Backed up to the Cloud and Searched Until Found

Luke 15:8-10 [NKJV] 8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds [it]? 9 "And when she has found [it], she calls [her] friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' 10 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

This evening I spent some time being as frantic as that woman must have been.

Earlier this week I finished tonight’s blog, translated it into Spanish and even created the graphic in both English and Spanish. All I needed to do was post tonight. I congratulated myself on working ahead.

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

Except that my computer upgraded itself last night and the blog is gone. So is the blog I wrote for last week, which has been posted and could be recovered from the Website.

So, I did the computer search equivalent of “sweeping and searching carefully” through files and folders and even the Cloud Drive. Nope. Gone.

And I wondered, “How would the story have ended if she didn’t find her coin? What would she do then?” Well, this is not one of those “Choose Your Own Ending” novels. She found her item of value. But I did not find mine.

Lesson learned. Don’t just hit save frequently, which did not, in fact save my blog from the back up that chose an earlier version of my blog document. Go ahead and back up to the cloud (which I have not been doing).

There is no backup plan for salvation. There is only one plan = God’s plan, which He laid out before the world began. Titus 1:2 [KJV] In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

There is no backup plan for salvation. There is only on name by which we can be saved = the name of Jesus Christ. John 3:18 [KJV] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

There is no backup plan for salvation. There is only one Good Shepherd whom we must follow. John 10:14, 27 [NKJV] "I am the good shepherd; and I know My [sheep], and am known by My own.” 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

When I could not find my blog, I gave up and started this one. Hopefully, I will be able to recreate the one intended for this week, based on 1 John 3:24. But I was too disappointed and sad (maybe a little mad at myself too) to restart that one tonight.

I gave up searching and just gave into the fact that it was irrevocably lost.

The good news, sweet sisters, is that One and Only Good Shepherd never gives up. If we are lost, He will never stop searching until He finds us.

Luke 15:4-7 [NKJV] 4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 "And when he has found [it], he lays [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 "And when he comes home, he calls together [his] friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Let us rejoice that we will always be found by our Good Shepherd. And we can rejoice with the angels in that fact.

One more thing to rejoice about regarding backups: Your good deeds are backed up to the Spiritual Cloud, filed in God’ memory, where it will never be lost.

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

Take that, Microsoft Update!

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Condemned or Confident?

Let’s be clear, if we repent and ask forgiveness, God forgives us. In fact, Psalm 103:12 [NKJV] tells us that, “As far as the east is from the west, [So] far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Our sins are gone. Outta here!

So then, why would John, the Beloved, need to say this: 1 John 3:20 [KJV] “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”?

The New Living Translation put is this way: “Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”

The fact that I may feel condemned or guilty, even though God has pronounced me innocent by the sacrifice of Jesus, must be perplexing to the heavenly beings. The fact that I would retain a feeling of condemnation or guilt after my sins have been removed as far as east is from west, might feel like a bit of a slap in the face to Jesus, who went through a horrible death to remove my sins from me.

Do I think I know better than God? Do I think the sacrifice of Jesus is not enough for me – for my sins? That’s not logical. It is, however, all too human.

The love of God is unfathomably great, generous – even reckless as the praise song “Reckless Love” (Cory Asbury) describes it. We don’t deserve it, could never earn it. So, sometimes we can get tempted by Satan to doubt it – to feel condemned in our hearts.

Perhaps our doubts stems from the fact that it takes so little to receive God’s forgiveness. He is not like the many false gods who require human sacrifice – passing sons and daughters into the fire to appease him. Instead, our loving Father sacrificed His son for us.

Unbelievable. Incredible. I know my sins. I am undeserving. But, when I repent, confess, and call upon the sacrificial blood of Jesus, God gives forgiveness to me anyway.

Sweet sisters, as incredible, expansive, endless, and reckless as the love of God may seem to us, we must give His forgiveness the respect it is due. That is, we must accept it, leave those sins far away (where God put them) and walk confidently forward in forgiveness.

We must let go of guilt and condemnation. Satan doesn’t want us to. But our Heavenly Father insists that we do.

The Beloved Disciple tells us in 1 John 3:21-22 [NLT] “Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.”

Did you catch that? We know that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us. But John seems to be saying that if we want to receive our petitions, we can’t languish in unforgiveness of ourselves either. Nothing can stop our faith in God like holding on to the guilt and unworthiness that Jesus has washed away. We are holding up our own answered prayers when we hold onto guilt and condemnation.

Let it go! God wants to put it as far from you as the east is from the west. Hand it over. As we said as children, “no takesies backsies”!

If our prayers feel stuck, it might be because our hearts still condemn us for what the Father has sought to put away.

“Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”

Every human is a mix of good and evil. We will struggle with sin until the day we die. But we, as believers, have a resource for removing condemnation and guilt, giving us the freedom to walk in obedience and bold confidence – giving us the potential to receive whatever we ask.

Let me leave you with the potent words of Dara Maclean in her song “Suitcases”:

You can't run when you're holding suitcases
Yes, it's a new day, throw away your mistakes
And open up your heart, lay down your guard
You don't have to be afraid

 Just breathe, your load can be lifted
There's a better way when you know you're forgiven
Open up your heart, lay down your guard
You don't have to be afraid

 There's nothing holding
You back now, just run

 Drop the baggage of past condemnation and run your race with the lightness of forgivenes, sweet sister.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

No One Wants to be Job, Part 2

If you’ve never had something happen that was so traumatic (for your or someone you love) that you collapsed to the floor, face down and prayed something like, “What the inferno, God?!”, I’d just like to tell you that the day may come for any Christian.

John 11:41-42 [NKJV] 41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this], that they may believe that You sent Me."

Not every Christian will go through Job-level trials. Not every Christian will know someone who does. But I believe that most of us who walk the Christian walk for more that a couple of years will have a moment or moments like this.

Last week I talked about being “Jobed” by God – that is God allowing Satan to persecute you to something like the level that Job endured. I also mentioned that when this happens to someone we care about, one of the best things we can do is to respond like Job’s friends – in the first seven days they were with Job. That is, we can sit quietly with them and share in their suffering.

When we are done sitting together in quiet reflection, we are going to want to pray a mighty prayer that saves, keeping in mind James 5:16 [NKJV] 16 … and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

“Effectual fervent” is defined as “to be active, efficient:—do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in)”.

If you are hoping for a magic formula for prayers that work, you may be disappointed. These words really mean no more than being active in prayer. No secret recipe for specific words to say or position to sit in, or length of time or warrior’s prayer closet needed.

God is simply telling us to mean it when we pray. Don’t phone it in. Be active in the prayer.

When we pray about Job-like trails, we will probably get emotional and that is perfectly fine. God can handle your tears and shouts. That is being active in prayer. We won’t “phone it in” on those days.

But let’s also keep in mind that if our prayers are focused by quiet and still, even just in our hearts, they can be “effectual” and “fervent” too. Remember: there is no magic formula. We should not make God out to be like Baal – or at least like the servants of the false god, Baal, thought he was – needing cries and jumping around and cutting ourselves to get attention. [See 1 Kings 18:20-29]

Elijah’s prayer was two verses long (compared to 9 verses – and multiple hours – of cutting and crying and pleading from the prophets of Baal) and brought down fire from heaven.

1 Kings 18:36-37 [YLT] 36 And it cometh to pass, at the going up of the [evening-]present, that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and saith, 'Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to-day let it be known that Thou [art] God in Israel, and I Thy servant, that by Thy word I have done the whole of these things; 37 answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, and this people doth know that Thou [art] Jehovah God; and Thou hast turned their heart backward.’

Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead with a short prayer of thanksgiving. John 11:41-42 [NKJV] 41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this], that they may believe that You sent Me."

Job-like trials do not happen to God’s people behind our Heavenly Father’s back. He knows what’s happening. You don’t have to be long and loud to impress God with your sincerity and faith. Be honest. Be truthful. Believe. God knows your heart. Just be you before Him and you too can “avail much” for yourself or others being “Jobed”.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section below or email me at any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

No One Wants to be Job, Part 1

Ask any believer – child or adult – which Biblical character they’d like to imitate or whose life they’d like to live, and you may get answers like Abaraham, Daniel, King David, one of the Apostles, Esther, Ruth or Deborah. But I’m pretty sure no one is going to say Job.

Don’t get me wrong, we all admire his faithfulness in such a severe trial. But no reasonable, self-respecting human is going to ask to go through that. In fact, we all probably secretly hope, or maybe some of us even boldly pray, that God will not “Job” us.

I certainly don’t want to be “Jobed” by God. It would be nice to know that the Heavenly Father was as proud of me and my uprightness as He was of Job’s. Looking at my life from the inside out, I don’t envision God saying, “Have you considered My servant, Nancy, that there is none like her on the earth, a blameless and upright woman, who fears God and shuns evil?”. [See Job 1:8] God pulled His hedge of protection away and let (almost) the full force of Satan’s evil access to Job.

While we may hope and pray not to be “Jobed” (or tried as Job was), I believe we all also hope and pray that if it ever comes to that we will show the faith and uprightness that Job showed in spite of a horrific trial. If I ever lose everything in one fell swoop, as Job did, I want to face it with the kind of faith he did and come out on the other side knowing that I was forever changed for the better by the experience.

Job’s story is definitely a “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” tale.

Job 2:13 [KJV] 13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that [his] grief was very great.

I’m thinking of Job and about being “Jobed” today because a God-fearing, God-serving, loving family is swimming in the churning sea of a life-altering trial right now. What they are going through has already forever changed their lives and they have no idea when they will come out on the other side – or whether that will happen in this life or the next.

If someone you know is having a Job-like trial, there are a few easy options from the Bible that strike me as a good way to help:

1.      Be like Job’s friends in the first seven days they were with him and just sit with your friend. Don’t give advice, don’t try to tell them it will pass, and don’t compare your trials to theirs (even if yours truly is worse). Just sit. Just be with him/her. [Job 2:11-13}

2.      Don’t be like Job’s friends after the first 7 days =

a.      Don’t try to analyze why they are facing this trail.

b.      Don’t point out their faults.

c.      Don’t try to speak for God.

3.      Pray without ceasing [1 Timothy 5:17]. And then pray some more. Ask everyone you know who is a God-fearing person to pray too.

4.      Stick with them through it all. [Proverbs 18:24] Don’t get weary in prayer or sitting with them. Proverbs 27:10 [NLT] Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. When disaster strikes, you won't have to ask your brother for assistance. It's better to go to a neighbor than to a brother who lives far away.

No one wants to be “Jobed”, but it may happen to you or someone you know someday. It may happen to me. If it does, we will need true friends to help us through.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section below or email me at any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Some Fishy Multiplication

This week I was reading a book that I got at the Shine Women’s conference in Tyler, TX this past September. It is the story of the woman who started Shine, Suzy Shepherd, titled “You are a Warrior – How to Live a Life Worth Dying For”.

In it, Shepherd mentions the story of Jesus turning the 5 loaves and 2 fishes into a meal for thousands with 12 baskets of food left over. Interestingly, this is the story I’ll be teaching my 3–6-year-olds in Sabbath school today. (John 6: 1-14)

What Shepherd points out that I want to focus on today is that a “lad”, which means “little boy”, seems to have willingly given up his small lunch. What faith! What trust is Jesus! This little boy gave up what he had, gambling that he could go hungry or at least that it still might not be enough for everyone. Maybe this was his family’s lunch. Or maybe the loaves and fish were small enough that they were meant on to feed him. Perhaps he’d brought them along to sell to others.

No matter why he, after all this time, still have food when no one else seemed to have the assurance of making it home without fainting, we don’t know. What we do know is that he risked all he had for the sake of the greater good. He put his faith in Jesus.

I cannot help but connect this story to Luke 18:15-17 [NKJV], where it days,  “15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw [it], they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to [Him] and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

There is nothing at all fishy about the trust of a little child. This is how they operate, at least until the world starts teaching them differently. What is a bit “fishy”, is that (1) It was only after the crowd was fed that the declared, “This is truly to Prophet who is to come into the world.” And (2) That the adults either lost or never actually understood the spiritual implications of Jesus’ act of feeding them, as we see in John 6:26-27 - 26 “Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Sweet sisters, we can not afford to be fickle in putting our faith and trust in Jesus – one day praising His miracles, the next day forgetting the spiritual in our rush to see some physical blessing come our way.

How often do we forget that He is able to multiply our offerings – whether money or goods or talents – into something that honors the Father and nourishes the spiritually hungry, lost and weary? How often do we just hope to hear or read about big numbers being donated, instead of focusing on big changes in our lives, the members of our churches and our communities that come from our willingness to give what paltry thing we have over to our Savior?

How often do we disparage our small gifts, means or abilities instead of trusting in Jesus’ ability to multiply? You see, when we give a little, He is the one who blesses and grows it to His use.

Do any of us sometimes have the opposite issue – thinking what we give is something big because there are so many zeros behind the dollar amount or because we receive praise and thanks from others? Even if there are 6 digits behind the dollar sign, it is a paltry thing because it is only a fraction of the power, majesty, wealth and abundance of God. Only He can put our gifts to good use. Only He can multiply the productivity of our offerings.

John 6:27 "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

We are required to do our part with the talents we are given. (Sett Matthew 25:14-30) We cannot elect to just sit on them. BUT we should understand that the multiplication – the effectiveness and growth --actually is the work of God. I could preach all day. I could give all my money to the poor. It might come to nothing without the blessing of God that multiplies the effectiveness of those gifts.

1 Corinthians 3:7 [NKJV] So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

The lesson – at least one of the lessons – of John 6 is that, while we must give what we have, the more important thing to focus on is the work that God then does with what we give.

There is no way for me to multiply 2 fish and 5 loaves to feed 5,000. But if I am willing to give up my lunch to His service, Jesus’ math can handle it, with basketfuls to spare.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write to me in the comments section or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Connection: To Infinity and Beyond

We have been focusing on connections this week. Today, I invite you to connect to the future that God gave in a vision to John, as outlined in my most favorite scripture.

Revelation 21:4 [NLT] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

The beauty of this scripture brings me to tears (ironic, I know). As we see the pain and sorrow, the death and crying all around, from those near, like family and friends, to those far, in impoverished and war torn countries, we long for the fulfillment of this scripture.

The land and the people will be washed with healing waters. Romans 8:22; Rev. 22:1-5.

And all those who thirst for Him, for a better life, for opportunity, for truth, for a better life will find living water. John 7:37-38

Today, I invite you to connect to your future - our future. This world is temporary, but what we look for, hope for, and pray for, what God offers to all who believe now and in the future, will last to infinity and beyond!

Praise God that this is His promise to us!

I welcome your comments. You can write in the comment section or email me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Connection: Connect to Someone Different

The early New Testament Church had a connection problem.

There were whole cities who lost out on miracles because they could not connect the Messiah who came with the Messiah they expected. (See Mark 6:1-5 for example)

The disciples could not always connect the dots properly between Jesus’ words and what they were to learn. (See Mark 16:6-12 for example)

The leaders of Jesus’ time had trouble with the fact that Jesus connected with “sinners” because they ranked the sins of others as worse than their own.

They had trouble connecting with the fact that the Gospel was meant for people like the Samaritans and the Gentiles.

But the Gospel message is for everyone, regardless of race, country, social status, gender, history, etc. Our shared state of “sinner” and “redeemed” and, most importantly, “child of God” is all the connection we should need.

So, today, I invite us to connect to someone “different” than us. LMK how it goes.

You can write me in the chat or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Connection: Connect to Your Dream(s)

I’m reading the book of Mark right now, looking at the ministry and works of Jesus through this shortest of the Gospels. Today, as I read chapter 5, I was struck by the response or reaction of the people of Gardarenes to the miracle of the casting out of a legion of demons from the man living among the tombs.

Rather than being amazed (in a good way) or joyful or thankful, they were fearful and asked Jesus to leave. And I wondered how many times fear has led me to not asking for something - or just asking too small.

Today, I invite you to connect or reconnect to a big dream that you have been fearful or hesitant to ask for in the past. Do not ask small and risk turning away big miracles and greater works of Jesus in your life.

Almost anything we asked can bring glory to God if done according to His will. So, do not second guess God and whether or not He will give you the desire of your heart. Just ask and expect God’s mightly response.

He may surprise you with how He responds or how He makes it come true. However, sweet sisters, we cannot let fear of a no, or worse, fear of a “yes” cause us to turn Jesus away when we know in our hearts (and from scripture) that He wants to give BIG.

If you are bold enough, please share your dream with me, so that I can pray for it too. You can write me in the comments or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMInistries.org.

Connection: Connect to your Creator via Creativity

We are the children of God. He is the great Creator, not only of the universe and all that it is in, but also of His work in us.

As His children, we are also creative beings. He has gifted us with creativity that shows up in a variety of ways.

Today, I invite you to connect to the Creator via creativity of your own. Ideas: Draw, paint, write a poem, color a picture, sing praises instead of praying them, thus creating your own music for God to hear, make a macaronic necklace or create something from playdough. Or even just take a photo of God’s beautiful creation. Your creation doesn’t have to be “good” in your eyes or the eyes of others, it just needs to be inspired by joy or thanks or love.

If you dare, I invited you to share it with us here - or at least tell us about it.

Blessings to all my sweet, creative, fellow children of God out there!

You can respond in the chat/comments section here or write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Connection: Connect to Nature, God's Creation

Today, I invite us to connect to nature, with a walk in the woods, or time sitting on a porch or focusing on the sunset.

Romans 1:20 [KJV] tells us that we can find a deeper understanding of God in nature. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

The beauty of God’s creation is all around us, even if we find ourselves in a city. Let’s focus today on finding a way to focus a little more on the beauty of nature, wherever we find ourselves today, sweet sisters.

Connection: Reconnect to Someone

Today, I invite us to reach out to someone we have lost touch with or that we feel disconnected from at this time. Could be an estranged family member, someone who used to attend church with you, a friend who is not as close as he/she used to be.

You could simply say, “I miss you” or “I love you” or “I’m thinking of you and I am thinking of you and I hope you are well”. Ask God to give you the words that will reach them and to reconnect you IF it is His will to do so.

We are to be light and hope, joy and peace, sewers of seeds - just like Jesus Himself when He walked this earth. We don’t know what will happen as a result of making the connection. Perhaps you will just momentarily brighten someone’s day. Whatever happens, you’ll know you made the effort and so will God. He will be pleased.

If you feel so moved, please share your results, or why you chose who you did, or why you are disconnected. I always love hearing from you. You can post a comment on this blog site or email me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Connection: Go to a new place with God.

Sometimes, even the most spiritual of us find that there are certain places we don’t go with God. Maybe it is that this part of us feels to broken to offer up to our perfect God. Maybe we are so disappointed in ourselves that we can imagine nothing more from God than His disappointment. Maybe it feels to damages for His healing, so we think “why bother?” Or maybe we feel a wish, want, dream is too small or “worldly” and don’t want to take up God’s important time with something like that.

Sweet sisters, please don’t prejudge God’s interest, willingness, love or forgiveness.

Today I challenge us all to go there - to open up to our loving, very interested, faithful Father about something new. Something you’ve held back for whatever reason.

He seeks to know and be known by us intimately. He wants to hear about every aspect of our lives, hopes, dreams and fears.

So “go there” with God today. I invite you to share you thoughts and feelings about it here on this blog or any time at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org

Connection: Unplug to Reconnect

This week I am OOO, at a church retreat. I’ll be unplugging from my day-to-day work, out of my normal routine and seeking to reconnect with the things that really matter in life.

I invite you to join me on this 8-day journey of connection and reconnection.

I will be posting a daily scripture and suggested connection. I invite you to try the activity and post a comment about what it felt like or what you learned, or just tell me how you like to connect.

Today, I invite us all to unplug from distractions (especially electronic ones) and plug into the sights, sounds, smells and people around you. When we disconnect from Social Media, from TV, games on our phones, and such, we can really see how much of our time is spent on them. It may be just minutes at a time - a quick two-minute game of solitaire or one round of Wordle, but it adds up for me. Do you find the same to be true?

So, sweet sisters, let’s take the challenge together and put our phones, iPads and such aside a little more today so that we can reconnect to God, nature and the people around us - an maybe also get a little more reconnected with ourselves.

You can connect with me anytime at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Sit. Stay. Abide.

1 John 2:28 NKJV] And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

The word “abide” here is a Greek word that means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)”.

When your children were little, did you ever tell them that if they got separated from you in a store or park, they should stay where they are and you will come find them? Well, John, the beloved, seems to be giving us similar advice, when he tells us to “abide in Him”.

We are to stay in a place of proximity to Jesus. We are to stay in a state of closeness to Him. We are to stay in a state of expectancy for His return.

Abiding or staying can sometimes be as tough and counterintuitive to we adult humans as it is to a panicked 5-year-old at a city park. When trouble comes, we can be tempted to try something different. Or, more likely, to think something different.

Psalm 46:10 [KJV] Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

When we feel lost and disconnected, we may resist just staying in Him. But that is exactly what we need to do. Sit with the word of God, and the principals we have learned. Sit and meditate on what we know to be true. Sit and wait to feel His presence back with us.

You see, He does not move from us. He abides with us, as He promised.

John records this teaching of Jesus in a couple of places in his Gospel message.

John 6:56 [NKJV] "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

John 15:5 [NKJV] "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

When I feel lost and disconnected, I may sometimes be tempted to believe He is not there, and that I must go look for Him. When the thing I really need to do is sit still, abiding in the promise that He made to be in me if I abide in Him, and wait to feel His presence again.

The Old Testament addresses this concept of abiding as well, using the words “be still” in many cases. The most recognized of those is found in Psalm 46:10 [KJV] Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Hebrew word translated “be still” can mean to sink, relax, sink down, let drop. If we are fearful, worried or over burdening ourselves with “to do” lists, we can come to a time when the best thing we can do is lay our self-inflicted burdens down, relax and wait. This reminds me of the wisdom of the phrase “let go and let God.”

When things don’t seem to be going the way we want, rather than taking on more, shouldering more, hanging on to the things we think we must do, that is when we should be still and just abide. He promises to take up the burdens when we are willing to let go of them.

Matthew 11:28 [ESV] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.He’s not gone from me when my prayers are not answered as I hoped.

He’s not gone from me when I suffer because those I love are struggling. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

He’s not gone from me because I have tripped and fallen and am frustrated with myself. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

He’s not gone from me when I feel overwhelmed with life’s burdens. It’s just that it is time to let go and be with Him.

And I should not be gone from Him when these things occur either.

He promised to abide in me if I abide in Him. So, I must stay – stay in a state of obedience, stay in close relationship to Him by reading the Word and praying, stay in expectancy of feeling His presence again. I must be ready to let go and just be with Him.

If I feel lost and alone, it is time to just stay until I feel Him there again. He promises that He is there always.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – As He Is Pure

We are exploring the “He is” statements found in the book of 1 John, which was written by John, the self-titled disciple whom Jesus loved. We have already explored 1 John 1:7, where we are told “He is light”, and that we must walk in His light.

Today, let’s examine “He is pure”, found in 1 John 3:3 [NKJV]. “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Let’s review the previous verses to see just what hope it is that causes us to do the work of purifying ourselves.

James 1:27 [NKJV] Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

1 John 3:1-3 [NKJV] 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

These verses tell us that it is the hope of knowing that we are now the children of God and that we will become like God in the future. It is hope underpinned by the overwhelming love of the Father, freely given to us. This is what drives us to purify ourselves.

But exactly how do we do that? That’s kind of a trick question. We cannot make ourselves pure from sin. We are initially made pure by being washed by the precious blood of Jesus.

Revelation 1:5 [NKJV] (latter part) …Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

And we are washed by the water of baptism into the body.

Hebrews 10:22 [KJV] Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Corinthians 6:11 [NKJV] And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Then, being washed by His blood, and by the water of baptism, we must work on staying pure.

It begins with what we think about. Philippians 4:8 [NKJV] tells us that we should purposefully choose to think about pure things, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things [are] noble, whatever things [are] just, whatever things [are] pure, whatever things [are] lovely, whatever things [are] of good report, if [there is] any virtue and if [there is] anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.

Then we act on it - we practice pure religion as outlined in James 1:27 [NKJV] Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

We obey. 1 Peter 1:22 [NKJV] Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

We love. 1 Timothy 1:5 [NKJV] Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, [from] a good conscience, and [from] sincere faith,

Doing all that, our focus and outlook ultimately changes. 1 Timothy 1:15 [NKJV] To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

And we are blessed. Matthew 5:8 [NKJV] Blessed [are] the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – As He Is Light

John, the beloved, uses the phrase “as He is” (mostly referring to Jesus) five times in his first letter. [See 1 John 1:7; 3:2, 3, 7; 4:17]

John tells us that:

·        Jesus is light, so we should walk in it. 1 John 1:7 [NKJV] 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light…

·        Jesus is pure, so we should purify ourselves. 1 John 3:3 [NKJV]. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ...

·        Jesus is righteous, so we should practice righteousness. 1 John 3:7 [NKJV] 7 ... He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

·        Jesus acted a certain way while in the world, so we should act the same. 1 John 4:17 [NKJV] 17 …because as He is, so are we in this world.

It seems like an important distinction that Jesus is light, pure, and righteous, whereas we should “do” or “act” accordingly.

Today, we will start a series on these “He is” teachings of John, the beloved, beginning with light.

You and I know, sweet sisters, that we are not inherently “the light”. We are not born as light. The only One who walked on this earth as the light in and of Himself is Jesus.

John 9:5 [NKJV] "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." He shined that light into the world while He was here, through His example, His teachings and the miracles He performed.

We can become light by walking in the light.

In John 8:12 [NKJV] Jesus tells us how to become light, Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." We have the light when we walk as He walked – that is, when our example, teaching/words and actions are in line with His.

We gain more insight from John 11:9-10 NKJV] 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." So, we must walk as He walked and that means always walking in His light. We cannot do His work by walking in the night – that is by following in the steps on Satan (the father of darkness) and unbelievers.

Picture an old movie, where someone is standing in a circle of light provided by a streetlamp. Yes, the world is in darkness. But, when we walk in His light, it is like we are within that circle of lamplight. Only, unlike in the movies, the lamplight moves with us as we move through the world. It shines a light on the next steps we should take and allows us to walk in the light without the darkness ever touching us. Just like we are told in Psalm 119:105 [NKJV] Your word [is] a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Knowing the word of God, the Bible, and the Word of God (Jesus), is what allows us to understand where the light is but we must live within that light – that is follow the steps of Jesus and obey the word of God – in order to ensure we walk in the daylight like brightness of His lamplight.

Matthew provides important insight into why we must work to become a light in the world. Matthew 5:14-16 [NKJV] 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all [who are] in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We don’t walk in the light to expose our own greatness. Like the moon, our light only exists because of the light of the Son (in our case – sun in the case the moon). Ours is a reflected light.

In fact, the better analogy might be that we are like solar panels. It is our job, sweet sisters, to become like solar panels. We are to absorb the light and then use the power it gives to provide light, warmth and goodness into the world so that the world praises the source of that light (and not we solar panels). We don’t praise solar panels, do we? They are just a conduit. A solar panel sitting in a warehouse is not doing its job – cannot provide energy or light to anyone. It must be set out where it can absorb the light.

Psalm 119:105 [NKJV] Your word [is] a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

And so we must walk in the light of His word, His example and His love, absorbing and internalizing it so that we can then provide the same into the world. Then the world has the opportunity to see the light we produce and praise the Son for sending the light through us.

If we walk in His light, purify ourselves and act in righteousness, we are walking in His footsteps in this world. We’ll learn more about this, focusing on purifying ourselves, in the next blog in this series.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Decepticons

My three-year-old grandsons are into Transformers these days. So, I occasionally end up watching a cartoon with them as we are settling down before nap time. The bad guys – a “ruthless faction of robots who seek to conquer the universe and destroy the Autobots (good guys) – are called “Decepticons”.

It is interesting to note that John, the beloved, was worried about “decepticons” of his time – that is deceivers and con men.

1 John 2:26 [NKJV] These things I have written to you concerning those who [try to] deceive you.

I like the New Living Translation for 1 John 2:26-27, because it is so frank in the more modern language.

1 John 2:26-27 [NLT] 26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

And here is the thing, I hear from church leaders worrying about the world’s view coming into the church. I actually had a minister’s wife tell me she worried about if someone from the LGBTQ community might come to church how they would try to influence, especially the young people, to “accept their lifestyle”. That is not going to happen. First of all, people from the LGBTQ know that they are largely unwelcome in the Christian community and that they would not be well received in the first place. That is a subject for another time.

However, I bring this up because what I HAVE seen happen is someone bringing in a false doctrine that sounds righteous. Like something about how to “keep the Sabbath better” – that is better than the Bible even indicates. Another one I have seen is someone trying to tell the church how to say the name of God the “right way”. It is these things – these pseudo spiritual, but really human-engineered, discussion points – that I have personally seen split up churches. I have never yet seen an incident where a specific type of sinner coming into a congregation has split the church or done significant damage.

Yes, that is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek statement. Why? Because we are all sinners. So, whether a person comes into a congregation as an adulterer or as a one who bears false witness through gossip, or one who steals, whether by taking supplies from work or by not paying tithe to God, the fact remains that we all come to church as sinners. All of us. Every week. So, it is particularly self-righteous to point out that one person’s sin is a threat and your own is not.

1 John 2:26 [NKJV] These things I have written to you concerning those who [try to] deceive you.

Recently, I heard a young, baptized member of our congregation say that she no longer serves the church in the choir because she “has not yet forgiven herself for having sex before marriage”. That is so wrong on so many levels but is not the focus of today’s blog. So, I won’t get further into why it is false. The real issue I want to focus on is that when someone who has this broken, Satan-inspired idea about sin and forgiveness tries to convince others to feel the same false, and Jesus’ sacrifice denying, sense of unworthiness it can do significant damage to a congregation. A church can lose members over this kind of dart to the heart of love, hope, and peace.

I like the way that the New Living Translation puts 2 Timothy 2:23 as well. It says, Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. So, what do we do when someone tries to bring up an argument or personal belief that is false, foolish or shows that they are ignorant of the scripture?

My husband Wes has counseled even the teens in our church to learn to say, “Show me that in the scriptures” when a church member brings some “you should” or “we should” to them. If the person is open to it, this phrase can help them (or help you help them) to get a better understanding of what the Bible actually says about the subject.

However, there is another scripture that directly addresses this issue. Proverbs 26:4-5 [NKJV] 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own eyes.

It is up to us, more seasoned believers, to use wisdom to decide which of those two Proverbs is the best response given the person, their current state of willingness to learn, the particular statement they made and the general health or maturity of the congregation where the silly or ignorant belief is being brought up.

It is important to note that not everyone who steps into deception is willfully ignorant or deliberately trying to deceive the church members. We should not assume that their motive is to do damage. Any one of us can be tricked by the arguments of others or by Satan’s influence on us, especially as he uses personal trauma or weakness to draw us in. So, a member should be treated with patience and kindness, just like God treats us, unless or until we find that they have a the motive of a “Decepticon” – that is they are with deliberate intent trying to do harm and present false information.

As John points out, our guide to getting this right and not being drawn into foolish arguments, our guide to knowing what is God-inspired and true, is the leading of the Holy Spirit. In order for the Spirit to be an effective tool for us, we must remain close to God and His Word. We need to have our noses in the scriptures. We need to pray for the wisdom from above [See James 3:17] and stay humble ourselves.

We need to always remember this saying, “Ships do not sink because of the water around them, ships sink because of the water that gets into them”. And remember that it is the Holy Spirit in us that helps us to keep the water of foolish arguments out of our own hearts and minds and, therefore, out of our congregations.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – Internalize and Run

Before I even opened my Bible app this morning to begin to write, I was thinking about the fact that if I am not changing because I am in church every week, read the Bible every day, go to devotional, Bible study, women’s group study, listen to Christian podcasts, etc., then I am doing Christianity wrong.

Perhaps God wanted me to really get the point that John, the beloved was making when he wrote this: 1John 2:24-25 [NKJV] 24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.

Being a Christian is about becoming more Christ-like. It’s about God the Father and Jesus our Savior abiding in us through the Holy Spirit. Being Christian is about abiding in them as well – in the words of the Bible and in the center of their will for my life.

Hebrews 12:1 [NKJV] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

This abiding should change me.

If I am the same person that I was when I was baptized decades ago, then I may have a problem. To be clear, I may still struggle with certain sins, but I ought to have overcome some of them and also be winning more battles with the ones that still have the power to trip me up. There must be some trials or daily stresses that I handle better than I used to. Or what is the point of my commitment to a life lived in obedience?

Sisters, let me be clear, I know I will not become sinless in this life. In fact, my experience has been that our merciful Father waits to reveal some things I must overcome until I have made progress on other things. In other words, He did not/does not lay all my sins on me all at once. That would be overwhelming. But He reveals them as we walk together and I make progress in my journey toward greater obedience.

The process is similar to any goal we go for in this life. For example, if I want to run a marathon, I cannot just read about running and hang out with people who run. I need to actually lace up my tennis shoes and hit the trail or track. I will build up my stamina by pushing myself to do better. I may work with a trainer or training program for months before undertaking my first 26.2 miles.

And, make no mistake about it, this Christian walk is not really a walk. It is a race. Hebrews 12:1 [NKJV] Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Our Christian race comes with a prize = eternal life, as John said, 1 John 2:25.

1Corinthians 9:24 [NKJV] also uses the race analogy: 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain [it].

We must practice abiding or living in the Word and having the Word live in us. We must internalize it and walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

The Word of God is active, as we are told in Hebrews 4:12. It is a living, moving thing – not a moving changing target but a think that moves us forward toward that goal, that prize of eternal life.

So, run, sister, run!

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – I Don’t Know Him

We are still working on the section of 1 John 2 that is titled (in the NKJV) “Deceptions of the Last Hour” and discussing antichrists. We know that anyone who teaches anything that is false, conflicts with or adds to scripture is antichrist because he/she is working against Christ’s message.

We know that the sheep hear and respond to the voice of our Good Shepherd so that we are not fooled by antichrist rhetoric, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and creating that connection. And John has assured us that it

1 John 2:22-23 [NKJV] 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

When we think about denying Christ, we may be tempted to assume John is talking about the Jewish people of his day or ours, as well as those of other faiths like Muslims, Hindus and so forth, and, of course, atheists.

We’d be mistaken to focus on that list, though. John is writing to believers.

Similarly, we’d be wrong to focus on the kind of denial that Peter committed as outlined in passages like John 18:27. We don’t have to say, “I don’t know Jesus” to deny Him.

Our words and actions can show that we don’t really know Him – or at least that we don’t know Him as well as we should.

I must ask myself questions like

•   “Am I known for honesty and openness, or do I tell ‘white lies’ to get out of trouble or hide a mess up?” James 5:12 [NKJV] (latter part) tells us, “But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and [your] "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.” Can people trust my word to be my bond?

•   “Am I a worker who gives my boss my best?” Colossians 3:23 [ESV] tells us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”. We work for a higher power than our immediate supervisor or the corporate leaders. My performance at work should reflect that.

• “Am I faithful in tithing?” [Lev. 27:30] And also, “Am I more focused on tithing than the weightier matters of the law?” [Luke 11:42]

•   “Am I setting a good example at home?” [Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21]

You see, if I am not a living example of Jesus, if I am not living Matthew 5:16 [NKJV] "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”, setting an example of light at home, at work, at school and in my community, then I am denying Christ.

Why do I say that? Because Christ not only came and died for us, but He was resurrected so that He could send the Holy Spirit back to dwell in us. If the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us, we should be becoming more like Christ. To do anything else is denying the whole plan and purpose for which we were created. To do anything else is to deny “Christ in us” by showing no evidence that we are becoming more like Him.

Colossians 3:23 [ESV]“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

Sweet sisters, we are always going to have more to do to be more Christ-like. We are not going to achieve perfection in this life. But it would be denying Him if I my life is not visibly reflecting some continued growth toward being more like Him.

Yes, there are religions that deny Christ Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior. But our greater worry is how our lives either show proof of His indwelling or deny His work in us.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Letters from the Beloved – The Voice

Are you familiar with the international TV show called The Voice. Four music superstars, like Kelly Clarkson (who got her start on a competitor to The Voice: American Idol in 2002), Jennifer Hudson (who was a finalist on American Idol in 2004), country legend Blake Shelton and rock star Adam Levine, act as celebrity coaches to singers that they initially select based on voice alone.

Listening to “the Voice” – the right voice – is just as important to we believers.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Having just talked about people who are antichrist because they preach things that are not the truth, John speaks pretty emphatically about what the rest of the believers know = all things? Really? At this point there was nothing they didn’t know?

The Greek word used here can also mean “to see” or to perceive, notice, discern, discover. This seems like the more likely meaning John sought to portray. It seems as though he wanted the congregation to realize that they should be able to discern or perceive those people and their beliefs that were antichrist.

They ought to be able to discern a lie and differentiate it from what they knew to be true.

Sisters, we should be able to do the same. We ought to be knowledgeable about the truth of the Bible and of God that lies are easily seen. We ought not to be taken in by false teachings.

But both Matthew and Mark warn of the very real possibility of the elect of God being taken in by false “christs” and false prophets.  

Mark 13:22 [NKJV] "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

How can we be sure that we, even having the Holy Spirit and the discernment it gives us, won’t be taken in by the false ones?

For that we swing back to the Gospel record of John, the beloved. [Mar 13:22 NKJV] 22 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

John 10:27 [NKJV] "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

The word “hear” in this verse can man “harken” or “to attend to”, or to “understand” or “perceive the sense of what is said”.  In other words, the sheep to the voice of the Good Shepherd only. They pay attention to and perceive or understand what is coming from the voice of Jesus. It is His voice alone the they will heed and respond to.

We know that some are prevented from seeing in this age. [John 9:39; 12:40; Romans 11:8] But that is not true of the children of God, the sheep of the Good Shepherd.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Sisters, if we are listening only to the voice of our Shepherd, and working toward discerning or knowing His voice and His teachings, we will definitely know the difference between the true teachings of Christ and any teaching that is antichrist.

Through John, the beloved, Jesus may be asking us, “are you listening to Me?”. “Is it My voice that guides you?” This is the only way to discern the true teachings of God.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org