

And with all the tests that David failed…with all the mistakes he made…with all the sins he committed…with all the issues he had (just like us!)…David dared to ask God something so great…He dared to ask God to test him!

Ok, yea sure…that’s exactly what we all want to do, right? Like it isn’t bad enough to be tested already and then ask to be tested by God? Really? But that’s what David did! When he prayed, he asked…

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24NIV

Examine me, God, and know my mind, test me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any offensive tendency in me, and lead me in the eternal way. Psalm 139:23-24ISV

What a prayer request! Knowing David’s heart and his sincere desire to be pleasing in God’s sight, he stands as a great example for us.

We too as Christians should consider the need for the Lord to search us…examine us…test us…try us…like David. We too should consider the need for the Lord to reveal any wicked or offensive ways in us and to lead us in the right way.

As one biblical commentary states…

As the Lord knows us thoroughly, and we are strangers to ourselves, we should earnestly desire and pray to be searched and proved by his word and Spirit. If there be any wicked way in me, let me see it; and do thou root it out of me. The way of godliness is pleasing to God, and profitable to us; and will end in everlasting life. It is the good old way. All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, or tire in it. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

What a great point…that as the Lord knows us thoroughly…we are strangers to ourselves.

We may not always see or know the things in us that may not be pleasing to God. And therefore, it would benefit us in our desire to live righteously to ask the Lord to examine us and show us.

And so, God can and will test us in order to show us…not because He wants to know…but so we know! (Trust me…He already knows). That way according to Psalm 139:24, we may be led in the right way.

Side note: Don’t confuse being tested with being tempted….God will test us…we can be certain of that…but God will not tempt us…

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. James 1:13-14NIV

Have you dared to ask God to test you? Have you asked God to examine you and reveal to you things that are not pleasing to Him or may offend Him?

Or are you afraid of what He may show you?

In actuality, God really doesn’t need us to ask Him…He can just show us …as He already does through various ways such as through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, through circumstances, and even through others.

But by asking God we show Him our desire to seek His righteousness…our desire to please Him. We also show him our humbleness and sincere heart to repent and change our ways.

Periodic spiritual self-examinations are so important to determine areas in our lives that we need to work on and areas that are not pleasing to God. And a big part of these self-examinations is praying and asking God to show us.

And He will show us! But sometimes what is so difficult is not necessarily asking Him but receiving what He shows us. God will show us these areas in our life through various ways but many times we may not accept it or act on it.

We serve a compassionate, gracious, and merciful God…a God who loves and cares for us so much…a God who wants to see us seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. (Matt 6:33)

I know I am not perfect… especially when my patience is tested with my children…or my self-control is tested in my speech with my husband…but my heart’s desire is to please my God. And if asking God to search me, examine me, and test me will help me in seeking His righteousness, then I will be asking!

As we strive to live righteously before  Him…like David…let’s make it a habit to periodically ask God to search us…examine us… and yes, even test us so we can live more and more according to His Word…so we can live more and more like Christ.

Dare to ask…dare to pray Psalm 139-23-24 today….and know that God is pleased with your humbleness and sincerity and willingness to seek His righteousness in your life.

Reflection Points:

1)      Have you ever prayed and asked God to show you areas in your life that are not pleasing to Him? Do you periodically do a self-examination and ask God to show you these areas as you seek His righteousness in your relationship with Him?

2)      Do you ever feel tested in your spiritual life? Have you ever asked God to test you like David did?

3)      Are you afraid of what God will show you? Are you ready to receive and make necessary changes in your life to live righteously…to live according to God’s Word?

Action Points:

1)      As Christians, we should strive to seek God’s righteousness. And that takes us receiving what areas God shows us that may not be pleasing to Him. He can show us through His Word, through the Holy Spirit, through circumstances you have gone through and through people in your life.

2)      It’s important to be able to receive and respond to these areas or aspects of your life that are not pleasing to God. It is important to take steps to repent and change so that we can grow in our attempts to live righteously.

3)      Be daring enough to ask God periodically to search you…examine you…test you…and try you. Be daring enough to ask God to reveal to you what you can improve upon in seeking His righteousness.

Well it’s about that time again! There is something about the New Year that stirs us…energizes us…excites us…encourages us…motivates us! Doesn’t it?

Maybe because it’s a time of new beginnings…fresh starts…new goals…or new resolutions. Or maybe it’s a time of making changes…making improvements…making commitments…or getting our priorities in order.

As we celebrate the New Year, we may begin to reflect upon 2013 and determine what we would like to change, improve, or do differently in 2014. We can set new goals and make new resolutions for the New Year…and if you are like the rest of our nation those goals usually include improving your health by exercising more and changing your diet! …which by the way is one of the Nation’s Top New Year’ Resolutions each year! Certainly no surprise I know!

And what is also so awesome about the New Year is that it gives us the opportunity to kick start our personal relationship with Jesus and grow stronger spiritually…especially if we weren’t as devoted in 2013 as we would have liked to be.

The New Year can challenge us to spend more time with Jesus…grow in greater intimacy with Him…dig deeper into His Word …and pray more often.

But  I would like to propose to you a new New Year’s challenge…a challenge that will take your personal relationship with Jesus to another level…a challenge that will most certainly increase your faith…a challenge that will truly transform you… The challenge? …Full Stone Jars. Confused????? Well…check out John 2:1-11 and see… Are you up for this challenge?

Shortly after Jesus was baptized, he attended a wedding in Galilee in a town called Cana… which, by the way, was a week-long festivity celebrating the new life of the married couple. Jesus valued these weddings … Why? Because they involved the whole town and everybody came. It was actually an insult if you didn’t attend!

At this particular wedding, they ran out of wine…. which is a complete embarrassment and disgrace to the hosting family during these Jewish wedding celebrations.

3When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

4“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

8Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. John 2:3-9 NIV

Jesus transformed these full stone jars of water…these jars that were filled to the brim with water…into wine! Yes truly a miracle!

But think about this for a minute…what if …just what if the servants only filled the stone jars ½ full or ¾ full?

Since Jesus transformed the full stone jars of water into wine, I would venture to say that Jesus would probably have transformed only ½ or ¾ of the water into wine if that’s what the servants gave Him… wouldn’t you think?

I mean, of course, we are talking about Jesus and He can really multiply any amount water into as much wine as He really wants (kind of like how He multiplied the 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish in Mark 6:41) but my point here is…

The servants gave Jesus full stone jars of water to transform…

So here’s the challenge…

How much of your life are you giving to Jesus today?

Are you giving Him your entire life…your complete life…your full life to transform…just like the servants who gave Him full stone jars of water to transform? Or are you giving Him only ½ or ¾ of your life?

Just how much of your life are you willing to give to Jesus to transform? And what is holding you back from giving your life fully? Is it your finances, your relationships, your social lifestyle, what you think will fulfill you and make you happy? Is it fear, lack of discipline, or your need to be in control?

Just as Jesus transformed the full brim-filled stone jars of water to wine…so too will He transform just as much of our lives as we give him.

Jesus wants us to give our lives…surrender our lives… completely to Him…not just part of our lives. He wants to transform us so we can look more and more like Christ. And this act of surrender must take place daily and will continue to take place throughout our entire lives.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 NLT

God is in the business of transforming just like He transformed the water into wine…but he can’t transform what we aren’t willing to surrender to Him.

Giving our full life to Jesus is certainly not easy…but filling six 30 gallon stone jars of water and giving them to Jesus is no easy task either! (Oh, by the way, the milk in your fridge? It’s only one gallon.)

The servants did as Jesus commanded… No questions asked! No delays! No hesitations!

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. John 2:7 NIV

Why are you hesitant in giving your life and every aspect of our life fully to Jesus?

Don’t you think that your Creator…the Creator of the Universe…the Creator of Time…the only One who knows the beginning and the end (way before you were born…and way after you are gone!)…the only One who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow…the only One who gives you eternal life…Don’t you think he can handle your life better than you can?

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 ESV

Don’t hesitate…don’t wait…don’t delay!

Let’s accept this New Year’s Challenge…Give Jesus Full Stone Jars. Let’s give our life and every aspect of our life fully to Him to transform today…this year…and throughout our whole lifetime. You will no doubt see your personal relationship with Jesus grow and His transformations will blow your mind beyond what you could ever think or imagine! …Just like water into wine!

I pray you will take this challenge and be ready to be amazed at what He can do with what you give Him in 2014!

Reflection Points:

1)      How much of your life are you giving to Jesus today?

2)      Are you giving Him your entire life…your complete life…your full life to transform…just like the servants who gave Him full stone jars of water to transform? Or are you giving Him only ½ or ¾ of your life?

3)      What is holding you back from giving your life fully? Is it your finances, your relationships, your social lifestyle, what you think will fulfill you and make you happy?

4)      Why are you hesitant in giving your life and every aspect of our life fully to Jesus?Are you afraid? Are you not disciplined enough? Or do you just want to be in control?

Action Points:

1)      Jesus wants to transform your life. But he can’t transform what you aren’t willing to let go of. Surrender our life fully to Him today.

2)      Determine what is holding you back from giving your life fully to Him. Pray and ask the Lord to help you let go. Pray for His strength to not give in to your fleshly desires and for Him to transform your mind and heart to line up with His desires.

3)      Make a commitment to grow in your relationship with Jesus in 2014. Whatever that may mean for you…wherever you at in your relationship with Him. Whether it’s spending more time with Him…going deeper in His Word…praying more often. Maybe it’s sharing Jesus with others, maybe it helping the needs of others, maybe its volunteering your time at your church.

As Christmas quickly approaches us, there are many people who are running around…running all over the place… running here…running there…running to make last minute preparations… and running to pick up last minute Christmas gifts for their spouses, children, families, and friends!

We as a society have become quite good at “running” …not only during this holiday season but also in our daily lives. Our “busyness” has taken over our days…really our lives! Oh and I can certainly attest to this as I reflect on my own life!

We tend to run from one meeting to the next…from one child’s soccer practice to another child’s ballet class…from one appointment to the next appointment…from one thing to the next thing!

And as I too have been “running” around this Christmas season, I have had to remind myself of the true “Reason for this Season” …So I began to read once again the story of Christmas and the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ in Luke 2.

And what was really exciting to me was that I couldn’t help but note something quite significant in this story…

In verse 11, Luke records that the shepherds were living out in the fields when the angel of the Lord appeared to them…and when the glory of the Lord shone around them, the shepherds were terrified. (As I would be too if an angel of the Lord appeared before me!)

But the shepherd’s fear quickly turned to joy as the angels announced the birth of Jesus…the birth of our Messiah…the birth of our Savior! So what did the shepherd’s do? Check this out! So awesome!

“Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us”. They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. Luke 16:17 Message

The shepherds “as fast as [they] can” …“left running”…Did you notice that!

I mean these shepherds were so excited…so full of joy…so full of anticipation…so looking forward to seeing their newborn king Jesus! …So much so that they didn’t waste any time and as fast as they could…left running! …Running to see their Messiah!

As I dug deeper into this record in Luke of the shepherds running, I came across a few commentaries that further highlighted this idea.

The shepherds lost no time, but came with haste to the place. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

And they came with haste…. In the night, leaving their flocks, to see their incarnate Lord, as Zacchaeus hastened down from the tree to receive the Saviour. The wonderfulness of the vision, the importance of the thing related, the eagerness of their spirits to see the thing that was told them, put them on making quick dispatch, and hastening to the city with all speed: Gill’s Exposition

Let us go across the country at the nearest, that we may lose no time, that we may speedily see this glorious reconciler of God and man. All delays are dangerous: but he who delays to seek Jesus, when the angels, the messengers of God, bring him glad tidings of salvation, risks his present safety and his eternal happiness. Clark’s Commentary

These shepherds “leaving their flock”…and many of us know that shepherds NEVER ever leave their flock unless one sheep is lost or has gone astray! Then a good shepherd will leave his flock under the guardianship of another and go off hunting for that one sheep that has wandered.

But these shepherds “leaving their flock”… “lost no time”…. “came with haste”…to “speedily see”…“to see their incarnate Lord’… “with eagerness in their spirits!”

Wow!

So how about you?

Are you running to see Jesus today…like the shepherds….with excitement, joy, and anticipation?

Are you running to Him first when you are facing challenges in your life?

Are you running to Him with eagerness looking forward to meeting Him in prayer and in His Word on a daily basis?

I know from my own experience that it’s sometimes easier to run to my spouse or my friend first when I am facing a challenge… Or sometimes it’s easier sleeping in a little longer…or running to check my emails… instead of running to spend time with Him each morning.

Not that it’s bad, of course, to run to your family and close friends…but where does Jesus fall on your list of people that you go to?…And not that every single morning… 365 days out of the year… you wake up so enthusiastic and eager to spend time with the Lord…but how often do you spend time with Jesus?

Are you running to Jesus like the shepherds were running to see Him? Do you run to Him first?

As we celebrate this Christmas and as many of us are running around, let’s run as the shepherds did that night…with eagerness…with enthusiasm…with excitement…with anticipation…

Let’s run to the One who is the very reason for the season…our Lord…our Messiah, our Redeemer…our Savior…Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you for blessing me and supporting Sweeter than Honey Blog! I look forward to sharing with you in the New Year!

Reflection Points:

1)      Are you running around with busyness this Christmas season? As much as you are running for yourself or others…are you running to Jesus like the shepherds did that night they heard of Jesus’ birth?

2)      Do you run to Jesus first when face challenges in your life? Or is it just easer to turn to your spouse or a friend?

3)      With all the time you spend running around in the busyness of your daily life, are you finding time to run to Jesus and spend time with Him?

Action Points:

1)      If you are finding that your focus has been on running around and getting things done and your have lost sight of the significance of this season…stop and remind yourself of the real reason for this Christmas season…the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Read Luke 2)

2)      When you face challenges in life, before you run to others for guidance or advice, submit your challenges to God first. Pray to Him and ask Him to comfort you, direct you, and encourage you in your challenge.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

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

3)      Are your days so busy that you blink and the hours have gone by without spending any time with Jesus? Make it a priority to run to Jesus each day and spend time with Him. Pray to Him and read His Word. He wants to spend time with you. And what is so amazing is that when you make time for Him you will see that the things you need to get done that day…get done!

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33