Keep in Step with the Spirit 6

In this series on keeping in step with the Spirit by bearing the fruit of the spirit, we have come to the fruit of kindness.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NIV] 22 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

It might be good at this point to remind ourselves that our goal is to become more like Jesus – more like the Father [See John 15:9, 12 and Matthew 5:48]. So, the good news for us is that God is or exhibits the things that we are asked to also exhibit in our lives.

Romans 11:22 [NIV] Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness… God is kind.

Ephesian 2:7 [NIV] in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Many other scriptures using the word kindness are about the kindness that God has shown to us.

2 Peter 1:5-7 [KJV] shows us that kindness is something that is built upon other godly characteristics and Christian practices, like faith and knowledge and patience. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

On of my favorite scripture about kindness is Colossians 3:12 [NIV] Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Romans 11:22 [NIV] Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness…

Kindness is something for us to clothe ourselves in, along with compassion, humility, gentleness and patience. Again, the scripture seems to indicate that kindness does not stand alone. To me, this indicates that without qualities like humility, compassion, and patience make it easier for us to show or maybe are required for us to show kindness to others. Humility, compassion, and patience are things you have. Kindness is something you show. It seems to me that it is logical and accurate to say that our ability to show kindness is dependent on being humble (knowing that we also sin and stumble), being compassionate (knowing that others struggle too), and being patient (with the struggles and faults of others – just as we hope others will be with our own).

This reminds me of a couple of sayings I learned from two of my favorite authors – sayings which help me to stay humble, compassionate, patient, and kind. Brene Brown taught me that “Everyone is just doing the best they can with the baggage they carry and the day they are having”. MK Mueller taught me that “we are all half jerk and half jewel”.

We are all fighting to become better versions of ourselves. Our God is kind to us in our struggles because He knows our frailty. [See Psalm 103:13-14]

It makes sense that He’d ask us to keep in step with the Holy Spirit by showing kindness to those who struggle along with us.

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

Keep in Step with the Spirit 5

In this series, we are covering the fruit of the Holy Spirit as a way to mark whether or not we are keeping in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NIV] 22 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

2 Corinthians 1:6 [NIV] If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Lord give me patience – right away!” If only patience was something that just showed up, we’d all have it. Instead, we must accept that patience is that only comes with waiting. Otherwise, you don’t need it.

How important is patience to the Christian walk?

In Luke 21:5-19, Jesus outlines the terrible times the followers of Jesus will experience close to the end of this age, including being hated, persecuted, and imprisoned. And then He tells us, Luke 21:18-19 [NKJV] 18 "But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.”

The Greek word translated patience here means “hopeful endurance”. We are to have patience that is filled with hope. Clearly, something more than just gritting our teeth (metaphorically) and hanging on until the end.

Patience must be grounded in hope. And, since this segment is talking about the times of trial before Jesus returns, I think we can safely assume that the grounding hope that allows us to be patient through it all is the hope of His return being eminent.

Some of that hopeful patience seems to be based on knowing that because we have Christ in us, we have a hope for the future.

Colossians 1:27 [NIV] 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Some of that patient and hopeful endurance could be grounded in the fact that we share the same trials and sufferings, and we see others showing hopeful patience and endurance.

2 Corinthians 1:6 [NIV] If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

We have a lot to look forward to as Christians. And the good times will last for eternity. It can be hard to grasp the magnitude of eternity, but we know that looking back on the sufferings of this world from the vantage point of having received our hope of glory will shrink that suffering into insignificance[.

Romans 8:18 [NIV] I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Now, that is worth patiently and hopefully waiting for as we walk in step with the Spirit.

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

Keep in Step with the Spirit 4

We are working our way through the fruit of our lives that together help us to show that we are walking in step with the Spirit in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NIV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Romans 12:18 [NIV] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone

Today, we tackle peace. The Word of God tells us to have peace, to seek peace, and to sew people. It is the all-purpose fruit.

We can have peace by loving God and remembering that we are called to Him for a purpose. But I think, even more so because we can know that, since He has called us for a purpose, that everything is working out to our good.  

Romans 8:28 [KJV] “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”

I feel there can be great peace in knowing that the trials of life are not for our destruction (although it can feel like they will destroy us) but are a part of God’s working everything toward our ultimate good.

Also, don’t worry, peace is not something that has to be worked up. Christ Jesus offers it to us.

Colossians 3:15 [NLT] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. We just need to let it rule within us.

We are told to seek it out. Psalm 34:14 [NIV] “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”  But that seems to refer to seeking it with others, which clearly will be more work for us than it takes to have peace with God (since Jesus did the hard work for us).

Romans 12:18 [NIV] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. See, it’ll take work. We have to do our part to live at peace with others, but this scripture indicates if they aren’t willing it might not work.

1 Thessalonians 5:13 [NLT] Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

Those who walk in step with the Spirit will have peace in them, even in the midst of storms, and will proactively work toward peace with others.

And, perhaps most importantly, we will have peace with the Father because Jesus has paid our debt, taking away the animosity caused by our sins.

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

Keep in Step with the Spirit 3

We could end the discussion of how to stay in step with the Spirit at the subject of love, because it is the greatest of all. (1 Corinthians 13:13) Love of God and love of fellow mail are the underpinnings of “all the law and the prophets”. (Matthew 22:40)

However, since Galatians 5 doesn’t stop with love, neither will I.

Let’s look at the full list now. Galatians 5:22-23 [NIV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Many of the qualities on the list are action items – we show love, give kindness, do what is good, exercise faith, etc.

Joy does not seem like something one does, rather something one experiences. The fact remains that, according to Galatians 5:22, those living in step with the Spirit are not “sour pusses” or “grumps”, rather, they produce joy. We are to be people of joy – in spite of trials and troubles, the condition of this world, and our struggles against our own sinning nature.

Joy in the midst of it all is a maker of being in step with the Spirit that dwells in us.

Our God is a god of joy. In Matthew 25, where the scripture talks about using our talents to serve, we find this in verse 21, "His lord said to him, 'Well [done], good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'” [NKJV]

It is God’s “good pleasure” to give us the Kingdom of Heaven. Many other scriptures use those same words in outlining how God feels about bringing us into His family and into eternity with Him. The image of a sour god, preferring punishment over reward is way off base from what scripture tells us.

Matthew 5:21 ...“Enter into the joy of your Lord”

In Luke 10:20, Jesus tells the disciples to rejoice that their names are written in heaven.

The book of Nehamiah tells of a time when the Israelites heard the law of God being read to them, after being a long time without it. They reacted with mourning over their own sins and separation from these words. But that is not the reaction God wanted.

Nehamiah 8:9-12 [NIV] 9 “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve." 12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.”

It seems to me that we often react with mourning when we understand ourselves to have been far from what God desires of us. However, this scripture leads me to see that our focus need not be on how far we are from obedience, but would be better placed on the joy of God’s mercy toward us in sending His Son to make us right with Him.

Staying in step with the Spirit means being joyful. Certainly, staying focused on what God has done and is doing for us, and reflecting on the joy it gives the Father to do so, can help us be people of joy.

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

Keep in Step with the Spirit 2

We are on a journey of discovery, not about where we are going but about our companion on the path of life: the Holy Spirit.

I hope you are as interested as I am to explore the proof that our lives are in step with that Spirit, through the exploration of the kind of fruit a life of walking with the Spirit produces.

John 13:34 [NIV] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  

While good deeds or good works do not produce salvation (only the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can do that), they are an important indicator that we have faith.

Similarly, the fruit of the Spirit is not a list of deeds, but a list of attributes, points of character, that indicate the presence of the Spirit, which can only be evident in how we then act on them.

Galatians 5:22-23 [NIV] 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Love is the first fruit listed, and I would say that you cannot have any other fruit listed if you don’t have love.

Compare the fruit of the Spirit with the list of what love is, as outlined in 1 Corinthians13:4-8 [NIV] (I’ve underlined the attributes that seem to be the same as the list of the fruit of the Spirit and made notes throughout) 4 Love is patient (forbearance), love is kind (kindness). It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered (self-control), it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (joy). 7 It always protects (good), always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (always = faithful). 8 Love never fails...

John 13:34 [NIV] gives us a direct command from Jesus about how love should show up: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”  And how did He love us? He healed. He fed. He taught. And then He covered our sins (our nakedness) when He died for us.

Saying we have love is not the point. The point is how love shows up in our lives.  Jesus spells it out for us in Matthew 25 with action words: “I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was naked and you gave me clothing…”

Nothing has more value than love [See 1 Corin. 13:1-3], because love underscores every aspect of our Christian walk – both what we receive and what we are then to give out to others.

Jesus did not just have love, He acted out love, and He told us to do the same.

If we want to assess whether or not we are in step with the Holy Spirit, assessing if and how love shows up in our lives is the perfect place to start.

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

Keep in Step with the Spirit 1

I was reading in Galatians a few weeks back in a different translation than I usually use. You probably know that Galatians 5, starting in verse 19, covers the deeds (or acts as the NIV has it) of the flesh. Then, it contrasts those with the fruit of the spirit in verses 22 and 23.

In this 8-part series, I will offer some thoughts on this section of scripture (Galatians 5: 19-25), beginning today with verse 25, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”. [NIV]

This scripture is interesting to me because it says that we already live by the Spirit, rather than that we should live by the Spirit. But then it warns us to keep in step with that Spirit.

I like “keep in step with” because it evokes the idea of walking along side, or walking in harmony with the Spirit by which we live.

How is it that the scripture can say we already live by the Spirit?

Ephesians 2:1-9 explains to us that we were all dead in our sins or dead because of our sins. We were the proverbial “dead men walking”. It explains that this is because we were following the spirit of Satan. But we have been saved by the grace of God. [See Acts 8:15-19]

And at baptism, through the laying on of hands, we receive the Holy Spirit, which gives us new life. Real life. Eternal life. Life that counts.

John 6:63 [NIV] “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you--they are full of the Spirit and life.”

We are then living in the Spirit because the Spirit has given us life.

So, what is the risk if we fall out of step with the Spirit and don’t make our way back? Hebrews 6:4-6 [NKJV] 4 For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put [Him] to an open shame.

So, sweet sisters, just as we know a tree by what it produces, we can know if we are in step with the Spirit by what we produce. [See Matthew 7:16-20]

In the coming blogs I’ll dive into what the Spirit in us produces. Understanding that “good works” are important, we will see that what the Spirit produces in us are not deeds, but character. [See James 2 for the importance of good works]

John 6:63 [NIV] “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you--they are full of the Spirit and life.”

I hope you will join me on this journey – a journey of walking in step with the Spirit in us.

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

Go for the Joy

Beth Moore (author and Bible teacher) and Elizabeth Gilbert (author of many books, including Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic) walk into a coffee shop (because Beth would not go to a bar) and talk about your why (or why not).

Okay, I made up the meetup. It’s difficult to imagine these two actually connecting in person or in thought leadership.

However, recently I was doing my annual listen to Gilbert’s Big Magic on audio, reminding myself that creativity is its own reward.

[Mat 25:15 NKJV] 15 "And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

Gilbert points out that we are all creative beings. Creating is what are born to do. I listen to remind myself that I can and should create for the joy of creating, not for adulation from others. My artwork will never be in the Louve. I should draw anyway, because it brings me joy. My dance moves will never be featured on America’s Got Talent, but dancing brings me joy and that is the purpose of dancing. You might enjoy creating a garden, performing music, figure skating, or something else. These pursuits never need bring you money or glory. Perhaps no one else will appreciate your singing at all. All that creative pursuits are meant to do is to bring you joy.

There will always be someone better than you at the thing you choose to do. Do it anyway.

In Beth Moore’s 4-part podcast titled “Most Talent”, she reminds us that our God-given talents are not to be done to seek accolades or glory for ourselves. We use our talents because that is what God created us to do. He equipped each of us with a talent or talents meant to be used. Using your talents brings God joy. It should bring us joy too.

There will always be someone who is a better speaker, podcaster, blogger, teacher, etc. than you.  Speak, podcast, blog, or teach anyway.

Probably nothing will happen if you never paint a flower again. But not using your God-given talents to serve God and His children has dire consequences. Jesus outlined exactly what could happen in the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. The fear that you are not good enough is not an excuse not to do what you can with what you have been given.

Don’t let the fact that you might not be the best get in the way of doing (and hopefully enjoying) what God has called you to do.

Alternately, it is just as problematic if you are using your talents and/or serving others for self-glorification, to been seen as valuable or important, or to gain stature in the church or world. Matthew 23:1-12 warns against seeking to be seen as great for the service you do. See in particular, Matthew 23: 5-7 [NKJV] 5 "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 "They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 "greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'

Moore and Gilbert are aligned in this, just maybe from a different perspective and purpose in pointing it out.

So, sweet sisters, I encourage you to “go for the joy” in using what you have to serve those you can to the glory of the Father.

Matthew 6:3-4 [NKJV] 3 "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Your “why” need only be that you have the means or the talent or the calling and you intend to us it. It’s a talent, but it is not a talent contest, and it certainly is not a competition.

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

Do As I Say, Not As I Do.

I was reading the book of Philemon this morning. In this book Paul writes a personal letter to Philemon. But even if Paul didn’t know it would become part of the New Testament, he knew that it would be read before the church in Philemon’s home.

As with any writing, it is hard to be sure of the tone or feelings behind the words. However, it seems to me that Paul is being a little manipulative. Read it for yourself and see if you don’t agree with me.

The points Paul makes about Onesimus, a former slave, now being a brother in Christ, and worthy of being treated differently rings true. It reminds me of Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. See also Colossians 3:11

I’m just not convinced we should imitate his methodology on it.  

My dear sisters, that brings me to my point. I believe we must always be careful to follow teachings and principals but remember that not every example in the Bible is an example we should follow.

No one believes, for instance, that if some evil men want to do bad things to your male guests, it is okay to push a woman out the door so they can abuse her to death overnight instead. (Judges 19:20-28)

I have heard people use the example of Jesus overturning tables in the temple to justify fits of anger… er, righteous indignation. I’ve known church leaders to use the fact that Revelation 19:15 says Jesus will “rule them with a rod of iron” as justification for being “iron rodded” in how they treat their congregations. That’s not the point.  

Anyone of us can fall into the trap of following something as behavior we should imitate rather than simply a lesson we should learn. We should be careful about following anything that we are not specifically told “this is something you should do”.

We might practice asking ourselves. “is this a follow scripture/story or a learn scripture”?

Luckily, we do have many very specific commands to follow people, behavior, attitudes, etc. Here are some examples:

Follow righteousness. 2 Timothy 2:22

Follow peace. Hebrews 12:14

Follow good. 3 John 1:11

Follow Christ’s example of suffering. 1 Peter 2:21.

And, of course, Jesus, many times, said, “follow me”. And if we focus on following Him, then Revelation 14:4 can be said about us, “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were the redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and the Lamb”.

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

Restored Losses

Mark 10:29-30 [NKJV] 29 So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, 30 "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.”

This is a promise to restore our losses, when that loss is because of Jesus or the Gospel.

Job lost a LOT – all of his children, servants (except a few), livestock and health. God did not restore those children, that livestock, and those servants. Yet we are told that God restored his losses.

Job 42:10,12,16 [NKJV] 10 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before…12 Now the LORD blessed the latter [days] of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. ... 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren [for] four generations.

David lost his first son from Bathsheba. God did not restore that child. But he and Bathsheba were comforted with a new son – Solomon.

Mark 8:35 [NKJV] For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

This is a promise that if we give up our lives, we will get those lives back. But the dead in Christ, those martyred for the Word, did not come back to their mortal lives. We give our lives to Christ not only in martyrdom for the Gospel, but also when we give it over to doing the will of God, instead of our own. He doesn’t give us back the hours given over to service.

Mark 10:29-30 [NKJV] 29 So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, 30 "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Just like God replaced Job’s children, herds, and money; just like Solomon replaced the dead child, all that we give up for and over to the service of God and Christ, to the work of the Gospel, is replaced by something entirely different.

So, when we read in Luke 6:38 [NKJV] "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  We can be thankful that God promises to out give us. But we should not expect that we will get back exactly what we give.

We might give money and get back an abundance of hope, rather than a winning lottery ticket. For example, we may give forgiveness but get back an abundance of patience, rather than reciprocal forgiveness. We might give comfort and get back an abundance of trust.

God is not in the business of restoring exactly what we lost. He is in the business of replacing what we lost with more or better, or both. He is in the business of accepting our meager, human, temporary lives, money, hearts, hopes and sacrifices, and replacing them with something of infinitely greater value.

When we get this, we see something different than a health and wealth Gospel in reading Mark 10:29-30.

If your children or your parents refuse to have anything to do with you because of your faith, God may restore them to you, or He may give you a congregation with scores of young people who are like your own children, or older women who “mother” you. You may lose your child to cancer and then adopt a family of three out of the Foster Care system who need loving parents.

You may lose your dream job but gain one that allows you more time to serve God and His people.

I guess my point is that restoration from God is often not a return of what was lost, but a replacement with something God, in His infinite wisdom and perfect plan, has chosen instead. And we have to trust that – trust Him – when we oh so badly want back that child, that marriage, that job, etc.

Matthew 7:11 [NKJV] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

The restoration is gonna be good. God promises. We just have to be open to His vision of restoration for us.

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

You Do the Math

In recent years, I’ve been working a little more thoughtfully on removing some toxic things from my life.

I am working on plastics from my life, and thereby, hopefully, removing microplastics from my brain, body, bloodstream. Or at least not adding any. Plus, it is great for the environment and our landfills to, well, fill them less with forever plastics. I recycle bottles. I use metal or glass straws. I look for personal care and household products packaged in cardboard or pouches instead of large plastic bottles.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He [the Father] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

I’m working on removing chemicals. For example, by filtering my water with a water filter. I’m working on removing chemicals from my personal care products – like using shampoo and conditioner bars that use essential oils and actual botanicals for cleaning and scenting.

I’ve cut out almost all sugar – both table sugar and the substitutes.

As a Christian, could I remove my way to success? Yes and no.

Luke 6:42 tells us to remove the plank from our own eyes before trying to remove a speck from someone else’s eye. That plank being our own sins.

Hebrews 12:1 [NIV] says, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

We are to remove things that hinder us from running our spiritual race.

Job 22:23 [NIV] says, If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent

We are to remove wickedness.

In Ezekiel 11:19, God promises to remove the stony hearts from His people. In Isaiah 1:25, God says that He will remove the impurities from His people.  

And that is why Jesus came – to purify us from sin, remove the impurities from our hearts, minds and lives. [See Titus 2:14 and 1 John 1:9]

The greatest thing that the work of Jesus subtracted from us is the debt that results from our sins. Colossians 2:14 [NIV] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

We are no longer toxic to God. Having lived sinless, Jesus suffered being rejected by the Father so that we could be accepted by the Father. Having lived free of sin, Jesus accepted the adding of all of our sins to Himself, so that our sins and the penalty for them could be removed from us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 [NKJV] For He [the Father] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. [I added the bracketed notes for clarity.]

Subtraction is an important part of Christian living. But we can’t do the real math ourselves. That requires the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, who took on all of our sin in order to remove the most toxic part of the human condition. The pollution of the land, water and air God gave us is bad for the earth and for all the living creatures on it. Ingesting toxic chemicals is bad for our bodies.  

But the most toxic thing we need to remove isn’t something we can remove on our own. Praise God that Jesus came to remove our sins and the penalty for them.

It is some special, sacred math that adding one Savior, has the power to subtract centuries of sin for billions of people. But praise God that He solved that equation for us.

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

But Does It Really, Though?

Recently, a friend came back from a women’s retreat leaning into this phrase, “everything is always working for my good”. More than a phrase, it is meant to be a way of looking at life and trusting God (or the universe if you don’t believe in God) to take care of you.

Immediately, I thought of Romans 8:28 [NKJV] And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.

Does it, though? Do all things really work to the good of believers?

Can we trust God and this scripture when things look really bad? When the miracle baby of two believing parents, is conceived naturally after 2 failed IVF efforts, but is now in the NICU fighting for her life with multiple birth defects and an infection on top of that? When the former foster child who is now a believer, but who received abuse and neglect at the hands of natural and foster families alike is so physically broken they cannot hold down “regular” job and sometimes has to sleep in his car? When the marriage of a believer crashes and burns due to no fault of their own?  When the cancer diagnosis comes so late that it leaves no hope, and God does not step in to heal? When a believer’s home is broken into while he is at church?

There are three helpful things to consider when trying to unravel this seeming dichotomy.

1.        The Greek word here is agathos, which can mean benefit, good, well. Doesn’t “all things work together for the benefit of those who love God” hit a bit differently.

2.        Some manuscripts translate that verse either God works all things together for good, or God works in all things for the good. And that, I believe, is a much better indication of the intent of this verse. “God works in all things for the good” allows us to view this scripture from the vantage point of the intent being that God will use whatever unfair, painful or unfathomable trouble comes our way to our ultimate good.

3.        And 2 Peter 3:9 [NIV] outlines exactly what that “good” is that God is working all things toward, when it tells us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

God works in all things to bring about the good of repentance; the good of eternity in His Kingdom. He is not necessarily working it out to the good of your health right now, or to the good of your financial situation. The health and wealth gospel gets that entirely wrong.

God in not necessarily doing these things, or even approving them, as He did with Job, but He is definitely using them. He uses these situations when there is no one at fault, when there is someone who is doing evil against His child, and when we must honestly say that we did it ourselves. Every reason that we suffer and every situation that brings us pain, God will use to our ultimate good – though it might kill us in this life, or we might just feel like it will.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

If we zoom out a bit by reading the verses coming before and after Romans 8:28, we get a better, more complete picture of the intent of this verse.

Romans 8:26-30 [NIV] 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. 29 For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

We don’t always know what to say or how to pray for a situation – especially one that seem so out of synch with our benefit/good. But the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, because it is perfectly aligned with God’s will. We are predestined for glorification. The Spirit ensures that our prayers are aligned with that, moving us toward alignment with the will of God, so that we are always working toward the purpose of our calling and of the justification we have by the blood of and intercession from Jesus, which is that state of glory in His Kingdom.

We would not always know how to move in that direction during a time of stress, worry, pain, and trial. But the Holy Spirit, God’s own essence living within us, definitely does. And it does God’s work in us to take every circumstance and align it with our ultimate benefit or good.

We can be comforted, sweet sisters, by the fact that nothing that occurs to us occurs in a vacuum, unseen, unknown, unattended to by God. No, we can rest assured that whatever it is and however it came to be, God will use it to our ultimate good, which is toward our being in His Kingdom for all eternity.

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

Armor of God Series – Everything Everywhere All at Once

You might think that having covered the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the Gospel of peace, the sword of the spirit, and the shield of faith, we would be done with the armor of God. However, if you’ve been studying the Word of God for very long, you probably know there is one more piece of armor, one more weapon required to win our battle “against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”. [Eph. 6:12, latter part]

Ephesians 6:18 [ESV] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Praying at all times.

I used to be a part of an organization that pushed the idea that we should pray on our knees in a quiet location every day. That would be a great habit to have. But it is not what the scripture tells us.

We know from the book of Daniel that Daniel prayed three times a day, facing the East (toward Jerusalem) evil under penalty of death. We don’t know how long he prayed during those three sessions. But that would also be a great habit to have. However, it is also not what the scripture tells us.

I know many believers who will not eat unless they have prayed over the food. Also a great habit to have, and also not what the scripture tells us.

Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow [Luke 18:1-8] “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to lose heart.” [Luke 18:1] Verse 7 poses this question, “will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night?” He will.

Ephesians 6:18 tells us that “praying always” is what is required to fully suit up and win our spiritual battles. That might mean while driving, before meals, while working on a task or helping kids with homework. Praying before bed, before meals, before decisions. Praying alone, with your mate, with your kids, with friends and fellow members of your church. Pray on your knees, on your face, in a chair, in your bed, standing in a closet. Pray always.

Ephesians 6:18 [ESV] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Here are some scriptures that guide us on what to pray, when to pray or how to pray:

Not to enter into temptation. Matthew 14:38

Pray for those who abuse you. Luke 6:28

Pray for fellow laborers in the harvest. Luke 10:2

Pray with mind and spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:15

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray with raised hands. 1 Timothy 2:8

Pray when you are suffering. James 5:13

Pray for healing. James 5:16

I once heard a sermon during which a minister said that he had been asked about the need to pray on your knees in a private place. The minister said he felt that if he was stuck upside down in a well, then upside down in a well was the proper place and position to pray. This same minister once said that falling asleep while praying was like a child falling asleep in his father’s lap. I’ve always loved that imagery. But the point of both of these was, I believe, to emphasize that far from worrying about the right timing, position, and location of prayer, we ought to just pray – everywhere and always.

So, to paraphrase Dr. Suess and Sam-I-Am, “I would do it in a box. I would with a fox. I would do it in the rain. I would do it on a train. On a boat or with a goat. In a house or with a mouse. I would do here or there. I would pray anywhere.”

Prayer is for everything, everywhere and all the time.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or anytime at Nancy@dynamicchristianministries.org

Armor of God Series – Shields Up!

If you are even a little bit of a “Trekkie” you know the importance of the phrase “shields up!” when facing danger of any kind, whether that danger is a meteor storm or the attack of an aggressive life form.  

Ephesians 6:16 [NKJV] tells us, “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

“Above all” take up the shield of faith.

Why not “above all” put on the helmet of salvation? Or “above all” take up the sword of the spirit – the word of God?

Arthur H. “Red” Motley, the publisher of Parade Magazine, is credited with saying “Nothing happens until somebody sells something”.

Similarly, I would say, “no one survives unless you lift up your shield”. In other words, no other part of the armor works very well unless you lift up your first line of defense: your shield.

The shield of faith is the thing that keeps the fiery darts of the wicked one from ever getting to your breastplate or helmet.

Psalm 119:114 [NKJV] You [are] my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.

We know that Jesus was concerned that He would not find faith on the earth at the time of His return. [See Luke 18:8] We know that we cannot please God without faith. [See Hebrews 11:6] And we know that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. [See Romans 10:17]

We also know that Jesus was the Word of God that came and dwelt among us to show the way to live by faith. [See John 1:1]

We could talk about how the Roman shield depicted here is a large, oblong shield, shaped much like a door. This was not puny round, easy to hoist shield. Leading us to understand that faith is no small protection, but rather provides a wide area of coverage that we can stand behind.

We could note that this is actually the only place in the New Testament that uses this word for shield, leading us to consider that the shield of faith is the only thing that actually provides this level of protection.

But here is the cool thing: When we examine other scriptures – especially the Psalms of David – we learn that God is our shield. He is what we lift up to protect us. David knew that. He called on or praised God for that protection in his Psalms many times. Here are just a few:

Psalm 18:2 [NKJV] 2The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 28:7 [NKJV] The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

Psalm 119:114 [NKJV] You [are] my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.

It is God Himself who stands between us and the destroyer. He is our faith. He is our shield.

When the fiery darts of the wicked one head our way, we can be like little children, positioning ourselves behind our Father protector. The wiles of the devil cannot penetrate the protection of our Father.

You wanna come at me Satan, you gotta go through Abba first. Good luck on that. You are no match for our Father, our strength and shield. Satan can only get through when we try to take him on ourselves; when do not put God between us and those fiery darts.

Shield up, sweet sisters. Raise up the Word of God and stand behind our Father Protector, our Sheild of Faith.

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

Armor of God Series – Cut to the Heart

Try to say this to the tune of Bon Jovi’s “Shot Through the Heart”.

“Cut to the heart, God’s word the blade. You give sin no real place.” Well, I’m no Bon Jovi, but I hope you get the point about the sword of the spirit (pun intended).

Ephesians 6:17 [ESV] “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

You have probably heard it said many times that the word of God is the only offensive weapon in a Christian’s battle gear. It’s true. The Word of God cuts through all the falsehoods that Satan throws at us. This is true whether it is Satan trying, as he did in the Garden of Eden, to convince us that God is lying to us and cannot be trusted, or Satan is lying to us about who we are in Christ by feeding us negative self-talk, or Satan is using some methodology to try to divide the body of Christ.

But let’s be clear, sweet sisters, there is another very important area where we should be attacking with that sword – our own human nature.

Hebrews 4:12 [ESV] explains it this way “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.”

Can WE know the thoughts and intentions of someone else’s heart? No, we cannot. It seems clear to me that it is our own thoughts and intentions that the sword of the Spirit is intended to pierce.

It is our soul and spirit that the sword is to divide. What exactly is it that we are to be separating?

Ephesians 6:17 [ESV] “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”

The Greek word used for soul can mean breath, breath of life, life, that in which there is life, the seat of feelings, desires, affections, aversions. This seems to be a description of the things that make us living human beings – our human side.

But the number one meaning of Greek word translated spirit in this passage is the Holy Spirit.

To me, the use of these two words indicates that we should be using the sword of the Spirit to separate the human parts in us - human nature if you will – from the godly – the Holy Spirit in us. Consider, Isaiah 55:8 [ESV], which says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD” for proof that our thoughts and actions need to be changed.  God, through the sword of the Spirit/the Word of God, is getting rid of the “old man” and making us a “new creature”.  2 Corinthians 5:17 [ESV] “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

This is, in fact, the work that God is doing in each of us if we have committed our lives to Him. And in that sometimes hard and painful work of cutting away everything that is not Him, God is moving us toward His example of perfection. Matthew 5:48 [ESV] “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

The great Italian Renaissance artist, Michelangelo, said “The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material,”

Likewise, sweet sisters, you already have God – have perfection – in you, if you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Let the sword of the Word cut away what is not of God.

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

Armor of God Series – Walking Peace

Why does the Word call the footwear of our armor shoes of the good news of peace? More specifically, why does it say we should have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace? [Ephesians 6:15]

How does the Gospel/good news bring peace?

The New Living Translation helps to clarify this way, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared”.

It’s almost ironic to call it the “Gospel of peace” when we contrast this to the reality of the number of wars and persecutions that have been launched in the name of the Gospel. But was never the intent of the Good News. Was it?

There are many ways that the Gospel rightly taught and rightly understood can bring peace to our lives, and our relationships. If we are truly grateful for what Jesus has done for us, aren’t we more patient with others who struggle and need forgiveness?

If we know that the whole purpose of this life, the reason God created humans, is so that we can become His children and live forever with Him, won’t we view the tough times in this short life as more of a momentary trouble compared to eternity?

Won’t we rest in the peace of knowing that God is for us? Won’t we give up any hold that worldly things have upon our hearts?

To me, the best and most exciting work of the Gospel of peace is the peace that it brings in our relationship with God.

In Luke 8:48, Jesus tells the woman just healed “your faith has made you well, go in peace”, just has He had said to the woman who washed His feet for gratitude over being forgiven “many sins” in Luke 7:50.

“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared”.

You see, the sacrifice of Jesus – His beating and His crucifixion – heals our relationship with God, just as it heals our bodies.

Isaiah 53:5 tells us, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed”.  For our peace. He did it so that we can have peace with the Father.

That peace is not possible without the blood of Jesus, because our sin separates us from God.

Ephesians 2:13-18 [ESV] 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

We were once far from God due to our sins. But Christ Jesus is our mediator, whose sacrifice made a way for us to be near again. Human nature is at war with God – not aligned with Him at all. [See Isaiah 55:8]

Through Jesus our ways and our thoughts become aligned with God and there is peace between us. This is the best news yet.

So, sweet sisters, lace up those peace shoes and march forward it to spread the good news everywhere you go. May you always walk in peace.

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

Armor of God Series – Cinch It

There’s an old comedy skit making fun of salespeople at a popular young adult clothing store. When something was too big or baggy, they’d say, “just cinch it” – meaning put on a belt, pull it tight and it won’t look so big on you.

Similarly, we need to pull the belt of truth tightly around us in order for it to be effective. [Ephesians 6:14]

In His prayer for His disciples before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus make it clear that truth sets His followers apart, and that the authority for truth is God’s word.

John 17:17, 19 [NKJV] 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth... 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

We must love and cling to that truth, found only in the word of God, or we will fall for the lies of Satan. 2 Timothy 2:10 [NKJV] warns us about that, “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved”.

It seems to me that quite often, the fables and deceptions we most easily fall prey to are the ones about who we are to God and Jesus. Feelings of failure or unworthiness or that we are not enough or that God cannot forgive, are all satanic lies. If we don’t cinch the truth tightly around us, we may find fall prey to those falsehoods.

Truth helps us hold it all together when life is falling apart or we will fall apart, because truth tells us that God is in control, that He is working all things to our good, and that His love for us is greater than any human circumstance.

Timothy 2:10 “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved”.

Truth helps us stand straight, tall and strong when pressures and stresses threaten to wilt us, because truth tells us that we are beloved children of God, washed in the blood of Jesus, and that eternity with God is our destiny.

Truth helps bind God’s righteousness (the breastplate) to us, helping it to do its protective work when Satan tries to hit us with reminders of our own unrighteousness.

When all hope is lost, truth reminds us that the victory is already ours, because we are “more than conquerors through Him that loved us”. [Romans 8:37]

The belt of truth is more than a “nice to have” accessory to the armor of God. It is an essential part of holding it (and us) together when the battle is raging.

Sweet sisters, cinch the belt of truth tightly about you, and fight on.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can message me here or write me at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Armor of God Series – Heart Emoji

How’s your heart? Broken and bleeding out? Hard as a rock? Locked down like it’s Fort Knox? Dead rose emoji?

Today, I want to discuss heart therapy, Jesus style.

As we move through our review of the Armor of God, remember that I am taking the pieces head-to-toe, rather than in the order laid out in Ephesians 6:10-20.

Once your head is right with God’s focus, thoughts and intent, and every thought is filtered through the lens of salvation, it is time to examine our hearts.

First, let’s establish that whatever is in our hearts – good, bad or indifferent – God already knows it. Psalm 44:21 [NKJV] Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.

And He has given us His Holy Word to help us do the same – to know our own hearts. Hebrew 4:12 [NKJV] For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

There is nowhere for the secrets, thoughts and intents of our hearts to hide! That’s bad news if we harbor bitterness, jealousy or hatred. It’s good news if our hearts are pure.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Timothy tells us that the purpose of God’s commandments is to cause us to love “from a pure heart”. [See 1 Timothy 1:5] And Psalm 24:3-4 lets us know that if we want to “stand in His holy place” we must have a pure heart.

But the thing is, sweet sisters, there is a lot going on in the world that would have our hearts breaking or turning to stone out of fear for the damage this world might hold.

Instead of either of those, God offers us the breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts (and other vital organs) from the potential damage this world can do.

And to be perfectly clear: this is the breastplate of HIS righteousness. Not our own. We have none of our own. Romans 3:10 [NKJV] As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;

How does God covering us with His righteousness protect us?

2 Peter 3:8-9 [NKJV] 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day [is] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

When we understand His righteousness is available to all, just as salvation through Jesus is available to all, we feel differently about the ugliness going on in the world. We have His heart of patience toward others – the same as He has toward us. We also have a great desire for all to come to repentance, even those we disagree with, those who harm us or those who harm our loved ones. There is no way for a stony heart to form if this is how we feel about the world around us.

It doesn’t mean we are okay with the suffering of the world – the hate and hurt and ugliness that goes on every day. It means that we are not hardened by it. We don’t respond with judgement, ugly words, demand for revenge, or hate. We are, instead, softened by compassion for others who are God’s children, no matter how broken, as God is softened by compassion for us though we sin and deserve death.

And if we do get broken-hearted about our own suffering or that of the world around us, we have this guarantee: Psalm147:3 [NKJV] He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

So, sweet sisters, as Matthew 6:33 advises, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  If we put on His righteousness, we will be able to stand in the evil day, and our hearts will remain open, and soft, no matter how hard things are and how the world rages around us.

Join me regularly for this series on the Armor of God.

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

Armor of God Series – The Thought Police

For the next several blogs, I’ll be doing a series on the Armor of God, as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-20. Today, we begin with the helmet of salvation. Rather than discussing the armor the way it is listed in Ephesians, I’m going from top to bottom.

In the workshop I teach, based on the book 8 to Great by MK Mueller, I teach people of all ages to “choose thoughts that feel good”. The reason I don’t say, “choose good thoughts” I tell them is because there is no thought police judging your thoughts. And there is not. You decide what thoughts feel good. If you lost someone you love, sadness is a thought that feels good at the time.

Let’s acknowledge that thoughts have power. Proverbs 23:7 tells us “For as he thinks in his heart, so [is] he. “

Philippians 4:8 “8 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.”

That is why we want to choose thoughts that feel good. So, we can feel good.

We know from 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love “thinks no evil”. Evil thoughts do not feel good – especially not to people who love.

Like all human beings, believers can struggle with our thoughts – whether they are thoughts that are vanity, or thoughts that undervalue our worth before God, or are thoughts that pull us toward actions that are wrong, or thoughts of hate toward others or ourselves.

Satan and this world are continually bombarding us with messages that confuse us or seek to pull us in the wrong direction. Like the Bible warns, we hear today the same kind of distortion

Those of us who are a bit older remember when we listened to music on a radio that had to be tuned into the frequency of the station we wanted to hear. Just a bit off on the dial – left or right – would give us nothing but static.

These messages that are broadcast by Satan, and by the world he controls, are like static noise that shows up when are minds are not protected and focused – when they are not tuned into the God’s frequency.

The helmet of salvation is our tuning dial.  It helps to bring godly thoughts into focus for us – thoughts that support the beauty, power and joy that is the truth about our salvation through Jesus and the future glory that is promised to us. It helps us focus on thoughts that include gratitude for what God has done for us. It also helps us to focus on thoughts that align with our true value to Him, and the fact that we are precious to Him. It also helps us to extend the same value toward all other human life – whether we would identify the person as friend or foe.

Philippians 4:8 give a list of some of the thoughts that the helmet of salvation helps us to tune into: “8 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.”

The helmet of salvation also acts as a block to Satan’s broadcasted messages that can pull our focus away from thoughts guided by salvation. If he was able to get to our minds, Satan would sew seeds of anxiety, hate, worthlessness, hopelessness and the like.

Philippians 4:6-7 shows us the importance of that guarding of our minds again Satan’s barrage:  “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

We need the filter of salvation placed over our minds, so that we look at others from a vantage point of this:

2 Peter 3:9 [NKJV] “The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Yes, even that person who gossiped about you at work, even the person who cheated on you, even people who are currently incarcerated for crimes they committed, even the person of a different religion, race or political party. The - addict, the homeless, the alien, the migrant, the atheist each represent one for whom Jesus died and who God wishes would come to repentance.

A mind protected, filtered and focused by the covering of the helmet of salvation will tune out Satan’s temptations and pulls, by tuning into the love, the will and the focus of God.

It all begins with our minds. Every word and action began as a thought.

Let’s protect our minds, sweet sister, by putting on the helmet of salvation every day and letting it do its work of filtering our thoughts through the lens of salvation.

Join me regularly for this series on the Armor of God.

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

Doing More with Less

If I hear one more leader say, “we have to do more with less”, I’m going to quit. More than one person I know has talked to me about the company they work for cutting back on staff, in order to save profits for their share holders, improve the look of performance for reporting so leadership can keep their jobs, or so they can sell the company based on better looking numbers, or just as an extreme survival mode.

Whatever the reason, the result is greater pressure on employees who don’t usually get profit-sharing bonuses, or raises as a result of doing more with less. Their lives take on new stresses, not only because employment now seems tenuous at best, and with the staff is half what it used to be, they are  required to do more and to produce just as much as they did with full staff.

Ephesians 3:20 [NLT] “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.”

It reminds me off the Israelites in slavery in Egypt. For a reason having nothing to do with profits or bottom line, Pharoah famously told the Israelite slaves [in Exodus 5] that he would no longer provide straw for the bricks they made. They were to gather the straw themselves now, and yet not reduce the number of bricks per day they made.

Pharoah was trying to suppress and oppress. Most company leaders are just trying to survive. But it amounts to the same stress on employees who are trying to do more (or the same) with less help.

A wonderful blessing for believers is the way that “do more with less” plays out in our relationship with God. The best part about this from a believer’s standpoint is that He also asks us to “do less with more”. And, yes, these two, seemingly conflicting things, can and must occur at the same time.

God never intended us to save ourselves. When Philippians 2:12 instructs us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”, it is not saying we can do it on our own. Otherwise, it would not be followed by this in verse 13, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for [His] good pleasure.” God is doing the actual work, we just need to work with Him. And, if the Spirit lives in us, it provides the “want to”  as well as the “doing” in us.

Our own sacrifices, good works, repentance, and obedience do not save us, though they are an important part of how we “work out” our salvation. These are just the ways that we align ourselves with the will and works of God through us.

God bids us to do less, because nothing we can do can compare to what can be by Him in and through us, when we are less and He is our “more”.

And yet, through that process He gives us the power to do more, by Him doing the “more” in and through us. So much more.

We cannot save ourselves. All our works will not earn us salvation. We must live differently. We must work the works of God. But we do that because we are saved, not in an effort to be saved.

We can do more with less because God is able to do more with less:

Ephesians 3:20 [NLT] “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.”

With just mere mortals lead by Him, God is saving the world. With passionate believers who step aside from what we can do to allow that bigger work to be done Him through us, God is changing the world.  

Sweet sisters, are we willing to do less so that His “more” can work through us? Feel like you are not doing enough? Getting burned out by all your struggles, by the pressures of life or by the way the world is going? Concerned that your congregation is not big enough to have an impact in your community?

Act like a business leader who needs more profits = ask God to do more with your “less”. He will.

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

Intrigue

Wes and I are watching an older series on Netflix. It is a spy drama. One of the interesting things about it, and something that helps to keep our attention – even now that we are in season 4 – is that there is always more going on in the background than what you know in the beginning. Unraveling that back-room intrigue is part of the drama and what keeps it interesting.

There’s always something going on behind the scenes – some scam or ulterior motive.

1 John 2:1 [NLT] My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

As a Christian, if you think your life is all happening on the surface or that what is really going on is all the you can see each day, I’ve got a big reveal for you. Like any good drama series, there are backroom deals going on. There are high-speed chases and hidden agendas. There are potential dangers that may hit you with a bang or may get stopped in their tracks just inches before collision.

Ephesians 6:12 [NLT] For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

This passage confirms that there is stuff going on behind the scenes in the spirit world that we don’t even know about. And we are probably glad we don’t know about it.

If you were Job, would it have been helpful at all to know that Satan and God had a couple of conversations in heaven that directly resulting in the trial of your lifetime? [See Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:2-6]

But the unknown things going on in heaven might not be all bad. Could it been that, when the answer to your biggest prayers are not being answered, that there is something going on in the spirit world, similar to what we read about in Danial 10:12-13? Danial 10:12-13 [NKJV] 12 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Could it be that help is on its way, but something not visible to us right now is preventing it from getting to us? It might be a comfort to know that help is on its way – that God has already answered with “yes” to your plea. But maybe it would not be helpful to know that Satan or his minions are blocking it.

God saw fit to let us know about the heavenly “backroom” conversation about Job. He wanted us (and in this case Daniel) to know that help had been on the way from day 1.

In this age, I have not heard of anyone who has been given an actual account of things going on in heaven related specifically to them, their circumstances or their prayers. But we do know that we have an Advocate there in heaven who is pleading our case before the Father.

1 John 2:1 [NLT] My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

If a deal is “going down” there, one related to our sins, our lives, Jesus is on it. So, we don’t have to know about or try to handle it.

While it is good to be aware that there are heavenly battles we are not privy to, and that our Advocate is there to see to it that our interests are served. The best news of all is that an end to all this hidden intrigue is coming.

Revelation 12:7-9 [NLT] Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Good triumphs over evil. Finally. And all that intrigue is put to rest.

Some nights I get weary of all that intrigue in the show, all the hidden agendas, and secrets. I’m not sure I’ll make it through the 8 or 9 seasons.

Sweet sisters, we do not have the option of giving up. We must see our Christian journey through to the end – even if it lasts 100 seasons.

We can be grateful for our ignorance of the unseen battles going on in heavenly places, and also grateful to know that Jesus is watching out for us. Most of all, we can be grateful when it’s all over and good has triumphed.

God speed that day.

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