Do you Have a Firm or Flimsy Foundation?

Anything built on an unstable or decaying foundation will not stand. One example of a famous foundation failure is the  South Padre Island’s Ocean Tower in Texas. Ocean Tower was originally designed to be a 31-story building that housed high-end condominiums. However, construction of the tower couldn’t be completed because of foundation problems discovered in early 2008. The expansive soil beneath the tower began to compact, causing the building to sink and lean. Construction ceased and the building had to be demolished in 2009. (source - https://www.structuredfoundation.com/blog/extreme-example-of-foundation-failure/)

Another famous example is the Leaning Tower of Pisa; it leans because its foundation is unstable.

Ezra Bible Study - Change: There is Hope

The last chapter of Ezra does not end as we would expect; instead, we see what happens when we truly make a U-turn and change. In this final chapter, there's a recognition of error, coupled with a desire to correct even though it affects their life choices. You see, these men had married women from countries that did not believe in God, which means these women also did not believe in God. God placed a prohibition of intermarriage with the people of heathen nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-6). This chapter ends with a reckoning, listing all the men that left their wives, but let's not oversimplify it. This is

Real Life Marriage - Funny Married Stuff

When I first saw an episode of Funny Married Stuff, the couple were in the bathroom - he on the toilet and she at the sink, talking. I laughed because it reminded me of the many times my husband and I have done the same thing. It was refreshing to see; I've been a fan ever since. Interestingly, because I live in Los Angeles, I meet a lot of creatives. I met Lony'e, the creator of this series at church when I had no idea who she was. So it's been a pleasure to see the growth of this web series.

Actress Lony’e Perrine,  created the show with her husband Peyton to promote positive relationships. Despite the facts, media representation of marriages is widely negative, with even the most successful black comedy shows such as Blackish showing the stars exploring divorce. Tired of seeing negative images of marriages in the media, the creators of this series are trying to change the narrative. Actress Lony'e Perrine and her husband of 15 years, Peyton Perrine, created the web series Funny Married Stuff as a way to promote positive, fun, and real images of marriage by combining improv humor with a touch of marital lessons.

Ezra Bible Study - Who Was Ezra?

Before we jump into the events written by Ezra, let's discover some fundamentals about Ezra.

This book bears his name while showing how God used Ezra and others to fulfill his plan for the Jews. The book of Ezra is considered a historical book and begins where 2 Chronicles ends. In the chronological order of the Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are considered the end of the old testament. Ezra details the rebuilding of the second temple which was ultimately destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans.

Knowledge of the Law was lost during the seventy-year Babylonian exile. The Babylonian

Why Do You Fast?

It's that time of year again where churches encourage members to fast at the start of the year. To launch fasting in our household, we had a long discussion about what fasting means while reviewing Isaiah 58: 1-7. This chapter speaks about right and wrong ways to fast. In this passage, the reality was that God's people didn’t fast with the right heart and did it only as an empty ritual. The context of this passage focused on their relationships with others - the oppressed and the needy. But the overriding theme was not to do something just because you think it will please God without changing your ways. We were mindful of this thought as Monday dawned.

The Heart of Giving Series - What It Looks Like When You Give to God

So far we've looked at giving and we've seen that how we give matters. We've seen that it can become second nature but yet we don't always do this regardless of the benefits. In this post, I'd like to explore the mechanics around giving regardless of your income level. I think many struggle with this question: "How do I give to a God I cannot see?"

The universal church is comprised of those who belong to Christ and who have trusted Him for salvation. These members of the universal church should seek fellowship and edification in a local church, which is where our giving typically occurs. Therefore when you give to God, you are giving to His representation here on Earth - the body of Christ.

The actual meaning of the word church is not a building but a group of people. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is

Write it Down

God has left a deposit in my spirit at the beginning of this new year and it is that I should write my thoughts down. I do some of that via this blog, but honestly, I had gotten lazy with capturing God's thoughts as He speaks to me.

These thoughts can show up anywhere and anytime but they usually show up when I'm still, when I'm listening or when I'm at church. This can be three separate instances or they can occur simultaneously. I cultivated the habit

Sanctified not Sanctimonious

Social Media is this generation's technology tool that many struggle with how best to use. To provide context, in my generation, it was the TV. Social media has brought down leaders, rebuked citizens, notified us of prominent deaths prior to regular news outlets, shared the gospel, and highlighted areas that warranted our attention. But one of the things it has also done is made us all more self-focused to the point that reality is blurred. We see most people boasting - about their families, their accomplishments and their good deeds online. Sometimes I feel like a voyeur because so much of what is posted is not for public consumption. A lot of it feels like bragging, even humble bragging which is just a

Important Leadership Traits

The study of the book of Judges has been eye opening for me because of its intensity and detail. There's so much more there than what I remembered.

I wanted to take a break, just to regroup and ensure that we're all following along.

Remember, these are the judges or leaders that God chose to deliver Israel from their surrounding enemies. These leaders were a far cry from what we would call in today's vernacular, 'ideal candidates'.

So far, we've noticed the following:

• We've consistently seen the breakdown of the family in the constant cycle of redemption and failure of the Israelites.
• We've seen that the Spirit of God was present, that it moved individuals to action, in a powerful fashion that provided clarity.
• We've seen that God allowed their enemies to overcome them so that when God stepped in through their leader, the conclusion could only be that it was God.
• We've seen that human nature is complex, yet not one part of it is a surprise to the God who made us.
• The tenure for the leaders we have studied so far were all over 20 years. The longer the tenure the greater the stability.
• Finally, with God's leading, we've seen how these men and one woman were able to lead the Israelites who were not an easy bunch. Gideon had a degree of fear; Deborah had smarts; Ehud was willing; Shamgar was a fighter and Othniel was ordinary; different character traits yet all possessed the traits of leadership. 

The most prevalent and consistent traits of leadership are obedience - a willingness to listen to someone bigger than you and humility - the recognition that the task at hand is bigger than you and deploying assistance from above and below. We've seen other leadership traits in action also: vision, self-awareness, integrity, commitment and a willingness to help others.

John Maxwell lists 5 stages of leadership - position, permission, production, people development and pinnacle. So far the judges we have studied were leaders because of their position - God placed them there; they were appointed. In addition, most had the respect of the people they led.  The Israelites listened and followed their direction - they had a vested interest in following and listening to their leader. The scripture does not go into detail on each judges' life, but many were hailed as great men.

As we study the remainder of the book of Judges, we'll see additional lessons of leadership that we can apply to our lives today.

But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. John 20:26-28

What's your biggest takeaway on leadership from studying the book of Judges? Would you consider yourself a leader?



--Nylse

Thanks for reading. Please take a moment to share using the buttons below and also please like my Facebook Page. Stay Encouraged!

Gideon The Mighty Hero, Finally

In the last post, I mentioned that Gideon received a huge response to his request for warriors - 32,000 men to be exact. Well to you and I, that would make us confident, we would start devising plans and strategizing, all with victory in mind. But God said, "It's too much, your army is too large. If you win, you will think it was because of your strength and not my divine intervention." (Judges 7:2-3) Though Gideon had such a huge turnout, it appeared that many of these men were afraid. With God's guidance, Gideon simply said "If you're afraid, you don't have to fight," and 22,000 men went home. Can you imagine, more than half of his initial army were afraid? It's good to ask questions of people to see where your team stands - you might be surprised yet relieved at the response.

The remaining 10,000 were still too many, so God instructed Gideon to use another creative way to separate them - those who drank water from their hands or those who drank straight from the source. It can be viewed as moderation vs. indulgence. Those that were indulgent were sent home, 9700 and the 300 who lapped the water from their hands were Gideon's army. These 300 passed all the tests - they were not afraid and they were careful - just who you want to fight with you. (Judges 7:1-7)

With this army of 300 Gideon wreaked havoc and defeated the Midianites - but first, before the fighting started he needed one more confirmation. God told him if he's afraid (wasn't Gideon always afraid?) to listen in at the edge of the Midianite camp with his servant. His servant, Purah, was a witness who could also confirm God's plan for Gideon. Gideon heard two of the Midianites talking; they were talking about a dream and its meaning. One man told the other the dream meant that Gideon would defeat them.  Judges 7:9-14. Have you ever overheard someone saying good things about you? Or things you didn't even recognize about yourself? It is usually a confidence booster, just like it was for Gideon.  When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!” (Judges 7:15)

And just as it was in the interpretation of the dream, it became a reality. Gideon used his army of 300 to create confusion in the Midianites camp - for the fighting started at an unexpected time, in the middle watch, which was between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am. The Midianites were so startled by the blowing of the horns that they attacked each other while also trying to escape. Though they were few, the Israelites used strategy to outsmart the Midianites because they were prepared and the Midianites were not; they also had God on their side. (Judges 7:16-23)

In all of this, Gideon became the mighty hero that God said he would be. He had some missteps along the way - he took revenge against those who wouldn't assist him (Judges 8:1-21), made priestly garments that didn't serve a priestly purpose which ended up leading the Israelites astray(Judges 8:22-28), and he was a womanizer - he had many wives and one on the side (Judges 8:29-31). But in spite of his flaws God used him and his faith is noted in the book of Hebrews.  For the remainder of Gideon's life - about 40 years, the Israelites had peace in the land.

Like Gideon's initial army - sometimes we're too much or we have too much. Too many smarts, too much money, too much pride, too much knowledge. And God is telling us we have to scale back so that he can use us mightily. Or like Gideon also, we're too afraid and God keeps telling us that we don't need to be afraid; I got this!

I see attributes of Gideon in myself. I have to be willing to listen to God to ensure that I have the right people in my corner - my 300, to do what He has called me to do. Sometimes I'm afraid to trust God, but when I am afraid I know that I can rely on Him. I know this without a doubt and it banishes my fear at the moment. It almost does not matter who we are, as long as we believe in God and exhibit the faith in Him that He requires of us.

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23

Are you realizing that you don't need to remain afraid? Do you need to scale back so that God can move mightily? Who should be in your 300? What else can you learn from Gideon's life?

--Nylse

Thanks for reading. Please take a moment to share using the buttons below and also please like my Facebook Page. Stay Encouraged!

Gideon Owns His Identity

Now that Gideon has accepted his assignment, the magnitude of what needs to be accomplished is staring him in the face; he is called to lead and defeat the Midianites. The Midianites who are prolific and plenteous, and make his people quake in fear. God is on his side but how will he do this?

Gideon was fearful yet obedient - he wanted to honor what had been told to him.

It's no wonder the Israelites were always in this cycle of failure - the previous generations seem to have forgotten what God had done in the past; the knowledge of God's faithfulness and goodness was not passed down to the next generation; it was only hearsay and it seemed many chose not to believe. Joash - Gideon's father displayed this trait.

The first thing he did was to follow God's instruction cut down his father's shrine to a false god - Asherah and build an altar to the True God. Now that took some nerve on Gideon's part, so this plan was carried out at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town. In the morning, when this is discovered the people figure out that Gideon is the culprit.They are not happy. They wanted to kill Gideon, but Joash - Gideon's father said if Baal is god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar. At this point, Gideon gains new respect and is also called Jerubabaal - which means let Baal defend himself. Parents and children don't often see eye to eye, but when it came to what was important, Joash - the idol worshipper, defended Gideon. With God on his side, Gideon took a stand against his father.

Gideon is developing more confidence, but he's still wary. Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew his horn and he's in the process of army building- he gets a huge response (which we'll talk about in the next post).

Then he asked the Lord for a sign -

36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, 37 prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” 38 And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” 40 So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew. Judges 6:36-40

This is the story we were told in Sunday School, how Gideon puts a fleece down and tested God. But without the greater context of knowing that God had chosen Gideon, God had given him instruction, Gideon was obedient, and God had placed his Spirit on him, many of us seem to think that we can test God willy-nilly and then rebel against God when he doesn't pass our test. We deal with difficult situations but instead of using God's word as a barometer and an indicator for our direction we rely on our feelings. We test God when we doubt him and the promises in His Word instead of having faith in Him. Gideon had a personal encounter with God, God called him a mighty hero; Gideon turned his doubt into faith and knew that the God that was calling him to do this task was faithful. He may have been timid, afraid and grouchy by nature, but with God's help, he would overcome and God confirmed it to him.

Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. Judges 6:34

Is there anything in Gideon's experience that is similar to yours? Please share.

--Nylse

Thanks for reading. Please take a moment to share using the buttons below and also please like my Facebook Page. Stay Encouraged!

Deborah's Cast of Characters - the 4th Judge

When I initially came across the Judge Deborah (pronounced Deb-oh-rah), my heart jumped with joy because she was the first woman identified as a leader in the Bible. I innately knew women could lead, speak, and teach; seeing her example reinforced this. In Christian circles as a child, Deborah is not often spoken of, and as a female, you may grow up with the mistaken impression that a woman's role is limited. If memory serves me correctly, I believe it was from my mother that I first heard of this female judge.

So by now the people of Israel are like a record stuck in groove - rest, disobedience, deliverance, rest. Israel was now the captive of King Jabin of Hazor - a Canaanite King; his captain was Sisera who was a harsh taskmaster that worked the Israelites very hard for 20 years. Of course, the Israelites could not take it anymore and begged God for deliverance at which point, God sent Deborah - a wife and a prophet. She was recognized as a  leader because the Israelites would go to her for judgment (i.e. leadership and decision-making).

The story starts in Judges 4, with Deborah sending for Barak and telling him, "The Lord will give you victory over Sisera." She told him to gather 10,000 men to defeat King Jabin. Barak didn't question her leading, though he was hesitant. He said he would do it but only if Deborah came with him. She replied, "Certainly I will go with you. . . . But because of the course, you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” In this statement, Deborah recognized how women were viewed by men and used it as a motivator for Barak. By the way, she wasn't necessarily referring to herself, but Barak didn't know that. Why would a soldier want a woman to come with him to battle? She was a wife and a prophet, not a warrior. Maybe Barak had some reservations about her passing on God's instruction and needed her there as reinforcement. This mindset (i.e. Barak's way of thinking) is more common for women in leadership to deal with than men.

The story continues with Barak's troops defeating all of King Jabin's men with the exception of Sisera. Sisera ran and hid in the tent of a Hebrew woman - Jael. Jael knew who Sisera was - he was the enemy who had oppressed her people for twenty years. Jael misjudged her and thought he was safe. In knowing her enemy, she acted counter to what he expected - she was kind yet cunning. She threw a mantle over him and gave him milk, though he asked for water. He fell asleep after drinking the milk - and then she used the opportunity that presented itself to kill Sisera in a most brutal fashion. She drove a tent spike through his temple; she nailed him to the ground.

When Barak comes looking for Sisera, Jael shows him her conquest - "I will show you who you are looking for." She knew what she had done, she knew that she played a vital role in the defeat of Jabin without anyone telling her, because she knew who the enemy was and that it had to be defeated. Eventually, Israel with God's help subdued and defeated King Jabin.

God subdued Jabin; the Israelites prevailed against him and they had rest for 40 years.

 Because of this amazing supernatural victory - Deborah's heart is full and we have her song, her praise and acknowledgment to God in Judges 5.  Deborah's song is representative of the feeling you get when you have been used by God to do something amazing and in its aftermath, you want to tell everyone, you want to shout from the rooftops, you're giddy with glee, and your endorphins are at an all-time high; this encapsulates Deborah's song.

What can we learn from Deborah?

• She had a relationship with God; she was called a Prophet. God spoke directly to her and through her. Her job was to listen and obey. She could say with certainty to Barak, "This is what the Lord commands you....."
• She was obedient - she acted as a facilitator; she didn't know how their deliverance was going to play out. She just knew it was the right time and communicated this to Barak.
• She was willing to suffer the shame based on the social structure at the time of being a woman so that God's word could be accomplished. God's promise and God's word was greater than who she was.
• She rehearsed God's goodness - In her song, she re-tells how God delivered Israel. 
• She was devoid of pride - she celebrated Barak and Jael and the role of the Almighty's hand in defeating King Jabin and Sisera. She acknowledged that it was God who raised her up, "...like a mother to Israel." (Judges 5:7)
• She was euphoric in her praise - When God does something good in your life, express it.

Lord, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power! Judges 5:31

If you love the Lord, may you too rise like the sun in all its power, even as a woman.

--Nylse

Thanks for reading. Please take a moment to share using the buttons below and also please like my Facebook Page. Stay Encouraged!

As a Leader you Must be Courageous and Obedient

Don't you hate when encouragement falls flat? When someone is just saying something because it sounds good but doesn't really understand what's happening with you? When the words being said are without conviction - like they almost don't believe what they're saying?

Joshua was not like that; he was purposeful in his encouragement so his encouraging words did not fall flat. There's a purpose to encouragement; it's to reinforce that you're on the right track; it's to pick you up when you're down; it's to remember how you overcame in the past; it's to let you know that seasons come and go - sadness/doubt/depression won't last forever. Encouragement strengthens our hope and reinforces our faith.

Joshua was able to be purposeful in his encouragement to the Israelites well after they had conquered; 14 years had passed and with the passing of time Joshua's faith was reinforced. He was now in a position where he could pass on what he had learned, first to the leaders.

In Joshua 23:1 it notes that Joshua was old and stricken in age. There's a beautiful benefit to being old in that your experiences have become the foundation of your life. They have shaped you, up to this point. Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land and he lived and witnessed the hand of God -up close and personal.

As a leader who was victorious in conquering Canaanite lands, it is from this vantage point that he is able to encourage the elders - other leaders, and subsequently the people.

Leadership requires courage. Joshua recognized this trait and told the Israelites often to be very courageous. Leadership also requires obedience. Joshua said, "Be very courageous and do all that is written in the book of the Law." (Joshua 23:6)

Why were courage and obedience so necessary and part of Joshua's encouraging words to the Israelite leaders?
The Israelites were now living with the folks they had defeated. These folks had their own customs many of which included idol worship. When you live with others, if you're not strong or careful, their ways can become your ways. Some things may be innocuous, such as housekeeping, but other things such as was the case with idol worship would be detrimental. Who or what you worship determines your belief systems which in turn impacts every area of your life. Idol worship of pagan gods lead to practices that placed you away from God; idol worship would corrupt their thinking. The thing with idol worship is that you are replacing God with anything or anyone else. Because it's not the same as worshiping God, you will never experience what you desire, just a short-term high compared to a long-term sustainable relationship where God is your source.

Joshua was prescient by telling the leaders to be courageous and obedient. And then he provided credible evidence by telling them that God fought for them. One man of you shall chase a thousand for God fights for you. (Joshua 23:9,10) He went on to say, "In addition, you can see that God has not failed you, everything has happened like he said it would." (Joshua 23:14)

Good things come when you follow me...Joshua 23:15,16

The purpose of Joshua's encouragement was a reinforcement of the goodness of God. These weren't empty words that had no validity for Joshua reminded them how liberally God had fulfilled His promise and concluded with a picture of the evil which would befall them if they rebelled against God. Joshua's encouragement was also practical. It takes courage to be obedient to God's law especially when it seems as if those around you are faring better than you while not obeying. But they're not courageous and they're also not the standard to judge yourself by - God's word is. He has our best interests at heart and time after time he has shown that following him is rewarding. In his old age, Joshua encouraged the leaders of Israel one last time. I love talking to older people as there's a gravity to their words. They know whereof they speak (and you can take it or leave it). Joshua was like that - he was getting ready to leave this earth. As an encouraging leader, he shared these thoughts with his leaders.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

How would you measure courage and obedience in your life? Can you up the ante?

God's Provision to The Prophet and The Widow

Have you ever sat through a message at a church where it was titled one thing but the message was about something totally different? There was so much meat being shared - it was a smorgasbord of good stuff; not necessarily connected but all good for you. That's what happened yesterday.

The story of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17, starts off with Elijah being fed by ravens - the ravens would bring Elijah food to eat and he would drink water from the brook. This happened for a length of time. Because there was a famine in the land the brook dried up and the ravens stopped bringing food. God then commanded Elijah to go to a village where He had instructed a widow to feed him. 

The widow was very poor - she was down to her last portion of flour and oil that she would use to make bread. But the widow was also obedient despite her impending need. When Elijah showed up and asked for water and bread, she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” (v12)

Elijah replied, "Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” (v13,14)

Knowing that Elijah the prophet was a man of God, she did as he instructed and she, her son, and Elijah were able to eat for many days. The flour and oil miraculously lasted.

And then her son died, and she initially wondered if it was Elijah's fault. It's not a faulty assumption, humanly speaking - she was prepared to die before Elijah showed up; now she is able to survive since he showed up and now her son is dead. The only difference is Elijah.

Elijah takes her son up to his room - laid over him and prayed to God to restore the child's life - and God does. Upon seeing her son alive, she acknowledged that he truly is a man of God and the Lord speaks through him.

This is a powerful story. Using this story, the speaker highlighted the virtues of stewardship which are:

• Service - no matter how much or how little you are entrusted with, a willingness to serve is important. Instead of being greedy or self-centered, focus on others. You never know how you will be blessed.
• Management of what is given to you vs. ownership - as a steward you have been entrusted with the privilege of managing something. You treat it as if it's your own, though it's not. Were you to act like it was yours, you'd be out of line. The analogy used was one of being a server in a restaurant where you serve everyone. Your job is to serve not decide who to serve.
• Long lasting impact - In this story because the widow was obedient when her son died the prophet healed him. In the same vein when you are obedient to God it has a long lasting impact and can impact more people than you would imagine.

It may seem hard or inconvenient to share the little that you have; with God leading you, little is much when God is in it.

So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. I Kings 17: 15, 16 [NLT]

Are you a good steward? If you struggle in this area, ask God to give you a willing and obedient heart.

It's Monday - this post is inspired by what I heard on Sunday.

Church Musings

Visiting the first church I ever attended in the Bahamas

In my 40 plus years I have listened to many sermons; sat in many churches; learned a lot and observed a thing or two.
As an icebreaker activity, I was asked how many churches I had attended throughout my life; I came up with eight:

1. Central Gospel Chapel in the Bahamas  (denomination: Brethren)
2. Bethany Gospel Chapel in New York (denomination: Brethren)
3. Northport Baptist Church in NY (denomination: Baptist)
4. Hempstead Assembly of God in NY (denomination: Assembly of God)

Since relocating from NY to CA in 2007,  I have attended four additional churches in that timeframe and became a member of two of those. I'm never sure of the benefits of church membership, but regardless of membership, there are certain things that I like and look forward to in a church.

On any Sunday as I observe people at church, I see families, couples and singles. It's easy to spot the families and couples because they all sit together. Couples may hold hands or place a hand on the other's shoulder. Families with children usually have the children in between with the parents serving as bookends. Sometimes the husband and wife will sit together. If children are dismissed during the service there's a shifting of the seats. Singles sit by themselves or they may come as a group and sit together. Growing up church was a special place, so my mom took the time to ensure we had on our Sunday best. While Jesus said come as you are, we made an effort in how we came. Our hearts, minds, and bodies were prepared for worship. This mentality seems to be on its way out the door today.

I also notice the worship styles of people. There are those that look pious yet tranquil; there are those that look bored and seem to wish to be anywhere but church; there are those that regardless of how the music sounds will go all out with their displays of worship and there are those that are still but are taking it all in.

In all of my church experiences, I especially enjoy a service that encapsulates worship - where it pervades the service instead of it being isolated to a segment of the service. The Worship leader (for lack of a better title) at a prior church would pick songs during the service that meant something special to him. But it wasn't about the song because it almost didn't matter as his love for the Lord shone through in his voice and his face. And if he felt so led he would encourage everyone to participate more and sing with more fervor. I'm sure most wondered what he had! He was contagious in his love for the Lord.

In all church services, there's usually a time for preaching. The pastor/preacher is a vessel to bring God's truth. You can always tell when the Word has hit a spot as there's something in the atmosphere. It may be still but there's rapt attention; it may be loud because of the vocal agreement. No one has to do anything to stir up the atmosphere. What's being said is not trite or contrived.The Lord is speaking and it's magnetic. Some may think that this has something to do with the personality and charisma of the speaker but only to a small extent. God's word convicts; God's word makes you want to do better; God's word changes you; God's word is magnetic, it uplifts; and makes you think and go deeper.

When people are under the ear of God's word, I've also noticed that children may pay more attention, couples choose to forget the argument they had before church, hands reach out to touch, someone may be overcome with emotion and another's hand reaches out to console or offer encouragement. Tissues are passed but no words are shared as each person is convicted.

People want this. Weeks are busy - there's errands to run, jobs to go to, extracurricular activities that pull us in different directions but on a Sunday morning it's as if our souls cry out for a much-needed respite. A time to reconnect with God and each other. A time for children to learn foundational truths.

It's why on any given Sunday, I'd rather be in the presence of the Lord in a church than anywhere else.

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 [NLT]

How many churches have you attended in your lifetime? What do you like or notice in a church?

Faith Lessons

I don't know about you, but I have to admit sometimes I struggle with faith. As a mature Christian, I understand faith and its application, but sometimes I get to thinking too much, and then I'm convicted in my spirit to recognize that what I call faith is me trying to be smart. That's not faith at all.

In re-reading some passages, my FQ (faith quotient) is being given a new opportunity for optimization:

When Jesus healed the centurion's son - before Jesus healed him, he marveled at his faith. The centurion could articulate what faith looked like because so many were faithful to him. He was in a position of authority and people obeyed him. If he said come, they came; if he said go, they went. He didn't seem to be one to abuse the power of his position but it seemed it was understood that if he gave a command, it was for the greater good. Jesus marveled that he could take something that we oftentimes complicate - faith and could explain it. The centurion said all of this to say I believe that if you say the word, my son will be healed. Jesus said the word and his son was healed.

When Jesus calmed the storm - the disciples marveled at his demeanor. What kind of man is this? There were in the midst of a storm and Jesus was sleeping. When he was awakened and saw all that was going on around Him, he asked them, “Why are you afraid - o ye of little faith?”

When Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus - Bartimaeus was persistent in yelling once he knew that Jesus was passing by. By doing this he got Jesus' attention at which point the Lord asked him, "What do you want?" The blind man said, “I want to see.” Jesus healed him, because of his faith in action - his persistence, and making himself heard.

Then there are the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews 11. Some are known for being faithful while here on earth, and some are known for being faithful in spite of immense hardship and never seeing the reward for their faith.

Faith knows:

·        We can be calm in the midst of the storm.

·        We can know that God is with us.

·        We can have an expectation.

·        We can be persistent.

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Ephesians 6:16 [NLT]

What is your FQ? Would the Lord marvel at your faith?

Notes From My Daughter

I'm starting a new series called - Notes From My Daughter.  This daughter is 19 years old with a heart that desires to serve God. We've had great conversations around her spiritual growth and the evidence of it in her life. She wanted to start sharing some of her thoughts via a blog, but she has not done so as yet. She thought my blog would be a great starting point. So without further introduction, here is her first note.

What You Want vs. What God Wants (Spoiler: in this battle, God wins)

The phrase “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is extracted from a conversation between Saul and Samuel in 1 Samuel 15. In this chapter Saul, the appointed king of the Israelites  disobeys God but finds his actions to be justified because he “technically” performed the task God asked him to do. God asked Saul to destroy Amalek (a city that ambushed the Israelites), and Saul did almost that. Saul chose to keep the King of Amalek alive, the animals alive, and kept “all that was good” (verse 9). Samuel, the priest of Israel, is instructed to confront Saul about how the Lord now rejects Saul as king because of his actions. There are 3 basic things that I took away from this chapter that we can all learn from:


1. Excuses 

Saul’s reasoning for disobeying God is found in verse 24 where Saul states “I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.” When I first read this chapter I overlooked this verse but now it stands out to me because I relate to Saul’s logic. Sometimes God’s instructions get overshadowed by popular opinion, and it’s not because He wasn't clear in His instructions but that we took our eyes off of Him and put our focus on other human beings. We as humans are swayed at the thought of pleasing other humans instead of LISTENING to what God has to say. It’s natural, but it’s wrong, especially in a leadership position like Saul had. Keep in mind God is not a people pleaser; He see’s beyond the surface of the situation and instructs based on what’s necessary, not what's popular. People are always going to have an opinion but God is the only one who speaks the absolute truth. Stop with the tired excuses.

2. Forgetfulness
The reality is, we are all like Saul. Going back to the beginning of Saul’s story (which starts in 1st Samuel 9) we can see that Saul was initially an “average Joe” who was appointed as King because God chose him for the job. In the beginning of Saul’s reign, Samuel was sure to instill in Saul that he would have to follow God’s will if he wanted to be established (this was the only requirement). However, we all forget the beginning when we are caught up in the now. Humble beginnings are reminders that throughout the whole journey you still NEED to depend on the one who got you started. You cannot do God’s will, without Him. No matter how much you think you have it under control, you need to trust God more than yourself, which leads us to…


3. Pride


“Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil” –Proverbs 3:7
Sometimes/Often the actions that we take are all very logical from our own perspective. We think the way in which we interpret what God says precisely matches what he originally said to us. Honestly if this were the case there would be no need for the Holy Spirit who continually guides and protects us, even from ourselves. We think…..wait for it…….WE KNOW IT ALL, or at least we know enough from our point of view. But don’t let yourself fool yourself. God did not ask Samuel for sacrifice; He asked for obedience. He didn't ask for selectivity, but for total submission. He didn't ask for what you heard, but what he told you. It’s not based on you. The only way to be a leader who “Does not lie or change his mind” based off of what he/she thinks is to consistently go back God because the reality is, you need God.

“Obedience is better than sacrifice” said Samuel to Saul. So how does one start being truly obedient?

Obey his words; read them, meditate on them, bind them around your heart (Proverbs 3) and consistently go back to God as he continues to sanctify you. Do not go off of what the majority says, or even what seems right to you, but seek God in ALL things and be willing to LISTEN. A true leader is a person who is dedicated to following God at all times and directs others based off of God’s will. We start by realizing we need God and putting our full trust in him, we continue by following him, wherever he takes us…obedience is key to your walk with God.

Obedience or sacrifice?

PS - please show some love in the comments; I appreciate all my readers!
PPS - I had such a hard time adding those images.